CIMA 2015 Syllabus Student GuideKaplan’s guide to help you understand the changes CIMA are making in 2015 to the syllabus, to ensure you are prepared.

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CIMA Syllabus Student Guide

Key Points on the new exam structure

To help you in the run up to the launch of the new syllabus we have pulled out the key points you need to know about the exam structure along with our advice of what exams to take in the final sittings of the 2010 syllabus in May and November 2014.

So what’s changing?

All exams will now be taken on computer. The existing papers will be set as objective tests, with the addition of integrated case studies after each level is complete.

Strategic Case Study

E3 P3 F3

Management Case Study

E2 P2 F2

Operational Case Study

E1 P1 F1

CIMA’s revised syllabus launch for 2015 has created an exciting future for the qualification. At Kaplan we see it as a really positive step in delivering a Management Accountant with high quality technical skills and the ability to see the linkages in the workplace between financial accounts, management accounts and the enterprise’s operational and strategic issues.

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Objective Tests

The 9 existing pillar papers (Operational level E1,P1,F1, Management level E2,P2,F2, Strategic level E3,P3,F3) will now be referred to as subjects and will:

Remain largely unchanged in syllabus content

Be tested by 90 minute, objective tests, sat on a computer

Have exams ‘on demand’ with results available shortly after the end of the exam

Consist of objective test questions, which are short questions that include multi choice, multi response, fill in the blank, true and false, data entry, rank, sort

Focus on levels one, two and three of the CIMA hierarchy of verbs, but will also test levels four and five (e.g. analyse), especially at the Management and Strategic levels

Under the new structure a level must be passed before moving up to the next level and there will no longer be an option to approach the exams in pillars

Integrated Case Studies

The main change in the new structure is the addition of 3 integrated case studies to be used for each level of the CIMA syllabus (Operational, Management and Strategic). The case study will test a candidate’s ability to apply all 3 subjects from that level to a business or industry scenario.

The Strategic integrated case study will replace T4 (part b)

On completion of each level of objective tests an integrated case study will test a candidate’s ability to combine their knowledge and learning across the three pillars and will test a candidate’s ability to apply, analyse and evaluate

The Operational Integrated Case Study could involve creating costings for a product (P1 task), followed by advising on how best to market the product (E1 task), followed by the impact on the financial statements of holding more inventory (F1 task)

Achieved by setting a simulated business context relating to fictional organisations based on a real business or industry

3 hour duration, available during four 5-day exam windows (Feb/May/Aug/Nov)

Sat on computer and will be marked by examiners

Will include pre-seen material and unseen material available during the assessment and will comprise short answers and essays. There will be limited calculations

Results available 3 or 4 weeks following the end of the exam window (CIMA are yet to confirm this)

The integrated case study for a level has to be passed before moving on to the next level’s OT exams

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What should I do for the rest of 2014?

General advice

Depending on where you are at with your studies try and complete a level under the old syllabus by November 2014. At Operational and Management levels, this will exempt you from the integrated case study paper.

Do think carefully about what study you will need to do to complete a level and whether that is achievable given your work and life commitments.

We don’t recommend that you hold off taking papers until 2015 thinking the objective tests will be easier. Your expert Kaplan tutors are well placed to guide you through the current paper based exams.

Operational level

At the Operational Level you have two options:

If you complete all the level following the November 2014 exams you will not have to sit the Operational integrated case study and can move straight to the Management level.

If you have only passed 2 Operational papers following the November 2014 exams, CIMA will give you a waiver from the 3rd and you can move straight to sit the Operational integrated case study in 2015. However the case study exam will require knowledge of all 3 subjects.

Therefore we would advise trying to pass all 3 papers in 2014 and not sitting the integrated case study, in preference to getting a waiver for one paper.

If more than one paper is held over until 2015 you will have to sit that subject by objective test followed by the Operational integrated case study.

www.kaplanfinancial.co.uk/cimaTo find out more visit:

Management level

If you complete all the level following the November 2014 exams you will not have to sit the Management integrated case study. You’ll simply move on to the Strategic level in 2015.

If any papers are held over until 2015 you will have to sit that subject by objective test followed by the Management integrated case study.

Strategic level and T4b

If you complete all the Strategic level papers in 2014 you will then move on to take the new Strategic integrated case study in 2015.

If any Strategic paper is outstanding, you will have to sit that subject by objective test followed by the Strategic integrated case study in 2015.

If you have passed all 3 Strategic papers following the May 2014 exams, we recommend you take the T4 part b exam in August/September 2014. This will give

you the advantage of taking a resit (if required) in November 2014 using the same pre-seen material.

If you pass your final Strategic paper at the resit exams in August/September 2014, we recommend that you sit your T4 part b exam in November 2014 . You will then complete the qualification under the 2010 syllabus.

If you do not pass your T4 part b exam in November 2014, you will be required to sit the new Strategic integrated case study in 2015.

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To find out more about the changes to the CIMA 2015 syllabus