2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society

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2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
JMAS PRESENTS

THE
ACCOUNTING
STUDENT
HANDBOOK
2018-2019
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
CONTENTS

                               3                         JMAS IN A NUTSHELL

                               4                          OPENING REMARKS

                               6                   ACCOUNTING AT A GLANCE
    ABOUT THE
    HANDBOOK                   7      UNDERGRADUATE ACCOUNTING PROGRAM
Thank you for picking up
a copy of our Accounting       11              HOW TO BUILD YOUR SCHEDULE
Student Handbook!
                               22                          CAMPUS SERVICES
In this brochure, you will
get to learn the different     24                         LEARNING SUPPORT
career opportunities and
resources that are             26   CAREER PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT CENTRES
available at JMSB for
Accounting Students.           29            IT SERVICES + HEALTH & WELLNESS

                               31                             CPA PROGRAM

                               32                  CPA AUDITOR DESIGNATION

                               41                  SO YOU WANT TO BE A CPA?

                               44                 CPA CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

2
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
J M AS I N A N UTSHELL

         The John Molson Accounting Society
The John Molson Accounting Society (JMAS) is a student run
association operating as a subsidiary of the Commerce and Administration
Students’ Association (CASA) of the John Molson School of Business (JMSB).
As one of the oldest associations in JMSB, we have the honor to represent
the major specific student base that is the accounting student body. As a
team, our mission is to enhance the overall university experience of account-
ing students by providing opportunities to bridge the gap between L’Ordre
des Comptables Professionnels Agreés du Québec (OCPAQ), accounting
             professionals, faculty members and their colleagues.

                            What We Do
Our main priority is to bring as many opportunities as possible to the student
body. We accomplish this by organizing quality events, such as:

● Recruitment - Our annual CPA recruitment cocktail is the highlight of the
year, with over 600 students and company representatives’ networking to-
gether.

● Tutorials - We provide free tutorials for 5 accounting classes (ACCO 310,
320, 330, 340 & 440) to help students excel in the classroom.

● Accounting Conference - A recent addition to our list of events is our ac-
counting conference where students can listen to accomplished CPAs speak
about their career paths and connect with professionals in the field.

● Tax Clinic - One of our largest events where concordia students can get
their taxes done by JMAS volunteers for free!

● Networking Cocktails - Several networking events throughout the year
provide students the opportunity to mingle and build new connections with
professionals in the field.

We also represent the accountancy student body on the Board of Directors
of the Commerce and Administration Students’ Association. Ultimately, we are
here to provide students with the proper tools and knowledge to succeed as
students, persons and future leaders.

                                                                                 3
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
O P E N I NG R E M A R K S
                                         FROM THE TEAM

          HERE ARE A FEW WORDS FROM THE MEMBERS WHO PUT THIS
                                    HANDBOOK TOGETHER.

                            VP ACADEMICS                DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

                                WRITER                            EDITOR

     The John Molson Accounting Society is pleased to welcome you to the 2018-2019 academic
    year! The beginning of every semester is often painted with excitement and filled with promise
    for the future. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals and bringing you the proper
               tools and knowledge to succeed as students, persons and future leaders.

    Our society’s rise to prominence over its existence has been a result of many factors: the con-
     tributions of dedicated and talented members, the support of one of Canada’s finest universi-
    ties, and most importantly the energy and enthusiasm of you, the students! We provide you this
                    Handbook to help guide you through your accounting journey.
                                Together, we can achieve great things!

4
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
JMAS EXECUTIVE TEAM 2018-2019

Top from Left : Bradley Beale, Marco Rossi, Giacomo Messina, Jonathan Mirarchi, Ali Virk,
Eric Laventure, David Bayat and Steven Pawl

Bottom from Left: Brianna Meagher, Nicole Nadeau, Danica Sanchez, Nadia Saritsky
Ramirez, Melissa Shatawy and Samantha Gabrial

                                Who We Are
The 2018-2019 team is composed of 14 undergraduate JMSB students from
all walks of life, with various personal interests and at different stages of their
undergraduate degree. Some of our members are closing in on graduation,
some are just beginning their accounting courses, some are interested in
pursuing careers in public accounting, others are interested in tax or finance.
We believe that this diversity is our strength, because we can relate to all
types of students and can help in all manners of students’ issues. While each
of us is at a different stage in our undergraduate studies and with varying
areas of interest, we all have one thing in common: working together to pro-
        vide the most enriching university experience to all students.

