Courses

There are fourteen CPA preparatory courses, split into six non-core and eight core courses.

Non-Core Preparatory Courses

Non-core courses are self-study, using an e-textbook (exception Information Technology) and practice problems; access to a facilitator is also provided. Courses are offered through open enrollment so students can register for a course at any time and receive access to materials within five business days. Each non-core course concludes with a final exam that must be written on a scheduled exam date within one year of the initial course registration at a CPAWSB exam centre. Students who do not complete the final exam within the one-year time limit will fail the course, and an attempt will be charged. Students will be required to retake the course to be eligible for another examination attempt.  Students must achieve a grade of at least 50 percent to pass a non-core course.

Non-core courses:

• Introductory Financial Accounting (IFA)
• Introductory Management Accounting* (IMA)
• Economics (ECO)
• Statistics (STA)
• Business Law (BUL)
• Information Technology (ITE)
  • Information Technology (ITE) will become a core preparatory course in May 2022

*Introductory Financial Accounting or an equivalent course at a post-secondary institution must be completed before or concurrently with Introductory Management Accounting.

Non-Redesigned Core Preparatory Courses

Non-redesigned core courses are available via self-study using weekly notes, pre-recorded lectures, and practice problems. Each course is offered five times annually. Core courses include six instructional weeks during which time students complete quizzes and mandatory projects. All core courses conclude with a final exam that must be written on a scheduled exam date within one year of the course start at a CPAWSB exam centre. Students must achieve a final course grade of at least 60 percent and final exam grade of at least 50 percent to pass a core course. The final grade is calculated based on mandatory projects, quizzes, and the final exam.

Students must have completed or received transfer credit for Introductory Financial Accounting and Introductory Management Accounting before registering for a non-redesigned core course. Non-redesigned core preparatory courses are:

• Advanced Financial Reporting (AFR)
• Corporate Finance (COF)
• Audit & Assurance (AUA)
• Intermediate Management Accounting (MAA)
• Performance Management (PMA)

Note: Students can choose to supplement their core course studies with live, twice weekly webinar sessions. Please refer to the supplemental webinar schedule.

Please refer to the infographic above for the course prerequisites.

Redesigned Core Preparatory Courses

Redesigned core preparatory courses are:

• Intermediate Financial Reporting 1 (IF1)
• Intermediate Financial Reporting 2 (IF2)
• Taxation (TAX)

Redesigned core preparatory courses are available via self-study using a SmartBook. Each course is offered five times annually. Core courses include six units during which time students complete course activities. You will need to achieve a minimum overall grade of 75 percent on your course activities, by the end of your six-week course, as this is used to determine your exam eligibility. All core courses conclude with a final exam that must be written on a scheduled exam date within one year of the course start at a CPAWSB exam centre. Students must achieve a grade of at least 60 percent to pass a core course. The final grade is calculated based on the final exam. Please refer to the Redesign FAQs for more information.

Students must have completed or received transfer credit for Introductory Financial Accounting and Introductory Management Accounting before registering for a redesigned core course.

Please refer to the infographic above for the course prerequisites.

• Course Descriptions