Program Comparison

Current CPA Certification Program

New CPA Professional Program

Academic admission requirements:
  • Degree: A recognized post-secondary degree or meet the non-degree holder requirements
  • 120 credit hours: Completion of at least 120 credit hours of post-secondary education
  • Prerequisite knowledge: 14 prerequisites taken within 10 years of admission
  • Minimum GPA: 65% average on prerequisites

Academic admission requirements: 

  • Degree: A recognized post-secondary degree or meet the non-degree holder requirements
  • 120 credit hours: Completion of at least 120 credit hours of post-secondary education
  • Prerequisite knowledge: 45 credit hours in accounting and business (with specified competency coverage) from a recognized Canadian or international post-secondary institution OR demonstrate accounting competencies by passing the Knowledge Assessment
  • Minimum GPA: 65% calculated on the most recently completed 60 credit hours of academic coursework

6 CPA PEP modules: Core 1, Core 2, Elective 1, Elective 2, Capstone 1, Capstone 2

4 modules: Foundational Development, CPA Core, CPA Leadership, CPA Professional Readiness

Module exams: After Core 1, Core 2, Elective 1, Elective 2

Module exam: Written after completing the Foundational Development module (Each module has additional assessments within it that must be passed to reach the associated exam.)

Certification exam: 3-day CFE following the final module

Certification exam: 3 CPA Professional Final Exams, to be written following the associated module: CPA Core, CPA Leadership, and CPA Professional Readiness

Practical experience: A minimum of 30 months of qualifying practical experience, inclusive of up to 5 months away from work, with demonstrated competency. Option of a pre-approved program or experience verification route. Experience can be completed at any time within the allocated program time limit.

Experience: A minimum of 24 months of qualifying experience, excluding time away from work, with demonstrated competency. All learners complete an experience plan, submitted in advance, to outline how their experience will meet the requirements. Experience must be met before eligibility into the CPA Professional Readiness module.