                                                                                            5
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
ACCO U N T I N G AT A G L A NCE
       Why Choose Accounting?
       Accounting is for introverts who are only good at math … Myth!
       Technology is eating up the accounting profession … Myth!
       The accounting field is dominated only by monotonous males … Myth!

       There are many myths concerning the accounting profession.
       The truth is that accounting is one of the key functions to any business!

       The major purpose of accounting is to provide relevant and representa-
       tionally faithful information to stakeholders of an entity – both public and
       private. The information provided by accountants is crucial to the success
       of our society’s economy; from tax returns to the financial reports that
       investors depend on, the accounting profession is a public service.

       Additionally, accountants develop the strategic problem-solving skills
       that are valued in any organisation. These skills coupled with the technical
       knowledge can open many doors in an organisation; from management
       to finance (investing). Ask any CPA about the importance of accounting,
       they will tell you it is the backbone of every business.

Brief Accounting History
    An important milestone was reached by the Office des
     Professions in 2011. The three previous accounting
      designation (CA, CMA, CGA) were unified into one
designation; the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).
    Taking the best of all three past designations, the CPA
program helps to create a more well-rounded professional.

6
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
UNDERGRADUATE ACCOUNTING PROGRAM &
  REQUIREMENTS FOR CPA PROGRAM
  The first step in anyone’s pursuit to obtain a CPA designation at JMSB is completing a
  Bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.3. Any student whose primary language is
  not English must write a proficiency examination (TOEFL iBT) if not exempted.*

  Provided below is a list of 9 prerequisite courses that require an average grade (overall) of
  B- for admission. Courses completed more than 5 years ago may have to be retaken. It is

01                                                02
                                                  List of Prerequisites Requiring a Minimum
List of Additional Prerequisites for              2.8/4.3 Overall GPA (for students with a
Non-Business Students (for students               BCOMM)
without BCOMM)*+

COMM 215 - Business Statistics                    ACCO 310 - Financial Reporting I

COMM 217 - Financial Accounting                   ACCO 320 - Financial Reporting II

COMM 305 - Managerial Accounting                  ACCO 330 - Cost and Management Accounting

COMM 226 - Business Technology Management         ACCO 340 - Income Taxation in Canada

COMM 308 - Introduction to Finance                ACCO 360 - Principles of Auditing**

COMM 315 - Business Law and Ethics                ACCO 420 - Financial Reporting III***

COMM 401 - Strategy and Competition               ACCO 435 - Integrative Management Accounting Cases

ECON 201 - Intro to Microeconomics                ACCO 440 - Advanced Taxation

ECON 203 - Intro to Macroeconomics                ACCO 465 - Advanced Assurance Services

               * These are the requirements for JMSB’s CPA program, see the The CPA Pro-

03
               gram section for the requirement of other CPA programs.
               ** Students who have completed ACCO 450 (with minimum B- grade) are not
               required to complete ACCO 360
               *** Students who have completed ACCO 420 (with minimum B- grade) before
               FALL 2017 will be obliged to complete ACCO 425 (with the minimum B- grade)
               *+ These courses no longer require the minimum B- grade.                           7
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
8
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
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                                                                                                     9
2018-2019 THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT HANDBOOK - JMAS PRESENTS - John Molson Accounting Society
PL A N N ING FOR S U CC ES S
               D UR IN G YO U R U N DE RG RAD
                    HOW TO BUILD A BALANCED SCHEDULE

      While personal study       The following lists separates the math-
        habits contribute to     based courses from the theory courses.
         success in school,
           planning is a key
         factor. Creating an
    effective schedule and
  ensuring that you have a
manageable workload can
   really reduce the stress
           during a 13-week
   semester. Not all class-
     es are the same! Your
  BComm in Accountancy
               will consist of
    computational classes
          (math-based) and
              theory classes
(memorization). Creating a
 balanced schedule is the
             key to success.

10
How to build
            your schedule?
As a general rule of thumb, math-based courses should be paired
with theory-oriented classes. This lends to the 2/2/1 rule: 2 theory
courses, 2 practical courses and 1 elective (permitting you would
like to complete five courses per semester).

                            2 THEORY COURSES
    2/2/1 RULE :            2 PRATICAL COURSES
                            1 ELECTIVE

                            *Considering a 5 course semester

Keep in mind, though, that “easy” classes do not exist at the uni-
versity level. Every class will pose a challenge to students while
melding theory and practice.

