Hong Kong Association of Professional Accounting (HKAPA) is a non-profit body with an aim to provide professional and academic services in accounting and wealth management for financial practitioners in Hong Kong.

Founded by a group of IT experts from multinational IT companies and multinational training and education institutions, the HKAPA offers tailor-made services for its registered members including market updates, best-selected continuing education programmes, members’ gatherings and seminars, and salary survey, etc.

The HKAPA has currently 1,500 registered members as of April 2008 and it is expected that the number will reach 2,000 after the launch of several campaigns from now untill the end of 2008.

Professional Diploma in Accounting provides students with a solid foundation in accounting. Subjects in the programme have been designed to be comparable in both content and academic standards to courses at the first levels of undergraduate degree programmes.

Graduates from the programme may apply for entry to undergraduate programmes offered by UK and US universities such as University of Gloucestershire (UK) and Benedictine College (US). In addition, graduates may seek exemption from various professional accounting bodies like LCCI, ACCA and AIA according to the level of studies completed.

Professional Diploma in Accounting covers the full spectrum of core subjects in accounting, including Financial Accounting, Auditing, Marketing, Management, and Contact Law, etc.

Level I

Economics
The module leads students to an appreciation of the function of the firm, the consumer and the economy as a whole. It is intended to lead students to consider these relationships in the terms and way of thinking and evaluating of the discipline of economics.

Quantitative Methods
This course is an introductory course in statistical concepts and methods. After completion of the module, students will have a better understanding on statistical principles that managers need in order to extract information from numerical data, and to understand the formal principles of decision-making under conditions of uncertainty.

General Principles of Law
The module aims to develop students a thorough understanding of law which affect business in Hong Kong and how to apply the law in business environment. It covers a full spectrum of legal system, law-making process, categories of the law, contract law, law of agency and employment law, etc.

Fundamental of Marketing
This course will provide students with the basic marketing concepts, and frameworks used in marketing practice. The marketing function is discussed from a managerial perspective within the context of consumer market.

Financial Accounting I
Financial Accounting I is principally concerned with the construction and interpretation of financial reports prepared for external users to the issuing firm. This course provides an understanding of fundamental accounting theories/concepts underlying accounting procedures. Consideration will be given to accounting techniques, various valuation methods, and income determination.

Principles of Management
This is an introductory course in management theory and practice. It provides very practical tools for management, which may be used in the workforce for increasing team productivity by fostering morale in the workplace.

Financial Accounting II
This is the first of a two-part series in Intermediate Financial Accounting. This module provides an in-depth coverage of current and fixed assets, as well as intangible assets. The coverage of these topics aims at helping students develop professional competence in financial accounting. Students are expected to focus on specific technical issues and integrate the pieces into a conceptual framework. Theory and policy are integrated in the presentation of these topics.

Level II

Principles of Finance
Principles of Finance is an introductory course into the world of finance. It assumes the student has a basic understanding of the principles of accounting and mathematics. The course is designed for all business students, but it will also prepare students for advanced courses in finance. A heavy emphasis will be placed on practical applications of the concepts using frequent examples from the real world of business and finance.

Accounting Information Systems
This course is designed to provide students with the basic background and tools that will allow students to facilitate and assess the evolution of contemporary accounting information systems. The course will focus on the concepts of data modeling, the design of user interfaces for information system, and the data processing systems.

Hong Kong Taxation
Taxation is a technical and complex subject. Constant changes in tax laws, regulations, and judicial interpretations add to this complexity. This course is designed to give a basic understanding of the Hong Kong tax laws and its administration. This unit will also discuss the general ways to benefit from tax planning.

Contract Law
This module introduces students to the nature of contracts with a particular focus on the formation and operation of a business contract. Vitiating factors affecting the contract will also be covered.

Financial Accounting III
This course, the second part of the Intermediate Financial Accounting series, builds upon the study of financial accounting begun in principles of Financial Accounting II. This course provides an in-depth coverage of short-term and long-term liabilities, ownership equity, income tax allocation, leases and pensions. Students are expected to focus on specific technical issues and integrate the pieces into a conceptual framework.

Management Accounting
Management accounting involves the study of the systems, procedures and policies that an organization employs to assist it to make decisions about all matters which affect the financial health and performance of the firm. This course will help students to develop their ability to understand cost information, to prepare budgeting analysis and to make sound decisions.

Auditing
This course is designed to provide an understanding of the basics of audit theory and practice, with emphasis on the basic principles, concepts, and methods of auditing. Evaluation of audit evidence to support a professional opinion on financial statements, generally accepted auditing standards and other topics will be covered in order to develop this understanding.

This programme consists of the following elements:

• Weekly lectures and tutorials;
• Interactive class discussions

Each subject comprises of 42 contact hours extending over 14 sessions. Students are required to attend at least 80% of classes. Assessment of each module is based on:

• Continuous assessment in the form of assignments, project, and mid-term test = 40%
  
• Three-hour final examination = 60%

• Completion of Form 5
  
• Aged 21 or above by October 1 in the admission year; or
  
• Other equivalent qualifications.
  
• Examption may be granted for LCCI

Conditional admission may be granted if the above standard is not met. Each application will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis.

• A completed application form;
  
• HKCEE/ HKALE results or equivalent
  
• Other matriculated or post-secondary education qualification;
  
• 2 passport-size photographs; and
  
• Copy of Hong Kong Identity Card or passport