A CPA designation provides you with the skills and knowledge that are in high demand. Being a CPA is about having the designation that gives you the opportunity to build the career you want. It’s your ticket to a world of opportunities in accounting and finance. CPAs are in demand thanks to their financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight and management skills.
Earn Your Designation/Certification
Becoming a CPA requires a student to successfully complete:
- the Academic Prerequisites for admission into the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP);
- the CPA PEP, including the Common Final Examination (CFE) and;
- the Practical Experience Requirement (PER).
To learn about the path to becoming a CPA, please visit: CPA Path
What are Preparatory Courses?
Preparatory courses, previously called the CPA Prerequisite Education Program (CPA PREP), are the courses offered by CPA Ontario that encompass the entrance requirements for both the CPA PEP and the ACAF program.
- For individuals interested in becoming a CPA, the prerequisite course requirement for entry into the CPA PEP can be fulfilled by completing the 14 preparatory courses that cover all of the required subject areas, or equivalent through a post-secondary institution.
CPA Certification Program Requirements:
- Meet the degree requirement. Entry into the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP) requires a 120 credit-hour degree from a degree-granting institution and the completion of the minimum number of courses/modules in each required subject area at a post-secondary institution (PSI).
- The following courses can be taken at the School of Continuing Studies to meet the prerequisite course requirement for entry into CPA PEP. Unless otherwise noted, all of the required courses for each subject area must be completed in order to meet the entrance requirements for CPA PEP. In several instances, coverage of a subject area requires the completion of multiple courses. Students are strongly encouraged to complete all courses within a subject area at one PSI.
NON-CORE PREREQUISITES
| Subject Area | CPA Preparatory Courses |
School of Continuing Studies Equivalent Course(s) |
Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Financial Reporting Management Accounting Other General Business Topics |
Introductory Financial Accounting Introductory Management Accounting Economics Statistics Business Law
|
0984 Accounting: The Fundamentals |
50% in each course |
CORE PREREQUISITES
| Subject Area | CPA Preparatory Courses |
School of Continuing Studies Equivalent Course(s) |
Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Financial Reporting
Strategy and Governance Management Accounting Audit and Assurance Finance Taxation DAIS |
Intermediate Financial Reporting I Intermediate Financial Reporting II Advanced Financial Reporting Performance Management Intermediate Management Accounting Audit and Assurance Corporate Finance Taxation Data Analytics and Information Systems Information Technology |
3404 Intermediate Financial Accounting 1 3405 Intermediate Financial Accounting 2 0914 Advanced Financial Accounting 0915 Advanced Management Accounting* 0975 Taxation for Canadian Business {Integrated through prerequisite courses marked with "*"} |
60 % in each course & 65 % average across all core courses |
Achieving your CPA designation
Individuals interested in becoming a CPA are advised to carefully review the information provided here.