CIMA: The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

What is Accounting?

Accounting is a very broad field involving the monitoring and recording of the financial position of a particular company over a period of time. The field is in fact so broad; there are several different definitions and information about the basics of accounting. There are several areas within a business which need to be recorded and analyzed, which means there are various positions within the finance department of any particular organisation.

The Accountant has several different roles within an organisation and always has a specific job description. Due to the varied nature of the work, various educational qualifications are required for different forms of Accounting positions such as; management accountant, financial accountant and bookkeeper.

CIMA offers courses centred around Business or management Accounting. To view a list of the CIMA qualifications offered at College SA, simply scroll down to the bottom of this page.

Business Accounting involves many different fields and disciplines. The main aim of all business accounting is to carefully control and monitor all of the financial aspects of the business in order for the business to function effectively.

The CIMA courses offered by College SA build on each other. For instance, once you have completed the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, you can then begin the CIMA Operational level qualification to further increase your skills and knowledge.

To read more about the field of Accounting, Click here.

What is CIMA?

CIMA is the abbreviation for the Chartered institute of management accountants. This is the professional body that offers accreditation to colleges who offer the relevant courses. CIMA qualifications are also the most popular and well known qualifications in business.

The profession of management accounting can be a challenging and rewarding one. If you are looking for a career where you manage the inner working of how a company functions, management accounting may be the right choice for you.

Management accountants provide accurate and timely financial and statistical information required by managers to make day-to-day decisions.

Did you know?

While most accounting courses train people for private practice, such as working on external audits and tax issues, CIMA courses prepare the student for a career in business. A more practical, skills based training course which includes strategic advice, managing risk and making business decisions.

What is the CIMA qualification equivalent to?

The CIMA qualifications are offered in a series of courses aimed at creating a fundamental understanding of Management accounting. The first CIMA course is the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting. Once this course has been completed you may gain entry into the next course and expand your understanding of management accounting.

CIMA qualifications are moderated by CIMA international, and are offered at various colleges worldwide, such as College SA. The CIMA exams are held at private examination venues, and the exam information, as well as course information, will be provided before you reach the examination period.

The CIMA certification is a highly valued, international qualification, which provides an excellent career opportunity within a market which always has a demand for employees.

What is a Chartered Accountant?

As mentioned above, the CIMA qualifications focus on a Management Accounting perspective, and therefore once completed, allows the student to register as a Chartered Management Accountant.

Information about how to become a chartered accountant, the typical career field of a chartered accountant as well as the required courses and course information can be found by clicking on one of the links below.

At College SA we offer the following CIMA Professional Qualifications courses:

• • CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting

  • CIMA Professional Qualification: Operational Level

  • CIMA Professional Qualification: Managerial Level

  • CIMA Professional Qualification: Strategic Level

  • CIMA Professional Qualification: T4 part (A) and T4 part (B)

1. CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting

   The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting forms the basis of further Management Accounting Qualifications and is ideal for students who need an introduction into the world of Management Accounting, Financial Accounting and Business. This programme provides the fundamentals of Business accounting so that students can become familiar with the basic business and management principles. Attention is also given to basic Business Economics and Business Law, as the ultimate role of a Management Accountant is to give sound advice based on these principles. The first step in becoming a Chartered Management Accountant is mastering the fundamentals of Accounting.

    

2. CIMA Professional Qualification: Operational

   This programme builds on the fundamentals of Accounting and Management to teach students how decisions are made and performance is evaluated. As the courses build on each other, you first need to complete the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting before you can start with this course.

    

   The CIMA Professional Qualification: Operational Level is the first of three levels of exams building towards the end goal of becoming a qualified Chartered Management Accountant. There are three exam papers prescribed at each level, so before students can attempt the T4 part (A) and part (B) programme, they need to pass all nine exams and obtain their full Professional Qualifications at these three levels.

    

   Please Note:Although it is possible for students to study an Operational Paper in one pillar and a Management Paper in other pillar, we advise students to first pass the Operational Level before attempting the Management Level, as they need to pass all six papers at these two levels before they can move on to the Strategic Level.

    

3. CIMA Professional Qualification: Managerial Level

   After obtaining the CIMA Professional Qualification: Operational Level, students can move on to the CIMA Professional Qualification: Managerial Level. Once again, before enrolling for this programme, students need to complete the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting.

    

   The main focus is placed on analysis, so students can expect to learn more about the following: monitoring and evaluating financial information, monitoring monthly forecasts, evaluating accounting performance, analysing tax principles, interpreting and communicating financial data to non-financial managers, implementing risk management and internal controls, informing key strategic decisions, etc.

    

   Please Note: Although it is possible for students to study an Operational Paper in one pillar and a Management Paper in other pillar, we advise students to first pass the Operational Level before attempting the Management Level, as they need to pass all six papers at these two levels before they can move on to the Strategic Level.

    

4. CIMA Professional Qualification: Strategic Level

The CIMA Professional Qualification: Strategic Level Course is the last level of Professional Qualification. Before entering this programme, you first need to complete the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, the CIMA Professional Qualification: Operational Level and the CIMA Professional Qualification: Managerial Level.

 

This CIMA qualification builds on the fundamentals of analysis to teach students how to interpret their findings and make predictions accordingly. The main focus is placed on developing strategies, so students can expect to learn more about the following: formulating business strategies, formulating financial strategies, formulating risk and control strategies, negotiating projects or loans, offering advice on improving business performance, offering advice on business planning, etc.

 

5. CIMA Professional Qualification: T4 part (A) and T4 part (B)

The final course in this group is the CIMA Professional Qualification: T4 part (A) and T4 part (B). To enter this programme, you first need to complete the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, then the CIMA Professional Qualification: Operational Level, followed by the CIMA Professional Qualification: Managerial Level, and finally the CIMA Professional Qualification: Strategic Level Course. In total, students should now have passed all nine exams prescribed in the previous three levels. They are also required to gain four years relevant working experience before attempting this final test.

 

The T4 part (A) and T4 part (B) programme consists of a practical exam to test your professional competence in Management Accounting. You would need to use all your acquired skills and accounting techniques to make decisions in a simulated business environment. In other words, you would be presented with specific data about a certain company and be expected to make business decisions based on what you have learned during the previous three levels. Your success would depend on how well you execute this exam and exhibit your knowledge, as becoming a qualified Chartered Management Accountant would place you in a position of great power and responsibility. By passing this exam and obtaining the T4 part (A) and T4 part (B) qualification, employers would have complete confidence in your ability to ensure their company's financial success.

CIMA Accreditation

CIMA and the South African Qualifications Authority:

The Chartered Management Accountant qualification is registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) at Level 7. The SAQA NQF registration number is 20400.

The CIMA Professional Qualifications in Management Accounting (Managerial level) is registered with SAQA at level 6. The SAQA NQF registration number is: 24406

The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting (Certificate level) is registered with SAQA at level 5. The SAQA NQF registration number is: 24418.

Would you like to learn more about CIMA and the various options and courses available to students? Simply click on the area which interests you below to read more about it.

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