The Chartered Institute of Securities & Investment (CISI) certificates are designed to satisfy the FSA requirements for individuals seeking approved person status. Firms must ensure that individuals undertaking certain activities achieve a level of threshold competency. Part of this process requires certain individuals to pass an appropriate competency exam.

CISI Certificates at a glance:
Course structure:	There are 8 units within the certificates programme.
Course completion time:	Each unit takes approximately 6 weeks to complete.
Examination Method:	Computer based testing.
Teaching methods available:	Day delivery ranging from 1 day to 2.5 days per unit.

Important – The impact of RDR on CISI Certificates

In response to the RDR’s requirement that all qualification routes are at level 4 or higher, the CISI is introducing level 4 certificates in derivatives and securities. Wholesale firms can continue to take level 3 exams – no change is envisaged for Principles of Financial Regulation, Commodity Derivatives and Corporate Finance which will remain at level 3, as will all the IAQ units. However, level 4 units in FSA Regulation and Professional Integrity (formerly Regulations), Investment, Risk and Taxation (formerly Investment and Risk), Securities and Derivatives will start to be examined from the end of September 2010. The timetable for the introduction of new level 4 CISI exams is as follows*:

Unit

Workbook**

Exam

FSA Regulation and Professional Integrity June 2010 w/c 27 September 2010

Investment, Risk and Taxation July 2010 w/c 25 October 2010

Securities August 2010 w/c 27 December 2010

Derivatives August 2010 w/c 27 December 2010

*This is the CISI calendar. Please refer to CISI website for further updates. www.cisi.org

** Date for release of CISI workbooks.

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