AAT Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians HTQ for Adults
Course Code: P038266
Key Information
Course type:
Vocational
Campus:
Highbury Campus
Next Start Date:
01 Aug 2026
Duration:
2 years
Attendance:
Part-time
Fees:
£2,573.00
The AAT Level 4 Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians (L4 PAT) at City of Portsmouth College is an advanced qualification designed to develop the technical and professional skills required for senior accounting and finance roles.
Launching in September 2026, the qualification has been redesigned in collaboration with employers to ensure students are real world ready, combining technical accounting expertise with business awareness, digital skills and ethical practice.
This flexible course is delivered in partnership with Mindful Education, and combines online learning with face-to-face lessons on campus.
Key features include a fully mandatory structure (no optional units) with a strong focus on workplace application and employability. There is integration of themes such as ethics, sustainability, digital innovation and communication. The qualification has recognition as a Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) aligned to employer standards.
The qualification consists of five mandatory units, ensuring all learners develop a broad and consistent skillset across key areas of accounting and finance
- Financial Accounting
- Management Accounting
- Audit and Internal Controls
- Principles of Taxation
- Advanced Business Awareness
It typically takes 12-18 months to complete and represents the final stage of the AAT qualification pathway, supporting progression into roles such as assistant financial accountant, senior finance officer or further professional study (e.g. ACCA).
You must have a sound knowledge of accounting principles to undertake the AAT Level 4 programme. Achievement of an AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting is essential. To enrol in this programme, you should:
- have successfully completed the AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting or equivalent
- possess strong numeracy and literacy skills
- be committed to a blend of self-directed online study and in-person learning.
Relevant work experience or qualifications may also be considered for direct entry.
This course offers a flexible blended learning model. This means there is a mix of both in class and online lessons that learners must engage with.
Our expectation is for all learners to achieve 100% attendance while in college, and while studying online your attendance will be monitored through the progress through on mindful. We expect 100% progress before you are next in college session.
This mindful delivery model ensures you can study at your own pace while maintaining access to personalised support.
Study method - Online and On Campus
We have partnered with Mindful Education to deliver this course through our flexible Online and On Campus model.
Online, you will study award-winning video lessons, which are availble on demand, and can be viewed from your phone, tablet or computer - meaning you can choose how, when and where you want to study. Lesson last around 45 minutes and are accompanied by animations and motion graphics to bring concepts to life. Practice questions, downloadable lesson materials and interactive case studies help to enhance the learning experience further.
On Campus, you benefit from regular weekly classes with an experienced and supportive college tutor - without having to commit to attending multiple evening each week. Daytime classes run 9am-12:15pm and evening classes 6pm-9pm. Your tutor will review what you have learnt during your online lessons and will be on hand to provide guidance on progress and assessment. Regular discussion with classmates will help to reinforce key points while providing the additional support and motivation that comes from being part of a group.
How will i be assessed? There are 5 unit assessments (one per unit), all assessments are computer-based and on-demand. Each unit is assessed independently and contributes to the overall grade. Exam consist of scenario-based tasks reflecting real workplace situations, with a mix of question types (e.g. calculations, data interpretation, applied scenarios) and a focus on application of knowledge, not just recall.
- Assistant Financial Accountant
- Senior Finance Officer
- Cost Accountant / Management Accountant
- Tax Supervisor or Tax Analyst
- Audit Trainee / Internal Auditor
- Commercial Analyst
- Payroll or Accounts Payable Manager
You can progress into chartered accountancy qualifications (e.g. ACCA, ACA, CIMA), often with exemptions depending on the body or higher-level study, such as degrees in accounting, finance or business.
Career advisors and tutors are available to help you explore your options and set achievable goals for the next stage of your journey.
We work hard to keep our course information up to date. Occasionally we may make small changes to course content, start dates, locations or fees to keep our courses current and relevant. If anything important changes after you apply, we’ll always let you know.
Level 4 AAT Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians HTQ for Adults available start dates:
We work hard to keep our course information up to date. Occasionally we may make small changes to course content, start dates, locations or fees to keep our courses current and relevant. If anything important changes after you apply, we’ll always let you know.
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