Part 1: Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics
Focuses on internal accounting controls, data analysis, variance measurements, budgeting systems, and external reporting.
Section A: External Financial Reporting Decisions
15% WeightPreparation of financial statements (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flows), asset valuation, liability structures, and revenue recognition rules.
Section B: Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting
20% WeightStrategic planning, budgeting methodologies, operational budgets, capital budgeting forecasts, and advanced forecasting techniques.
Section C: Performance Management
20% WeightVariance analysis (materials, labor, overheads), responsibility centers, business segment reports, and balanced scorecard metrics.
Section D: Cost Management
15% WeightCost measurement concepts, costing systems (job costing, process costing, activity-based costing), overhead allocations, and business process improvements.
Section E: Internal Controls
15% WeightInternal audit procedures, segregation of duties, internal control frameworks (COSO), risk assessment, and system security controls.
Section F: Technology and Analytics
15% WeightAccounting information systems, data governance, business intelligence, data analytics, and artificial intelligence in financial decision making.
Part 2: Strategic Financial Management
Focuses heavily on investment decisions, valuation techniques, decision analysis modeling, risk profiles, and ethical standards.
Section A: Financial Statement Analysis
20% WeightRatio analysis (profitability, liquidity, leverage, activity), cash flow analysis, off-balance sheet items, market-based valuations, and special accounting scenarios.
Section B: Corporate Finance
20% WeightRisk-return metrics, capital structure, long-term debt, short-term asset management, dividend policy, working capital management, and M&A strategies.
Section C: Decision Analysis
25% WeightMarginal analysis, cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis, contribution margin, pricing models, make-vs-buy modeling, and risk-adjusted pricing.
Section D: Risk Management
10% WeightEnterprise risk management (ERM) frameworks, identifying financial and operational risks, mitigation techniques, and hedging using derivatives.
Section E: Investment Decisions
10% WeightCapital budgeting processes, discounted cash flow (DCF) methods, net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), payback period, and real options analysis.
Section F: Professional Ethics
15% WeightIMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice, standard business ethics guidelines, resolving ethical dilemmas, and preventing corporate fraud.
Prometric Testing Pattern
The exams are administered on computer screens globally at authorized Prometric centers. To unlock the 2 essay questions, you must answer at least 50 of the 100 multiple-choice questions correctly. Part 1 and Part 2 score distributions are compiled out of 500, with 360 acting as the passing benchmark.
Frequently Asked Syllabus Questions
Find direct answers on the structure and preparation pathways for both Parts.