Private practice

ONE OF the biggest names in private college accountancy education is the Accountancy and Business College (ABC) in Dublin. This college, which provides courses for approximately 30,000 students, enjoys a reputation for its academic options and thee success of its students. One of the college's students, Geraldine Heavey, recently came first in the world in the final examinations of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.

ABC runs a number of professional programmes which prepare students for the examinations of the principle accountancy bodies, such as the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI).

The course leading to IATI exams, for example, is run over two years on a part time basis. Students cover subjects like financial accounting, business law, elements of taxation and, business management in their first year, and study topics like financial accounting, information technology, company law and taxation/costing in second year. Lectures are held on two, evenings a week over a seven month period from September to April.

ABC's programme leading to CIMA's exams is taken over three/four years on a part or full time basis. Approved by CIMA, which is the professional body for those who specialise as management accountants in manufacturing, commercial and service organisations, this course prepares students for a career as a financial specialist who operates as part of a management team.

The college's BA in Accounting and Finance, which is available on a full or part time basis, is currently being re engineered to maximise exemptions from the final stages of ACCA and CIMA programmes. These maximised exemptions will apply from September 1996.

Griffith College in Dublin has been educating accountants for all levels of the profession over the last 20 years. The college currently prepares students for ACCA, CPA, CIMA, IATI and ACA exams. Its courses and teaching standards enjoy a very good reputation in professional circles. Many of the college's graduates now occupy important positions in the profession.

The National College of Industrial Relations (NCIR) offers a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Human Resource Management. This course, which equips graduates with the information and skills they will need to pursue a career in accounting, taxation and human resource management, is taken over three years on a full time basis.

All students follow a common syllabus in first year. For year two and three of the course, students study a common set of core subjects and specialise in either accounting or human resource management. NCIR also runs a commencement course for the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Portobello College in Dublin, which is a division of the Institute of Education, offers a number of accountancy options that include the NCEA National Certificate in Business Studies (accounting and economics) and a BA in Accounting and Finance.

Portobello college claims that the BA is recognised by all of the professional accountancy bodies as a relevant degree", which means that it, includes a high proportion of accountancy subjects in its content. Graduates therefore receive exemptions from the appropriate examinations of these bodies.