The accounting profession has recently seen a fundamental shift from a role that was seen as providing financial information and number crunching towards a multi-disciplinary advisory role. Similarly, many law firms increasingly favour graduates who display accounting and financial acumen. Deakin's Master of Accounting and Law (MAL) course provides an advanced, integrated, and coherent set of multidisciplinary studies in a range of business and law disciplines, encompassing areas such as accounting, finance, commercial law and business taxation. Graduates will possess a skill-set covering accounting and related business law subjects, including superannuation, business taxation and financial services regulation. The course offers graduates a pathway to gain entry to professional accounting bodies such as the CPA Australia, the Institute of Public Accountants, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Graduates with a Master of Accounting and Law will have multi-disciplinary skills with the ability to solve complex business issues in multiple markets. Course structure To complete the Master of Accounting and Law, students must complete the three day Law Orientation Program and attain a total of 16 credit points. The 16 credit points consists of 15 credit points of core units and a 1 credit point elective unit chosen from a list. Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point. Students are introduced to research tools and techniques in core units of the course where they learn analytic skills and the practical application of those skills in professional contexts. They must also complete advanced level units and a capstone unit that require them to integrate the skills learnt over their course of study and produce applied pieces of research with reference to prevailing literature. Graduate outcomes Career outcomes Graduates of this course would typically seek employment in areas of accounting such as financial accounting, auditing, taxation, management accounting, public sector accounting, forensic accounting or commercial law. However accountants can choose to work in a range of different environments depending on their own skills and preferences. They can choose to work in large firms, small public practices, industry, government, law firms, management consultancies, banking and financial services, not-for-profit organisations (NPOs) or educational organisations. Many also set up their own businesses. Professional recognition Completion of the appropriate selection of units within the Master of Accounting and Law grants eligibility for entry as an associate member of CPA Australia, and meets the educational requirements for entry into the CA program of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA), the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), Professional Accounting Program (PEP). Upon completion of appropriate program units, it is also possible to receive exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) towards the ACCA qualification. Course learning outcomes Deakin's graduate learning outcomes describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates can demonstrate at the completion of their course. These outcomes mean that regardless of the Deakin course you undertake, you can rest assured your degree will teach you the skills and professional attributes that employers value. They'll set you up to learn and work effectively in the future.