Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice

Transcription

1 Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Contents Prepare for a Career in the Accounting Profession at McGill... 1 What is the Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Program?... 1 What are the PA1 and PA2 exams?... 1 The Program... 2 Course Sequence... 3 Course Descriptions... 4 Professional Associations... 5 Admission Requirements... 6 Language Requirements... 8 Admission Procedures 10 Career and Professional Development McGill School of Continuing Studies 688 Sherbrooke St. W. Montreal, PQ, Canada H3A 3R1 Tel: (514) Fax: (514) info.conted@mcgill.ca Web: The full details of the program, admission requirements, and admission procedures summarized in this document can be found in the School of Continuing Studies s current course calendar. If there are any discrepancies between the course calendar and this summary, the information in the course calendar takes precedence in all cases. reserves the right to change this information at any time.

2 Prepare for a Career in the Accounting Profession at McGill The Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice program will help you to develop a full range of professional qualities and skills that professional accountants need in today s job market. This program is designed to foster your ability to analyze, integrate and synthesize information in a variety of fields, including professional ethics and integrity, accounting, assurance, finance, management and taxation. What is the Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Program? The Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice is a 15-credit graduate level program, which is equivalent to CGA s Short Graduate Program in Professional Practice (PPP). This program must be completed prior to obtaining the CGA license. It will prepare CGA candidates for the Issues in Professional Practice (PA1) and the Strategic Financial Management (PA2) exams. What are the PA1 and PA2 exams? PA1: This exam tests professional skills from the perspective of an external accountant providing audit, tax, consulting or other client services. Students may write the PA1 exam annually in June or December. PA2: This exam tests students strategic financial management skills from the perspective of an accountant or manager working in a business or organizational context. Students may write the PA2 exam annually in March or December. Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

3 The Program The Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice program consists of five required three-credit courses. Classes are offered once a week for 13 weeks and are generally from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Courses can be taken in the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer sessions. Classes in the Spring and Summer sessions may be given in less than 13 weeks. Not all courses are offered every semester. The certificate s program requirements are: 5 Required courses: CCFC Issues in Professional Practice 1 CCFC Issues in Professional Practice 2 CCFC Corporate Governance CCFC Strategic Financial Management CCFC 523 Public Accountancy Note: All courses are three (3) credits unless otherwise stated. 1 Required courses for PA1 exam. 2 Required courses for PA2 exam. Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

4 Course Sequence Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice CCFC 515 Issues in Professional Practice 1 CCFC 520 Issues in Professional Practice 2 CCFC 521 Corporate Governance CCFC 522 Strategic Financial Management External Program Prerequisite Course Acct 475 Principles of Auditing CCFC 523 Public Accountancy External Program Prerequisite Course CCAU 511 Auditing 1 NOTE: Co-requisite: An academic course requirement that may be completed before or concurrently. External Program Prerequisite Course Required Course Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

5 Course Descriptions ACCT 475 Principles of Auditing Pre-requisite: ACCT 352 Intermediate Financial Accounting 2 or ACCT 312 Introduction to basic auditing concepts and internal controls of an accounting system. Topics include current auditing standards, ethical conduct, legal liability, planning of an audit, sampling techniques, non-audit engagements, the study and evaluation of internal controls in an accounting system. CCAU 511 Auditing 1 Pre-requisite: CCFC 512 Financial Accounting 2 An introduction to: the nature and purpose of auditing, appointment, remuneration, powers, duties and responsibilities of an auditor; internal control; audit programs, financial statement presentation; procedures for verification of items in financial statements; audit reports. CCFC 515 Issues in Professional Practice 1 Co-requisite: CCFC 520 Issues in Professional Practice 2 Practical and concrete application of certain accounting aspects with a view to solving problems faced by businesses by developing the skills required to take decisive action in various business situations, including mergers and acquisitions, asset/business valuations, financial analyses, companies in difficulty and tax/estate planning. CCFC 520 Issues in Professional Practice 2 Co-requisite: CCFC 515 Issues in Professional Practice 1 Skills required to provide advisory and public accounting services specifically addressing ethical issues for public accountants, engagement risks and strategies, financial reporting requirements and new developments in GAAP and GAAS. CCFC 521 Corporate Governance Co-requisite: CCFC 522 Strategic Financial Management How existing corporate governance systems, wealth creation, business viability and living standards are interconnected. Shareholder power, stakeholder rights and privileges, and who ultimately holds power and how such power should be delegated are also addressed. CCFC 522 Strategic Financial Management Co-requisite: CCFC 521 Corporate Governance Strategic financial management skills focusing on growth strategies, financing structures, financial risk management, control mechanism design and performance Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