Overall, planning a proper schedule is imperative to your success
and peace of mind during every academic semester. Consider
the following flow charts, outlining the relationship between the
courses required for CPA.
                                                                       11
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         Actuarial
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12
13
COM M CLAS S ES
      CO U R S E F LOWC H ART

14
ACCO C LAS S ES
 CO UR S E F LOWC H ART

                          15
SAMPLE SCHEDULE

                        The following are sample schedules which will be helpful to give
                        you an idea of how to schedule your courses. The schedules are ex-
                        amples, there is no cookie-cutter approach to making your sched-
                        ule and you will adjust your schedule based on life factors. Courses
                        can be changed to allow for possible work terms, vacations, etc
                        according to your specific needs.

                        For further information concerning course
                        planning, be sure to contact

                        Ali Virk
                        Vice President of Academic Affairs
                        at ali.virk@jmas.ca.

     LEGEND
     COMM COURSES: 14

     ACCO COURSES: 10

     Business Electives: 2

     Elective: 4

16
SUMMER       FALL       WINTER

Admitted     COMM 205   COMM 220

             COMM 210   COMM 222

             COMM 217   COMM 305

             COMM 215   ACCO 310

             COMM 223   ELECTIVE

SUMMER       FALL       WINTER

Internship   COMM 225   COMM 315

             COMM 308   ACCO 330

             ACCO 360   ACCO 340

             ACCO 320   ACCO 465

             ELECTIVE   ELECTIVE

SUMMER       FALL       WINTER
                                   SAMPLE 1
             COMM 225   COMM 320

             ACCO 440   COMM 401

             ACCO 400   ACCO 435

             ELECTIVE   ACCO 420

             ELECTIVE   ELECTIVE

                                              17
SUMMER     FALL       WINTER
     SAMPLE 2
                Admitted   COMM 205   COMM 220

                           COMM 210   COMM 222

                           COMM 217   COMM 223

                           COMM 215   COMM 305

                           ELECTIVE   ELECTIVE

                SUMMER     FALL       WINTER

                COMM 225   ACCO 310   ACCO 320

                ELECTIVE   ACCO 330   ACCO 465

                           ACCO 360   COMM 226

                           ELECTIVE   COMM 308

                SUMMER     FALL       WINTER

                COMM 315   ACCO 340   ACCO 440

                ELECTIVE   ACCO 420   ACCO 435

                           ACCO 400   COMM 401

                           COMM 320   ELECTIVE

18
SAMPLE 3
SUMMER     FALL       WINTER

Admitted   COMM 205   COMM 220

           COMM 210   COMM 222

           COMM 217   COMM 223

           COMM 215   COMM 305

SUMMER     FALL       WINTER

           ELECTIVE   COMM 225

           COMM 308   COMM 315

           ACCO 310   ACCO 320

           ACCO 330   ACCO 360

SUMMER     FALL       WINTER

           ELECTIVE   ELECTIVE

           COMM 320   COMM 401

           ACCO 420   ACCO 435

           ACCO 400   ACCO 465

SUMMER     FALL       WINTER

           ELECTIVE   ELECTIVE

           COMM 226   ELECTIVE

           ACCO 340   ACCO 440
                                            19
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   Place du Parc 300, Léo-Pariseau, # 1900, Montréal (Québec)H2X 4B5
       T 514 842-3911 I F 514 849-3447 I careers@rsw.ca I rsw. ca
                                                                       21
CA MPUS S E RV I CES
                                                        AVAILABLE TO YOU

           Concordia and JMSB have numerous student services centres on campus to help
           students achieve success. Whether you need help understanding a topic in one of
           your classes, building a resume or just need to print a document, you’ll need to know
                                            about these places.

                                                                              JMSB
    BIRKS STUDENT                                                                                             CPA GRADUATE
                                      EXAMS OFFICE                       UNDERGRADUATE
    SERVICE CENTRE                                                                                             DEPARTMENT
                                                                            STUDENT
                                                                         AFFAIRS OFFICES
   If you have a school-related     We all want our exam periods to                                        The CPA department is the best
problem that needs to be solved,    go smoothly but it’s not always                                          place to get any information
 Birks will help you find answers   the case. If you have exam time        The Undergraduate office         on the CPA program offered at
 and connect you to the people        conflicts, exams that land on        handles student advising,       JMSB. If you have any questions
 on campus who can help. Birks      religious holidays, or are unable   admissions information, transfer    on the graduate program don’t
   can help you need to get an       to write your final for medical    of majors and all other types of     hesitate to visit their advisor
  ID card, pay your tuition fees       reasons, contact the Exams              student inquiries.                during drop-in hours
 and request official transcripts   Office to submit the appropriate                                        (usually from 2-4pm but hours
       among other services.                 request forms.                                                            may vary).

