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Assurance Essentials

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Assurance Essentials

This course is part of CPA Licensure Prep: Advanced Auditing and Attestation Specialization

Instructor: William Karalius

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Differentiate between audits, reviews, and agreed-upon procedures and evaluate their level of assurance.
Explain the responsibilities of auditors and financial statement preparers, including independence, internal controls, and evidence requirements.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the CPA Licensure Prep: Advanced Auditing and Attestation Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

By the end of this course, you’ll understand how assurance and attestation services strengthen financial reporting, support public trust, and shape the responsibilities of CPAs and their clients. You’ll learn how audits, reviews, and agreed-upon procedures differ in scope and purpose—and how professional standards guide each engagement.

This course explores the real-world dynamics of CPA-client relationships, auditor independence, internal control evaluation, risk assessment, and evidence gathering. You’ll examine both sides of the engagement: what auditors are responsible for, and what financial statement preparers must do to ensure a successful audit. You’ll also explore the growing demand for CPAs, the structure of the profession, and the regulatory environment that governs assurance services. What makes this course unique is its applied, judgment-focused approach. Rather than memorizing definitions, you’ll analyze how assurance services operate in practice, how professional responsibilities intersect, and why financial transparency is critical to markets and stakeholders.

In this module, you'll discover the high level details around one of the most impactful services a CPA firm can provide to companies around the globe: assurance services. You'll examine the concepts behind the value added from various assurance services and how they compare to non-assurance services that CPA firms generally perform. By the end of the module, you'll be prepared to recognize common assurance services and how CPA firms enhance information through the performance of such services.

What's included

5 videos3 readings2 assignments

5 videosTotal 31 minutes

Instructor Introduction and Course Overview4 minutes
Assurance Service Concepts8 minutes
Attestation Service Concepts8 minutes
Non-Assurance Vs. Assurance6 minutes
CPAs and CPA Firms6 minutes

3 readingsTotal 55 minutes

Course Outline5 minutes
Attestation Engagements25 minutes
CPA Firms and Services25 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 30 minutes

Assurance and Attestations10 minutes
Graded Assessment: Module 120 minutes

In this module, you'll discover the details about three of the most common attestation engagements performed by a CPA firm. You'll examine the concepts behind the value added from various attestation services and how they vary in the level of assurance they provide to the client. By the end of the module, you'll be prepared to recognize common attestation services and how CPA firms enhance information through the performance of such services.

What's included

4 videos2 readings1 assignment

4 videosTotal 29 minutes

Introduction to Attestation Engagement Types8 minutes
Purpose of Examination Engagements8 minutes
Purpose of Review Engagements6 minutes
Purpose of Agreed-Upon Procedures7 minutes

2 readingsTotal 45 minutes

Examination Engagements20 minutes
Reviews and Agreed-Upon Procedures25 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Practice Assessment: Module 220 minutes

In this module, you'll explore the primary relationships between CPA firms performing assurance services and the clients that hire the CPA firm. You'll also learn about the responsibilities the auditor has in an audit engagement along with the responsibilities client management has when it comes to preparing the financial statements. By the end of the module, you'll be prepared to recognize multiple nuances regarding the CPA-client relationship in an audit.

What's included

4 videos3 readings1 assignment

4 videosTotal 28 minutes

CPA and Client Relationships8 minutes
The Demand for CPAs6 minutes
Auditor's Responsibilities7 minutes
Responsibilities of the Financial Statement Preparers7 minutes

3 readingsTotal 65 minutes

CPA-Client Relationships25 minutes
Auditor Responsibilities in the Real World15 minutes
Financial Statement & Audit Responsibilities25 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Practice Assessment: Module 320 minutes

This final module brings everything together. You'll review key concepts from the course and apply what you've learned to real-world business situations. By stepping back and looking at the key benefits of assurance services, you'll strengthen your ability to operate within a CPA form be able to better handle CPA firms who perform assurance services on the company you work for.

What's included

1 video2 readings1 assignment

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

William Karalius

University of California, Santa Barbara

12 Courses1,792 learners

Offered by

University of California, Santa Barbara

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Frequently asked questions

This course is part of a CPA Licensure Preparation series and is designed to support learning and exam readiness. Completing this course does not by itself qualify you for CPA licensure or guarantee eligibility to sit for the CPA Exam. CPA licensure requirements vary by state and are determined by individual state boards of accountancy. Learners should consult their state board to confirm education and exam requirements.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.