The CIMA syllabus is designed to ensure that students are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to become Chartered Management Accountants. As such, the syllabus focuses not only on financial accounting, but on other aspects of business, finance and management. The CIMA syllabus is diverse in the sense that it prepares students for various management roles within business, and covers aspects such as strategic thinking, human resources management, management information systems, marketing and project management in addition to technical financial skills.

The CIMA syllabus is set out in such a way that each level of the qualification builds on the previous one, which means that students are required to complete their exams in the correct order.

The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting is the entry-level requirement for the CIMA Professional Qualification, and covers the fundamental aspects involved in Management Accounting. This Certificate is open to anyone who can read and write in English, and is competent in basic mathematics. If you have previous relevant qualifications, you may be exempt from some or all of the modules of the Certificate.

The CIMA Professional Qualification consists of four levels that need to be completed in sequential order. You need to complete all four levels in order to qualify to become a Chartered Management Accountant.

See the list below for a brief overview of the topics that are covered in the Certificate in Business Accounting as well as the four levels of the Professional Qualification.

CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting

The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting consists of the following modules:

• • Fundamentals of Management Accounting

  • Fundamentals of Financial Accounting

  • Fundamentals of Business Mathematics

  • Fundamentals of Business Economics

  • Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law

CIMA Professional Qualification: The 4 Levels

1. Operational Level

   • Paper E1: Enterprise Operations

     1. The Global Business Environment

     2. Information Systems

     3. Operations Management

     4. Marketing

     5. Managing Human Capital

        
        

   • Paper P1: Performance Operations

     1. Cost Accounting Systems

     2. Forecasting and Budgeting Techniques

     3. Project Appraisal

     4. Dealing with Uncertainty in Analysis

     5. Managing Short Term Finance

        
        

   • Paper F1: Financial Operations

     1. Principles of Business Taxation

     2. Regulation and Ethics of Financial Reporting

     3. Financial Accounting and Reporting

        
        

2. Managerial Level

   • Paper E2: Enterprise Management

     1. Strategic Management and Assessing the Competitive Environment

     2. Project Management

     3. Management of Relationships

        
        

   • Paper P2: Performance Management

     1. Pricing and Product Designs

     2. Cost Planning and Analysis for Competitive Advantage

     3. Budgeting and Management Control

     4. Control and Performance Measurement of Responsibility Centers

        
        

   • Paper F2: Financial Management

     1. Group Financial Statements

     2. Issues in Recognition and Measurement

     3. Analysis and Interpretation of Financial Accounts

     4. Developments in External Reporting

        
        

3. Strategic Level

   • Paper E3: Enterprise Strategy

     1. Interacting with the Competitive Environment

     2. Change Management

     3. Evaluation of Strategic Position and Strategic Options

     4. Implementation of Strategic Plans and Performance Evaluation

        
        

   • Paper P3: Performance Strategy

     1. Management Control Systems

     2. Risk and Internal Control

     3. Review and Audit of Control Systems

     4. Management of Financial Risk

     5. Risk and Control in Information Systems

        
        

   • Paper F3: Financial Strategy

     1. Formulation of Financial Strategy

     2. Financing Decisions

     3. Investment Decisions and Project Control?

        
        

4. Test of Professional Competence in Management Accounting (T4 Part A and Part B)

   • T4 Part A

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       Initial Professional Development – Work Based Practical Experience

       
       

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