Benefits from doing accountancy at uni?

JoshuaJ

After you do an accounting degree do you still have to do 2-3 years with a professional body like ATT before you become fully qualified. If so, what are the main benefits from doing an accounting degree rather than just signing up with an accounting body like ATT?

CeeJaySix

Yes, you will still need to get an accountancy qualification, although graduates tend to opt for ACA/ACCA/CIOT straight away.

A degree is more flexible for other careers (if you leave uni and decide not to pursue a career in finance you'll still be accepted for numerous other graduate jobs).

You get to go to uni for 3yrs, with all the experiences that (reportedly) brings.

If you're sure you want to pursue a career in finance, personally I would go AAT/ATT then ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CIOT. You can work, get your studies funded (ie. no student debt and 3yrs extra wages), and you will be much more skilled in the real world after 3yrs in the workplace rather than a classroom.

JoshuaJ

Thanks for your informative reply. If I was to go with a body like the ACCA instead of doing a degree, how long would it be before I would become fully qualified if I was able to complete the course.

CeeJaySix

The 'standard' for ACA/ACCA/CIMA is three years, as that is the amount of work experience required to gain membership (so students tend to study over the same period). You could do the exams faster if you wanted.

It is more than possible to complete AAT and ACA/ACCA in 3yrs (and you can claim the work experience whilst studying AAT towards the 3yrs required for the chartered qualifications) - much easier if you have a sponsoring employer who gives you time off for courses/exams than if you are going alone.

JoshuaJ

Thanks for all your replies. Can anyone tell me if they know what the statistics are for employment between people that have a degree in accounting and aat/acca, between the people who only have aat/acca?

CeeJaySix

If you have ACA/ACCA you won't struggle to find a job - the hard part is getting the first job to get the work experience needed to gain the qualification. Larger firms offer graduate training schemes, but then they also offer AAT apprenticeship schemes at school-leaver age (I'm assuming you're thinking of university at 'normal' age - please forgive me if you're older!). Although wages might not be great on the latter, it's more than you earn at university and you'll be getting the work experience under your belt, so you're actually ahead of graduates by the time they join on the grad schemes three years later.