As for your question of how long to complete. A degree with ACCA/ICAEW/CIMA takes around 5yrs if you're fast and do full time studying. If part-time after degree, depends on determination.

Read properly what he wrote.

He said a DEGREE WITH ACCA afterwards.

3~4 years for a degree, 1 more year for final 5 P papers, sounds legit no?

True enough.

But some ppl prefer to get a degree 1st before deciding what to do.

Didn't you read? Seriously some people only see numbers without reading and you said you're about to finish ACCA. Gosh I wonder where you came from seriously. Must be ACCA examiners close their eyes when they mark yours. I said DEGREE with ACCA. Stupidity counts on all levels and you said you're finishing ACCA? OMG OMG if you're an auditor now, I must warn the company that this dude doesn't read. Blind for sure.

Yes but an ACCA certificate is ONLY recognised within the acocunting/auditing profession. Out of it, for example marketing, and it's useless. However, an accounting degree allows a student to venture out if he finds out he's no longer interested in accounting/auditing field. Once again, I guess you need me to explain why since you got no idea what's an accounting degree. In the degree, most unis require students to take elective modules, meaning modules like marketing for instance. This is important if a student wanna divert to another field after graduating. AT LEAST, it is recognised industry-wide.

Haha everybody likes taking masters. Not only you, but ALL ACCA students. However, degree students will think otherwise. Pure CAT-ACCA students like you won't know the difficulty of doing research papers. Masters is not a full-time studying thingy like ACCA, where you mug and mug, then apply your knowledge in it.

Masters is more to research and research, combining 80 journals, each having 30-60 pages long, into one journal. Assignments, reading journals, and so on. It's totally different from ACCA.

Doing the OBU RAP will give you a rough idea on the process of writing a business project.

Unfortunately, it's nothing close to writing a dissertation for a postgraduate degree. I would say doing the OBU RAP is more like doing a simple assignment rather than writing a dissertation.

I once approached the programme manager of OBU RAP from UK (when he was in Malaysia) and I told him that something must be done to increase the rigor of this RAP. But looks like nothing has been done.

To jump from ACCA to MPhil is like jumping from a kiddy pool into the pacific ocean without a proper training on swimming.

If you like shortcuts, MPhil will hugely disappoint you.

Imagine while you are still halfway writing your MPhil dissertation into the second year of the programme, you will see your peers (peers who have failed several ACCA papers in the past) easily graduating with the MBAs within two years. 

I don't want to scare you but I just want you to know what you are getting into. 

I think one should at least dip himself in an Olympic pool before diving into the Pacific Ocean.

A mixed-mode Master's programme would be a better option for a CAT-ACCA graduate rather than the 100% research-based MPhil.

MBA or any other mixed-mode Master's programme (Eg. MSc in Accounting from UUM).

Or you can search slowly for any mixed-mode postgraduate programmes in Accounting from other foreign universities.

If you plan to pursue the academic career, please avoid those 100% coursework Master's.

There are some MBAs or Masters in Accounting which are 100% coursework where you don't need to write any dissertation at all. So, you have to avoid this.

If you have the time and the money, MPhil would be still be suitable. If you are aiming for shortcuts, please don't do the MPhil.

First thing first, finish your ACCA first.

Get to work and then decide later. Don't forget to complete your 3-year experience requirement as well.

Who knows if you prefer to work as an accountant/auditor rather than working as an academic.