As the most recognized of its kind in the accounting field, the CA designation open the door to an abundance of challenging career opportunities. CA's serve as decision-makers, managers and consultants in every size and type of organization. If the CA path interests you, here is some information to keep in mind in order to insure your admission into the CA graduate program once you complete your Bachelors of Commerce.

 

Educational requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accountancy at JMSB you require:

-An undergraduate degree from a recognized university

-A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0

-A minimum of a B- in the following classes:

ACCO 310 Financial Reporting I

ACCO 320 Financial Reporting II

ACCO 330 Cost & Management Accounting

ACCO 340 Income Taxation in Canada

ACCO 410 Government & Non-for-Profit Accounting

ACCO 420 Financial Reporting III

ACCO 430 Advanced Management Accounting

ACCO 440 Advanced Taxation

ACCO 450 Assurance Services

ACCO 465 Advanced Assurance Services

COMM 226 Introduction to Management Information Systems

COMM 308 Introduction to Finance

COMM 315 Business Law & Ethics

COMM 401 Strategy & Competition

 

Upon graduation, be sure to register with the Ordre des Comptables Agréés du Québec (OCAQ). The John Molson School of Business is highly recognized for their exceptional Chartered Accountancy program and continuously has one of the highest passage rates for the UFE.

 

For more information about admissions into the program please visit:

http://johmolson.concordia.ca/en/graduate-programs/ca-program/admissions

 

Tips for Students Aspiring to be CA:

1st Year Students:

 

Start Off Strong: You are just entering university and have many general commerce classes that are known to be easier than some accounting courses. Try to get high grades right format eh start, as it is much easier to keep your grades up than to try to bring them up!

 

Balanced Lifestyle: University may seem overwhelming sometimes but don't forget to take some time for yourself. Be sure to take a course load that you can handle. In the first week of classes you will receive course outlines – this will help you determine how many hours per week you will be spending on the course material. If you need help choosing courses don't hesitate to book an appointment with an advisor!

 

Get Involved Early: This is a great way to make friends and build a network of contacts. Thre are so many committees and organizations that you can join. If you would like to volunteer with JMAS stop by our office and we would love to get you involved with the team.

 

2nd Year Students:

 

Apply for Internships: All accounting firms are looking to hire second y ear students for a summer internship. This gives you the chance to see what the CA profession entails outside of a school setting. Make sure to complete your CACEE form and send it electronically to the firms you are interested in by September 22rd at noon!

 

Maintain Your Grades: If you received good grades in your first year- keep it up! If you didn't – don't worry you still have time to bring up your GPA. Don't hesitate to seek help form an advisor to plan a balanced schedule for your remaining courses. Because you are starting ACCO classes this year that tend to be more difficult, make sure to spread out your remaining COMMs and electives.

 

Don't Forget About Your Electives: Make sure to plan a schedule that includes the aforementioned ACCO classes – these will count as business electives. You need to make sure that you take enough non- business electives as well.

 

3rd Year Students:

 

Missed Last Year's Recruitment? Don't worry! The firms are coming to recruitment also looking for graduating students wanting full-time positions. At this point, you should have all the necessary qualifications (mentioned above) to get into the CA program.

Certified General Accountants (CGAs) are cutting-edge professionals. More than one third of CGAs work in the fields of accounting and finance. Another third hold management-level positions. While one quarter are consultants in private practices. Taxation is also a passion for a large number of CGAs. Indeed, CGAs are active in a wide variety of professional positions. So prepare yourself for a wealth of opportunities.

 

The required courses are as follows:
-Comm 215, 217, 220, 301, 305, 308, 315, 401
-Econ 201, 203
-Acco 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 400, 410, 420, 440 (2), 450 (1), 465 (1), 490 (2)
(1) These courses must be completed to be eligible for the Advanced External Auditing (AU2) exam exemption
(2) These courses must be completed to be eligible for the Advanced Personal and Corporate Taxation (TX2) exam exemption

 

Different phases and steps to becoming a CGA

- Program leading to the CGA designation
- Undergraduate degree: bachelor of commerce (major in accountancy)
- Two technical competency exams (TX2, AU2 or MU1); exemptions may be granted
- Short graduate program in professional practice (PPP)
- Two professional competency exams (PA1-PA2)
- 24-month practical training program
- French language proficiency

 

Practical training requirements

You need at least 45 undergraduate credits or equivalents. The Order may recognize up to 6 months of practical experience acquired during the candidate's undergraduate studies. As well, must acquire at least 2 years of:

(1) Full-time practical experience at a minimum rate of 30 hours/week or
(2) Part- time practical experience at a minimum rate of 20 hours/week with the same employer for a total of at least 3000 hours completed over at least 2 years

 

Exams: Overviews of different exams and preparation

- Professional competency exams
o The issues in Professional Practice (PA1) exam tests professional skills from the perspective of an external accountant providing audit, tax, consulting or other client services
o The strategic Financial Management (PA2) exam tests students' strategic financial management skills from the perspective of an accountant or manager working in a business or organizational context

 

- Technical competency exams (two of the following exams must be
successfully completed) Advanced Personal and Corporate Taxation and/or Advanced External Auditing and controls.
o N.B. Exemptions may be granted if all prerequisite courses were completed within the prescribed time frame.

