Accounting

Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI)- Duration
2 years, Full-time at Ballymena 2 years, Part-time at all locations

Awarding Body

Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI)

Course Content
Year 1 Foundation level Financial Accounting 1 Management Accounting Business Management Taxation 1 (Northern Ireland) Year 2 Admission level Financial Accounting 2 Law and Ethics Taxation 2 (Northern Ireland) Integrated Accounting Systems Integrated Knowledge and Skills Students on the full-time programme can study a range of optional units such as Sage Level 3 and Payroll.

Course Aims
Successful completion of the foundation level qualification will enable students to progress to the admissions level. Both levels taken together, plus 2 years relevant work experience, fully qualifies a candidate as an accounting technician. Accounting technicians are not accountants and do not claim to be but many who qualify as technicians go on to continue their studies, using their qualification as a stepping stone to eventually becoming fully-qualified accountants and members of one of the senior accounting bodies. As an accounting technician, you will be working alongside qualified accountants in business, industry, private practice and the public sector. The comprehensive training you receive means that you can play a wide range of roles in any organisation, from accounts clerk to assistant accountant, from credit controller to systems administrator. When you become an Accounting Technician and have the letters MIATI after your name, you will have gained a valuable business qualification and a passport to an incredibly rewarding career.

Special Features
Accounting and information systems are vital to the success of every organisation. The accountants job is to provide information, usually financial, so that organisations can make informed decisions about how their businesses are doing. In learning about accounting, you are learning the language of business. The qualification offers a challenging programme of study leading to membership of a professional accounting body and anyone wishing to enter or enhance a career in finance and accounting should consider this programme of study. When you become an Accounting Technician and have the letters MIATI after your name, you will have gained a valuable business qualification and a passport to an incredibly rewarding career.

Assessment Methods
The course is assessed by candidates sitting four externally set and marked examinations and one practical assessment in the Integrated Accounting Systems unit

Achievements/Qualifications
Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI)

Progression Routes
Students who hold both the IATI foundation and admissions level qualifications can progress to become fully qualified chartered accountants recognised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI). The route they take is similar to that of graduates. They will need to be in a training contract with an employer and at the same time study for and take the chartered accountancy professional examinations: CAP 1, CAP 2 and Professional 3 on a part time basis. These can be taken at Queens University in Belfast as well as in various institutions in the Republic of Ireland.