AN OVERVIEW:
ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is a globally acknowledged qualification of accounting, offering a secure career in the accounting and finance sector. The qualification is generally considered competitive because of the nature of the ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe. It combines diverse academic knowledge, technical skills, practical work experience, and Continuous professional development. ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe consists of 13 exams that equip students with academic knowledge in various accounting and technical skills such as critical thinking, strategic decision-making, etc. Alongside, these exams and courses also prepare a student to perform accounting practices while aligning them with global accounting standards and compliance with regulations. To get in-depth knowledge about ACCA subjects in Zimbabwe read the guide ahead.
ACCA QUALIFICATION STRUCTURE:
ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe consists of a series of 13 exams, these exams cover a diverse range of areas of accounting and finance, preparing aspirants to kick-start their professional journey. ACCA subjects in Zimbabwe are divided into three levels, namely; Applied knowledge level, Applied skills level, and Strategic professional level. With each level the complexity of the subjects increases, each level is elaborated as below:
Applied Knowledge Level:
This is the fundamental level of this qualification, this level includes all the basic courses that help in building the foundational level knowledge. There are three courses included in this level, namely; Business and Technology (BT), Management Accounting (MA), and Financial Accounting (FA).
Applied Skills level:
The applied skills level is a bit advanced than the applied knowledge level, in this level the understanding gained in the previous level deepens, making the syllabus more complex. ACCA subjects in Zimbabwe included in this level are 6 in total, namely; Corporate and Business law (LW), Performance Management (PM), Taxation (TX), Financial Reporting (FR), Audit and Assurance, and Financial Management (FM).
Strategic Professional level:
This is the last stage of the ACCA qualification, hence, the most advanced and complex level. To clear this level’s exams it is crucial to have expertise in certain skills like strategic decision-making, leadership skills, and critical thinking. This level demands the students to use their academic knowledge and technical skills learned in real-life financial scenarios and derive effective outcomes.
This level includes 4 exams in total out of which two are optional. Mandatory exams are Strategic Business Leadership (SBL) and Strategic Business Reporting (SBR). Whereas, these are four options to choose from for the optional courses; Advanced Performance Management, Advanced Financial Management (AFM), Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA), and Advanced Taxation (ATX).
CHANGES IN THE ACCA SYLLABUS IN ZIMBABWE:
ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe keeps on changing frequently, as ACCA ensures the syllabus is up to date with any major trends, changes, or innovations made in the accounting sector. Students are advised to keep up with any changes made in the syllabus to avoid any last-minute chaos. To stay current with changes in the ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe, students can regularly check the ACCA global website for any updates about the changes.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE ACCA SYLLABUS IN ZIMBABWE:
The ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe mainly focuses on certain factors, these are the requirements that are mandatory for students to fulfill to become a fully qualified ACCA member. These factors are elaborated below:
Focuses on International Standards:
The ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe is designed to follow international accounting standards. To be precise, ACCA students follow international reporting and auditing standards such as IFRS or ISA, etc. This principle enables them to follow the same standards in their practical work life as well making them eligible to work worldwide.
Practical knowledge:
Along with the knowledge gained from ACCA subjects in Zimbabwe, the qualification also emphasizes practical work experience. Students of ACCA are required to gain practical work experience to qualify for ACCA membership. This work experience adds value to their professional profile and enables them to apply their knowledge and skills in real-life scenarios.
Progression:
ACCA qualification puts great stress on progressive careers, to ensure ACCA members are growing in their careers ACCA requires them to complete Continuous professional development (CPD). Members of ACCA have to complete this program every year to continue their membership, CPD enables them to stay current with industry trends, changes, regulatory changes, tax compliance, etc. It also provides them with networking opportunities, these factors allow ACCA professionals to stand out from other accounting professionals.
CONCLUSION:
The ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe is pretty versatile, concentrating on various factors such as diverse academic knowledge, technical skills, tax compliance, international accounting standards, ethical and professional modules, and practical work experience. All of these factors excessively contribute to preparing students for the practical complexities of the financial sector. ACCA subjects in Zimbabwe are considered a bit difficult in comparison to other accounting qualifications, as these subjects cover a wide range of areas of accounting and finance. There are 13 subjects in ACCA, to lessen the complexity of the ACCA syllabus these subjects are divided into three levels: Applied knowledge level, Applied skills level, and Strategic professional level.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q1: What is ACCA?
Answer: ACCA stands for Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, it is a prestigious and highly rewarded qualification of accounting acknowledged worldwide. This qualification equips students with diverse knowledge, skills, and practical experience. It offers a promising career, global opportunities, and continuous professional growth in the accounting and financial sector.
Q2: How long does it take to complete ACCA?
Answer: The ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe offers flexibility, hence, the time of completion of this qualification solely depends on certain factors including an individual’s study pace, number of exams attempted, etc. However, generally, it takes around 3 to 4 years to complete this qualification.
Q3: How many exams are there in ACCA?
Answer: The ACCA syllabus in Zimbabwe consists of a series of 13 exams, these exams are divided into three levels (Applied knowledge level, Applied skills level, and Strategic professional level). The applied knowledge level consists of three exams, the Applied skills level consists of 6 exams, and lastly, the Strategic professional level consists of 4 exams.