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Overview
Behind every good business
Become an accountancy specialist with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the world of business.
Level
- Undergraduate, NZQF Level 7
Campus
- Auckland, Manawatū
Distance learning
- Available
Duration
- 3 year(s) full-time. Available part-time.
International
- Available for international students studying in NZ or via distance learning
The Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) is an accountancy degree with an integrated business perspective, giving you the skills and confidence to measure the big decisions affecting modern organisations and societies.
You will gain many skills useful in different types of businesses, both in New Zealand and internationally, with a sound base in the business fundamentals of accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, law and communication.
Massey’s accountancy programme is taught by highly-knowledgeable and research-driven experts so your learning is focussed on the most recent and relevant outcomes.
You’ll study in a modern and connected environment with access to our active social groups and networking opportunities with industry.
If you are certain you would like to follow a professional accounting career, you should consider the Bachelor of Accountancy programme as an alternative to the Bachelor of Business (Accountancy).
Careers and further study
Careers
The accountancy major prepares students for careers in business. However, as a graduate you may find employment opportunities in education, the corporate or public sector. Or you may work as a consultant providing business or tax advisory services. There are also opportunities for future advancement to general management.
Many of our graduates start their careers in accounting but later move into other areas, taking with them the financial and non-financial performance evaluation skills important for senior executives.
BBus graduates with an accountancy major are eligible for membership with the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand or CPA Australia and other professional bodies by completing specific course requirements. Contact the School of Accountancy Administrator for more information on professional body membership.
Further study
Upon successful completion of this programme you may wish to consider the Master of Business Studies and then a PhD.
International students
New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.
As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.
Entry requirements
University admission
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Programme admission
Required
There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, outside of university admission regulations.
English language requirements
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
Prior learning, credit and exemptions
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
- review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
- contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
If you do not have the entry requirements
English language and foundation courses
Before you start
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
- English Language Proficiency
- Foundation Certificate in Academic English
- Foundation Certificate in Advanced Academic English
- Full Foundation - Certificate in Foundation Studies
While you study
The language used in the study of business can be technical. If English is not your first language and you would like to increase your confidence in academic English we recommend you incorporate one of both of these programmes as electives. This will support the successful completion of your Bachelor of Business.
- 192.101 is Academic English for ESOL Students. It includes advice, practice and assessment of reading, writing, speaking and listening at University for students from non-English-speaking backgrounds.
- 192.102 is Academic Writing for ESOL Students. It includes advice, practice and assessment in essay and report writing for students from non-English-speaking backgrounds.
These courses both include research based written assessments of more than 1000 words.
Summer School
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
Courses and planning
Credit summary
360 credits
- Core courses – 120 credits
- Major courses – 120 credits
- Electives – 120 credits
Ensure that overall, you have:
- Not more than 180 credits at 100 level (including no more than 90 credits of 100‑level electives)
- At least 75 credits at 300 level (including at least 15 credits of 300‑level electives, if necessary)
You could replace electives with a second BBus major, or some electives with a recognised minor.
Courses for this specialisation
Compulsory courses
| 75 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 110109 | Introductory Financial Accounting | 15 |
| 110209 | Intermediate Financial Accounting | 15 |
| 110229 | Management Accounting | 15 |
| 110309 | Advanced Financial Accounting | 15 |
| 110329 | Advanced Management Accounting | 15 |
Compulsory capstone course
| 110303 | Integrative Accounting | 15 |
Compulsory course selections
| 15 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 110249 | Accounting Information Systems | 15 |
| 110279 | Auditing | 15 |
| 110289 | Taxation | 15 |
| 15 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 110369 | Forensic Accounting | 15 |
| 110379 | Advanced Auditing | 15 |
| 110389 | Advanced Taxation | 15 |
| 115388 | Internship in Business | 30 |
| 115389 | Business Internship | 15 |
Planning your programme
Planning overview
If you study full-time, in your first year, you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.
If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.
Core business courses
Core courses are compulsory. These are courses which cover topics across the business spectrum. They are designed to give you the leadership, communication and solid business skills that you will need in your career.
The BBus provides considerable flexibility, enabling you to take control of your own programme within the regulations.
In your first year
You must include course 110.109 in your first year of study as you require this course to gain entry to most of the 200-level accountancy courses).
