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Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting

A better way to your CPA

Accelerate your journey to the CPA – and get a jump start on your accounting career – in this 12-week summer program. Deepen your knowledge and skills while earning the equivalent of four modules in the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP).

The Rotman Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting lets you advance straight to the Capstone 1 module of the CPA PEP while giving you an edge in writing the CFE.

The global economy is changing. The growth in size and complexity of the economy and of the regulatory environment that surrounds it has created a sustained need for qualified professional accountants.

If you’re close to completing your undergraduate degree and looking to attain your CPA designation, there is no better way to start than through a Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting from the Rotman School. As a student, you will have the opportunity to complete the first four modules of your CPA PEP in a university setting, and benefit from the skills and knowledge of Rotman’s world-class professors.

By completing a significant amount of the required CPA PEP modules prior to working full-time, you can avoid the stress of studying and working at the same time – a benefit to both to you and your employer.


‘One of the best decisions I’ve ever made’

Graduate describes the GDipPA program


Students with employment offers from an accounting firm before or after starting the GDipPA should inquire with their employer about potential tuition subsidies.

Advantage Rotman

The program leverages the strengths of the Rotman School, located on the central University of Toronto campus in downtown Toronto, just blocks away from Bay Street and Canada’s financial and commercial centre. The program takes advantage of the depth of accounting expertise at the School as well as its long-standing commitment to professional accounting education.

  • Grow your network: Build your network of accounting professionals from across Canada
  • Focus on studying: without the distraction of work
  • Experiential learning: Participate in case competitions with a panel of judges from the industry.
  • Save time: Qualify to write the CFE sooner
  • Case-based approach: Two internal case competitions provide strong preparation for Capstone 1 and CFE
  • Exam structure: Modelled on the CFE

Reputation
With its top-ranked faculty, deep connections to Bay Street and location at the heart of Canada's top university, Rotman has built a reputation for its ability to position professionals like you for lifelong career success.

Common Final Examination (CFE) successes
A number of our GDipPA graduates score within the top one per cent of successful CFE writers.

Location
Gain a full-campus experience in downtown Toronto at the historic St. George campus of the University of Toronto, just blocks away from Bay Street and the local business community.

Professional Network
Classes made up of top accounting students from across Canada, and all three University of Toronto campuses, allowing you to build a professional network that will help you succeed long after graduation.

World-Class Faculty
Rotman’s accounting faculty conduct cutting edge research in financial and managerial accounting, assurance, taxation, and related fields in financial economics.

Curriculum
The diploma program is accredited by the CPA Ontario and the CPA Canada and allows students to obtain advanced standing in the first four modules of the CPA PEP.


Acing the Common Final Examination

Acing the Common Final Examination: GDipPA ’16 grads on “no surprises” and adopting good study habits
"You can trust that your professors are teaching you exactly what you need to know.” -Alice Li, GDipPA ‘16

GDipPA alumni and the CPA

GDipPA alumni get a head start at earning their CPA
"I feel a significant improvement in how I approach and structure my cases now." -Julia Sellathurai, GDipPA ’17, BComm ’17

Admission to the program is only available to students in their fourth year of undergraduate study (or who have graduated within the last year) of a degree outlined below (or equivalent Canadian degree).

1. Appropriate undergraduate degree

  • Rotman's Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Specialist)
  • University of Toronto Mississauga – B. Com. (Accounting Specialist) 
  • University of Toronto Scarborough – B.B.A. (Specialist in Management and Accounting)

University of Toronto students who are not currently candidates for one of the accounting specialist programs are required to take the required courses to be considered as applicants to the GDipPA program.

Important note to applicants outside of the University of Toronto: The accreditation that the University of Toronto has received from CPA Ontario specifies that only candidates with University of Toronto degrees, or equivalent, may be given advanced standing in the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP). In determining whether a degree from another Canadian university is equivalent, the Admission Committee will review each submitted application individually. Prior to applying, we encourage you to ensure that the courses you have taken meet the requirements for entry into CPA PEP on the CPA Ontario website.

Study impacted by COVID-19



2. Required courses

If students are applying to the program in the fourth year of their undergraduate degree, conditional acceptance to the program is given based on the grades attained for the years leading up to and including the Fall semester of their final year of undergraduate studies.

