IIE Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting - (Distance)

Admission requirements

Minimum Admission Requirements:

• FIRST ATTEMPT STUDENTS Students from a SAICA accredited undergraduate degree: Applicants with a SAICA-endorsed undergraduate degree must have completed all 4 core 3rd year subjects - Auditing, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting and Finance and Taxation - in the year immediately preceding the year in which they are admitted into the PGDip (Accounting), OR A successfully completed accountancy bridging programme and completed all 4 core subjects - Auditing, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting and Finance and Taxation - in the year immediately preceding the year in which they are admitted into the PGDip (Accounting).
•  REPEAT ATTEMPT STUDENTS Students who have unsuccessfully attempted their PGDip (Accounting) or equivalent once, in the year preceding registration for PGDip (Accounting) at either The IIE or any other higher education provider, will be admitted into The IIE’s PGDip (Accounting) programme on condition that their overall average for their first attempt of PGDip (Accounting) or equivalent was at least 40%. Students who have unsuccessfully attempted their PGDip (Accounting) or equivalent two times or more at either The IIE or any other higher education provider, will not be admitted into The IIE’s PGDip (Accounting) programme.
• For International qualifications: A SAQA Evaluation Certificate with NQF L7 equivalence in an appropriate field.

For alternative admission options, please click here or reach out to student recruitment. Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.

Curriculum

Full time

Year 1 – Year long modules

• Financial Accounting 4
  Financial Accounting 4 focuses on the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) at an advanced level for companies and complex groups.
• Taxation 4
  Taxation 4 focuses on the taxes and duties levied in terms of the Income Tax Act, the Estate Duty Act, and the Value-Added Tax Act.
• Management Accounting & Finance 4 
  Management Accounting and Finance 4 aims to provide tools that support analytical reasoning that contribute to effective management and decision making in the context of real-world scenarios. The module draws on a broad understanding of the economy, strategy and risk management.
• Auditing 4
  Auditing 4 aims to provide a thorough knowledge and understanding of the external audit process, corporate governance and company-related legislation. The curriculum focuses on the audit process, computer auditing, the Code of Professional Conduct, the Auditing Professions Act, the Companies Act, corporate governance and sustainable businesses.

Articulation options

The IIE Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting is endorsed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and successful completion qualifies students to write the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC), the first of SAICA’s two professional exams.

For alternative articulation options within our other schools please contact your campus for further information.

Study further with our pathways

The path to becoming a Chartered Accountant

1. Complete a 1-year endorsed Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting.

2. Complete a 3-year training contract with an accredited training provider (usually an audit firm).

3. At the beginning of the training contract, the first SAICA professional exams is written, the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC).

4. At the end of the 2nd year of the training contract, the second of the SAICA professional exams is written, the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

Accreditation

The IIE Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting is endorsed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)and accredited by the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as a 120-credit qualification on level 8 (SAQA ID: 88609).

Career opportunities

The Chartered Account designation will open up career opportunities in a diverse and exciting range of business-related careers, including:

• Public practice
• Consulting in Taxation, Management Accounting, International Financial Reporting Standards and Auditing
• Finance and Management functions, including Financial Manager (FM), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Academia (teaching and learning, research and community-based involvement).

Teaching and Learning strategy

At Emeris, we believe that effective teaching is about creating experiences that foster student growth. Our academic team design activities that challenge students and identify their strengths, allowing for real-time adaptation in the learning journey. By combining subject expertise with teaching insights and digital tools, we extend learning beyond the classroom. This approach ensures students not only keep up but thrive.

On-Campus written examination venue information

For students based in South Africa, online students may select any campus of The Emeris as their Examination Centre.

An alternative examination centre is only permissible for students studying abroad and those located in a province of South Africa where there is no Emeris campus. If there is no Emeris campus within reach, an alternative venue will need to be sourced by you. For non-Emeris venues, there is an alternative venue levy per module.

Device and connectivity specifications required for online study

• Reliable internet connection (we recommend 5-10 GB of data per month and an internet speed of at least 0.15 Mbps).
• Desktop PC or laptop with at least an i3 processor and 4GB RAM memory.
• Windows 8 or macOS 10.15 (Microsoft Office 365 is available as a free download for Emeris students), and Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge Chromium or Firefox.
• A working webcam and microphone.
• An uninterrupted power supply is also highly recommended.
• Exams are written at an exam centre and in some instances online. These details will be specified in your programme assessment schedule.