unit 1: the investment environment...environment unit 2: investment practice fast facts • the...
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UNIT 1:
THE INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENTUNIT 2:
INVESTMENT PRACTICE
FAST FACTS
• Thefoundationtoinvestmentcareers
• Usedbyallleadinginvestmentfirms
• Over6,000examssatlastyear
• MeetsFCAregulatoryrequirements
• Createdbyindustrypractitionersforindustrypractitioners
• AvailableacrosstheUKandinternationally
• Efficientcomputertestingwithfastresults
• AsteppingstonetotheCFA
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FULL RECOGNITION IN THE INDUSTRY
Withover6,000examssateachyeartheInvestmentManagementCertificate(IMC)isthemostwidelyrecognisedandbestestablishedqualificationofitskindintheUK.TheIMChasbeenusedbyinvestmentprofessionalsforover15years,andisrunbytheCFASocietyoftheUK.Takenbystaffinleadinginvestmentfirms,theIMCistheprofessionsbenchmarkentry-levelqualification.
TheIMCisaccreditedbytheUKgovernment’sexaminationsregulator(Ofqual)andisrecognisedforregulatorypurposesbythefinancialregulator.Itismaintainedbyateamofexpertpractitionersandhasanestablishedreputationforrelevanceandfairness.
FOUNDATION TO INVESTMENT CAREERS
TheIMCoffersanexcellentfoundationtocareersintheinvestmentprofession.Theprogrammeprovidesessentialbackgroundinmarkets,accounting,economicsandstatisticsbutcoversthefullrangeoffinancialinstrumentsandestablishedapproachestoinvestmentportfoliomanagement.Oncompletionstudentsareabletoidentifyclientobjectives,understandtaximplicationsandtheregulatoryandethicalcontextoftheirwork.
WHO TAKES THE IMC?
IMCcandidatescomefromabroadrangeofbackgroundswithequallybroadaspirations.Thequalificationisgenerallyconsideredappropriateforanyoneenteringaninvestmentrelatedrole.Typicalrolesinclude:
• Investment management and analysis
• Marketing and sales in investment firms
• Investment administration and performance measurement
ESSENTIAL REGULATORY STATUS
TheIMCisusedbymostleadingUKinvestmentfirmstodemonstratecompliancewithknowledgerequirementsofstaffinregulatedroles.Itcontributestothe‘Appropriate’qualificationrequirementsforretailinvestmentadvisorsandisthe‘Recommended’qualificationforinstitutionalinvestmentprofessionalsbytheFCAformanaginginvestments,advisinganddealinginsecuritiesandderivatives.StaffwhocandemonstratecompetencethroughexpertiseorqualificationsgainedoutsidetheUKusetheIMCtomeetrequirementsrelatingtoUKregulation.
APPROPRIATE CHALLENGE FOR STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS
TheIMCinvolvesachallengingbutrealisticstudyload.Theprogrammerequires100-200hoursofstudy(dependingonpreviousexperience).Candidatesinfull-timeemploymenttypicallycompletetheprogrammeinthreetosixmonths.
TheIMCisalevel4qualificationontheQualificationsandCreditFramework.Itisanaccessiblegoalforbothundergraduatecandidatesandgraduatetrainees.
SIMPLE FORMAT
TheIMChasasimpletwounitstructure.
UNIT 1: THE INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT
A1hour40minuteexamconsistingof85multiple-choiceandgapfillquestions.
UNIT 2: INVESTMENT PRACTICE
A2hour20minuteexamconsistingof105multiple-choiceandgapfillquestions.
“Not having any training in finance, I found the IMC to be a broad introduction and a great introduction to the CFA. It’s what originally got me into the CFA.”
Hamish Chalmers, CFA Och-ZiffManagementEuropeLtd
“The IMC is like a driving licence.”
Olaf John InsightInvestment
CONVENIENT AND FLEXIBLE FOR EMPLOYERS AND CANDIDATES
Trainingbyleadingfinancialtrainingcompaniesisavailableallyearroundwithflexibleprogrammesandaffordablepricing.TheCFAUKOfficialTrainingManualisavailabletopurchaseonlineandisdesignedforself-study,providingbroadcoverageofthesyllabus.
TheexamisdeliveredatcomputertestingcentresacrosstheUKandinternationally,mostworkingdaysoftheyear.Flexiblebookingandonlineresultsinthreedaysmeansthatthosewhoneedtoqualifyfast,do.Thosewhoareunsuccessfulcanre-sitquickly.
