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E n h a n c i n g t h e q u a l i t y o f

g l o b a l b u s i n e s s e d u c a t i o n

CM A Canada Accredit at ion ofSelect Universi t y Pro g ra m s

Shaping the Future 

Certified Management Accountants

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W hat does the marketplace expect of universitybusiness programs?

Business schools, like employers of their graduates, are committed to

meeting marketplace expectations in a globally competitive environ-

ment. In an era of shrinking resources, universities are seeking ways to

demonstrate their contributions to Canadian society and its economy.

Meanwhile, governments are attempting to find qualitative and quanti-tative measures to guide them in the allocation of public funds to uni-

versities. As well, students, the consumers of the educational product,

are seeking objective standards to measure economic and social benefits

derived from degree programs. To attract students, universities are

ensuring that their graduates have the required skill set and are capable

of meeting the competency expectations of employers.

Professions find independent evaluations of university performance

valuable. Since the 1960s, the number and diversity of universities in

Canada have dramatically increased. Like organizations representing

other professions, such as engineers, architects, dentists and physicians,

CMA Canada has established an accreditation process as a means of 

demonstrating quality educational standards.

Accreditation of university programs is designed to meet the

expectations of stakeholders and enhance the competitive position of 

universities.

Why is CMA Canada accrediting select universityprograms?

CMA Canada is working with universities to establish accreditation

processes that ensure business schools are meeting the quality educa-

tional standards required to earn the CMA designation. Accreditation

of university programs assures that the content of educational pro-

grams, teaching resources and research outputs are of consistently high

quality to support future professional management accountants inachieving their career objectives, and to meet the competency expecta-

tions of employers.

What a re the objectives of accrediting selectuniversity programs?

The objectives of CMA Canada in accrediting select university account-

ing programs are to:

q Recognize and promote to employers and potential students, those

universities that achieve high standards of instruction in manage-

ment accounting and which support research in management

accounting.

q

Provide potential university students with assurances as to the qualityof accounting education programs that lead to the CMA designation.

q Assure the supply of well-qualified business graduates for member-

ship in CMA Canada.

q Encourage universities to pursue excellence in teaching and research

in management accounting education.

q Facilitate complete coverage of the CMA Entrance Examination

syllabus in leading Canadian universities.

q Expand and strengthen the strategic alliances between CMA Canada

and leading schools of business.

W hat a re the benefits for universities?

Accreditation by CMA Canada offers select universities a measurement

process that is based on self-evaluation and peer review, coupled with

external evaluation by CMA Canada. As a result, universities are able tocontribute to this accreditation process. The accreditation relationship

between universities and CMA Canada is based on co-operation and

mutual respect, thereby assuring universities that the results are objective

and credible.

Accrediting university programs through this co-operative process pro-

vides an opportunity to meet the expectations of all stakeholders—

students, employers, the management accounting profession and

government—and, as a result, enhance the stature and competitive

position of universities.

W hat are the benefits for the managementaccounting profession?

Accrediting select university programs across Canada will help attract

highly qualified candidates for CMA accreditation while ensuring excel-

lence and maintaining rigorous standards. It will offer CMA Canada

access to an increased pool of well-qualified university graduates who are

able to challenge the Entrance Examination directly from university.

Accreditation of university programs is a key component in achieving

quality growth in the management accounting profession, building

global knowledge assets, and forging strong ties with business schools in

Canada. Developing such ties will afford CMA Canada the opportunity

to enhance its leadership in research and the development of intellectual

capital in Canada.

W hat is the philosophy behind the accreditation ofuniversity programs?

CMA Canada views the accreditation process as a joint activity between

itself and the university seeking accreditation. In all cases CMA Canada

commits to work with universities to ensure that accreditation, once

approved, is maintained or, where less than full accreditation is approved,

that programs will be developed in partnership with the universities that

will result in the achievement of full accreditation as soon as possible.

