Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must complete the required 60 credits by this date.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification, please contact the Centre for Qualifications and Ceremonies on +44 (0)1908 653003 or by email.
This Professional Certificate in Accounting is ideal if you want a route into the accountancy profession, or if you need fundamental accounting skills in a management or other role. You’ll gain knowledge and understanding of financial and management accounting and its role in business organisations – including how to prepare accounts and how to use accounting information for decision-making, planning and control. You’ll also explore issues of business law, corporate governance and ethics as they relate to accounting and management. The certificate is accredited by a range of professional bodies and is excellent preparation for professional accountancy training.
Planning your studies
If you’re new to study with the OU we recommend that you start with a module at Level 1 and that you complete your Level 1 study before going on to Level 2.
For this certificate, if you have no previous experience of accounting we advise you to study the Level 1 module An introduction to bookkeeping and accounting (B190) before studying Financial accounting (B291) but please note that the credits you gain for B190 cannot be counted towards the Professional Certificate in Accounting.
We strongly recommend that you take Financial accounting (B291) before studying Management accounting (B292). We do not recommend studying B291 and B292 at the same time.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.
Career relevance and employability
The Professional Certificate in Accounting provides a solid foundation in accounting skills. Although it does not qualify you as an accountant (for which you need to pass the qualifying examinations of a professional accounting body), it will help you progress to professional training. The institutions in this list have granted exemptions to holders of this certificate.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
For this certificate you require:
60 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 2 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Financial accounting (B291)
|
30 |
|
- Management accounting (B292)
|
30 |
|
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution (ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW) or other accounting qualifications for example) we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
On completion
On successful completion of the required modules you will be awarded a Professional Certificate in Accounting and will be entitled to use the letters Cert Acct (Open) after your name.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification