CIMA 2015 SyllabusKaplan’s Student Transitional Guidance

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 2015 revised syllabus launch 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.

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

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.

Certificate advice

The certificate level is unaffected by the 2015 syllabus changes, however, where possible we recommend completing the Certificate level by 12th September to be eligible to sit Professional exams in November.

If you can sit a Professional exam in November, we recommend taking one or two Operational papers in 2014 to keep you progressing through the qualification.

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.

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.

Click here >To find out more about the the CIMA 2015 syllabus

Please read the guidance below on our recommended approach to transition. This advice is based on your expected exam position in July 2014, following the May 2014 exam results release. You may wish to reconsider the exams you take in November or resit in the August sitting after reading this information.

If you require any more personal guidance, please speak to your local Kaplan centre, email or call us on:

CIMAadvice@kaplan.co.uk 0845 873 6310

IMPORTANT: For all the Professional papers below, if you fail an exam at the May 2014 sitting, we recommend that you attempt your resit in the August/September sitting.This will give you an extra chance to complete a level under the current syllabus.

Where will you be in July? Advice for August 2014 onwards

All Certificate level papers completed

Move on to the Professional Qualification and attempt the Operational level

If you take all 3 Operational papers and pass the November exams, you will move on to the new Management level in 2015.You will not have to take the Operational integrated case study.

Alternatively take one or two Operational papers to keep moving through the qualification in November 2014.In 2015, sit any remaining Operational papers, followed by the Operational integrated case study.

Our recommendations for the transition

The certificate level is unaffected by the 2015 syllabus changes. Where possible we recommend completing the Certificate level by 12th September to be eligible to sit Professional exams in November. If you can sit a Professional exam in November, we recommend taking one or two Operational papers in 2014 to keep you progressing through the qualification.

Where will you be in July? Advice for August 2014 onwards

Operational Level papers completed

E1 F1 P1

Move on to the Management level.If you take all 3 papers and pass the November 2014 exams, you will move on to Strategic in 2015. You will not have to take the Management integrated case study.Alternatively, take one or two Management papers in November 2014 to keep moving through the qualification. In 2015, sit any remaining Management subjects, followed by the Management integrated case study.

E1 F1Take the P1 exam in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level. If you pass, you will not have to sit the Operational integrated case study in 2015.If you want to take more than one exam, sit any other paper from the Management level. We suggest F2, as the content builds heavily on the F1 paper you’ve already passed.

E1 P1Take the F1 exam in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level. If you pass, you will not have to sit the Operational integrated case study in 2015.If you want to take more than one exam, sit any other paper from the Management level. We suggest E2, leaving F2 and P2 to be taken as close to the Management integrated case study in 2015 as possible.

F1 P1Take the E1 exam in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level. If you pass, you will not have to sit the Operational integrated case study in 2015.If you want to take more than one exam, sit any other paper from the Management level. We suggest F2, as the content builds heavily on the F1 paper you’ve already passed.

E1

Take F1 and P1 exams in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level. If you pass, you will not have to sit the Operational integrated case study in 2015.If you only take/pass one of these papers, CIMA will waive the other, allowing you to move straight onto the Operational integrated case study in 2015. The case study will include topics from all three papers.We strongly advise taking both papers in November, as this will exempt you from the case study and most importantly give you a solid platform for your Management level studies which build on these papers.

F1

Take E1 and P1 exams in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level. If you pass, you will not have to sit the Operational integrated case study in 2015.If you only take/pass one of these papers, CIMA will waive the other allowing you to move straight onto the Operational integrated case study in 2015. The case study will include topics from all three papers.We strongly advise taking both papers in November, as this will exempt you from the case study and most importantly give you a solid platform for your Management level studies which build on these papers.

P1

Take E1 and F1 exams in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level. If you pass, you will not have to sit the Operational integrated case study in 2015.If you only take/pass one of these papers, CIMA will waive the other allowing you to move straight onto the Operational integrated case study in 2015. The case study will include topics from all three papers.We strongly advise taking both papers in November, as this will exempt you from the case study and most importantly give you a solid platform for your Management level studies which build on these papers.

