CIMA

About CIMA

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants® (CIMA), founded in 1919, is the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants. CIMA helps individuals and businesses to succeed by harnessing the full power of management accounting – not just accounting for the balance sheet, but accounting for business.

Together with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the organisation established the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation in 2012 to provide members with a new level of resources and recognition.

The CIMA syllabus draws on the unique CGMA Global Management Accounting Principles© and CGMA Competency Framework to empower individuals with high-level abilities to help them achieve sustainable success in both business and finance.

CIMA provides continuing professional development services, funds academic research, develops thought leadership, monitors professional standards, maintains a code of ethics for members, and works with external tuition providers and assessment services to provide the best study and examination experience possible.

In 2017, members of CIMA and AICPA formed the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants to unite and strengthen the accounting profession globally. Representing an influential network of more than 650,000 members and students in management and public accounting, the Association prepares accountants for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Benefits

A CIMA qualification comes with many benefits, not least the opportunity to harness some of the most in-demand skills in the business world. CIMA provides you with a professional status you can be proud of.

Benefits of a CIMA qualification include:

No prerequisites to start studying - Anyone can start studying CIMA at any time. This makes it the ideal qualification for those new to the finance industry or looking for a career change.

CIMA qualifications are globally recognised – CIMA delivers certification in 179 countries worldwide! This makes for many opportunities to work abroad.

Be valued by employers - 96% of FTSE 100 firms employ CIMA qualified individuals, meaning that CIMA is a gold standard when it comes to accountancy qualifications.

Boost your earnings - CIMA members (CGMA's) typically earn £66,000* and 63% of CIMA students expect to receive a bonus within 12 months!

Excellent course flexibility to manage other commitments – We are committed to offering course flexibility as part of all CIMA accredited courses to ensure that you are able to manage work, family commitments, leisure time, and social activities alongside your studies.

Become part of a dynamic global network - CIMA boasts a global network of over 650,000 current and next-generation finance professionals**. The awarding body has more than 280,000 members and students alone in over 179 countries, providing great networking opportunities with like-minded individuals within the finance industry.

*Source - CIMA

**Source - 2019 Association of International Certified Professional Accountants Salary Survey

Career opportunities

Learning from the CIMA syllabus and earning your CIMA qualification ensures you have the essential knowledge and skills required in business finance roles, helping you to confidently work in a variety of business or finance roles within any organisation. As you progress from the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, to the CIMA Professional Qualification, you will become sought after by employers, and as such, typical salaries can often exceed £60,000+.

Whether you’re starting out or looking for a promotion, a CIMA certification on your CV will open up opportunities. There is a wide array of opportunities available in the financial world as it’s not just banks and accountancy companies who require people with financial skills: across every industry companies need highly trained professionals.

Learning new skills and building on those you already have can have a huge impact on your career. With a CIMA qualification, you'll be able to meet these standards, gaining highly useful skills that will be useful in every day working life. Whether you want to specialise in accountancy or gain a base understanding to succeed in other areas of business, by gaining these in-demand skills you'll open doors to a broad range of careers.

If you are already working in finance, there are a wide variety of career routes available in the finance industry at every level, from administrator all the way up to senior manager. New skills and qualifications can lead to new opportunities. Previous e-Careers students completing CIMA courses have generated successful careers in Management Accounting, Bookkeeping, Payroll, and Finance.

Which certification?

Most CIMA qualifications are open to everyone, regardless of age or experience. However, some courses will be more suited to professionals with a specific level of experience.

Our article on everything you need to know about CIMA qualifications will provide more of an insight for you.

Here is a break-down of the current CIMA courses we offer

CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting (BA1, BA2, BA3, BA4)

• BA1 – Fundamentals of Business Economics
• BA2 – Fundamentals of Management Accounting
• BA3 – Fundamentals of Financial Accounting
• BA4 – Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance, and Business Law

CIMA Professional Qualification (Operational, Management & Strategic Level)

• CIMA Professional Qualification – Operational Level (E1, P1, F1)
• CIMA Professional Qualification – Management Level (E2, P2, F2)
• CIMA Professional Qualification – Strategic Level (E3, P3, F3)

CIMA Sage Qualifications

• CIMA Accredited – Certificate in Sage 50
• CIMA Accredited – Higher Certificate in Sage 50

How to get certified

You are welcome to speak to one of our Course Consultants on +44(0) 20 3198 7700 who will be happy to provide some impartial advice on which CIMA pathway is most suitable for you.  They will also explain the CIMA syllabus and help you understand which course could be your best starting point.

We look forward to welcoming you as you start your exciting career journey with CIMA!