Certified Accounting Technician (CAT)

Course details

The CAT is usually studied as an introductory qualification prior to training to become a Chartered Certified Accountant through the ACCA Professional Scheme. The duration is one and a half years to complete the nine CAT papers. There is no restriction on the number of papers that can be taken in each sitting. The Certified Accounting Technician is a skilled person capable of performing highly responsible and important jobs:

• collect, check and analyse financial information
• maintain and check financial records
• receive and settle invoices from suppliers
• monitor company expenses
• complete and submit tax returns
• manage the staff payroll
• prepare company tax returns
• record receipts and payments
• audit (verifying an organisation's accounts)
• control budgets
• write reports

In a small company, Accounting Technicians may be the only employee qualified to look after financial records, invoices and wages. In large companies, they are likely to be part of a team that includes chartered accountants, other accounting technicians and general administrators. In this case they are likely to specialise in a particular area, such as audit or tax. Increasingly, accounting technicians are also responsible for identifying how a company can improve its profits and reduce costs.

Entry Requirements

Below are the entry requirements for CAT:

• 5 Credits in SPM/O-Levels (including English & Mathematics)

Structure

INTRODUCTORY LEVEL

• FA1 Recording Financial Transactions
• MA1 Management Information

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

• FA2 Maintaining Financial Records
• MA2 Managing Costs and Finances

ADVANCED LEVEL

• FAB Accountant in Business
• FMA Management Accounting
• FFA Financial Accounting

Options (any 2 papers)

• FTX Foundations in Taxation
• FFM Foundations in Financial Management
• FAU Foundations in Audit

General Subjects

• Pengajian Malaysia or Bahasa Komunikasi 1
• Critical Thinking
• Comparative Religion