In the past, aspiring professionals dreamt of becoming Chartered Accountants as it was considered a pinnacle of achievement in the field of finance and accounting. Earning the prestigious Chartered Accountant (CA) designation symbolized expertise in financial reporting, audit, and taxation, providing access to a wide array of career opportunities.
However, with the rapid advancement of technology and the ever-evolving financial landscape, merely being a Chartered Accountant is no longer sufficient to stay competitive in the industry.
While core accounting knowledge remains valuable, the modern financial professional must also be well-versed in financial technology, strategic financial management, risk analysis, and decision-making based on complex data insights.
As a result, complementing a Chartered Accountant qualification with additional certifications, such as CFA or ACCA, or gaining expertise in cutting-edge financial technologies has become the new pathway.
In this blog, we will not simply list down the courses that you can do after becoming a Chartered Accountant, but also provide you insightful knowledge as to WHY you should do that course.
Courses that you can opt for after completing the CA
CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
If you have a strong interest in the financial sector, you can enroll in CFA, a professional-certified course offered by the CFA Institute. CFA is a widely recognized program that teaches portfolio management and gives a solid foundation for real-world investment. It requires four years of practical training experience.
Job Profiles – Chartered Financial Analyst, Associate in Investment Banking, Equity Analyst, Portfolio Management, etc.
Top Companies – The Goldman Sachs Group, JP Morgan, Crisil, HSBC, Deloitte, Evalueserve etc.
ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
You've probably heard that studying ACCA after obtaining a CA can lead to numerous international job opportunities. The ACCA is a globally recognized program that allows you to practice in over 180 countries.
The ACCA is a world-renowned organization noted for its accounting and finance expertise. You will study UK GAAP, IFRS, and other International Laws in this section.
The biggest benefit of taking ACCA after CA is that it validates the CA qualification.
After passing the CA Final, ACCA grants you nine exemptions from the 14 papers, implying that a certified Chartered Accountant is only required to appear in five. It is one of the top post-qualification courses available following CA.
Job Profiles – Accountant, Finance Manager, Auditor, Financial Analyst, etc.
Top Companies – E&Y, KPMG, State Street Corporation, etc.
CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)
CIA is a world-renowned course for the certification in Internal Audit issued by IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors). After becoming a Chartered Accountant, if one is looking to grow his career as an Internal Auditor, they should go with this course. Here, you’ll get a wide knowledge of GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act).
Job Profiles – Internal Auditor, Quality Assurance Manager, Senior Manager Auditor, etc.
Top Companies – ABC Corp., Cisco Systems, Deloitte, JP Morgan, etc.
CPA
A Certified Public Accountant is a financial and accounting professional certified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
The program provides an in-depth understanding of US GAAP, US taxation, and US audits.
Job Profiles –Financial Advisor, Tax Accountant, Auditor, Chief Financial Officer
Top Companies-Deloitte, Accenture, Capgemini, KPMG, Oracle, JP Morgan, PwC
Courses Offered by ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India)
DISA (Diploma in Information System Audit)
DISA is a diploma course issued by ICAI for system security and audit. ICAI conducts DISA under the license obtained from ICASA and only qualified Chartered Accountants can appear in this exam.
This course has now become compulsory for those who want to do Bank Audits or Information Systems audits. DISA is challenging but vital if you want to carry out your own practice and wish to have a Bank or Information Systems Audit. DISA is known as the best course after CA.
Job Profiles – Quality Manager, Information Systems Auditor, Consultant, Project Manager, etc.
Top Companies – Connecticut, Oregon, Pwc, Ernst & Young
CISA (Certified Information System Auditor)
CISA is a world-renowned Information System audit-based course issued by ISACA based in the US. And it is the best option for CAs who are confused about what to do after CA.
The course will bring the best risk-based information system auditor to you. CISA has more value than DISA as it is internationally recognized, although the toughness is high according to the standard.
Apart from these the courses most CAs opt for
Investment Banking
Investment Banking is one of the best career options after CA. In this career, you can have a job profile of a valuation analyst, investment banking analyst, M&A analyst, and many more. The salary for an investment banker starts from 10 to 11 lakhs per annum.
Job Profiles – M&A Analyst, Portfolio Manager, Corporate Development, etc.
Top Companies – HDFC Bank, JP Morgan, ICICI Bank, Mphasis, etc.
LLB (Bachelors of Law)
Another career option after becoming a Chartered Accountant is LLB. If candidates have an interest in the legal field, then they must go for the degree of Bachelor of Law. To pursue an LLB, candidates have to take entrance exams such as CLAT, AILET, and LSAT.
Job Profiles – Constitutional law, Civil law, Corporate Law, etc.
Top Companies – Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., Trilegal India, DSK Legal, Sagar Associates, etc.
We have shared some of the best courses after CA that you can pursue for a higher salary and a better career. Chartered Accountant is itself a very respected and highly recognized degree. This course can give you a successful life as much as you wish to have if you are able to prove your skill and ability. Organizations hire a person and not a degree.
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