Quick Info

• Previous degree: Bachelor of Commerce, Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University

Why did you decide to study the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting program?

I wanted to join this program because I believe that this 12-week intensive course provides a more in depth study of many topics related to my undergraduate studies that will enable me to have a head start toward earning my CPA designation. Furthermore, I did not want to be ‘distracted’ with part-time CPA studies while working as a staff accountant from September, but rather have a complete focus during a full-time program. The GDipPA, which covers four modules of the CPA PEP, will effectively equip me with the knowledge and skills to successfully write the CFE in the upcoming year, which was very important to me when deciding whether or not I would pursue a Professional Diploma in Accounting. 

What are your main reasons for choosing Rotman?

In seeking the best fit program in the fall of 2018, the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (GDipPA) program at Rotman School of Management clearly stood out to me from the rest of prospective schools for 3 main reasons: 

Firstly, the student body is quite diverse, including students from a variety of academic and cultural backgrounds, affording me a unique opportunity to potentially meet new and likeminded individuals and gain from and leverage their experiences in the process of my professional development. 

Secondly, I had heard outstanding feedback about the professors at Rotman from prior students. The program itself is taught by CPAs who have had considerable industry and teaching experience. In addition, many of the professors have or continue to work closely with CPA Ontario in creating material for the development modules, teaching CPA courses such as Capstone 1, and authoring many cases. To me this exemplified all the aspects of a truly phenomenal program that would prepare me extremely well before I sit for the CFE in the following year. It will also offer me an exceptional foundation for my accounting practice in the future.  

The third, and perhaps most important reason to me, was the case-based approach to learning. The GDipPA program’s strong focus on cases will help me prepare for the CFE, which has cases as its major component.

All the aforementioned confirmed for me that Rotman is the place to be!

What are you looking forward to most in the program?

I am most looking forward to being involved in the two case competitions and working in a dynamic team to prepare and present a business case to both Rotman faculty and external judges in the industry. Although we undertake weekly case analysis throughout the course of the program, the ability to apply and communicate in-class knowledge to industry professionals provides an element of experience that cannot be simply learned in class. I believe this will help me in my career with developing technical application as well as communication and ethical business decision making knowledge and skills.

The Rotman Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (GDipPA) is a CPA Accredited 12-week summer program that helps prepare you for the Common Final Examination (CFE) and satisfies the four modules of the CPA PEP.