An accelerated program to prepare you for the next stage of your career.
Planning to pursue your CPA designation? Our accelerated Advanced Professional Accounting program gives you the opportunity to continue your accounting training while simultaneously sharpening your leadership skills. After all, excelling in an accounting position requires much more than just technical knowledge. Many top employers believe that emotional intelligence, critical thinking, communication, and business acumen are equally important skills to have. Accounting professionals who master these key competencies routinely receive the best job offers and promotions throughout their careers.
Achieve more in less time
The Post-Graduate Certificate in Advanced Professional Accounting equips you with the valuable skills you need to further your career in accounting or finance. Best of all? You can complete the entire program in just eight months full-time.
Under the guidance of industry experts, you will learn advanced accounting fundamentals, in addition to business acumen, problem solving, presentation skills, and much more. The program culminates with a unique final capstone course where you will apply your knowledge to real-world challenges.
Preparing for your CPA designation
Completing the Certificate in Advanced Professional Accounting provides you with specialized knowledge and the leadership skills expected by top Canadian employers. You will be prepared for a range of positions, including supervisory or managerial roles in finance and accounting (depending on your background).
You will also meet the entry requirements for the graduate-level CPA Professional Education Program (PEP) to complete the globally recognized CPA designation.
Students please note: it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the requirements of the external designation.
For a full list of our accounting courses and their respective CPA preparatory course equivalencies, please click here.
“For someone already working in the field, pursuing an accounting certificate may be an ideal way to demonstrate a personal desire to contribute more to the organization or aspire to a more senior position. An accounting certificate from a respected institution, combined with relevant practical experience on your CV are important considerations in the job selection process.”
Nadine Petsche – Director, Accounting Policy and Financial Reporting, Office of the Provincial Controller Division, Ontario Treasury Board Secretariat
In Ontario, gatherings are restricted, and no university is offering classes in person for the foreseeable future. We have been successfully delivering many of our courses online for years. So please know that you will not be compromising on your learning experience.
When the situation changes and it is once again safe to offer face-to-face instruction, full-time programs will make the transition back into the classroom.
Until then, this program will be offered in our “live online” format which offers students the structure and group interaction of a face-to-face experience without travelling to York’s campus. Our live online classrooms enable students to hear and interact with the instructor and other students like in a normal classroom. Course materials and assessments vary by course but students can expect online articles, videos, practice opportunities, discussion boards, etc to help learn the content.
Please note that each lesson is recorded so students can review them multiple times to ensure they meet the learning objectives.
This unique post-degree program provides the educational experience that upper-year undergraduate students enjoy with an exposure to a multi-cultural environment that only York University can provide. Graduates of this program will be uniquely positioned to thrive in Toronto’s diverse workplaces — a critical asset for global companies.
Develop a rich professional network that includes global and local peers and instructors with significant industry experience. As a pioneer in professional education, York has the expertise to offer you a vibrant, meaningful post-degree experience. You’ll graduate work-ready and promotable in Canada’s largest labour market.
York University’s Post-Graduate Certificate in Advanced Professional Accounting is absolutely unique in Canada. This program provides the educational experience that Canadian upper-year undergraduate students enjoy with the academic language supports needed for success. As a leader in academic English education, York has the expertise to offer you a vibrant, meaningful post-degree experience.
Unlike other Canadian Accounting certificates that only offer classes in the evening and on weekends, York offers a full-time schedule. Despite the accelerated format of the full-time program, the course scheduling provides opportunities for students to study and work outside the class schedule.
Graduates of this program will be uniquely positioned to thrive in vibrant multi-cultural workplaces. Develop a rich professional network of local students, international peers, and Canadian instructors with significant industry experience. You’ll graduate work-ready and promotable.
Graduates of the Post-Graduate Certificate in Advanced Professional Accounting are prepared for a wealth of different career options within the industry. Please see below for the anticipated educational, certificate, and work experience requirements for each position type.
Senior executives from many of Toronto’s leading organizations help us to ensure our graduates have the skills and knowledge that employers value most.
Allister Byrne, Former President & CEO, Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators (CICBV) retired
Gary Spraakman, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
Edward Jonasson, CFO, Xagenic Inc.
Tom Kofman, CA, CPA Chairman, M Partners Inc.
