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Future Students

The Graduate Diploma in Accounting program is offered by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies through the Ivey Business School (Ivey) and the DAN Department of Management & Organization Studies in the Faculty of Social Science (DAN). The program is accredited by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario) and enables you to accelerate your CPA and accounting career with a 13 week summer program. Western is the best place to start your pursuit of the CPA designation!

Learn by tackling real-world business challenges through interactive case-based simulations that strengthen your analytical thinking and case-writing abilities. Combining advanced accounting expertise, ethical decision-making, experiential learning, and emerging technologies, the program prepares you for the CPA pathway, including the CPA Professional Examinations, and empowers you to lead with confidence in today’s dynamic business environment.

You will benefit from the expertise of industry practitioners who have CPA designations, and who are highly rated and continuously recognized for teaching excellence. The program has been designed and is taught by faculty who are involved with CPA Ontario and CPA Canada and its legacy professional accounting designations, including developing the CPA Accredited Online Graduate Program. You will interact with facilitators and your peers on a face to face basis who ensure you understand the material throughout the program and provide the opportunity to learn in an interactive and collaborative group setting. You will receive feedback throughout the program on your case writing techniques from our experienced our marking team.

Build lifelong relationships with top accounting students and leading CPA professionals, and become part of a high-performing network of peers and alumni that extends across Canada.

You will complete the program in 13 weeks before commencing full-time employment to alleviate stress and make you more marketable to employers. The program allows you to complete a substantial proportion of the CPA Professional Program before commencing full-time employment, alleviating the stress of studying while working.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be in their final year of undergraduate study or have completed an undergraduate degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution within the past year.
  • CPA Qualifying Courses: Applicants must have completed the following seven CPA Qualifying courses:
    • Intermediate Financial Reporting 1
    • Intermediate Financial Reporting 2
    • Advanced Financial Reporting
    • Corporate Finance
    • Audit and Assurance
    • Taxation
    • Intermediate Management Accounting
  • Additional Business Courses: Applicants must have completed eight additional business courses. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the eight business courses recommended by their post-secondary institution.

  • Recommended Advanced Courses: Where offered by their post-secondary institution, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the following advanced courses:
    • Advanced Audit
    • Advanced Taxation
    • Advanced Management Accounting (Management Control Systems)
    • Advanced Finance
  • Academic Average: Applicants must have achieved a minimum overall average of 72% across their undergraduate degree (120 credit hours)
  • Statement of Interest: A 250-word Statement of Interest outlining the applicant’s interest in the program
  • Course Verification Form: An application form identifying the required and recommended courses completed or currently in progress.
  • Resumé: A current resumé
  • Additional Assessment: Applicants may be asked to provide references or participate in an interview as part of the evaluation process.

Note: Admission requirements are subject to change in accordance with requirements established by CPA Ontario.

CPA Qualifying Courses

  • Intermediate Financial Reporting 1 - MOS 3360A/B
  • Intermediate Financial Reporting 2 - MOS 3361A/B
  • Advanced Financial Reporting - MOS 4465A/B
  • Corporate Finance - MOS 2310A/B
  • Audit and Assurance - MOS 3363A/B
  • Taxation - MOS 3362A/B
  • Intermediate Management Accounting - MOS 3370A/B

Other Recommended Business Courses

  • Accounting Information Systems - MOS 4472A/B
  • Strategic Management - MOS 4410A/B
  • Principles of Microeconomics - ECON 1021A/B
  • Principles of Macroeconomics - ECON 1022
  • Statistics - MOS 2242A/B (or other equivalent statistics course)
  • Business Law - MOS 2275A/B
  • Operations Management - MOS 3330A/B
  • Organizational Behaviour - MOS 2181A/B

Highly Recommended Advanced Courses

  • Advanced Audit - MOS 4463A/B
  • Advanced Issues in Canadian Taxation - MOS 4462A/B
  • Management Control Systems - MOS 4471A/B
  • Advanced Finance - MOS 3311A/B

The program runs from May - July 31 each year.

Students must meet the minimum requirements for admission, however meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission. 

The Application window is open from October 1 to January 15. Successful applicants will be notified on a rolling basis.

For information or to apply, visit the Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies website.