The PA1: Issues in Professional Practice and PA2: Strategic Financial Management examinations are the final examination requirements in the certification process leading to the granting of the CGA designation. These examinations are part of the recent enhancements to the CGA certification model, which featured the revision of the existing Professional Applications capstone examination, PA1, and the introduction of a new Professional Applications capstone examination, PA2. The PA1 and PA2 examinations assess the candidate’s ability to demonstrate the competencies required of a newly certified CGA.
PA1: Issues in professional practice
The PA1: Issues in Professional Practice examination emphasizes competencies from financial accounting, taxation, assurance, general business, information technology, professionalism, general management, and leadership. Issues are addressed from the perspective of the accountant external to the organization providing assurance, tax, or business advisory services.
Preparing to write the PA1 examination
PA2: Strategic financial management
The PA2: Strategic Financial Management examination emphasizes competencies from management accounting, finance, financial accounting, information technology, professionalism, general management, and leadership. Issues are addressed from the perspective of the financial manager within the organization making strategic financial management decisions.
Preparing to write the PA2 examination
Important notice to repeat PA1 examination writers:
As a result of recent changes to the CGA certification model, repeat PA1 examination writers of the December 2006 examination and repeat PA1 examination writers from prior sessions will be required to write either the newly revised PA1 capstone examination or the new PA2 capstone examination. If you are pursuing the public practice career option, it is recommended that you write the PA1 examination. This examination is based on a new course, PA1: Current Issues in Professional Practice, which replaces the former PA1 Resource Materials. Structured in a 10-week format, the new PA1 course features a blend of individual and collaborative assignments designed to give you practice in demonstrating the professional competencies that will be tested on the examination.
The revised PA1 course and examination continue to focus on technical and non-technical competencies in a variety of subject areas, but the list of individual competencies that may be assessed on the new examination is longer, and these competencies are grouped differently for assessment purposes than they were on the former PA1 examination. For the revised list of competencies and competency groups, see the PA1 examination blueprint.
For more information about the changes to the Professional Applications capstone course and examination process, and how they affect your path to certification, please contact your CGA affiliate office.
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