Become a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)

and join the ranks of Canadas top strategic and

financial decision-makers.

THERES A
NEW PRO IN TOWN
If youre considering a career in the world of
business or finance, you want to be sure that the
designation you earn will advance your knowledge,
broaden your prospects, and enhance your
reputation, now and into the future. As one of
the most recognized accounting designations in
the world, the CPA designation is your key to a
high-performance career as one of Canadas most
respected and trusted professionals.

1. ATTEND AN INFORMATION SESSION

Visit goCPAbc.ca for upcoming information sessions.

2. GET STARTED
Submit your official post-secondary transcripts for
an evaluation. Visit goCPAbc.ca to begin the path of
becoming a CPA.

BECOME A CPA
Drawing on the best of the CMA,
CA and CGA legacy programs, the
challenging CPA Certification Program
is designed to serve the needs of
Canadian business, public practice,
and government, meet or exceed all
International Federation of Accountants
standards for education, assessment,
and practical experience, and satisfy
the requirements of the leading global
accounting bodies.
At qualification, CPAs will demonstrate
the competencies expected of leading
professional accountants.

Technical competencies in
advanced financial reporting,
strategy and governance, and
management accounting, as well
as in audit and assurance, finance
and taxation.
Enabling competencies including
professionalism, ethical behaviour,
written and oral communication,
leadership, problem-solving and
decision-making.

CPA CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

An undergraduate degree including specific subject area
coverage is required before starting the CPA Professional
Education Program. If your undergraduate degree does
not include the necessary academic prerequisites,
you may complete the equivalent coursework at a
recognized post-secondary institution, or through the
CPA Prerequisite Education Program.

ACADEMIC PREREQUISITES
Specific courses will vary by educational institution,
but candidates will be required to have specific subject
area coverage in:

Financial Accounting

Taxation

Auditing

Business Law

Information Systems

Management Accounting

Finance

Economics

Statistics

Strategic Management

Until June 2017, legacy CGA, CA and CMA courses will be

accepted for entry into the CPA Professional Education
Program (PEP). Students must meet the prerequisite
course requirements of only one of the CMA, CA or CGA
pathways to be accepted for entry into the CPA PEP.
Students with international undergraduate and graduate
degrees may be eligible to receive credit for subject area
coverage in all subject areas.

JOIN THE PROS

MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION INTO
CPA PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (CPA PEP)
DEGREE

CAPSTONE
1

CPA PREREQUISITE EDUCATION PROGRAM (CPA PREP)

WITHOUT SUBJECT
AREA COVERAGE

ELECTIVE
1

RECOGNIZED UNIVERSITY COURSES OR PROGRAMS

WITH SUBJECT AREA COVERAGE

CORE
1

CPA
DESIGNATION

CAPSTONE
2

ELECTIVE
2

CORE
2

RELEVANT PRACTICAL WORK EXPERIENCE

RELEVANT PRACTICAL WORK EXPERIENCE

1

COMMON FINAL
EXAMINATION

COMPLETE CPA PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (CPA PEP)

The undergraduate or masters degree plus specific subject area coverage must equal 120 credit hours.

CPA PREREQUISITE EDUCATION

PROGRAM (PREP)
For aspiring accountants with an undergraduate or
graduate degree in a discipline other than accounting,
the CPA PREP provides a condensed, accelerated
bridging program that allows you to gain the prerequisite specific subject area coverage required for
admission to the CPA PEP.
The CPA PREP is modular you only have to complete
the modules you require to qualify for admission to the
CPA Professional Education Program. It is delivered
part-time and uses a blend of self-study, online and
classroom learning. This flexible program can be taken
entirely online.
The 12 modules in the program are offered at least
twice annually and range in length from one week to 14
weeks. The sequence in which you take Modules 1- 10 is
important as some modules are prerequisites for others.
Modules 11 and 12 are self-study and can be taken at any
time, subject to availability.

