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Advanced Certificate in Accounting (ACIA) Program

What is Unique about this Program?
How Does Distributed Education Work?
What are the Requirements for Admission to the Program?
Which Courses are Required to Earn the Certificate?
What are the Examination Requirements?
What is the Internship Requirement?
Program Costs and Registration
How Do I Bridge into the CA Professional Program?
What Course Prerequisites Are Required of Advanced Certificate Graduates?
What Experience is Required to Obtain the CA Designation?
What Are the Steps for the Advanced Certificate in Accounting Program?

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia offers a Certificate Program for students interested in a career in accounting. Students completing the program will receive an Advanced Certificate in Accounting. The program consists of six academic courses and three twelve-month internship periods. If students maintain a 70% average they will be academically eligible to bridge into the CA Professional Program in the CA School of Business. See How Do I Bridge into the CA Professional Program? for more information.

What is Unique about this Program?

All courses in the ACIA program provide a small business orientation and, in addition to providing the required technical knowledge, focus on the development of application skills using case assignments designed to simulate "real-life" business and client situations.

How Does Distributed Education Work?

All courses are available by Distributed Education via the internet to students who live and work anywhere in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territories. The Distributed Education resources available to all students include:

• Concisely written materials providing clear examples of course concepts, techniques, and their application
• Meaningful assignments reinforcing the knowledge and skill requirements of each course module (there are ten assignments, due on a weekly basis; tutors provide feedback on these assignments to help students advance through the program)
• Computer exercises providing expertise in the computer applications most relevant to small business
• Case analyses allowing students to apply and integrate the knowledge and skill components using simulated real-life business or client situations
• Personalized assistance to each student from anywhere in the province through email tutorial support

What are the Requirements for Admission to the Program?

To be eligible for admission into the Advanced Certificate in Accounting Program the student will have:

1. Earned a two-year community college or B.C.I.T. Diploma (normally in Financial Management or Business Management with a concentration in accounting)
   OR
   Attained one of the following equivalencies:
   • The AAT designation awarded by the Society of Management Accountants;
   • Completion of Level Three of the CGA program; OR
   • Qualify for mature student status (i.e. have achieved secondary school graduation or equivalent, have at least two years of suitable academic or work experience)
2. Achieved an overall average of not less than 65% in the courses comprising the qualifying diploma or its equivalent;
3. Secured employment with a firm of Chartered Accountants; and
4. Completed an acceptable Intermediate Financial Accounting course (or equivalent).

In addition, the student must have the following minimum computer requirements:

• PIII
• 64MB RAM
• 56k Modem
• Connection to an Internet provider
• Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher (free downloads available on the Internet)
• Windows 2000
• Microsoft Word 97
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• 500 MB of free space on hard drive
• Ability to download files through company firewall (ask your systems administrator)
• Up-to-date virus checking software
• Ensure proper operating of your computer system

PLEASE DO NOT ENROLL IN ANY OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED COURSES UNTIL YOU CAN COMMUNICATE EFFICIENTLY WITH THE INTERNET SITE.

Which Courses are Required to Earn the Certificate?

All students must complete the following six courses in order to earn the Advanced Certificate in Accounting. The courses are offered in two terms, as follows:

January to March:

• ACA 010 Financial Reporting
• ACA 030 Personal Income Taxation
• ACA 040 Corporate and Other Taxes

September to November:

• ACA 020 Accounting Information Systems
• ACA 050 Review and Compilation
• ACA 060 Audit Engagements

What are the Examination Requirements?

Students are required to pass an examination in each of the six required courses. Students must pass the course with an overall average of 60% to be eligible to attempt the exam. Each examination will be three hours in length. There are no exemptions from these examinations. Students are also required to attain a grade of 60% or more to pass each examination. Students will be permitted four attempts at each examination. All examination requirements are to be completed within seven years from the date of registration in the program.
 

What is the Internship Requirement?

In order to attain the Advanced Certificate in Accounting, students will complete a period of practical work experience with a firm of Chartered Accountants. This experience requirement is structured into three, 12-month internship periods designed to reinforce the knowledge and skill components required in each course. Students will complete a minimum of 3000 chargeable hours during this experience requirement. The training obtained during these internship periods represents a unique strength of the Advanced Certificate in Accounting Program. To recognize the importance of this training, academic credit will be given on the student transcript for each internship module completed. Each student will submit a written report within 60 days of completing each internship module relating to the experience obtained. This report will be graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.
 

Program Costs and Registration

The annual student fee is $325 (plus HST) for each year in the program and combined course and examination fees are $325 (plus HST) for each course taken.

Students who wish to register in the Advanced Certificate in Accounting Program should go to our forms page and download the forms they need or contact the registration department for a student registration form and evaluation of their academic transcripts and/or mature student qualifications to determine their eligibility.
 

How Do I Bridge into the CA School of Business?

Students with the Advanced Certificate in Accounting will be eligible to bridge into the CA School of Business by satisfying the mature student admission provisions:

• Suitable accounting, academic, business, or work experience of not less than five years, subsequent to high school graduation
• An overall average of 70% or more in the Advanced Certificate in Accounting examination
• The recommendation of two members of the Institute
• Employment with an approved CA firm

Students bridging into the CA School of Business will be required to complete any outstanding course prerequisites, all professional course and examination requirements, and a student experience requirement.

Course Prerequisites

Download a course equivalency chart

Note: This chart is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to see this file.

Get Adobe Acrobat

What CA Professional Program Course Prerequisites Are Required of Advanced Certificate Graduates?

Advanced Certificate in Accounting graduates with a two-year community college or B.C.I.T. Diploma in Financial Management will typically have satisfied all CA Program course prerequisites prior to bridging (may differ slightly between colleges). However, Advanced Certificate in Accounting graduates who entered as mature students will be required to complete a number of additional business and accounting courses in order to satisfy course prerequisites prior to taking CA School of Business courses and examinations.

Course Prerequisites

What Experience is Required to Obtain the CA Designation?

The CA Professional Program requires each student to complete at least 30 months of experience in a CA office approved for the training of students. This period is exclusive of any time taken from work to attend courses and write examinations (including any related study periods). Also, this period may not include any portion of the internship requirement completed prior to the awarding of the Advanced Certificate in Accounting. During the 30-month experience period students will be required to complete minimum aggregate chargeable hours in assurance, review, and taxation.

Experience Requirements

What Are the Steps for the Advanced Certificate in Accounting Program?

Step 1

Community College Diploma (Business/Accounting - 2 years/60 credits) OR
CMA - AAT Accounting Technologist Diploma OR
CGA program - Level III OR
Mature Student Status

Step 2

Employment with a CA firm

Step 3

Advanced Certificate Program - six courses and internship modules above

Step 4

Advanced Certificate in Accounting

Step 5

Bridge into the CA School of Business

For more information on the ACIA program

Lisa Murray
Professional Development Assistant
Direct Line: 604-488-2614
Toll Free in BC: 1-800-663-2677
Fax: 604-681-1523
Email: murray@ica.bc.ca