AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting

Is the Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting qualification suitable for me?

Are you looking to study the most up-to-date Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting? Our AAT Level 4 2022 course is suitable for anyone looking to further their career in accounting and considering moving into more senior roles or looking to take on management responsibility. It is also a great training course for those looking to become a Licensed Accountant and gain MAAT status.

If you’ve followed the AAT course pathway to this point you will now be on your way to completing the full AAT Journey. Having this qualification on your CV will demonstrate your focus on personal development and your commitment to the accounting profession.

If you're not from an accounting background or have not completed AAT Level 2 Certificate & Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting, we would advise you to start there before progressing to this level (unless you have suitable accounting work experience).

What jobs can I apply for after my AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting training?

Completing your AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting training and passing your exams will provide you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and certificates necessary to legally review financial reports, maintain general ledgers, reconcile account balances and more. This will enable you to progress into more senior roles and undertake more senior responsibilities, helping you work towards a promotion or a new job role.

Additional pathways also include working towards becoming a Chartered Accountant, starting your own accountancy business, or taking on a new senior job.

Typical job roles include:

Senior Bookkeeper - £31k

Accounts Payable/Expenses Supervisor - £33k

Commercial Analyst - £34k

Senior Finance Officer - £37k

VAT Accountant - £37k

Payments & Billing Manager - £39k

Payroll Manager - £40k

Cost Accountant - £40k

Fixed Asset Accountant - £45k

Indirect Tax Manager - £56k  

(Source: Payscale)

Licence types and Services

When you have earned your AAT Level 4 qualification, you can set up your own business and apply to provide 18 services (Level 4).

These services include:

AAT Licensed Accountant (Level 4) - All the above plus: Financial accounts and accounts preparation for statutory purposes, Budgeting and forecasting, Management accounting, Personal and Business income tax, Inheritance, Capital gains and Corporation tax, Limited assurance engagement, Independent examination, Company secretarial services, Internal audit, and Forensic accounting.

Designatory Letters

Earning your AAT Level 4 qualification will give you professional MAAT status, letting you use the designatory letters MAAT after your name. These designatory letters show you have gained the skills, experience, and knowledge that employers are looking for, which can result in an increase in your earning potential. You can also now legally submit final balances for any sized organisation.

MAAT (gained with AAT Level 4) - An AAT full member is a qualified accountant who has successfully demonstrated the experience and skills necessary to be approved for MAAT status. Delegates who have earned their MAAT status can use the designatory letters MAAT after their name and they can apply for a licence to run their own practice as an AAT Licensed Accountant or Bookkeeper.

What can I expect from a job in Accounting?

At this level, you will be very comfortable working on higher level accounting tasks required of a Finance Officer or Senior Accountant, where responsibilities may include:

Reviewing financial reports

Reconciling account balances and bank statements

Maintaining general ledger and preparing month-end close procedures

Managing cash controls

Producing error-free accounting reports and presenting results

Salaries vary by industry, sector, and role; however, industry averages range between £32,500 and £42,500 a year, with some companies offering above £60,000 a year, at this level.

Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting qualification Syllabus

The Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting qualification comprises three mandatory units: an assessment, and a choice of five optional units. You’ll need to complete all the mandatory units and two of the five optional units, to complete the course. The assessment fees are not included in the cost of the course.

It’s best to complete the mandatory units first, before deciding which optional units you'll want to study. Should you want to specialise in tax, you’ll want to consider waiting until you have most of the new year ahead of you, before requesting the textbooks, as tax changes year-on-year and you don't want to have an out-of-date textbook.

We include the study text so that you have everything you need to study, including textbooks and exam revision kits so that you can test yourself at home and be sure you’re fully prepared for the exam.

As this course is delivered via textbook, your course will not expire, meaning you can take the exams when you’re ready.

Syllabus

Mandatory Units

• Mandatory Unit 1- Applied Management Accounting
• Mandatory Unit 2 - Drafting and interpreting Financial Statements
• Mandatory Unit 3- Internal Accounting Systems and Controls

Optional Units

• Optional Unit 1 - Business Tax
• Optional Unit 2 - Personal Tax
• Optional Unit 3 - Audit and Assurance
• Optional Unit 4 - Cash and Financial Management
• Optional Unit 5 - Credit and Debt Management

Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting Assessment Details

Mandatory Assessments

• Applied Management Accounting
• Drafting and interpreting Financial Statements
• Internal Accounting Systems and Controls

Optional Exams

• Business Tax
• Personal Tax
• Audit and Assurance
• Cash and Financial Management
• Credit and Debt Management

Questions include multiple-choice, selecting answers from a drop-down menu and typing numbers into form fields. For some assessments, you will be required to type quite lengthy amounts of text, with the Synoptic assessment.

You will be tested via a Synoptic assessment, which will test your understanding of connections between the different topics covered across the Level 4 qualification. Synoptic assessments are sat towards the end of your qualification and will be taken at specific times throughout the year.

The national average pass rate for AAT Level 4 is 68.8%. Our pass rate is 82.2%.

How is this course assessed?

To achieve this qualification, students are required to pass the mandatory computer-based assessments. We will help you pass your assessments by offering progressive tests that run throughout the course, along with the model answers for self-assessment. The assessment fees are not included in the cost of the course.

Assessments can be sat either at your local AAT test centre, or through Remote Invigilation for selected modules.