 

- There are 3 CGA exam sessions per year and students may take the exams at times that are more convenient to them. The minimum passing grade for the FA2, AU2, MU1, TX2 and FN2 exams are 65%. The PA1 and PA2 exams
must be taken upon completion of the CGA program and are graded on a distinction Pass or Fail basis.

 

Abilities related to the designation

On the strength of its strategic position, the Order develops and delivers an impressive range of resources aimed at fostering the professional development of its members, candidates and registered students.

 

What firms look for:

Forget the narrow notion of bean counters and number crunchers. Today's accountants are an extremely diverse group of professionals whose specialties span an impressive range of financial acumen. In today's complex business environment, financial professionals must be both broadly knowledgeable and specialized.

Why become a CPA?

Being a CPA is more about professional freedom and opening doors to international opportunities than it is about number crunching in a cubicle.What many people don't realize is that apart from ensuring financial security, a CPA also ensures flexibility, by bringing in more choices for employment in a variety of diverse fields across the private, public, government and non-profit sectors, in an unlimited number of industries. Some CPAs go on to become entrepreneurs, professors, or consultants, some rise to positions in upper management, while still others transition to markedly different careers, using their CPAs to get a foot in the door with companies in seemingly unrelated industries. Every company needs an accountant, and with a present shortage of certified accounting professionals, CPA skills are even more in demand, at an increasingly lucrative salary... all around the world.

 

What does CPA really mean?

One of the world's leading licensing examinations, the CPA serves to protect public interest by ensuring that only qualified individuals become licensed CPAs. CPAs typically begin their careers in public accounting to gain exposure to a variety of businesses, before expanding their reach into a role that covers all aspects of business from performance to growth strategy.

 

What are the qualifications?

In general, students will need to have a minimum of 120 credits of post-secondary education (College, University, CEGEP...etc), at least 12 credits in accounting courses and 12 credits in business courses to be eligible to write the exam. Candidates must past a rigorous, four-part exam called the "Uniform CPA Examination" that is prepared and administered by the AICPA (American Institute of Public Accountants). The exams are 100% computer based and are administered 6 days a week and 8 months out of the year (to fit your study schedule).

 

Topics Covered Include:

- Financial Accounting and Reporting

- Auditing and Attestation

- Regulations

- Business Environment and Concepts

 

Experience

Before or after the exam is completed candidates will have approximately 7 years to accumulate relevant work experience (equal to at least a year) under a CPA or Canadian CA who will be in charge of verifying their work. Relevant work experience consists of having a position in academia, government, industry or public practice that provides services in accounting, tax, financial management, consulting, or advising.

 

For any additional information on the designation, state selection process or requirements:

Contact Sylvie Lavoie Phone: 514-848-2424 x4144 Office : Room MB 14-268

As experts in strategic and financial management, certified management accountants organize the information necessary for making decisions, design systems and implement effective action plans. They apply advanced management and accounting practices in all business functions, including strategic planning, sales and marketing, information technology, human resources, finance, and operations.

CMAs are trained to see the “big picture” as well as spot emerging trends. They deliver innovative strategies in every area that affects the value of products and services: quality, performance, cost, and customer responsiveness. Here are some of the tasks they may be entrusted with:

• initiating and guiding major changes
• directing and mobilizing teams
• planning and managing projects with substantial budgets
• planning and coordinating system implementation
• optimizing business processes.

Their integrated and systemic approach to strategic and financial management makes CMAs value-added accountants who optimize the performance of organizations

Courses Required

L’ORDRE DES COMPTABLES EN MANAGEMENT ACCRÉDITÉS DU QUÉBEC: Certified Management Accountant (CMA)

Students who wish to follow the CMA program must register with L’Ordre des comptables en management accrédités du Québec, 715 Square Victoria 3rd Floor, Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 2H7, 514-849-1155 / 800-263-5390. The list of courses comprising the CMA program is shown below:

 

CMA MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AT JMSB

At JMSB, we are proud to provide students with a mentorship program during their education process. The CMA-JMAS accounting Mentorship Program is designed to help students explore their occupational options within the accounting profession. The primary objective is to develop a partnership between the CMA professionals and JMAS accounting students. The program is aimed at helping accounting students make the transition from the classroom to the workplace through the valuable and varied experiences of the CMA professionals.