Accounting

The programme is designed for top graduates who have majored in business, accounting and finance and who wish to pursue a career in accounting, corporate finance, management consulting, and taxation either within the profession or with local or multinational companies. Our focus is not just on the development of technical skills but also on the development of complex problem-solving, critical thinking and softer people skills in our graduates. Attracting ambitious business graduates, the curriculum is calibrated to nurture problem-solvers required in today’s fluid global economy.



This Master's course is delivered at our dedicated Graduate Business School campus, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, located in Blackrock, 4km from the main UCD Belfield Campus.



What Will I Learn?

- Apply advanced accounting technical skills and conceptual understanding to problems in accounting (PG2).

- Critically appraise the theoretical and conceptual knowledge in the field of accounting (PG1).

- Demonstrate an understanding of how information technology can be used to provide better and timely financial information to organisations (PG1).

- Develop ethical awareness from reflecting on case studies in a small-group teaching environment (PG5).

- Display advanced technical skills in the areas of financial accounting, management accounting, finance, auditing and taxation (PG1).

- Display knowledge of the impact of international issues on the accounting profession. (PG1).

- Engage in effective communication (oral and written) on accounting and business issues (PG4.

- Engage in self-directed learning and reflective learning to enhance their personal and professional development (PG4).

- Evaluate the impact of accounting decisions on different groups and on society as a whole (PG3).

- Exercise judgement in making decisions (PG3).

- Integrate knowledge from different areas of accounting to develop solutions to problems (PG2).

Module / Trimester / Credits

Stage 1 Core Modules

ACC40070 Financial Reporting Autumn 7.5

ACC40180 Auditing and Assurance 1 Autumn 7.5

ACC41310 Capital and Indirect Taxes Autumn 7.5

ACC41320 Management Accounting (Macc) Autumn 7.5

ACC40170 Advanced Financial Accounting Spring 7.5

ACC40190 Auditing and Assurance 2 Spring 7.5

ACC41280 Accounting & Business Analytics Spring 7.5

ACC41330 Corporate & Personal Taxation Spring 7.5

ACC41290 Integrative Analysis in Acc Summer 7.5

ACC41300 Strategic Finance Summer 7.5



Stage 1 Options - A)2 of:

Places will be available for registration in March. Students select 15 ECTS (2 modules) from the list of summer option modules



ACC40720 Taxation Summer School Summer 7.5

ACC41020 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Accounting Summer 7.5

ACC41240 Sustainability Reporting & Analysis Summer 7.5

ACC41250 Financial Data Technology Summer 7.5

BMGT46260 Managing Performance Summer 7.5

Please review the entry requirements below. The UCD Smurfit Admissions Office staff have expertise in reviewing international qualifications from around the world and will be able to assess your application's comparability to the Irish entry requirements.



A first class or second class honours grade 1 Business degree. An overall final degree average grade of minimum 63% or minimum UCD GPA of 3.30/4.2 will be required (or equivalent), students please contact the UCD Smurfit Admissions Team for grade equivalencies.

or

An honours primary degree with a minimum of three years relevant work experience.



AND

To have achieved full exemptions from Chartered Accountants Ireland's (ICAI) CAP 1 Examinations. If you do not have full CAP 1 exemptions from your undergraduate degree you can complete your outstanding CAP 1 subjects as an external student with ICAI. All CAP 1 exemptions must be obtained before the start of term in a given academic year.



The CAP 1 entry requirement may be waived for high performing undergraduate Business students subject to appropriate CAP 1 remediation being agreed prior to admittance to the programme. High performing undergraduate Business students are Level 8 Irish honours degree level Business students (or international equivalent) with an Hons 1.1 degree result (or equivalent) with a level 8 (or international equivalent) knowledge of financial accounting and reporting, finance and managerial accounting. Non-native English speaking students must have a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.5 or or a TOEFL 105 overall (with 20 for the minimum component). Other English Language Certifications are not accepted.



For more information on CAP 1s see: https://www.charteredaccountants.ie



If English is not your first language, an English language qualification is required for admission to all of our programmes. The exception to this rule is if you have completed your primary degree or an entire third level qualification through English, in an English speaking country. View -

https://www.smurfitschool.ie/admissions/internationalapplicants/englishlanguagerequirements/



Some students might have to get a student visa in order to come and study in Ireland.



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the 'UCD Registry RPL web page' https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/

for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Applications are assessed on a rolling basis and courses will close once they are filled. We advise you to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Please note certain scholarships may require you to apply before a certain date – please refer to our scholarship page https://www.smurfitschool.ie/admissions/scholarships/



If you have any questions in relation to deadlines or availability please email smurfit.admissions@ucd.ie.



Who Should Apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EU) applicants: No

1 year full-time.

Delivery: On Campus

Fees Full-Time EU:

€14,460 (academic year 2020/2021)


Full-Time Non-EU:

€19,900 (academic year 2020/2021)


Important Note: Tuition fees and other charges are subject to change each year.

Commencing September 2026

Graduate Taught (UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School)

The Master of Accounting qualification from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School gives you the broad-based knowledge and in-depth accounting skills you need for the long-term development of your career. You gain access to a wide range of employment opportunities, namely within Accounting, Financial Services, Industry and Commerce, and Management Consultancy, and with employers such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young. UCD Master of Accounting graduates such as Siobhán Talbot, Chief Executive of Glanbia, and Shaun Murphy, Chief Operating Officer of the Ardagh Group, occupy some of the top positions in the business and accounting professions.



100% of our graduates from this programme were employed after 6 months across a range of industry sectors. Source: Latest Graduate Outcomes Survey, published in September 2025.



Potential careers for our graduates include:

Accountant

Auditor

Tax Consultant

Management consulting

Banking and investment management