CPA PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

PROGRAM (PEP)
The CPA Professional Education Program is delivered
on a part-time basis. Candidates are expected to be
employed full-time in relevant accounting or finance
positions. Using a blended learning model, the CPA PEP
combines online learning, self-study, classroom learning,
and teamwork to enable CPA Candidates to develop
the competencies expected of Canadas preeminent
professional accountant.

Candidates complete six modules as part of

the CPA PEP:

Two common core modules which all

CPA Candidates must take, focusing on the
development of competencies in management
and financial accounting, and the integration of
the six core technical competency areas.
Two elective modules, which allow CPA Candidates
to develop deeper skills in their areas of career
interest.
A capstone integrative module that focuses on
the development of the enabling competencies
such as leadership and professional skills, and
the integration of core competencies.
A capstone examination preparation module
which prepares CPA Candidates for the
Common Final Examination.

ELECTIVE MODULES
Candidates choose any two modules from the
four electives:

Assurance
Performance Management
Tax
Finance

Candidates pursuing a career in public accounting

must take the Assurance and Tax modules.

EVALUATION
Each module of the CPA PEP includes an examination
which must be successfully completed before moving
on to the next module. A Common Final Examination
is also written upon successful completion of all
6 CPA PEP modules. The CPA program will have a
multi-day Common Final Examination offered for the
first time in September 2015.
Candidates must demonstrate breadth in all six core
competency areas, and depth in two core competency
areas:

Financial Reporting or Management Accounting, plus

One from the other core competency areas.

Public Accounting candidates must demonstrate depth in

Financial Reporting and Assurance.

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
REQUIREMENT
TWO ROUTES. ONE STANDARD.
CPA Candidates must complete qualifying, relevant,
progressive, practical experience that is approved by
the CPA profession.
There are two routes to achieve the CPA Practical
Experience Requirements:

1. EMPLOYMENT IN
A PRE-APPROVED ROUTE:
Training positions offered by employers in training
paths that are pre-approved by the CPA profession, and
candidates are appropriately supervised and mentored.

Organizations obtain pre-approval for a defined

position/ program from the profession

Minimum term of practical experience is 30 months

Supervisors will assign work specified in the

pre-approval program and provide feedback to
CPA Mentors

CPA Candidates complete streamlined experience

reports

CPA Mentors are assigned to future CPAs by the

organization and meet at least semi-annually

2. EXPERIENCE VERIFICATION
ROUTE:
Candidates are appropriately supervised and mentored,
obtaining experience that is verified by submitting
detailed experience reports for approval by the
CPA profession.

Any position that meets the entrance requirements

is acceptable

Minimum term of practical experience is 30 months

CPA Candidates complete detailed experience

reports; supervisors attest to accuracy of factual
information

CPA Candidates must find a CPA Mentor and

meet at least semi-annually

Experience is assessed by the profession as

it is gained

BECOME A PRO
CONTACT US.
To discuss your path to becoming a CPA, contact one of our Development Officers:
Vancouver (Post-Secondary Students)
Lisa So
lso@bccpa.ca
604-730-6237
Anna Belyaeva
abelyaeva@bccpa.ca
604-484-7024
Vancouver (Business Professionals)
Sheila Cheung
scheung@bccpa.ca
604-629-8366
Vancouver Island
Sheena Reagan
sreagan@bccpa.ca
778-677-6404
Interior and Northern BC
Dayl Hancock
dhancock@bccpa.ca
250-542-6404

facebook.com/
goCPAbc

STAY INFORMED
Visit goCPAbc.ca for the latest news and details
on the CPA programs in British Columbia.

twitter.com
/goCPAbc

instagram.com
/gocpabc

All three professional accounting bodies in British Columbia The Chartered Accountants of BC, Certified
Management Accountants of BC, and Certified General Accountants of BC have signed an agreement to pursue a
merger and are working to unite under the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.
The Chartered Professional Accountant program is offered in British Columbia by the Certified General Accountants
of BC, the CA School of Business, and the Certified Management Accountants of BC.

goCPAbc.ca