          Location:                           Location:                           Location:                           Location:
          LB - 185,                   1550 De Maisonneuve Blvd.                   MB 4.201                           MB 14.155
   1500 de Maisonneuve W.                West, GM Building,
                                          Room GM-210.00                           Phone:                             Phone:
           Phone:                                                          514-848-2424, ext. 2721            514-848- 2424, ext. 7344
   514-848-2424, ext. 2668                     Phone:
                                       514-848-2424, ext. 2676,                                                        Email:
                                            2609 or 2608                                                    gradacco.jmsb@concordia.ca

     22
23
JMAS TUTORIALS
                        As part of an initiative to increase the academic enthusiasm of ac-
                        counting students, the John Molson Accounting Society offers FREE
                        tutorials for the following courses:

                        -   ACCO 310   Financial Reporting I
                        -   ACCO 320   Financial Reporting II
                        -   ACCO 330   Cost and Management Accounting
                        -   ACCO 340   Income Taxation in Canada
     LEARNING SUPPORT
                        -   ACCO 420   Financial Reporting III
                        -   ACCO 440   Advanced Taxation

                        JMSB TUTORIALS
                        JMSB offers free tutorials for all the math-based COMM classes. These
                        tutorials have a similar format as the JMAS tutorials and are free! Make
                        sure to check your Moodle portal for course materials, tutorial docu-
                        ments and tutorial schedules.

                        CONCORDIA TUTORIALS
                        Concordia’s downtown camxpus also offers free individual tutorials for
                        math courses and COMM 215, 217 & 305.
                        Located in SGW H-460.

                        For more information, visit:
                        https://www.concordia.ca/students/success/learning-support/math-
                        engineering-help.html

                        STUDENT SUCCESS CENTRE
                        Located on SGW campus in room H-440, the Student Success Cen-
                        tre is a one-stop shop to get the help you need for almost everything
                        school-related. You can find guidance on getting a career, improving
                        writing skills, mentorship programs, campus tours and much much
                        more.

                        Phone: (514) 848-2424, ext. 3921
                        Room: H-440

24
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CAREER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

                    CAREER MANAGEMENT SERVICE (CMS) &
                     INSTITUTE FOR CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION

CAREER MANAGEMENT                                                  INSTITUTE FOR CO-
SERVICE (CMS)                                                   OPERATIVE EDUCATION
An amazing resource for all students. CMS helps      An excellent program that allows you to get paid
you land a job in every which way from filling out     on the job experience! If you want to be part of
a CACEE form, writing your CV and cover letter to      the program, you can transfer in as a university
how to interview! CMS also has a job board that      student if you have 60 or more credits remaining
can help you land that summer internship.              to complete your bachelor and you have over a
                                                                                            3.00 GPA.
Register for interesting event/workshops on
connexions.concordia.ca you won’t regret it!                            For more information contact:

Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 4245                                                 JMSB Co-op programs
E-mail: careers@jmsb.concordia.ca                                    Phone: 514-848-2424 ext. 4117
                                                                     E-mail: coop.jmsb@concordia.ca

26
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                                   Auditor                    Auditor
28
I T S E RV I CES +
                     H E A LT H & W E LLNES S

OFFICE 365 FOR FREE:                            CASA
                                                COMPUTER LABS:
As a concordia student, you are entitled to
use OFFICE 365 for free! You can do so by       Located in Molson building, room
signing into myconcordia.ca, clicking on Ac-    S1.465, this computer lab offer afford-
counts & Settings, then Office 365 student      able printing services for JMSB students.
e-mail.
                                                You might not use it everyday, but
                                                when you need to print a project in a
Once your email account has been suc-
                                                hurry, it’s the best!
cessfully activated, you can access the Of-
fice 365 login page using the following login
credentials:

Enter your_netname@live.concordia.ca on
the main login page                             ACCESS CENTRE
You will be redirected to the Concordia-
                                                FOR STUDENTS
specific login screen                           WITH DISABILITIES
Enter your netname and password (same as        (ACSD)
the MyConcordia portal) to log in.
                                                Concordia supports students with a
Note: The email account can be activated        variety of disability conditions through
from within the MyConcordia portal and the      ACSD. Examples include vision, mobility,
creation process takes 2 business days to       learning disorder. Please contact ACSD
complete. Your email address will follow the    to find out more on how they can help.
standard format:                                Additionally, students can help the
firstname.lastname@mail.concordia.ca            ACSD by preparing notes for students
                                                with disabilities.

