Bachelor of Accounting

The Bachelor of Accounting has CAANZ and CPA accreditation and meets their academic eligibility for full membership.

With her eye on a career in accountancy, student Lily Barlow says winning a School Leavers Scholarship to study at NMIT has been life-changing. Read more.

Gain the skills to become an accounting professional. Becoming an accountant will open doors for you across the globe. Our graduates are known not only for being highly skilled but also for being able to hit the ground running.

Through active and applied learning in small classes, you’ll gain skills and knowledge in a range of accounting topics such as accounting systems and processes; taxation; finance and financial management; economics; accounting information systems; quantitative methods for accounting; audit and assurance; management accounting; financial accounting and reporting; and business law.

Alongside these accounting areas, you’ll also cover core business topics enabling you to develop comprehensive professional accounting skills, knowledge and capabilities, while an elective will enable you to focus on another topic of interest in business.

In your final year, you’ll undertake a professional accounting project which involves applying your learning within a real business environment. You’ll undertake a deep-dive project into a specialist area of accounting, and on successful completion, you’ll have real-life work experience to add to your CV.

Flexible learning options for Marlborough students

From 2026, Marlborough learners will have the option to learn remotely. This means you can join your Nelson-based classes from home, or, if you prefer, come onto the Marlborough campus and use the dedicated room to connect in with your own device and headphones.

Key details:

• You can join classes remotely from home via Webex.
• A dedicated space will be available on the Marlborough campus for those who prefer to learn on-site.
• All tests and exams will still be held on campus.
• IT support will ensure you have what you need to access classes through Moodle.

This flexible delivery model ensures Marlborough learners stay connected, supported, and fully included in the Nelson learning environment – while choosing the study setup that works best for them.

Career opportunities

This qualification will prepare you for accounting and accounting-related roles, including Chartered Accountant. Accounting has good long-term career prospects, with strong support from a professional body to remain current and adaptable in an ever-changing business world.

Study with flexibility nation-wide

The Bachelor of Accounting is a NMIT unified programme, redesigned to be portable, consistent and aligned with the business industry's needs while keeping your success and well-being at heart.
See more here.

Whakatapoko | Admission

To be eligible for admission to this programme, all applicants must meet three admission requirements:

• Requirements for either General, Special, or Discretionary admission
• Any additional Programme specific requirements
• Language Literacy requirements

University Entrance:

• NCEA Level 3
• Three subjects at level 3, made up of:
  • 14 credits in each of three approved subjects
• Literacy - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
  • 5 credits in reading
  • 5 credits in writing
• Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
  • achievement standards - specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
  • unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).

Or

• Satisfied the criteria for entrance to a New Zealand University with an equivalent to the above from another secondary qualification.

Or

• Successful completion of an approved qualification at Level 4 or above with a relevant pathway.

Special Admission

Applicants who have attained the age of 20 years on or before the first day of the semester in which study for the programme is to commence and who do not meet the general admission requirements stated above and who believe that they have the level of preparedness for study at this level may apply for special admission.

In assessing whether to grant special admission the primary focus will be on the applicant’s ability to demonstrate a likelihood to succeed in the programme.

All decisions will be at the discretion of the Relevant Academic Authority.

Discretionary Admission

Applicants who do not meet the general admission requirements stated above and who believe that they have the level of preparedness for study at this level may apply for discretionary admission.

In assessing whether to grant discretionary admission the primary focus will be on the applicant’s ability to demonstrate a likelihood to succeed in the programme.

All decisions will be at the discretion of the Relevant Academic Authority.

Language Literacy Admission Requirements

All applicants must provide evidence that they have the necessary language literacy proficiency required for the Programme as demonstrated by the equivalence of: 

All applicants must provide evidence that they have the necessary language literacy proficiency required for the Programme as demonstrated by the equivalence of:

• 10 NCEA literacy credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
  • 5 credits in reading
  • 5 credits in writing

Applicants who are unable to provide evidence of the above may be required to demonstrate capability using an approved proficiency test or an equivalent described in [NZQA Rules](https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/rules-fees-policies/nzqa-rules/approval-recognition-and-accreditation/#:_{:text=2022%20are%20revoked.-,Appendix%201%3A%20Internationally%20Recognised%20English%20Proficiency%20Outcomes%20for%20International%20Students,-Rule%2022.2(d#https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/rules-fees-policies/nzqa-rules/approval-recognition-and-accreditation/#:}:text=2022%20are%20revoked.-,Appendix%201%3A%20Internationally%20Recognised%20English%20Proficiency%20Outcomes%20for%20International%20Students,-Rule%2022.2(d "Goes to NZQA").

International applicants must provide evidence that they have the necessary English language proficiency required for the Programme as demonstrated by an IELTS score of 6.0 (academic) with no individual band lower than 5.5 from one test taken in the preceding two years, or an equivalent described in [NZQA Rules](https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/rules-fees-policies/nzqa-rules/approval-recognition-and-accreditation/#:~:text=2022%20are%20revoked.-,Appendix%201%3A%20Internationally%20Recognised%20English%20Proficiency%20Outcomes%20for%20International%20Students,-Rule%2022.2(d "Goes to NZQA") and on Delivery Site English Language Requirements for International Ākonga Web-page.

Tūtukitanga Whakamihi | Credit Recognition

Credit Recognition describes the provisions and procedures for the awarding of credit recognition and transfer, and recognition of prior learning that are applied in this programme.

Credit Recognition and Transfer (CRT)

Credit recognition and transfer (CRT) is a process where credit for outcomes already achieved by an applicant through formal study in relation to a qualification is recognised as credit for comparable outcomes in another qualification.

• Applicants may be awarded credits or exemptions in recognition of successful equivalent study, at the same or a higher level in the context of another programme. The credit recognition may be:
  • specified, where there is direct equivalence of the learning outcomes of a completed course and a course in the programme; or
  • unspecified, where the previous study has taken place in a programme with a similar philosophy but there is no exact match in the programme’s courses.
• Graduates of the following qualifications may seek to recognise and transfer credits towards this programme:
  • New Zealand Diploma in Business (Level 5) (Accounting strand) [Ref: 2459] to a maximum of 120 credits
  • New Zealand Diploma in Business (Level 6) (Accounting strand) [Ref: 2460] number of available credits subject to the equivalence of course outcomes

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning is available for all courses in this programme with the exception of the final 30 credit capstone Professional Accounting Project course.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) involves the formal assessment of an applicant’s relevant and current knowledge and skills (gained through prior learning) to determine the achievement of learning outcomes of a qualification or the purpose of awarding credit towards that qualification. RPL leads to credit being awarded for existing skills, knowledge, and attributes acquired without regard for the length, place or method of learning (e.g. workplace, life experience, hobbies, self-directed study)

RPL decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis using the process for assessment set out in the Procedures.

Recommended school subjects

• English
• Mathematics