Professional Bookkeeper
Core Courses and Electives
This program provides graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully enter private practice as a Professional Bookkeeper or fulfill the requirements of an Accounting Clerk/Bookkeeper position within a company.
Courses provide a thorough understanding of the technical knowledge and applications of general bookkeeping principles. Students progress through introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels of bookkeeping. Courses may be taken in any order provided the prerequisites are met.
To qualify for the certification, students must complete 186 hours of course work. Successful completion of all the required courses with a minimum C+ grade in each course is required. All requirements must be completed within four years of starting the program. Students can complete the program as quick as one year.
Courses may be taken individually as long as individual course prerequisites are met. Students completing the certificate do not need to apply to the program as registration is by course. There are no academic requirements for students to start the program.
Students who began the program prior to September 2022 will have until August 2026 to receive a certificate credential. Students who began the program September 2022 and onwards will receive a short certificate credential.
Current
Prior Education Assessment & Exemptions
Effective December 1, 2019, only Business Communications and Microsoft Office are eligible for exemptions towards the Professional Bookkeeper Certificate. All other program requirements must be completed at Langara Continuing Studies. Students who have completed previous course work and would like to have it approved as a prerequisites or exemptions towards the certificate must provide documents, in the form of official transcripts, along with a completed Exemption/Prerequisite Approval Form before registration.
Prerequisites
In order to enroll in a course, students must meet individual course prerequisites. Courses which have no prerequisites are open to all students. For courses with prerequisites, students must complete the prerequisite with minimum grade of C+ or 65% before they can take the course.
Note: If you are interested in taking Sage 300-1 (CSFW 1004), Quickbooks 1 (CSFW 1030) or Sage 50-1 (CSFW 1000) for personal development or interest, and do not wish to pursue the Professional Bookkeeper Short Certificate, you may register in the course without requesting approval. However, if you are seeking to obtain the credential, you must first complete the prerequisite of Bookkeeping - Level 1.
Course Delivery and Exam
Course Delivery Mode
Courses may be delivered in-class or online (asynchronous or synchronous). Access to the internet and an internet-enabled device is required to participate. Online courses will use Brightspace, Langara's online course management system. Some courses may also use Zoom, a free video conferencing software, to conduct live virtual class sessions. Students are required to ensure they have their student account information and access to Brightspace prior to the beginning of the course.
Examination
Please note that all final exams are in person on Langara main campus. Students who reside outside of Metro Vancouver may use an exam proctor instead of traveling to campus for exam.
Software
Important Information for Quickbooks, Sage 50 and Sage 300
Classes held on campus provide access to the accounting software programs that you will need for class. Outside of class time, you will also have access to the accounting software in our dedicated Drop-in Lab (L108) and Computer Labs located throughout the college, which you can use to complete your homework and assignments.
Online courses require you to have access to a laptop that you can download and install the student license onto. Please note that a PC is needed for the Sage 50 and Sage 300 courses. Quickbooks Online is a cloud based software application and will work on either a PC or a Mac.
This page provides the minimum system requirements should you decide to install or purchase a new computer for this purpose. Please ensure that your system is compatible before installing any software on your personal computer to avoid problems when using these programs. Langara does not provide support or take responsibility for any software installed on your personal computer.
Quickbooks Online
Minimum System Requirements
Educational License
Sage 50 and Sage 300
Minimum System Requirements
Educational License