3. Admission Interview

Select applicants may, on a case by case basis, be invited in for a short admission interview as part of the evaluation process.


12-Week Summer Session, running from May to the end of July.

Classroom lectures and cases between 15 to 20 hours a week.

Students will complete a structured sequence of the following 5 half courses (2.5 FCE) on a full-time basis:

  • Advanced Financial Reporting 
  • Advanced Taxation 
  • Advanced Topics in Assurance and Control 
  • Finance and Professional Practice 
  • Integration and Analysis 

The entire program will focus on delivering the requirements from the CPA competency map including both the technical and enabling competencies as defined by CPA Canada.  

 


Learn about past and current GDipPA students through our student blog.


Class size

143


Average GPA

81.9


Gender

Icon - female 57% 

Accounting employment secured

88% at time of application


Undergraduate
University

University
of Toronto

57 %

Other Canadian
Universities

43 %


Other Canadian Universities

Brock
Concordia
Cape Breton
Dalhousie
Guelph
McGill

McMaster
Mount Royal
Ottawa
Toronto Metropolitan University
Trent
UBC

Vancouver Island
Victoria
Waterloo
Western
Wilfred Laurier
Windsor


Program fees for students entering the program in May 2023:

Domestic student fee: $11,020
International student fee: $16,660

Please note:

Program (academic) fees, University incidental fees and Rotman ancillary fees are set annually by the University and are subject to change. Fees are subject to approval at the University of Toronto Governing Council’s annual meeting in spring.

Employer Subsidies

Students with employment offers from an accounting firm before or after starting the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting should inquire with their employer about potential tuition subsidies. Some accounting firms will reimburse their employees a portion of the tuition of an accredited graduate diploma program. The program provides the equivalent training for four CPA PEP modules: Core 1, Core 2, Audit & Assurance Elective and Tax Elective.

Rotman faculty include prominent academics as well as seasoned industry professionals. Students in the program will therefore learn both the practical applications of accounting from industry professionals as well as the current developments in academic research as they apply to numerous hands-on cases taught throughout the curriculum.

Prominent Academics + You + Seasoned Industry Professionals

Curriculum design by prominent academics: 

  • Leading research faculty are directly linked to the curriculum development of the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting 
  • Academic researchers including Alex EdwardsJoel AmernicGord Richardson and Wally Smieliauskas serve as mentors for the various courses in the diploma program, ensuring that research and current developments in accounting are included
  • The architecture of the program incorporates research developed by our talented faculty in financial accounting, management accounting, taxation, and assurance.

Access to seasoned industry professionals:

The faculty who are teaching in the program are:

  • Designated Professional Accountants experienced in both public practice and industry in a wide range of business roles 
  • Closely tied to the CPA profession and CPA Ontario. 
  • Involved with CPA Canada and CPA Ontario in several capacities such as:
    • Developing material for the PREP and PEP modules
    • Teaching in the current PREP and PEP modules
    • Teaching in Capstone 1 and 2
    • Authoring cases and textbooks on various accounting topics 
    • Markers for the legacy and current professional accounting examinations

The entire Rotman faculty are committed to ensuring that accounting education is innovative and meets the changing requirements for the accounting profession.

Being a University of Toronto student carries a great deal of pride. As the top university in Canada, U of T attracts the best and the brightest students from all over the world. The program brings together accounting students from all three campuses to spend a summer diving deeply into a topic area for which you all share a passion.

You will study at the Rotman School in the heart of the old campus steps from athletic facilities, libraries and amazing study spaces. Within only a few short blocks is the heart of the city's entertainment and cultural life.

Learn more about the School and imagine your summer with us on:

Visit our MBA Admissions page   Connect with us on Twitter   Visit our Youtube Page  Follow us on LinkedIn   Pinterest  INSTAGRAM Flickr  TUMBLR

Applications are closed.

Summer 2024 entry is closed.

Your path to the GDipPA

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Learn more about the experiences of our current students and alumni


Duration

  • 12 weeks, full time

Intake

  • May, one intake per year

Tuition fee (2023 entry):

  • Domestic = $11,020 CAD
  • International = $16,660 CAD 


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