Graduate Diploma Chartered Professional Accountancy (CPA) Canadian Credentials Requirements for Admission
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Graduate Diploma
Chartered Professional Accountancy (CPA)
Canadian Credentials
Requirements for Admission
The requirements for admission to the Graduate Diploma in Chartered Professional Accountancy
(CPA) are:
1) A Bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.00/4.3, or equivalent and
2) The completion of the 14 prerequisite courses listed in Appendix I.
3) All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they fall into
one of the exemption categories described in Appendix IV.
Exemptions from the Prerequisite Courses
Question:Can I be exempted from any of these courses?
Answer: Yes. You may be exempted from these prerequisite courses by the Program Director if
you have completed an equivalent course. The following conditions apply:
You must have received a minimum grade of B- in the course that you believe is
equivalent for the Program Director to consider giving you an exemption for the
prerequisite course.
With the exception of ACCO 330: Cost and Management Accounting, ACCO
courses can only be exempted if the equivalent course was taken in Canada.
ACCO 330 and the COMM courses may be exempted by equivalent courses taken
at a Canadian university or at a university outside of Canada
To request exemptions, complete the Request for Exemptions form in Appendix II and
submit it to the Program Advisor at gradacco@jmsb.concordia.ca.
When submitting the form, you must:
Submit a photocopy or scanned copy of your transcript (in the original language
and translated in French or English).
On the transcript, highlight the courses you entered on the Request for
Exemptions form.
Submit a detailed course outline provided by your university (in French or
English) for each course you entered on the Request for Exemptions form.
It may take up to six (6) weeks for this evaluation to be done, depending on the time of
year. Once the evaluation is done, you will know how many courses you will have to
complete.
Page 1 Completing the Prerequisite Courses
Section1: Completing the Courses
Question:How do I complete the courses?
Answer: Applicants can complete the prerequisite courses through one of the following paths:
As part of a Bachelor of Commerce degree;
As part of a Certificate in Accounting degree;
As an Undergraduate Independent Student.
You can decide which path is best for you, depending on how many courses you have
to complete and whether you want to study as a part-time or full-time student. In
general, if you have many courses to complete, we recommend that you register as
part of the Bachelor of Commerce or Certificate in Accountancy degree, if possible.
Students in these programs have easier access to courses than Independent students.
Independent students may have a more difficult time getting access to the courses
because priority is given to the students in the bachelor or certificate degrees. Please
see the table in Appendix II for a comparison of the three paths.
Question:How do I register for these courses?
Answer: To register for the courses, you must first be accepted to a Bachelor of Commerce
degree or to the Certificate in Accountancy degree. You can also get permission to
register for the courses as an Undergraduate Independent Student. The table in
Appendix III contains links to information on applying to the bachelor degree and to
the Certificate in Accountancy. It also has links to information on Undergraduate
Independent Students.
Once you are admitted to the bachelor or certificate degree, or have been given
permission to register as an Undergraduate Independent Student, you will be provided
with information on how to register for the courses.
Question:How long will it take to complete these courses?
Answer: The time it takes to complete these courses depends on how many courses you have to
complete and whether you will be studying full-time or part-time.
It can take from 1 ½ years to 2 years to complete all 14 courses if you are studying
full-time.
Section 2: Tuition, Loans and Bursaries
Question:How much will it cost to complete these courses?
Answer: The cost to complete these courses depends on several factors. To estimate the cost,
access the following link to the Tuition Calculator on the Student Accounts Office
website: http://www.concordia.ca/admissions/tuition-and-fees/graduate/calculator/.
When answering the questions in the Tuition Calculator, keep in mind that:
The 14 courses are worth 3 credits, each; 42 credits in total
You will be taking the courses at the UNDERGRADUATE or
INDEPENDENT level
Page 2 You will be taking the courses in the John Molson School of Business
Full-time students can take up to 15 credits in one term
Part-time students can take up to 9 credits in one term
Question:Can I get Loans and Bursaries while completing these courses?
