The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is the largest body of Accountants recognised by statute in the UK. Founded in 1904, ACCA is the world’s largest and fastest growing international accountancy body. ACCA was the first professional body to offer examinations based on international accounting standards (IAS), providing truly global, transferable skills that are highly valued by employers in all sectors. The qualifications awarded by the Association offer individuals at all levels the opportunity to work at the heart of business. Members of the Association use the designatory letters ACCA for Associates and FCCA for Fellow members. The Fundamentals level is divided into two modules-knowledge and skills. The knowledge module (F1-F3) introduces students to the core areas of financial and management accounting. This provides the platform from which the other technical accountancy areas will be studied in greater detail in the skills module. The skills module (F4-F9) contains six subjects which comprehensively cover the main technical areas that any accountant-regardless of their future career aspirations- are expected to have mastered. They comprise law, performance management, taxation, financial reporting, auditing and financial management. The professional level is divided into two modules-Essentials (P1-P3) and Optionals (P4-P7). Both modules have been set at an intellectual level equivalent to that expected of a student taking a Master degree. The focuses of the syllabus at this level is to build upon the technical skills already acquired, and explore more advance professional skills, techniques and values that are required and used by the expert accountant acting in an advisory or consultancy role at a senior level. All students must complete the three papers in the Essential module. The options modules contain four papers. These are directly underpinned and supported by their equivalent within the skills module in the fundamentals level. Students select two out of four option papers and are advised to choose the options that relate to their chosen or anticipated field of work.

Qualified accountants find employment in a wide range of fields and an accounting background is the most popular choice for senior management.