Education
The CPA Professional Program will consist of four modules, each with its own focus and final evaluation. Successful completion of the exam after each module is required before moving on to the next module in the program.
In Alberta, the education portion of the CPA Professional Program is, in most cases, done through the CPA Western School of Business. More details around education are available on the CPAWSB website.
Practical Experience
The Practical Experience component of the program ensures candidates can apply their technical, ethical and professional skills in real-world business situations.
Practical experience consists of:
- At least eight months of Foundational Experience; hands-on work where learners begin applying their knowledge in the workplace.
- At least 16 months of Professional Experience; this is more advanced work, focused on developing decision-making skills.
That total of 24 months is exclusive of any leave, such as for vacations or study time, making the total work duration very similar to the current requirements.
The practical experience portion of the program is designed to provide all learners a more flexible, organic way to gain valuable experience under the mentorship of a CPA. All learners will follow the same program and be responsible to meet the same requirements.
These include:
- Gaining experience in an organization that employs at least one CPA, to allow for a mentor that can model expected professional and ethical behaviours.
- The submission of a work plan before practical experience starts, so candidates know at the outset they are on the right path to gain the competencies required of an entry-level CPA.
- Having a CPA mentor to help guide the candidate on the path to becoming a CPA and to validate the competencies gained by the candidate.
- Reporting on the experiences, competencies, and discussions between candidates and mentors, through a user-friendly reporting system that fosters organic connection between candidate and mentor.
Entrance to the CPA Professional Program
Entrance to the program comes in two ways:
- Those candidates who hold 45 credit hours in accounting and business as part of or in addition to a 120-credit hour degree and a minimum grade point average can start directly in the first module of the program.
- Those who don’t meet that 45-credit hour requirement but have applicable experience or knowledge in addition to a degree and minimum GPA can demonstrate their accounting and business competencies by passing a Knowledge Assessment. Upon doing so, they too would enter the first module of the program.
More details can be found on the CPAWSB website.
The CPA Professional Program retains the rigour the profession’s certification has always been known for, while providing a modern educational approach focused on learners and their development of the profession’s required competencies.