Answer: Eligibility for Loans and Bursaries is determined by the Financial Aid Office. For
information on Loans and Bursaries and on the Financial Aid Office, please access the
following link: http://faao.concordia.ca/main/aboutus/index.shtml?id=aboutus
Section 3: After Completing the Courses
Question:What do I do after I have completed the prerequisite/refresher courses?
Answer: Once you have completed the courses and have obtained the necessary grades, you can
apply to the CPA program. When applying to the CPA program, if you have any
questions on the process, you may contact the Program Advisor at
gradacco@jmsb.concordia.ca.
Page 3Appendix I: List of Prerequisite/Refresher Courses
The courses listed below are prerequisite/refresher courses that provide knowledge of the
Accounting Standards for Private Enterprise (ASPE) and the International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS). Both sets of conventions are used in Canada and applicants to the Chartered
Professional Accountancy (CPA) program must have a strong background in both sets in order to
meet the program’s admission requirements.
Applicants to the Diploma in Chartered Professional Accountancy must complete the 14
prerequisite/refresher courses before applying to the program.
1) ACCO 310: Financial Reporting I (must be completed after 2009)
2) ACCO 320: Financial Reporting II (must be completed after 2009)
3) ACCO 420: Financial Reporting III
4) ACCO 410: Governmental & Not-for-Profit Accounting (completed Summer 2013 or
previously)
-or- ACCO 470N: Special Topics in Accounting (completed Fall 2013 or Winter2014)
-or- ACCO 425: Financial Reporting IV (completed Summer 2014 or subsequently)
5) ACCO 330: Cost and Management Accounting
6) ACCO 435: Integrative Management Accounting Cases
-or- ACCO 430: Advanced Management Accounting (completed Summer 2013 or
previously)
7) ACCO 340: Income Taxation in Canada
8) ACCO 440: Advanced Taxation
9) ACCO 450: Assurance Services
10) ACCO 465: Advanced Assurance Services
11) COMM 308: Introduction to Finance
12) COMM 226: Business Technology Management
-or- COMM 301: Management Information Systems (completed Summer 2010 or
previously)
13) COMM 315: Business Law and Ethics
14) COMM 401: Strategy and Competition
Minimum grade requirement:
Applicants must achieve a minimum B- grade in each of the prerequisite/refresher courses.
Applicants may repeat these courses in order to achieve the minimum B- grade, but candidates
with the fewest number of repeated courses will have the strongest chance for admission.
Please note that due to the competitive nature of this program, meeting the minimum
requirements does not guarantee admission.
Page 4Appendix II: Request for Exemptions
Review the course descriptions for the courses below. Write the course code and name of the course which is equivalent to the Concordia course in the box on
the right. Applicants can enter more than one course, if applicable.
Code and name of course taken in
Concordia Prerequisites
your institution
ACCO 310 Financial Reporting I (3 credits)
Prerequisite: COMM 305 previously or concurrently. Intensive study is made of the theory and practice of external
financial reporting by business organizations, focusing on concepts and procedures underlying the measurement of
assets and the determination of income.
ACCO 320 Financial Reporting II (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 310. This course continues the intensive study of ACCO 310, with particular emphasis on
accounting for liabilities, shareholders' equity, and other related topics such as earnings per share, pension accounting,
and accounting for income taxes.
ACCO 420 Financial Reporting III (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 320. This course examines the theory and practice of accounting for inter-corporate investments,
business combinations, consolidation of financial statements, and foreign currency transactions and operations.
ACCO 410 Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 320. This course introduces the theory and concepts that underlie the financial accounting, control,
and reporting in not-for-profit organizations. General concepts and principles are illustrated by comparing the practices
of selected not-for-profit organizations, including local and federal governments and universities, with authoritative
standards.
Please note: In Fall 2013 and Winter 2014, this prerequisite will be replace by ACCO 470N. Beginning Summer 2014,
it will be replaced by ACCO 425. There are no descriptions for these courses at this time.