6 evaluations from the perspective of the professional accountant internal to the organization. CCFC 523 Public Accountancy Pre-requisites: ACCT 475 Principles of Auditing or CCAU 511 Auditing 1 The course prepares students for public accounting responsibilities. Topics include diagnostic analysis of financial information integrity, accounting manipulations, asset measurement and technological hazards, mandate planning, risk assessment, gathering and evaluating audit evidence and reporting results of engagement. Case studies will be used to study public accountancy. Professional Associations ORDRE DES CGA DU QUEBEC (Certified General Accountant CGA) Starting on September 1st, 2007, in order to fulfill the educational requirements necessary to obtain the CGA professional designation, the candidate must hold: a bachelor of commerce degree with a major in accounting; or Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

7 a bachelor of commerce degree with honours in accounting; or a baccaluaréat par cumul * from an educational institution which recognizes s Certificate in Accounting or Certificate in Management in combination with two other certificates from the same institution.; and, he/she must complete the Short Graduate Program in Professional Practice, pass the four national examinations and acquire 24 months or more of practical work experience. Under certain conditions, the technical competencies examinations: Advanced Personal and Corporate Taxation 2 (TX2) and Internal Auditing and Controls (MU1) or Advanced External Auditing (AU2) might be exempted. A list of specific courses necessary to complete the educational requirements and descriptive brochures of the Order can be obtained from the Centre. Students interested in membership should contact Ordre des CGA du Québec, 500 Places d Armes, Room 1800, Montréal, Québec H2Y 2W2. Telephone: (514) , or (800) ; Fax: (514) ; formation@cga-quebec.org Internet: * Please note that does not offer a baccalauréat par cumul. Candidates who wish to obtain one should consult other (francophone) universities in Quebec for information on how a McGill certificate program can be credited towards a bachelor s degree, i.e. baccalauréat par cumul. Admission Requirements To be admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice, students must meet both the academic and language requirements of the program. Please note if you wish to pursue the Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice program you are strongly advised to have your prior academic background evaluated by the CGA. These results must then be submitted to the university at the time of application for admission into the program. Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

8 Academic Requirements: 1. Students must hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree (major in Accounting), as approved by the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Studies Office with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0/4.0 or a CGPA of 3.2/4.0 for the last two full-time academic years, 2. Or a Bachelor s Degree in any other discipline with a minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 or 3.2 out of 4.0 in the last two years of full-time academic studies and a Certificate in Accounting, 3. Or a Bachelor s degree in any discipline and a Certificate in Accounting with a minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0, 4. Or the Diploma in Accounting program. If your CGPA is lower than the above requirement, please submit the following for consideration with your application, official transcript. 1. Letter of Intent: A letter, 1 to 2 pages in length single-spaced, written in English or French, which addresses the following: basis for interest in the program; your knowledge that would be pertinent to the program; your interest in the field of study and the reasons for applying to our program plans for integrating the training into your current or future career; a description of your professional experience and its relevance, if applicable, to the program; awards received or other contributions; any additional information relevant to your application. 2. Curriculum Vitae ` 3. Two Letters of Reference: At least one should be from a current or former employer. 4. GMAT and/or GRE (optional): Submit a copy of the official test score results. 5. Supporting documents should be delivered to: Student Affairs Office Admissions & Convocation School of Continuing Studies 688 Sherbrooke Street West Room 1125 Montreal, QC H3A 3R1 Canada Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