In your final year
110.303 Integrative Accounting is a capstone course, which means it is designed to be taken in your last year of study. It relies on you having completed first and second year courses and ties your learning together.
Minors
Completing a minor is optional. Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.
A minor must be in a different subject from your major.
A Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) with a minor
You may choose a minor from any University undergraduate degree that has recognised minors. If the minor is from another undergraduate degree, the regulations of that programme will apply.
An Accountancy minor (for students who are studying a different degree)
If you are not studying a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) and wish to complete a minor in Accountancy see the BBus regulations for the requirements of this minor.
Professional requirements
Membership of professional accountancy bodies (Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ), CPA Australia, CIMA and ACCA) requires the completion of specified courses. Some of these courses are required for the Bachelor of Business majoring in Accountancy while the remaining professional courses can be selected as electives.
See professional body course requirements. Contact us to find out more.
Fees and scholarships
Fees and finance
Fees, student loans and free fees scheme
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
Already know which courses you're going to choose?
You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.
Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme
You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.
The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student portal
A good fit if you:
- are able to consider the bigger picture in problem-solving situations
- enjoy business and mathematics subjects at school
- have an interest in the world of finance.
Meet our students
“
I loved my time at Massey and my study led to the start of my career as an auditor at KPMG, where I am applying all that I learnt.
” Carl Gray
“
Massey’s online learning community Stream is such a useful tool. It provided me with so much useful information and a forum to ask questions comfortably.
” Forrest Butler
“
There are many aspects to Massey that made my tertiary experience significantly better than how I anticipated university study would be. That includes approachable lecturers, that were easy to have discussions with (in terms of both study and beyond), and they had a lot of wisdom and experience to share.
” Hema Bansal
Accreditations and rankings
Massey's School of Accountancy is one of only two institutions in New Zealand and Australia, and one of 12 outside the United States, to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for its undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programmes.
Massey's accountancy programmes are internationally accredited by the UK's Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Massey's accountancy programmes have accreditation from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).
Accountancy programmes at Massey University have been accredited by CPA Australia - one of the world’s largest accounting bodies.
Accountancy programmes at Massey University are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
Massey is ranked by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) as one of the top 200 universities for accounting and finance.
Massey University is ranked by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) as one of the top 300 universities for business and management.
Massey University is ranked #1 in New Zealand and in the top 150 universities globally for business administration and finance by ShanghaiRanking.
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Regulations
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
Undergraduate programmes
Applying and enrolling
Applying for the programme
Check you are ready
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
Choose your programme and click on Apply now
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
Receive and accept an Admission Offer of Place
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
Enrolling in courses
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
- prerequisites (courses you have to do before the one you are enrolling in)
- corequisites (courses you have to do at the same time as the one you are enrolling in)
- restrictions (courses that you cannot enrol in if you are completing or have completed another identified similar course)
- location – for instance some distance-based courses still have an on-campus element, so double check that the way the course is taught is suitable for your situation.
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
What are courses and credits?
What are courses and credits?
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
- See the ‘Courses for this programme’ section for the list of courses.
- Courses search
Understanding course numbers
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
- sub-degree courses are '0' (i.e. xxx.0xx)
- undergraduate study begins at 100-level, (i.e. xxx.1xx)
- as you progress through 200- and 300-level courses this number changes to 2 and 3 respectively. The higher the number that starts the second three digits, the higher the level of study
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
About electives
Electives are courses that are not compulsory. Certain guidelines are usually provided on courses you may take. Elective courses contribute to the programme, but not to your major or specialisation.
Elective courses can be chosen from any area of study that interests you, as long as it fits the timetable for courses for your Bachelor of Business.
For this accountancy major we do recommend that you choose one of the following first-year courses for your elective choices in your first year:
These courses will assist with your numeracy abilities.
If English is not your first language we also recommend you include English language electives as part of your study. See the ‘If you do not have the entry requirements’ section for more.
Workload and time management
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
Returning students
For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.
In some cases the programme or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Scholarships and awards
Scholarships related to this programme
- Drakeford Undergraduate Accountancy Scholarship
- FUJIFILM Business Innovation Global Student Exchange Scholarship
- FUJIFILM Business Innovation Scholarship for Women
- McEwan Pacific Student Scholarship
- Ted Delahunty Accountancy Scholarship
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.