                                                Phone: 514-848-2424 ext. 3525
                                                Email: acsdinfo@concordia.ca.

                                                                                      29
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CPA
PR O GRA M

             31
CPA AU D ITO R
                                      D ES I G N AT I O N

             In addition to taking the assurance and tax elective classes, students must acquire
            1250 hours in assurance, including at least 625 hours devoted to audit engagements.

                             However, it is also possible to attain the CPA auditor
             designation later in your career should you decide to change your mind about your
                                                  career path.

              In order to do so, you must complete the required practical experience, education
            and examination requirements. When you submit your application, the CPA Order will
             review your case and determine exactly which requirements you must complete in
                                  order to satisfy the requirements for the CPA
                                                auditor designation.

 Common Core Modules                                    Elective Modules
 The beginning of the program is comprised of two       Students have the opportunity to further develop skills
 common core modules which all students in the CPA      in an area of deeper interest by choosing two elective
 program must take. These models integrate the          modules. Candidates choose any two modules among
 following core competencies:                           the following four options:

 (A) Financial Reporting                                (A) Assurance
 (B) Strategy and Governance                            (B) Performance Management
 (C) Management Accounting                              (C) Tax
 (D) Audit and Assurance                                (D) Finance
 (E) Finance
                                                        Students wanting to pursue a career in public
                                                        accounting must choose assurance and tax.

Capstone Examination Preparation                        Capstone Integrative Module
Module
                                                        This module focuses on the development of compe-
This module focuses on preparing students for entry     tencies such as leadership and professional skills and
into the profession by requiring them to complete       integrates all previous competencies. In this module,
complex and highly integrative cases. It is a course    students will create a business report and present it to
that serves as preparation for the final common CPA     a board of directors for evaluation.
examination. It is for this reason it immediately
precedes the exam.                                      Among other things, students will work in groups to re-
                                                        search specific topic areas and complete assignments,
                                                        draft and orally present a business case, as well as use
                                                        their core and elective competencies while developing
 32                                                     enabling skills.
33
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     OUR VALUES                                                 - Independant member of Baker
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                           VALUES

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                                 OUR EXPERTISE
                                 - Audit and Assurance
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                                                                     T: (514) 866-8553
34
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WHERE & HOW TO GET
YOUR CPA TITLE?
Find out how and where you can obtain your CPA title below.

01                               02                                      03
Concordia JMSB                   Online CPA                             McGill
CPA Program                                                             CPA Program

The requirements are to have     The CPA education program              McGill’s full-time CPA program is
completed a bachelor’s de-       delivered by The Order is now          offered by the Desautels Faculty of
gree from a recognized uni-      offered through distance learning      Management.
versity with a minimum GPA of    on a part time basis.
3.00/4.30, or the equivalent,                                           Pre-requisites:
and to have completed the        The minimum grade point aver-          same as JMSB’s CPA program +
CPA prerequisite courses with    age for this program is 2.8/4.3.       FINA 385 or FINA 395
a minimum 2.8/4.30 overall       The list of prerequisites are listed
GPA in the required accounting   here, must have a B- average           McGill requires a minimum CGPA
(ACCO) courses.                  over all the prerequisites.            requirement of 3.0/4.0*

                                 PROS:                                  *As such, your GPA, which is on a
For more info, visit:            Flexible, work-study-life              4.3 scale, will be reconciled when
https://www.concordia.           balance                                they are reviewing your applica-
ca/jmsb/programs/grad-                                                  tion.
uate/cpa/admissions.html         CON:
                                 Study alone                            **McGill has a part-time option at
                                                                        the center of continuing education.
Full-time student:
must complete in 2 years
(6 terms)

Part-time:
Must complete in 4 years
(12 terms)

                                                                                                     35
THE COMMON FINAL
     EXAMINATION (CFE)
     The Common Final Examination (CFE) is compulsory
     for all candidates for the practice of the profession. It
     is held simultaneously in all Canadian provinces. To be
     authorized to write the CFE, all candidates must have
       successfully completed the CPA program deemed
                        valid by the Order.

