Overview

The Master of Taxation Studies is designed for students who intend to become a taxation specialist but who do not have a background in the Australian legal or taxation system. It is a two stage program, each of which is the equivalent of a year of full time study. The first stage covers core courses in law, taxation and accounting to ensure that students have a good understanding of the Australian legal system as it applies to taxation. The second stage builds on this foundation to develop an advanced knowledge base and to further develop professional skills.

Students will study two stages: the first stage consists of 8 core courses, and is the equivalent of 1 year of full time study. Courses are similar in content to courses offered for the Bachelor of Taxation. They are separately designated so that, in appropriate cases, the content and method of assessment in courses may be varied by the Faculty Education Committee. The second stage, which is also the equivalent of 1 year of full time study, consists of 7 elective courses and 1 core course, ATAX0401Tax Policy. It is recommended that students study ATAX0401 Tax Policy in the second half of stage 2. These courses are similar in content to those offered for the Master of Taxation.

International students: please note that Stage 1 of the program is studied via external mode only, from your country of residence. It is anticipated that Stage 1 will be available in internal mode from 2012.

There are two areas of specialisation available within the Master of Taxation Studies for students who choose to specialise. An International Taxation plan and a Taxation and Financial Planning Plan are available to students who select appropriate courses for Stage 2 of the program. For information on courses for these plans, click the link below under Area(s) of Specialisation.

A student may graduate with the Graduate Diploma of Taxation Studies after completing Stage 1, or the Graduate Diploma of Taxation Studies and the Graduate Diploma of Advanced Taxation after completing Stage 1 and a further 36 UOC from Stage 2. A student who does not achieve a credit average for Stage 1 must graduate with the Graduate Diploma of Tax Studies.

Admission Requirements

Entry to the Master of Taxation Studies is open to students holding an Australian Bachelors degree, or overseas equivalent, in any discipline.

In exceptional cases, an applicant who submits evidence of such other academic and professional qualifications as may be approved by an Admissions Committee, may be permitted to enrol for the degree.

If the Committee is not satisfied with the qualifications submitted by the applicant, it may require the applicant to undergo such assessment or carry out such work as the Committee may prescribe, before permitting enrolment.

This program is designed to meet the needs of international students, however it will also be available to Australian graduates from other disciplines who are transitioning into the tax profession.

Note that, depending on the prior qualifications held by students, further study may be required for students to obtain accreditation with professional bodies.

The following course is the core course in Stage 2 and should be studied in the second half of Stage 2:

Students must select 7 other courses from the following range, subject to specialisation (see link below):

Other courses may be added to this list of electives as new courses are developed and changed.

Assessment Policy

In order to pass a course, students in the Master of Taxation Studies must obtain

Exemption Policy

Atax has determined that exemption shall be available for not more than four courses for the Master of Taxation Studies.

Exemptions are granted only if courses are of a standard and content equivalent to corresponding courses in the Atax Program. Course Authorities do not normally grant exemption for courses completed other than in Universities or Colleges of Advanced Education with high standing in the relevant area.

In order to gain exemption, students will require a pass in courses of equivalent standard to the relevant courses in UNSW and with substantially the same content as relevant postgraduate courses in the Atax Program. While relevant to admission, the passing of TAFE courses will not normally generate exemptions.

Students accepted for enrolment into the Master of Taxation Studies may apply for advanced standing by applying to Student Services Office. The policy is located at www.blt.unsw.edu.au/study/pgradexemptions.htm. Click on the relevant program to locate the appropriate policy statement.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html

Delivery modes for Masters of Taxation Studies
Courses in the Master of Taxation Studies program can be studied via flexible distance study, in face to face classes or intensive short course classes. Assessment remains the same for all modes of delivery. You will be able to choose the delivery mode that suits you best. All Atax students will receive a set of Study Materials for each course you are enrolled in and access to UNSW Blackboard, a web-based site to complement Atax's teaching resources - your Study Materials, past examination papers, feedback, discussion forums and online links are available from this site.

Flexible Distance Study mode
This mode of study utilises a combination of Audio Conferences, Webinars, Regional Classes and Blackboard, allowing you to study from anywhere in Australia or overseas. For each course there are usually four Audio Conferences per semester and students are encouraged to attend. There is also a one-day Regional Class for some courses and these are usually held in metropolitan centres during Weeks 8 or 9 of the semester.

Face to face weekly mode
Several courses have classes in the face to face mode of delivery at UNSW CBD Campus, 1 O'Connell Street, Sydney, NSW. These classes are usually held Monday to Thursday, from 6:00 - 8:00pm. Class sizes are limited to a maximum of 40 students, so students can be assured of a quality educational experience. For more information about the courses offered in this mode and location, visit http://www.blt.unsw.edu.au/students/cbd.htm.

Intensive mode
Some Atax courses can also be studied face to face via Intensive mode. Intensive classes enable students to complete the required coursework for the course in four days. These classes are held on UNSW Kensington campus in Sydney. Classes will normally run from 9.30 - 5.00 pm. For information on courses offered and dates, visit http://www.blt.unsw.edu.au/students/cbd.htm.