Chartered Professional Accountant designation
COVID-19 notices
The CPA profession will accept all special grades awarded by a AU or other PSIs and ensure full recognition of courses completed during the COVID-19 disruption.
Please contact your provincial association to find out more information about their current COVID-19 responses.
Athabasca University’s Faculty of Business provides specific online courses and business programs to help you meet the requirements for entering the Professional Education Program (PEP) of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada).
Becoming a CPA
Chartered Professional Accountant designation
Globally recognized and respected, the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation is your key to a successful accounting career. If you’re looking to enter the world of business or finance, the CPA credential will open doors and enhance your prospects.
PEP entry requirements
You must have an undergraduate degree with specific subject area coverage to be admitted to the CPA PEP. AU’s Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting Major meets the CPA requirements. You should aim to achieve a minimum C+ (2.6 GPA) average.
For specific details regarding minimum grades and minimum GPA requirements, download a copy of the CPA Harmonized Education Policy. (Minimum grade and GPA requirements are found on page 4).
If your degree doesn’t include all the required subject areas (e.g., a degree other than a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)), you can pick up missing courses through AU. You only have to complete the courses you need. You can also complete the courses through CPA directly.
Information on this site is the most recent available at the time of posting. However, designation requirements are stipulated by each provincial accounting association and may change at any time.
Contact your provincial association to have an assessment completed and your course requirements confirmed. Keep this information for your records.
AU accounting programs
AU-FB offers courses and programs to help you meet the requirements for various professional designations, including the new Canadian CPA. Our online university certificates in accounting and advanced accounting ladder into our Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting Major, which meets the requirements for admission into the CPA PEP.
PLEASE NOTE: Most post-secondary courses are intended to meet the needs of a varied student audience and thus may not fulfill the requirements of any one professional accounting organization in their entirety. You may need to supplement your post-secondary coursework with more syllabus-specific studies.
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