Andrea Linhofer, Partner, Deloitte
Tara Lenaghan, MBA, FICB Head, Global Learning & Development Operations, KPMG International
Grant McEwan, SVP & CFO, Chubb Insurance
Nadine Petsche, Director, Accounting Policy and Financial Reporting, Ontario Ministry of Finance
Drew Stewart, Head, Capital Markets & Product Operations Accounting, BMO
Susan Wolcott, Thought Leader for CPA Canada, Accounting Educator
Supinder has 17 years’ experience working as a Financial Controller in various manufacturing industries from packaging, refinery services, lumber and door opening solutions in North America. He has been teaching since 2007 with CPA Ontario and is currently teaching at York University Schulich School of Business in the BBA and MBA programs and with the York University School of Continuing Education. He teaches Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, Finance, Audit, Capstone, Accounting Information Systems and Tax. Supinder holds the following designations: an undergraduate BBA degree from Schulich, an MBA from Warwick University, CPA, CMA In Ontario and CCP in Canada.
Syeda Fahmida Habib, DBA, MBA, M.App.Fin
Dr. Syeda Fahmida Habib is a passionate, student-centered educator with 24 years teaching experience at University/College level. Her core area of teaching has been finance and banking. Fahmida has also taught accounting, marketing and general management courses. She has been involved in text book writing, curricula, course material and assessment development as well as managing teaching teams. Fahmida has authored a textbook on Islamic Finance and Banking for Wiley Publishers in 2018. She completed her DBA from SMC University, Zurich and has a Masters in Applied Finance from Macquarie University, Sydney plus an MBA, majoring in marketing.
Fahmida believes that learning happens when the material is adapted to the learner’s abilities and interest. She has had great rapport with her students and colleagues. Fahmida has worked with mature multicultural student groups and strives to instill in her students her own passion for life- long learning and learning beyond borders. She also encourages them to work professionally, independently, in teams and contribute to their workenvironment, their societies and to their families.
Jeff May, M.Ed, BA (Hons)
Jeff’s background in business and human resources management spans more than twenty-five years. In his capacity as an independent consultant, he has worked with some of Canada’s most influential companies, completing client engagements in both the public and private sectors. His international experience includes working with post-secondary partners in Indonesia to assist with the development of applied entrepreneurship curriculum and the establishment of community business support centres.
Jeff has taught management development, organizational behaviour, human resource planning and development, and business foundation courses at McMaster and York universities, and at Seneca, Conestoga, and Confederation colleges. He has an undergraduate honours degree in Economics from Laurentian University in Sudbury, and a graduate degree in Education from Nipissing University in North Bay.
Adam Prokop, MBA, MSc, MFin, CPA, CMA, CAIA
Adam has taught and developed accounting, finance, general business, mathematics, supply chain, and operations courses for several years across Canada. He has worked in various sectors including finance, energy, real estate, and government. He currently works as a senior risk analyst and consultant in the real estate industry, as well as a corporate trainer specializing in technical skills development.
Adam holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) designation, the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from McMaster University, a Master in Finance (MFin) from Queen’s University, a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Organizational Psychology from University of London, and a Master of Science (MSc) in Supply Chain Management from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Timothy Ng, CPA, CGA
Timothy has over 10 years of teaching experience in Accounting and Finance courses in post-graduate programs and over 10 years’ experience in financial management. He has worked in different educational institutions focusing on budgeting, planning and control. Timothy is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA).
The School of Continuing Studies has a student record review process of students that have completed courses in the previous semester. Students who have successfully completed all the program requirements are eligible to graduate. Students are not required to formally apply to graduate.
Students will have their course grades reviewed by the Program Manager as they approach the end of the program. Students should expect to receive their Certificates in August/September by mail.
Students enrolled in all of our Certificate programs have access to the York University Library. The School of Continuing Studies will provide you with the library application form.
It is wise to budget approximately $150 – $200 per course. All the books and reading materials will be available at the York University bookstore. You can also order your books online at http://bookstore.yorku.ca/
If you would like to visit the bookstore in person, store hours are as follows:
Students in a cohort travel together through the program, learn through shared experiences as a group, and complete courses in a designated sequence.
The cohort model provides an opportunity to network and build professional relationships that may extend beyond the program. Therefore, the courses cannot be taken at your own pace.
Afuamen Okojie, graduate of the Certificate in Advanced Professional Accounting program, enjoyed the in-person format where he could collaborate with students and instructors. He believes the program put him on the path to achieving his long-term goal of obtaining his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.
Supinder Babra, MBA, BBA, CPA, CMA, CCP
Syeda Fahmida Habib, DBA, MBA, M.App.Fin
Jeff May, M.Ed, BA (Hons)
Adam Prokop, MBA, MSc, MFin, CPA, CMA, CAIA