     If you do not sit for one of the two CFEs held after the
        end of your university graduate program, you must
                  retake the Capstone 1 Module.

        This is why it is important to be timely in your CPA
     studies. A passing grade must be received on the CFE
                 to receive the CPA designation.

36
PRACTICAL
PROFESSIONAL            EXPERIENCE

                        In addition to the completion
                        of the examination, a future
                        CPA is also required to gain
                             practical experience.

                         This provides students an
                           opportunity to work in a
                         real-life management and
                          decision-making context.
          Need a pro?

                        This paid training period must
                            last 24 months with an
                         accredited accounting firm.

                           The experience enables
                        prospective accountants to
                              develop the CPA
                        competencies based on their
                                  interests.

                           The period of practical
                             experience may be
                        completed on a full- or part-
                        time basis, but in either case,
                            must last 24 months.

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SO YOU WANT TO
BE A CPA ?

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How do I plan ahead?

Assuming you have not yet
gotten your degree, I suggest you
study ahead and learn as much
as you possibly can from the
courses you are taking, knowing
that there will be more to learn
later on. Everyone knows that
that you need a B- average in all
your ACCO classes (as well as
a minimum GPA) to get into the
JMSB program.

                                41
WHAT IS THE
     RIGHT PATH
       FOR ME?

           Should I pursue the online program or apply to JMSB/ McGill? This depends on your
           preferences among many other factors, including your grades, your preferred
           method of learning, and how busy your schedule is with regards to work or other
           commitments. One advantage to the online program is that the modules are 8 weeks
           along, whereas a semester is 13 weeks long. Thus, you can have a little more downtime
           between modules than say between the Fall and Winter semesters.

           On the other hand, a university program will provide you with more in-class
           instruction than would the online program. Also, the JMSB program gives you 21
           university credits which you can put towards your MBA.

           Weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision based on your personal
           preferences.

  Don’t wait until the start of the semester or the start of a
 module to begin your studying, but instead be proactive!
                                                                        Tips &
  Try getting a copy of the course outline and/or materials
    from fellow students and begin your readings ahead of              Planning
 time. There are already several past CFE exam questions
     with marking keys posted online, so you can even give             Ahead for
        those a try. Get a copy of some past UFE questions
  going back as far as say 2012. Work through those when
                                                                      CPA School
     you have some down time. It will make your life much
                                             easier later on.

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CPA CAREER
     OPPORTUNITIES
 Taxation
 Tax accountants are responsible for preparing federal           Forensic Accounting
 and provincial tax returns for business, organizations
                                                                 Forensic accounting is a specialty field
 and individuals. Evidently, one of the main purposes
                                                                 within the broader accounting arena.
 of a tax accountant is to minimize the tax liability of         Acting as investigators, forensic accoun-
 its client. However, they are also responsible for en-          tants deal with crimes related to prop-
 suring that their clients comply with local and fed-            erty. They investigate fraud cases and
 eral tax laws as well as inform them of any recent tax          gather evidence to present as experts in
                                                                 court. Forensic accounting has received
 changes that can affect the functions of the business.
                                                                 much spotlight in recent years as a re-
                                                                 sult of certain large financial white-collar
                                                                 crimes. If analyzing accounting irregulari-
                                                                 ties is of interest to you it might be worth-

 Audit                                                           while to consider this speciality field. To
                                                                 pursue a career in forensic accounting/
                                                                 fraud examining, students must success-
 The purpose of accounting and financial report-
 ing is to provide relevant and representationally               fully pass Certified Fraud Examination
 faithful information to stakeholders and users.                 exam, to achieve the CFE designation.
 The goal of an auditor is to ensure that this in-               Numerous programs such as, Diploma
 formation is free from error. Auditors analyze                  in Investigative & Forensic Account-
 the financial reports of an organization and as-                ing, Fraud Examination and Forensic
 sess any risk which could significantly impact                  Accounting exist across universities in
 the financial position of the firm.                             Canada.

Industry Accounting
Do you like a stability? Is the work-life balance important to you?
The working in industry could your best option!

The industry life has many facets, from management accounting to internal auditing and many more.
A career that begins as a financial analyst could end with you as CFO of the company!

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