Certificate in business accounting

The CIMA certificate in business accounting is CIMA's own entry route to the CIMA professional qualification.

You may be exempt from some or all certificate papers if you have a relevant degree, have completed the AAT technician stage, or have studied another professional accounting qualification.

Your degree or accounting qualification may also exempt you from some operational and management level papers.

Syllabus changes for 2011
CIMA has revised its certificate in business accounting for 2011. This revision is a closer fit with our 2010 chartered management accounting qualification. 

The updated content reflects significant emerging issues facing the business and financial communities like the 2008 banking crisis and credit crunch. The updated syllabus also uses a new format which links the lead aims, learning outcomes and syllabus content more explicitly.

Read more about the CIMA certificate in business accounting 2011 syllabus (PDF 1MB) .

Examinations based on the CIMA certificate in business accounting 2011 syllabus are available from 3 October 2011.

Examinations based on the 2006 syllabus will also be available until 30 June 2012.

Please ensure you are using the correct syllabus textbooks or learning material for the exams you intend to sit.

Have a look at our 2011 certificate syllabus frequently asked questions (PDF 142KB). 

Read more about transition arrangements (PDF 27KB) between the two syllabi for existing students.

Look at this article published in the July/August 2011 issue of Financial Management for a summary of the subject changes.

Subjects
The certificate subjects are:

Fundamentals of management accounting
Fundamentals of financial accounting
Fundamentals of business mathematics
Fundamentals of business economics
Fundamentals of ethics, corporate governance and business law

You can sit the five certificate subjects in any order and in any combination to suit your requirements. See suggested study route and paper combination options (PDF 27KB).

This article published in the April 2011 issue of Velocity gives guidance on starting to study the certificate level including suggestions on how long you should aim to complete it in, study times and advice on which order to complete the subjects. 

Study resources 

You will find guides and reading lists in respective subject sections. 

The five CIMA official study texts provide full syllabus coverage for each certificate subject. Order your copies of the CIMA official study texts from CIMA publishing.

You can also study for the certificate subjects with CIMAstudy.com – the CIMA endorsed online study system. 

Exams
All certificate exams are computer based and can be taken at any time.

Fees and registration
Find out about certificate fees.

Ask the expert
Read the questions and answers from our September 2011 ask the expert event for the certificate in business accounting. 

CIMAsphere
CIMAsphere, our online community, provides a resource for students to share information and find expertise and support among peers, as well as gain advice from CIMA members and alumni. See the certificate level discussion board.