AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting - Level 4
Overview
AAT accountancy courses are designed to teach you practical skills that you can transfer directly to your workplace or aid your career progression. In this qualification you will cover higher accounting tasks including drafting financial statements, managing budgets and evaluating financial performance, as well as optional specialist units including business tax, personal tax, external auditing, credit management, and cash and treasury management.
An AAT qualification offers you a professional status that reflects the skills you’ve worked so hard to gain. So when employers see the letters MAAT after your name, they’ll know they’re dealing with a credible, up-to-date professional.
As a member of the AAT, you’ll have the support of the largest professional body for accounting technicians worldwide.
For further information on the AAT courses and qualifications, click here.
Start dates and fees
On top of the course fees, you will also be required to join the AAT professional body, which may incur a charge.
| Start Date | Day/Time | Wks | Code | Annual Fee (Age) | Actions |
| over 19 |
| Various | TBC | 24 | 1760M901 | TBC | Apply |
| 20/09/2023 | Wed
18:00 - 21:00 | TBC | 1760A101 | £2573.00 | Apply |
What will I study?
Financial statements
- The external reporting environment for limited companies and groups which need to publish accounts.
- Principles of consolidated accounts and analysis and interpretation of financial statements.
- Preparing a range of financial statements and identifying an organisation’s financial position.
Budgeting
- How and why budgets are prepared, helping you prepare revenue forecasts and a range of budgets for different circumstances.
- Understanding budgetary procedure to aid organisational planning and control.
- Preparing budgets, analysing variances and making recommendations for improving organisational performance.
Financial performance
- Managing and measuring financial performance; the range of techniques for analysing information on expenditure and making judgements to support decision making, planning and control by managers.
- Collecting and analysing information, monitoring performance and presenting reports to management.
Internal control and accounting systems
- Identifying the role of internal control within an organisation and recognising different approaches to making informed recommendations on how to improve systems.
- Communicating this to management and identifying that changes would have on the system and its users.
Business tax
- Completing corporation tax returns and supporting compulations for incorporated businesses.
- Understanding impact of legislation and ligislative changes.
- Understanding tax law and its implications for incorporated/unincorporated business.
- Understanding capital assets.
Personal tax
- Calculating income from all sources and identifying taxable and non-taxable items.
- Applying current legislation to calculate tax payable on income.
- Accounting for capital gains tax according to current legislation.
- Preparing accurate computations and complete relevant parts of self-assessment tax returns.
Entry requirements
You should hold an AAT Level 3 qualification in Accounts or a Degree in Accounting.
This course is for learners aged 19+ only. If you are aged16-18 and wishing to pursue a career in accounting, please consider our course Foundation Diploma in Accounting and Business – Level 2 or an apprenticeship.
Study programmes - essential skills for employment
As an entry requirement on some of our courses, you will need a GCSE in both English and maths with at least a grade 4/C (please see entry requirements above).
If this isn’t displayed under the entry requirements and you don’t currently have a GCSE in both English and maths at grade 4/C or above before joining us, you will then study English and maths as part of your programme with the aim of achieving a qualification with at least a grade 4/C. This is to help improve your chances of employment once you leave us.
In addition, to help you gain essential skills for employment, all students aged 19 and under and studying a full-time course with us will take part in our study programmes.
How long is the course?
2 years.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed by external examination.
What does the course lead to?
Full membership of the AAT and entry for ACCA, ICAEW or CIMA qualifications is possible upon completion of the full qualification.
What can I progress onto?
Full membership of the AAT and entry for ACCA, ICAEW or CIMA qualifications.
Career opportunities