Study Zone

CIMA 2010 – the new syllabus

Ground-breaking Chartered Management Accounting qualification unveiled for 2010.

Four levels (it was three), a reduction in objective testing, increased compulsion in papers, and a move that links the final level Case Study with practical experience are the key changes in the new look CIMA syllabus, unveiled at the lecturers' conference.
Education chief Robert Jelly, right, gave PQ magazine an exclusive interview about CIMAFuture, the new qualification for 2010, prior to its launch. He sees the changes as evolutionary rather than revolutionary. "It is not changes for change's sake," he promised.
Jelly said that current students will be pleased to hear that there is no transition and no extra papers to sit. Progression rules have not changed and the exams will still be three hours long.
CIMA appears to have learnt the lessons from the last time it altered the syllabus, and the upcoming changes are backed by huge global research with all stakeholders. PQs, for example, were brought together in Student Forums.
Jelly believes the new-look syllabus further enhances the differences between what CIMA and the other accountancy bodies have to offer. He felt the changes also meet stakeholders' needs in "a balanced way".
The big change is at TOPCIMA, revealed Jelly. The name remains but now the final level will have two components. The institute wants to 'merge' the case study and practical experience requirements, making it a real (??) professional competence level.
CIMA said that in future students will be asked to submit their practical experience records before they sit the case study exam. If their experience is all 'in order' and they pass the case study they automatically become a member when the results are announced. This move really will give equal weighting to exams and work experience.
There will also be a subtle change in the way the case study is examined. At the moment case study students are given the role of a consultant looking in. After 2010 the student will be working for the case company. That means giving them a chance to write memos and internal documents – like in the real world.
CIMA has also split the old managerial level – making four levels – operational, management, strategic and professional competence. Those who pass the new operational level will be awarded a CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting.
The first exams, to be sat in May 2010, will be different. CIMA is planning to reduce objective testing at the new operational level. There will also be an increased compulsion within papers. Jelly hoped that greater transparency about what the core subjects are will help this change.
There will be no objective testing at the management level at all. More questions will also require discursive skills and more will be compulsory.
At the strategic level the plan is to have a common scenario across all three papers, published as pre-seen material before the exam. Students can expect to see three to five pages pre-seen and one page of unique unseen material in each exam. This part of the test will be for 50 marks. Examiners felt that the jump from the strategic to the case study was too big and students needed more guidance.
The three pillars remain – the enterprise pillar, performance pillar and financial pillar (see new syllabus diagram).
There has been significant boost to the financial pillar. "We wanted to get the message across that our students are as good as those from other bodies when it comes to financial stuff," he stressed.
There had been a call for a separate tax paper. Jelly explained that tax features heavily in the papers. In fact, students will have specific questions on the calculation of tax.
Jelly also revealed that CIMA was still contemplating the idea of three sittings a year. He said he likes the concept of hand-written papers in May and November and a PC sitting in March.
Jelly stressed that while current students are still three sittings away from the new syllabus there was nothing to fear from the changes. This was a refreshed qualification, which even gives an extra diploma on the way to becoming an ACMA. He felt it showed that CIMA was "totally focused" on the future.

Key 'enhancements' for 2010
*A new TOPCIMA linking the case study to PER.
*Four levels – operational, management, strategic and professional competence.
*A new CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting – further rewarding student success.
*Reduction in objective testing in papers – robustness – improving progression rates at higher levels.
*Increased compulsion within papers – greater transparency with an expectation that core requirements will be regularly assessed.

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