Introducing the PDPA Prep Course

(Posted April 2025)

If you are not currently eligible to obtain a license to practice public accounting after becoming a CPA in Canada, you will need to take CPA’s PDPA (Post Designation Public Accounting) program. This involves several steps including:

Completing an eligibility assessment
Completing the PDPA module
Passing the PDPA examination
Completing the required practical experience
Applying for a public accounting license (PAL)

Densmore recognizes that the sheer amount of information involved in taking the PDPA module and studying for the PDPA examination can be overwhelming. At the same time, we know that gaining more tailored practice aligned with the exam is crucial to your success. That is why we have developed our PDPA Prep course.

What is included in the PDPA Prep course?

The CPA Canada PDPA module provides you with an abundance of technical resources to use. However, what is needed is an understanding of how to use those materials to refresh the necessary technical knowledge and how to approach the exam.

Our PDPA Prep course includes:

Sessions on technical review skills, basic case approach, debriefing, and exam strategy
Skill drills to help develop your technical knowledge in a case writing scenario
Five practice cases, with full marking materials and online walkthroughs
A data bank of practice MCQ in the five competency areas covered in the PDPA exam (Financial Reporting, Audit and Assurance, Taxation, Finance, and Strategy and Governance)
A 4.5 hour practice exam, aligned with the PDPA exam blueprint
Access to our online forums, so you can ask questions of our instructors as needed

Do I need additional resources?

CPA Canada’s PDPA module contains a breadth of technical and practice materials. However, we are often asked for additional practice resources and assistance with writing skills. Densmore’s PDPA Prep course targets those needs as well as offering a full practice exam you can use to test your readiness for the exam.

Is it realistic to think I can cover all the materials during the eight-week self-study schedule?

If you are also working full-time, you likely need longer than eight weeks to properly prepare for the PDPA exam. There is a lot of technical material to work through, as well as case approach and writing skills to build to be successful. We recommend that you spread out your studies throughout the module period (from mid-May to mid-September), so you have plenty of time for technical study and writing practice. Our PDPA Prep course contains a suggested schedule for technical review, case writing practice, and the practice exam, to help you ramp up your studies before the PDPA exam date.