ACCO 330 Cost and Management Accounting (3 credits)
Prerequisite: COMM 305. This course provides an examination of the techniques, systems, and procedures applicable to
the managerial use of accounting information for planning, decision-making, and control. Topics include cost accu-
mulation and allocation, product and process costing, flexible budgeting and variance analysis, evaluation of managerial
performance, and transfer pricing.
Page 5Code and name of course taken in
Concordia Prerequisites
your institution
ACCO 430 Advanced Management Accounting (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 330. The course examines the integrative and interdisciplinary role of management accounting and
its contribution to the complex management process. The course focuses on cases that deal with strategic issues in
management accounting and management's need for both quantitative and qualitative information for planning, control,
performance evaluation and decision making.
NOTE: Beginning Summer 2013, students who have received credit for ACCO 435will be exempt from this requirment
ACCO 435 Integrative Management Accounting Cases (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 430. This course integrates topics in financial and management accounting, finance, and business
strategy covered in previous courses. Emphasis is placed on topics of interest to students pursuing the Certified
Management Accountant (CMA) designation. Cases are analyzed in individual and group settings using the
methodology required for the CMA Case Examination.
NOTE: Students who have received credit for this topic under an ACCO 470 number may not take this course for credit.
ACCO 450 Assurance Services (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 320 previously or concurrently. This course examines the concepts and current standards of various
assurance services, especially the audit of financial statements. It emphasizes the audit process and the role of the public
accountant in expressing an opinion on the financial statements of an organization.
ACCO 465 Advanced Assurance Services (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 450. This course covers important topics and concepts in auditing and assurance services. It builds
on topics covered in ACCO 450 and introduces specialized and advanced topics that are of particular importance to
professional accountants. In covering topics and their application, the course focuses on decision-making processes
followed by auditors. The course embraces the requirements of the CA Student Competency Map for assurance and the
CGA Modules and Readings AU2.
NOTE: Students who have received credit for this topic under an ACCO 470 number may not take this course for credit.
ACCO 340 Income Taxation in Canada (3 credits)
Prerequisite: COMM 217. This course provides core knowledge regarding the federal income tax structure and the
Canadian goods and services tax system. It examines the taxation of employment, business, property income, capital
gains and other sources of income for an individual.
ACCO 440 Advanced Taxation (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ACCO 340. This course provides core knowledge regarding the federal taxation of corporations,
partnerships, and trusts. It introduces analytical skills needed to make decisions regarding various business transfers,
combinations, incorporation and estate planning issues for corporations and shareholders.
Page 6Code and name of course taken in
Concordia Prerequisites
your institution
COMM 308 Introduction to Finance (3 credits)
Prerequisite: COMM 217; COMM 220 previously or concurrently. This course provides a general understanding of the
fundamental concepts of finance theory as they apply to the firm's long-run and short-run financing, and investment
decisions. Building on the objective of firm value maximization, students become familiar with the conceptual issues
underlying risk and return relationships and their measurements, as well as the valuation of financial securities. They
also learn the concept of cost of capital, its measurement, and the techniques of capital budgeting as practised by today's
managers. Students are introduced to the basic issues surrounding the firm's short-term and long-term funding decisions
and its ability to pay dividends.
COMM 226 Business Technology Management (3 credits)
Prerequisite: COMM 210 previously or concurrently. The objective of this course is to provide students with an
understanding of the role of information technology in business organizations. Students learn how information
technologies can be used to create business value, solve business problems, accomplish corporate goals and achieve and
maintain a competitive advantage.
NOTE: Students who have received credit for COMM 301 may not take this course for credit.
