popodaki said:
The degree requirement for the CGA progam is an exit, not entry requirement. Eventually, you will have to obtain a university degree, which can be in any discipline (i.e. sociology)
QUOTE]
This is not correct the requirement for a degree prior to qualify as a CGA.
Of the the organizations in Canada only GCA develops it's own course of studies and delivers the course through distance education.
The CGA course has received international recognition for excellence by accounting training bodies through out the world, and has been selected several foreign Universities as their accounting program.
It should be noted that the degree requirement on exit is a very new requirement by the CGA in an attempt to lend credibility to the designaiton.
Over 90% of CGA's do not have a university degree.
While some foreign university's may value the CGA program for a degree program, none of the country's in which those universities are located recognize the CGA designation as satisfactory to get a public accounting license.
The only Canadian accounting designation that is universally recognized throughout the world is the CA. End of story.
As for the proposed merger between the CMA and the CA it won't happen in the current form. There may be work towards a future merging of qualification requirements but there is no way the majority of CA's are going to agree to allowing all exhisting CMA's to suddenly start using the CA designation.
As to the overall question is the CGA worth it. That depends on your career goals. If you want to be an in-house accountant then yes. But if your goals are Controller/VP/CFO of a large company then no, you will need a CA.