9 If you have studied outside of Canada, you are strongly advised to request an evaluation of your degree called Évaluation comparative des etudes effectuées hors du Québec, from MRCI. For further details you may contact their office at: (514) or visit them on the web at: Please note that anyone who wishes to obtain a professional designation may also be required by the Professional Order to acquire this equivalency evaluation. If you have completed an undergraduate degree from a recognized university outside of Canada and are applying to this program for which a minimum CGPA is required, please visit the following website for International Degrees CGPA calculation: Note: Students without an accounting related degree may be able to enroll for either a Certificate in Accounting or a Diploma in Accounting program before entering the Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice. For more information on either programs, please visit: Language Requirements The language of instruction for most courses and programs at McGill is English; however, students may submit any written work that is to be graded in English or French, except in cases where knowledge of the language is one of the objectives of the course. Applicants must demonstrate an adequate level of proficiency in English prior to admission, regardless of citizenship status or country of origin. McGill University has this language requirement in place to ensure that all students are provided with the opportunity to succeed in their chosen program. In all cases, the University reserves the right to require proof of English proficiency if it is deemed necessary. Below you will find information on when proof of proficiency is required. If you answer yes to any of the following seven statements, you do NOT necessarily need to provide proof of English proficiency, but must provide documentation to support your answer. Have you lived and attended school, for at least four years, in a country where English is the acknowledged primary language? Have you completed both Secondary V and a DEC at a French CEGEP in Quebec? Have you completed a DEC at an English CEGEP in Quebec, during or later than 2003? Have you or will you complete a French Baccalaureate Option Internationale (British or American section)? Have you or will you complete International Baccalaureate English A with a final result of 5 or better? Have you or will you complete the British Curriculum A-Level English with a final grade of C or better? Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

10 Have you completed the British Curriculum GCSE/IGCSE/GCE O-Level English, English Language, English First Language, or English as a Second Language with a final grade of B or better? If you answered no to all of the above, but answer yes to any of the following questions, you will be asked to provide supporting documentation to this effect and may still be asked to provide proof of English language proficiency. Do you consider English to be your mother tongue? Have you been attending school, for at least four consecutive years, at an accredited educational institution (in a non-english speaking country) where English is the language of instruction? Have you obtained an undergraduate degree from an accredited educational institution where the language of instruction in your program of study was English (minimum three years)? Have you obtained a graduate degree from an accredited educational institution where the language of instruction in your program of study was English (minimum two years)? Applicants to the Department of Career and Professional Development who do not meet any of the above-listed conditions must demonstrate proficiency in English using one of the following options: 1) TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): minimum acceptable scores are ibt (internet based test) PBT (paper based test) CBT (computer based test)* 90 overall (a minimum individual component score of 21 in each of the four components i.e. reading, writing, listening and speaking) *The CBT is no longer being offered. CBT results will be accepted as long as considered valid by ETS. N.B. an institutional version of the TOEFL is not acceptable. 2) IELTS (International English Language Testing System): a band score of 6.5 or better. 3) MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery): a minimum mark of 85%. 4) APIEL (Advanced Placement International English Language): a minimum score of 4. 5) McGill SCS TELP (McGill SCS Test of English Language Proficiency): a Category A result. 6) McGill Certificate of Proficiency in English or McGill Certificate of Proficiency English for Professional Communication: Certificate of Proficiency awarded. 7) University of Cambridge ESOL Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): a grade of B (Good) or higher. 8) University of Cambridge ESOL Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): a grade of C (Pass) or higher. Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,

11 9) Edexcel London Test of English Level 4 with an overall grade of at least Merit Pass. 10) Edexcel London Test of English Level 5 with an overall grade of at least Pass. NOTE: Your test results must be reported directly to the University by the test centre; consequently, candidates copies of results will not be accepted as proof of English language proficiency. It is your responsibility to ensure that the official test results in an official format are forwarded directly by the testing service to Client Services (Admissions) of the School of Continuing Studies, 688 Sherbrooke St. West, 11 th Floor, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 3R1. For TOEFL and APIEL, the institutional code at is Graduate Certificate in Accounting Practice Last updated: April 29,