Programme Aims and Objectives

This programme aims to provide accounting or finance major graduates an opportunity to enhance their skills by developing an expertise in international accounting as well as further understanding in Hong Kong accounting and related arena of knowledge.  Students will be provided with specialised knowledge in international and Hong Kong accounting as well as related fields of information management, international business and investment so that graduates can make a significant contribution to the functioning and development of their employing organizations – particularly organizations such as multinational enterprises, joint ventures, Hong Kong companies and government agencies engaged in foreign trade and investment, and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or consulting firms with multinational corporate clients and networks.

Entrance Requirements

Applicants must:

  • hold an accounting or finance degree from a recognised university; or

  • hold an equivalent qualification acceptable to CityUHK; and

  • preferably possess 2 years of experience in accounting or business disciplines.

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is NOT English should also fulfill the following minimum English proficiency requirement:

  • a score of 79 (Internet-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)@ #; or

  • an overall band score of 6.0 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS)@##; or

  • a score 450 in band 6 in the Chinese mainland's College English Test; or

  • other equivalent qualifications.

@TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the start of the University's application period. 'TOEFL iBT Home Edition', 'TOEFL MyBest Score', 'IELTS One Skill Retake' and 'IELTS Online' are not acceptable.

# Applicants are required to arrange with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send their TOEFL results directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityUHK is 3401.

## Applicants are required to arrange for sending their IELTS result(s) via the IELTS Results Service e-delivery to the University.  Please note that applicants with an overall band score of 6.0 will be required to pass an interview for English proficiency conducted by the concerned academic unit.  Interviews for other applicants may not be required.

Course Description

Core Courses (24 credit units)

Students are required to take the following 8 core courses (3 credit units each).

  • Accounting Information Systems
  • Advanced International Financial Accounting
  • Advanced Taxation
  • Corporate Governance
  • Financial Management
  • International Financial Management
  • International Financial Statement Analysis
  • Management Accounting Issues in Multinational Enterprises

Optional Electives (6 credit units)

Students are also required to take 2 courses (3 credit units each) from the programme elective courses.  All the master's courses offered by the serving Departments under College of Business (CB) subject to availability.

  • Auditing 
  • Business Economics and Statistics for Accountants
  • Business Management for Accountants
  • Credentials and Essential Soft Skills for Effective Board Management
  • Companies and Securities Regulations and Practice
  • Law Relating to Business and Companies
  • Risk Management 

Note: The course list and curriculum are subject to periodic review and may change. The availability of elective courses is subject to sufficient student demand and department resources. As a result, some courses may not be offered every academic year. The Department reserves the right to adjust the course offerings and modify the elective list as necessary.

Professional Accreditation

This programme is accredited by professional bodies, including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA).  Accreditation is granted based on the successful completion of designated courses and is subject to periodic review by the respective institutions.  To qualify for module exemptions, students must complete the accredited courses aligned with the relevant professional modules.  This is particularly important when these courses are not included among the core courses required for graduation and must be taken as electives. Students who have not completed the required accredited electives, for any reason, or who have not studied equivalent subject areas previously, may be required to undertake the relevant modules independently.  Please note that all exemptions are subject to the specific criteria and approval processes established by the respective professional bodies.

Scholarships

Subject to funding and annual approval, admitted applicants are automatically considered for two types of scholarships (hence, no separate application is necessary):

  1. AC Entrance Scholarships
  2. AC Academic Excellence Scholarships

For details, please visit AC web site at https://www.cityu.edu.hk/ac under programmes & courses.

Useful Links

Admission Code P02
MA International Accounting
Mode of study
Combined
tuition fee
Year of entry
2026
Mode of funding
Non-government-funded
Intake target
235
Credit requirement
Master's Degree: 30
Class schedule
Weekday daytime and evenings
Normal study period
Full-time: 1 year; Part-time: 2 years
Max study period
Full-time: 2.5 years;
Part-time/Combined mode: 5 years
Mode of processing
Applications are processed on a rolling basis. Review of applications will start before the deadline and continue until all places are filled. Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged.
Level of study
Master's Programmes (Admissions)
Programme Leader
Prof Stephen SUN
Associate Programme Leader
Dr Sau Yee LAM
General Enquiries
AC General Office