MSc IFM: Facilitated path to the Swiss Certified Public Accountant

  
by  Prof. Dr. Stefan Hunziker, Head of MSc International Financial Management, Prof. Dr. Imke Keimer, Head of MSc International Financial Management and Marcel Greimel, Master’s Assistant at the Institute of Financial Services Zug IFZ

Graduates of the programme MSc International Financial Management (IFM) benefit from several possibilities of dispensation in the programme to become a Swiss Certified Public Accountant (CPA). We asked current MSc IFM students what they think about this great opportunity.

In spring 2017, EXPERTsuisse approved the Lucerne School of Business’ request to exempt the graduates of the MSc IFM from the module examination in «Accounting & Finance» under certain conditions. The specialised master programme MSc IFM is the first programme of a Swiss university of applied sciences and arts, which benefits from a dispensation. The approval of the request is proof of the comprehensive education in the disciplines Accounting, Controlling and Financial Management of the IFM programme.

The MSc IFM student Rico Bachmann is happy to benefit from the collaboration between EXPERTsuisse and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts: «The dispensation is a great opportunity for me as a student and synergies between the two programmes can be exploited optimally.»

 
Rico Bachmann and Daniel Müller, MSc IFM students

His fellow student Daniel Müller agrees with him: «In my opinion, the recognition of the MSc IFM by EXPERTsuisse has greatly increased the Master’s attractiveness for two reasons: Firstly, the IFM programme provides an excellent basis for the subsequent training as an auditor. Secondly, with passing certain IFM modules it is possible to skip the «Accounting & Finance» module in the first year of training as a certified public accountant.»

In addition to the module examination dispensation, EXPERTSuisse also exempts under certain conditions master graduates from one busy season. This makes it possible to finish the CPA programme within three years, which boosts the attractiveness of the IFM master program even more.

However, MSc IFM students do not only benefit from the cooperation with EXPERTsuisse. In addition, the master programme has been accredited by ACCA as well as by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). Further, graduates of the MSc IFM are qualified to join CIMA through an accelerated route, the CIMA Master’s Gateway Assessment. With these accreditations, the MSc IFM offers students great opportunities and flexibility for their professional future in financial Management.
   
Accreditations MSc in International Financial Management

Details about the CPA dispensation

What is EXPERTsuisse?
EXPERTsuisse is the specialist association for auditing, taxes and fiduciary. The association trains, supports and represents its Swiss certified experts. Well over two-thirds of Switzerland’s economic output is generated by companies for which members of EXPERTsuisse work.

What is the Swiss Certified Public Accountant?
As experts in accounting standards, auditors inspect and verify financial statements which are based on national or international accounting standards. Additional activities are the audit of company foundations, capital increases and reductions. Moreover, auditors support their customers in financial and management accounting, business appraisals as well as in insurance and tax matters.

What are the conditions for graduates of the IFM programme to get the exemption?
Graduates who want to benefit from the dispensation have to complete the IFM programme successfully. In addition, they have to select and pass specific elective modules as part of the programme in the disciplines Financial Accounting & Reporting, Managerial Accounting and Corporate Finance worth 15 ECTS in total with a passing grade in each module. These electives are part of the MSc IFM programme. If these prerequisites are fulfilled, MSc IFM graduates are exempted from the module examination in «Accounting & Finance (A&F)» in the first year of the Swiss CPA program.

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