THE IMC: A MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM
Onsuccessfulcompletion,IMCcandidatescanapplyformembershipofCFASocietyoftheUK,theUK’sleadingassociationof investmentprofessionals.
MembershipofCFAUKdemonstratesyourcommitmenttotheinvestmentprofessionandtothehigheststandardsofethicalandprofessionalbehaviour.Membershipalsoequipsyouwithpracticalbenefitsdesignedtoprovidecontinuingeducation,careersupportandnetworkingopportunities.
A STEPPING STONE TO THE CFA
TheIMCprovidestheidealfoundationforthosewithfutureplansfortheCFAProgram,leadingtoMasterslevelandtheCFAcharter.InmanyleadingfirmstheIMCisusedasanentryrequirementforCFAsponsorship.
IMCcandidatescoversome30%oftheCFALevelIcurriculum.Theydevelopstudyandexamtechniques,andgainahighlyregardedinterimqualificationearlyon
theroadtoCFAcharterholderstatus.ForcandidateswhosefirstlanguageisnotEnglish,theIMCoffersanopportunitytogainconfidenceinfinancialEnglishwithinarealistictimeframe.
FrominductiontoMasterslevel,theIMC-CFArouteprovidesagloballyrecognisedcareerprogressionforinvestmentprofessionalsandtheiremployers.
IMC SYLLABUS
UNIT 1: THE INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT
• The financial services industry
• Financial markets
• Regulation of financial services
• The regulatory framework
• Code of ethics and professional standards
• Client objectives and investment advice process
• Skills required when advising clients
• The taxation of investments
• Application of personal tax planning to investment advice
UNIT 2: INVESTMENT PRACTICE
• Asset classes
• Investment products
• Derivatives and other instruments
• Investment theories and models
• Investment management principles
• Investment performance measurement
• The macro-economic environment
• Micro-economics
• Statistics and financial mathematics
• Accounting
Fordetailsofthefullsyllabus:www.cfauk.org/imc
“The IMC is a good way for professionals to show commitment to learning and advancing in their career and can distinguish between graduates who are determined to have a career in finance and those who simply have an interest in finance.”
Natalie Fudge MorganStanleyInvestmentManagement
www.cfauk.org|3
around 11,000
TOP EMPLOYERS USING THE IMCAberdeenAssetManagement
AllianceBernstein
AonHewitt
AvivaInvestors
AXAInvestmentManagers
BaillieGifford
BankofAmericaMerrillLynch
BankofNewYorkMellon
BarclaysCapital
BarclaysGlobalInvestors
BarclaysWealth
BaringAssetManagement
BNPParibas
BrevanHoward
Citigroup
Coutts&Co
CreditSuisse
DeutscheBank
Fidelity
GoldmanSachs
Henderson
Hermes
HSBCGlobalAssetManagement
HSBCPrivateBank
Investec
JPMorgan
Legal&General
M&G
ManGroup
Mercer
MorganStanley
NorthernTrust
QuilterCheviot
RoyalBankofScotland
Schroders
StandardLife
SWIP
Threadneedle
TowersWatson
@cfauk
www.cfauk.org/imc
IMC FOR PRIVATE CLIENT WEALTH MANAGERS
Thelevel4IMCcontributestothequalificationrequirementsforretailinvestmentadvisorsundertheFCA’sRetailDistributionReview.IncombinationwithCFALevelItheIMCmeetsthefullqualificationrequirementsforthosewhoadviseinsecuritiesandderivatives.TheIMCoffersahighlyflexiblecareerrouteforbothinstitutionalandretailinvestmentprofessionals.
CONTACT US
CFA INSTITUTE CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST
CFA SOCIETY OF THE UK INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE
CFA LEVEL III
3houritemsetcase-studyexam3houressaybasedexam
UNIT 2: INVESTMENT PRACTICE
2hour20minutemultiple-choiceandgapfillquestions
CFA LEVEL II
2x3houritemsetcase-studyexam
UNIT 1: THE INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT
1hour40minutemultiple-choiceandgapfillquestions
CFA LEVEL I
2x3hourmultiple-choiceexam*30%overlapwithInvestmentManagementCertificate
Masters Level
1st year degree level
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UK QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDIT FRAMEWORK LEVELS
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