School of Business

Accounting certificate

The Accounting certificate program is a comprehensive accounting program designed for mature students who wish to pursue a career as an accounting technician or in financial management. The program is designed to serve the special needs of students wishing to accelerate their progress towards the achievement of graduate membership in one of the professional societies. Specifically, the Accounting certificate will provide students with significant advance credit towards the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada). Students are advised to acquaint themselves with the transfer credit/course exemption policies of the accounting societies.

The program may be taken on a part-time basis over several years or on a full-time basis over four semesters. As enrolment is limited, early application is encouraged. The course workload of the full-time program is rigorous and demanding. Prospective students must be prepared to devote above-normal effort and time to their studies.

This commitment is considered essential for successful completion of the program. Professional bodies provide scholarships for students entering their programs. Details may be obtained from a School of Business program advisor or the Financial Aid and Awards office.

An Accounting major is also available in the Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

Entrance requirements

1. B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
2. Prerequisites for STAT 106.
3. Prerequisites for CMNS 125.
4. Completion of BUS 144 or BUS 145 or the equivalent (C+ or better).
5. Completion of BUS 160/CIS 110.
6. Completion of BUS 249.

Note 1: Applicants with minor deficiencies may, at the discretion of the School of Business, be considered for conditional admission.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider Qualifying Studies.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall semester only. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

1. Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply.

   Additional documents required for a complete application:

   • Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions attended showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details.
   • The following must be included:
     • Official transcript from secondary school
     • B.C. English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 with a grade of C+ or better (see Note 2)
     • Evidence of successful completion of the prerequisites for STAT 106
     • Proof of B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent

     Note 1: Students making an early application must provide evidence of courses in progress as soon as available.

     Note 2: Students may also present English 12, English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples, AP English, IB English A (standard level or higher level), or out-of-province equivalent.

2. In April/May an orientation will be offered for all School of Business programs. Attendance at the orientation is mandatory.
3. Applicants will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section) and will be applied toward tuition fees.
4. Proof of completion of entrance requirements must be submitted by the date stated on the acceptance letter.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section.

Textbooks and supplies cost approximately $1,000–1,500 per year. Textbooks should be considered an investment and become part of a student's business library. Students may be required to purchase one or more computer software packages. Students should also consider purchasing or arranging access to an industry-compatible computer.

Professional programs

Students should choose electives appropriate for the professional program they intend to follow. Consult the program chair or respective professional program transfer guide.

All the professional programs have work experience and grade requirements. In addition, these programs change from time to time, so interested students should consult the respective professional society or association for up-to-date details.

Program duration

Students need at least four semesters to complete the program. Part-time students may take up to seven years to complete the requirements. People working full-time should take no more than two courses per semester.

Location

All students may have to travel between campuses during their program. Most 300-level courses are offered only on the Abbotsford campus.

Program outline

Core courses

Elective courses (choose one)

Program requirements

Students whose cumulative grade point average and/or semester grade point average falls below 2.00 during their program are subject to program warning and/or removal from the program.

Transfer credit

Recognition of previously completed business courses

Former UFV business students who finished their studies more than 10 years ago and students who completed courses in other programs and/or at other post-secondary institutions prior to starting a UFV business program should contact the School of Business to determine whether any courses/credits can be recognized for or transferred to the desired UFV business program. Applicability of courses and/or transfer credits is determined on an individual student basis.

The following criteria are used:

• Relevance and suitability of the course to the program as determined by the School of Business.
• Generally, courses taken more than 10 years ago will not be considered applicable; courses taken more recently may not be considered applicable if there has been significant change in the course subject matter since the course was taken.
• Courses taken at other institutions may not be used to meet the program residency requirements.

Transferring courses to other institutions and associations

Students intending to pursue commerce or business administration studies at another institution are advised to study those institutions’ academic calendars carefully before enrolling in any UFV courses which have a BUS designation. Students should consult an Advisor or at the institution to which they intend to transfer, or refer to the B.C. Transfer Guide at bctransferguide.ca for transfer details.

A number of the School of Business's courses have transferability with the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada), allowing students graduating with a BBA Accounting option to meet the prerequisite requirements (PREP) of the CPA program. A number of courses are also recognized by a variety of other professional accrediting associations such as CHRP (Certified Human Resource Professional).

Undergraduate continuance

Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or above) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV’s Undergraduate Continuance policy (92).

Program re-entry

For re-entry to a School of Business program, GPA will be calculated based on the courses that will be used to fulfill the program requirements only (program GPA). Limitations on the number of courses retaken will apply.

Residency

Students must complete at least 25% of the credits required in the certificate at UFV.

Graduation requirements

To be eligible to graduate, students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.00 (C average) in their final semester as well as cumulatively.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.