The application process for accreditation is designed so as to not place

an undue burden on university faculty. Accreditation application is a

stepped process that is relatively streamlined and can quickly identify

areas where improvements can be made either by CMA Canada or the

university. However, CMA Canada does not build expectations of accreditation where such an outcome is not realistic.

The intent of accreditation is not to produce a standardized accounting

or business curriculum. Rather, a diversity of approaches to course

design and delivery is encouraged, since innovation is considered indica-

tive of a commitment to continuous improvement.

The accreditation decision is made using a substantial amount of input

from the university academic community. Specifically the university itself 

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is asked to prepare a self-assessment report on

the program for which accreditation is being

sought. This is followed by a visit by senior

members of the academic community, who

prepare a report on the program for submis-

sion to CMA Canada.

W hat are the outcomes ofaccrediting universityprograms?

A key objective of the accreditation process

is to facilitate complete coverage of the

CMA Entrance Examination syllabus in

Canadian universities. The CMA Entrance

Examination consists of two parts. Part One

covers the technical content of the manage-

ment accounting profession at an advanced

level. Part Two covers the integrative

aspects and strategic uses of the discipline in organizations.

In recognition of a commitment by a university to deliver quality man-

agement accounting education to their graduates, CMA Canada will

grant an exemption to Part One of the CMA Entrance Examination.

All exempted students, however, must successfully complete Part Two

of the Entrance Examination before enrolling in the Strategic

Leadership Program.

CMA Canada will promote those universities that have achieved accred-

itation status to potential students and employers. This promotion may

be in the form of advertising material, student and employer presenta-

tions, and web site links. Universities are also encouraged to promote

the accredited program to students in a manner they deem appropriate.

W hich university program s are eligible foraccreditation?

To be eligible for accreditation, the program must be offered by a univer-

sity that is a member in good standing of the Association of Universities

and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

A program is defined as those university courses, which, taken together,

cover the topics contained in the CMA Entrance Examination syllabus.

The program should be of sufficient quality so as to enable graduates to

challenge the CMA Entrance Examination without further study and

with a reasonable expectation of success.

What criteria must university programs meet to

become accredited?

Accreditation is based on the following criteria:

q The CMA Entrance Examination Syllabus must be covered entirely

in the program being accredited. The program will not qualify for

accreditation if students are required to take additional courses after

graduation to obtain coverage of the CMA Entrance Examination

Syllabus.

q Over each of the most recent five years, graduates of the program who

were writing the Entrance Examination for the first time must have

had a pass rate of at least 75%.

q There must be a sufficient number of 

Entrance Examination writers from the pro-

gram seeking accreditation to minimize the

variation in the level of student performance

from year to year.

While the preceding three criteria are deemedessential to a decision to accredit a program,

the following elements are also considered:

q Nature, relevance and clarity of the

faculty’s objectives for the program and the

institution’s commitment to them;

q Nature and extent of faculty resources

devoted to the program;

q Quality of student intake;

q Evaluation processes used to measure stu-

dent performance;

q Innovation in curriculum development and delivery of programming;

q Evaluation processes to determine course and instructor effectiveness;

q Processes to determine the effectiveness of the program in meeting

changing needs of employers;

q Nature and type of ongoing scholarly activities of faculty members

involved in the program.

Are there different accreditationcategories?

CMA Canada recognizes that not all university

programs will fully meet all the accreditation cri-

teria. In recognition of this situation, two cate-

gories of accreditation have been developed aspart of the accreditation process. In all cases the

program for which accreditation is being sought

must cover the CMA Entrance Examination

Syllabus.

1. FULL ACCREDITATION — This level of 

accreditation is given to those university programs that cover the

CMA Entrance Examination in its entirety. As well, graduates of 

these university programs from each of the most recent five years who

had written the Entrance Examination for the first time must have

had a pass rate of at least 75%.

Future graduates of these programs will be exempt from writing Part

One of the Entrance Examination for a period up to three years fromthe date the program is approved for full accreditation.