Where will you be in July? Advice for August 2014 onwards

Management Level papers completed

E2 F2 P2Move on to the Strategic level for November 2014.CIMA requirements for the 2010 syllabus are that you must sit all three Strategic papers together at your first attempt.If you pass the three papers in 2014, you will move on to the Strategic level integrated case study in 2015.

E2 F2Take the P2 exam in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level.If you pass, you will not have to sit the Management integrated case study in 2015.

E2 P2Take the F2 exam in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level.If you pass, you will not have to sit the Management integrated case study in 2015.

F2 P2Take the E2 exam in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level.If you pass, you will not have to sit the Management integrated case study in 2015.

E2

Take the P2 and F2 exams in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level.If you pass, you will not have to sit the Management integrated case study in 2015.If you only want to sit one paper in November, you can then take the other from 2015 by objective test, and subsequently sit the Management integrated case study.Please note that the Case Study will require you to remember the content of all three papers, so we recommend that you complete it as soon as possible.

F2

Take the P2 and E2 exams in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level.If you pass, you will not have to sit the Management integrated case study in 2015.If you only want to sit one paper in November, you can then take the other from 2015 by objective test, and subsequently sit the Management integrated case study.Please note that the Case Study will require you to remember the content of all three papers, so we recommend that you complete it as soon as possible.

P2

Take the F2 and E2 exams in November 2014 to ensure you complete the level.If you pass, you will not have to sit the Management integrated case study in 2015.If you only want to sit one paper in November, you can then take the other from 2015 by objective test, and subsequently sit the Management integrated case study.Please note that the Case Study will require you to remember the content of all three papers, so we recommend that you complete it as soon as possible.

Where will you be in July? Advice for August 2014 onwards

Strategic Level papers completed

E3 F3 P3Move on to the Professional Competence Level.Sit T4 in August/September 2014 by computer based exam (courses start in July 2014). If you pass, you will have completed all exams.If you are unsuccessful in T4, you can resit in November 2014 using the same pre-seen material.

E3 F3We recommend you take P3 as a resit in August/September 2014 then attempt T4 in November 2014. If you pass, then you will have completed all exams.Alternatively, you can sit P3 in November 2014, followed by the Strategic integrated case study in 2015.Please note that the integrated case study will require you to retain more knowledge about E3, F3 and P3 than you would in T4.

E3 P3We recommend you take F3 as a resit in August/September 2014 then attempt T4 in November 2014. If you pass, then you will have completed all exams.Alternatively, you can sit F3 in November 2014, followed by the Strategic integrated case study in 2015.Please note that the integrated case study will require you to retain more knowledge about E3, F3 and P3 than you would in T4.

F3 P3We recommend you take E3 as a resit in August/September 2014 then attempt T4 in November 2014. If you pass, then you will have completed all exams.Alternatively, you can sit E3 in November 2014, followed by the Strategic integrated case study in 2015.Please note that the integrated case study will require you to retain more knowledge about E3, F3 and P3 than you would in T4.

E3We recommend you take F3 and P3 as a resit in August/September 2014 then attempt T4 in November 2014. If you pass, then you will have completed all exams.Alternatively, you can resit your Strategic exams in November 2014, followed by the Strategic integrated case study in 2015.Please note that the integrated case study will require you to retain more knowledge about E3, F3 and P3 than you would in T4.

F3We recommend you take E3 and P3 as a resit in August/September 2014 then attempt T4 in November 2014. If you pass, then you will have completed all exams.Alternatively, you can resit your Strategic exams in November 2014, followed by the Strategic integrated case study in 2015.Please note that the integrated case study will require you to retain more knowledge about E3, F3 and P3 than you would in T4.

P3We recommend you take E3 and F3 as a resit in August/September 2014 then attempt T4 in November 2014. If you pass, then you will have completed all exams.Alternatively, you can resit your Strategic exams in November 2014, followed by the Strategic integrated case study in 2015.Please note that the integrated case study will require you to retain more knowledge about E3, F3 and P3 than you would in T4.

Where will you be in July? Advice for August 2014 onwards

Professional Competence Level (T4 part b) exam not completed

If you were unsuccessful in your T4 exam in May 2014, then we recommend that you resit in August/September. If you pass, you will have completed all your exams.

If you fail in August/September, then you can resit in November 2014 using the same pre-seen material.

If you do not complete T4 in 2014, then you will be required to sit the Strategic integrated case study from 2015.