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Kaplan Financial - Home > Training and Quals > Accountancy > CIMA > CIMA Syllabus > T4 Professional Competence Level

CIMA T4: Professional Competence Level

The test of professional competence in management accounting (previously known as TOPCIMA) is made up of two component parts, A & B, which must both be successfully achieved.

Students are advised to undertake both parts concurrently, although they can be taken in any order once all strategic level exams have been completed.

Kaplan offer three different learning methods for you to study CIMA with us. Choose from:

CIMA T4 Courses

Classroom Live Online Distance Learning
Ideal if you: Prefer highly structured learning/have access to a training centre Like structured learning but prefer to study from work or home Prefer to study at your own pace from work or home
Tutor support In class Online By phone/email
Structured study schedule
Study from work/home
Study at own pace
We recommend: Classroom T4 Case Study
Course

from £1760
Click here to view our Classroom T4 Case Study Course
Live Online T4 Case Study
Course**

from £1238#
Click here to view our Live Online T4 Case Study Course
Distance Learning T4 Case Study Course
from £175
Click here to view our Distance Learning T4 Case Study Course
Or: See all See all See all



Part A - Initial Professional Development

You need a minimum of three years' relevant work based practical experience before becoming a chartered management accountant.

Practical experience requirements are the same for all sectors.

Experience may be drawn from any of the following three areas (but a minimum of 18 months must be gained within the core area):

The table below outlines each of these areas.

Area 1: Basic Area 2: Core Area 3: Supplementary
1a. Preparing and Maintaining Accounting Records  2a. Preparation of management accounts 3a. Financial strategy 
1b. Statutory and Regulatory reporting  2b. Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting 3b. Corporate Finance
1c. IT Desktop Skills  2c. Management Reporting for Decision Making  3c. Treasury Management
1d. Systems and Procedure Development 2d. Product and Service Costing 3d. Taxation

2e. Information Management 3e. Business Evaluation and Appraisal

2f. Project Appraisal 3f. Business Strategy

2g. Project Management 3g. External Relationships

2h. Working Capital Content

2i. Risk Management and Business Assurance

Some or all of the required experience may have been gained before registering as a student.

Important! Find out more about submitting your career profile to CIMA by downloading the guide to becoming a member.

Part B - Case Study Course

Our T4 Case Study course is designed to give you all the industry knowledge you need to pass the Case Study exam.

Key info:

  • Based on a case study set in a simulated business context for a specific industry
  • Draws on syllabus content from the Strategic Level.

You will be asked to submit a report based on the pre-seen & unseen case study material, plus a smaller secondary document. The exam involves application of strategic management accounting techniques:

  • Time management
  • Prioritisation
  • Commercial judgement
  • Report writing.
  • Exam date: 24th May 2012
  • Exam entry dates: find out more
  • Exam duration: 3 hours, plus 20 minutes of pre-exam reading time.

T4 students have the option to sit their exam on computer in March, May, August and November (where available), and on paper in May and November.

The questions will be based upon:

  1. the pre-seen case study material, which will be published online at least six weeks before the exam
  2. further unseen material which will be given in the exam. This will allow further developments to be explained and additional issues to be raised.

You must score a minimum of 25 credits (out of a possible 50) to pass T4 part B: the case study exam.

Tip! Students sitting their exams in March or August have the opportunity to resit their exam in May or November with the same case study material! Find out more about our Resit Courses.

  • Students must have completed the Strategic level before taking the Professional Competence level
  • No exemptions are permitted for this final stage of the CIMA qualification.

Find out more about exemptions for other CIMA levels.

Further information

£70 off plus a FREE Pass Guarantee when you enrol on our Classroom T4 Case Study Tuition and Revision Course at the same time for the same exam sitting.
**FREE Pass Guarantee when you enrol on and attend a T4 Live Online Tuition and Revision Course.
#25% off Live Online Courses when you enrol online for the current exam sitting.

*Pass rate based on a comparison of Kaplan students taking Tuition, Revision and Question Based Day vs Tuition only for CIMA F3 in the November 2011 sitting.

T4 Professional Competence Level