These programs can be promoted as accredited.

2. ACCREDITATION WITH QUALIFICATION — This level of 

accreditation is given to those programs where there is deemed to be

some minor to moderate shortcomings in meeting all of the criteria

for full accreditation.

Working in partnership with these universities, CMA Canada will

develop programs that will remove as quickly as possible reasons for

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the qualification. The intent is to move the program to full accredi-

tation status.

Graduates from these qualified accredited programs who have an

overall grade point average of 75% or equivalent will be exempt

from writing Part One of the Entrance Examination. This exemp-

tion will be for a period of up to three years from the date the pro-

gram was approved for qualified accreditation by CMA Canada.

These programs cannot be promoted as accredited.

What is the process for accrediting universityprograms?

Following is the process for accrediting university programs:

Step One

To initiate the accreditation process, the CMA Canada provincial

office, in consultation with universities, identifies the programs they

wish to have reviewed for accreditation.

Step Two

The provincial office confirms that the program applying for accredita-

tion covers the Entrance Examination Syllabus. Also at this time the

pass rates for each of the previous five years for graduates from this pro-

gram who were first time writers of the Entrance Examination are

determined, along with the number of examination writers. This infor-

mation is given to CMA Canada’s national office.

Step Three

If analysis of these results indicates that the program may fall into one

of the two accreditation categories, the CMA Canada national office

notifies the university and requests completion of a self-assessment

report and arranges a visit by the Site Visitation Team.

The self-assessment report asks the university to indicate its status with

respect to all accreditation criteria. Institutions are free to elaborate in

the self-assessment report as they feel appropriate, keeping in mind the

criteria that must be met.

Essential to the site visit are meetings with senior administrators and

faculty members who have overall responsibility for the program and

with student groups. Meetings with other members of the university

contributing to the program may also be scheduled as appropriate.

Step Four

CMA Canada’s National Certification Board (NCB) determines

whether the criteria for accreditation of a university program is satis-fied for presentation to CMA Canada’s Board of Directors for

approval.

Step Five

The decision of the Board is communicated to the university in writing

and by a visit from the staff of CMA Canada’s national office. The

report and visit outline the reason for the Board’s decision and identi-

fies areas where modifications to CMA Canada activities and/or the

program can be made to achieve full accreditation status. The provin-

cial CMA Canada office working in co-operation with the university

develops a plan to eliminate the deficiencies, which will be submitted to

the NCB for review.

How does CMA Cana da ensure the continuingquality of accredited university programs?

CMA Canada continuously monitors the performance of each program

that falls into one of the accreditation categories. The intent is to ensure

that any deterioration in examination performance is quickly flagged

and discussions opened between CMA Canada and the university on

how to reverse this trend.

Alternatively, monitoring may reveal that a negative trend on a per-

formance indicator is reversing itself. As a result, the program may sub-

sequently qualify for full accreditation.

Accredited universities have an obligation to notify CMA Canada of 

any changes in curriculum and other policies that would affect the

accredited program. These changes can then be evaluated with respect

to the potential impact on the accreditation status of the program.

If changes have occurred, the university must notify the provincial andnational offices of CMA Canada in writing of the following:

q description of changes in the program;

q a list of courses involved;

q appropriate course outlines;

q year the change will take place.

In renewing accredited programs, CMA Canada will contact the uni-

versity at an appropriate time before an accredited program is due for

review. The review process will mirror that of the initial accreditation

process.

Where can I get more information?

For more information on the accreditation of select university pro-

grams, visit our Web site at www.cma-canada.org and click on “About

CMA.” Or call CMA Canada toll-free at 1-877-262-6622, or e-mail us

at info@cma-canada.org

Shaping the Future 

Mississauga Executive Centre

One Robert Speck Parkway, Suite 1400

Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 3M3

Customer Service: 1-877-262-6622

Fax: 905-949-0888

E-Mail: info@cma-canada.org

Web Site: www.cma-canada.org