COMM 401 Strategy and Competition (3 credits)
Prerequisite: 45 business credits including COMM 225; COMM 226 or 301; COMM 315 and 320 previously or
concurrently. This capstone course requires graduating students to demonstrate their ability to integrate the knowledge
and skills they have acquired during their Commerce program. This course introduces the concepts of strategic
management and competitive analysis. Emphasis is given to integrating concepts and ideas from the major functional
areas such as marketing and finance to give a global perspective on decision-making and directing modern business
enterprises. Lecture topics and case studies are selected to portray the nature of the strategic process and the dynamics of
competition in a variety of contexts. Attention is also given to the issues of social responsibility, ethics, and personal
values. In this context, the course also examines the connection between organizational strategy and the physical
environment. Finally, cases and assignments which require an analysis of organizational improvement strategies and
new organizational structures are selected.
NOTE: Students who have received credit for COMM 310 may not take this course for credit.
COMM 315 Business Law and Ethics (3 credits)
Prerequisite: COMM 308. This course allows students to develop a degree of familiarity with the important ethical and
legal aspects of business and to become more aware of and comfortable with resolving ethical and legal components of
their decision-making and with distinguishing right from wrong business behaviour.
Page 7Appendix III: Comparison Table
The table below compares information for the three paths. The information may help applicants
to decide which path is best for them.
Bachelor of Certificate in
Independent Student
Commerce Accountancy
Student Status Full or part-time Part-time studies, only Part-time studies, only
(Full-time/Part- studies
time)
Ease of Access Easy Easy May be difficult
to courses
Immigration Open Restricted to Open
Status Permanent Residents
Landed Immigrants and
Canadian citizens
Eligibility for
exemptions or Can only be assessed once the application has been submitted.
Transfer credits
Links to http://johnmolson.co http://johnmolson.concordi http://www.concordia.c
Information on ncordia.ca/en/underg a.ca/en/undergrad/business a/admissions/undergrad
the program rad/bachelor-degrees -certificates/certificates-in- uate/admission-
accountancy requirements/independe
nt-students/
Links to http://www.concordi http://www.concordia.ca/a n/a
Information on a.ca/admissions/und dmissions/undergraduate/a
Admission ergraduate/admissio dmission-requirements/
Requirements n-requirements/
Links to http://johnmolson.co http://johnmolson.concordi n/a
Application ncordia.ca/en/underg a.ca/en/undergrad/bachelor
deadlines rad/bachelor- -degrees/admission-
degrees/admission- requirements
requirements
Links to https://ejmsb.concor https://ejmsb.concordia.ca/ http://www.concordia.c
Advisors dia.ca/admissions/ admissions/ a/admissions/independe
nt-
students/advising.html
Links to https://connect2.con https://connect2.concordia. https://sims.concordia.c
Application cordia.ca/concordia/ ca/concordia/ a/independent/
form
Page 8Appendix IV: Language Proficiency Requirements
1. Applicants whose primary language is not English must write an English proficiency test, regardless
of citizenship, unless they fall into one of the exemption categories described in the table below.
The following applicants are exempted from writing an English proficiency test.
Categories Required Documentation
Applicants who have completed a Diploma of Collegial Studies Cégep and university transcript
(DEC) and a university degree in Quebec.
Applicants who have completed a minimum of three full years of Letter from institution stating that
study either at the undergraduate or graduate level in an institution their sole language of instruction is
where the sole language of instruction is English. English.
2. Minimum English Proficiency Score for Graduate Admission
All applicants who have taken either the TOEFL or IELTS exam are asked to refer to the charts below for
the scoring cut-offs.
Test results must be reported directly to the Admissions Application Centre by the test centre. Results
more than two years old will not be accepted as proof of language proficiency.
Required language proficiency scores for entry into the Chartered in Professional Accountancy
(CPA) program.
iBTOEFL IELTS Decision
90 or higher and no part Higher or equal to 6.5 and Applicants are admitted with no additional
under 20 no part under 6.5 language course requirements.
Below 90 Below 6.5 Applicants cannot be admitted. The
applicants must complete English language
courses before re-applying to the program.
To ensure that your TOEFL Candidates must take the
results are forwarded "Academic Module." For
directly to Concordia more information on the
University, you must test, or to register:
indicate 0956.00 as the www.ielts.org
"Institution Code" when
you write the test. For more
information on the test, or
to register: www.toefl.org
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