PREPARING FOR 2015

KEY CHANGES TO THE SYLLABUS

KEY CHANGES TO THE EXAMS

Which subjects
should you be
preparing for in the
second half of 2014?

Aside from the changes to the exams, the structure of the

CIMA syllabus has remained fairly unchanged. The three
levels and three pillars remain as is with a few changes to
the subject names and some shifts in content weighting.

The most noticeable change is the new exam style and format.
Each subject will have its own computer-based objective test
(OT) exam - similar to the CBAs at the certicate level.

We have some very simple advice for students

who are studying in 2014
Students are advised to complete the level that they are
on. This will mean you will bypass the new case study
exam for that level when it is introduced in 2015.
Students who have completed 2 out of 3 subjects from
the same level at the time of the syllabus change will be
required to also complete an ICS exam.
For example, if you have completed P1 and E1 at the
end of the year, you will be required to complete F1 and
the operational level ICS exam. Students who complete
the entire operational level will just move on to the
managerial level papers and sit 3 x OT exams and 1 x
managerial level ICS exam.

Another key change is the absence of the T4 Case Study

exam. CIMA have taken the decision to introduce case
study exams at each level.

TRANSITION ARRANGEMENTS
FROM THE 2010 SYLLABUS
Students who have passed examinations or been awarded
exemptions for subjects on the 2010 syllabus will be given
credits for the objective tests on the new syllabus. Students
who have completed an operational or managerial level will
progress to the next level.

For example, if you successfully complete E1, P1 and F1 in

November 2014, you will progress to the managerial level. If
you only completed E1 and P1, you will need to complete the
objective test for F1 on the new syllabus and the integrated
case study for the operational level.

2015 SYLLABUS

STRATEGIC LEVEL
E3 Enterprise Strategy

E3 Strategic Management

P3 Performance Strategy

P3 Risk Management

F3 Financial Strategy

F3 Financial Strategy

NEW OBJECTIVE TEST (OT) EXAMS

On PC
90 minutes long
Marked by computer
Short questions, including multi-choice, multi-response, data
entry, ll-in-gaps, etc.
Can be sat at any time immediate results
NEW INTEGRATED CASE STUDY (ICS) EXAMS

On PC
Three hours long
Marked by examiner
Long questions similar to what we currently see in the exams
Questions will cover individual papers total 100 marks
Will be available in quarterly exam sittings (Feb/May/Aug/Nov)
Pre-seen case study is the same at all levels

MANAGERIAL LEVEL
E2 Enterprise Management

E2 Project & Relationship Management

P2 Performance Management

P2 Advanced Management Accounting

F2 Financial Management

F2 Advanced Financial Reporting

OPERATIONAL LEVEL

If you have any questions or if you are just looking

for some study advice, give us a call or send us an
email and well do our best to assist you.

So a student who is studying at the operational level will need to

complete an OT for E1, P1 and F1 and then an operational level
ICS. These will all be examined on PC.

Types of exams

2010 SYLLABUS

And remember that you still need to get through 2014.

Your main focus should be on the November 2014
exams - not the new syllabus just yet.

Students will not be able to progress to a higher level unless

they have completed all the OTs and the ICS for that level. So
students will not be able to sit for any managerial level OTs until
they complete the operational level.

Students who are mid-way through a level will need to

complete any outstanding subjects through objective testing
as well as the integrated case study exam for that level.

2010 / 2015 comparative syllabus diagram

We dont want students to deviate too much from
their original study plan this year.
Take advantage of the expertise and resources that
weve gathered over the past ve years and write as
many papers that you are comfortable with in November
- giving extra attention to the subjects that will allow you
to complete the level you are on.

Once you have successfully completed each OT within the

level you will need to complete an integrated case study (ICS)
exam. The exam will be based on a case study and will include
questions that cover all three of the subjects within that level.

E1 Enterprise Management

E1 Organisational Management

P1 Performance Management

P1 Management Accounting

F1 Financial Management

F1 Financial Reporting & Taxation

Where do I write my OT and ICS exams?

You will be able to write with

us at one of our accredited
assessment centres.

CERTIFICATE LEVEL remains unchanged.

0861 111 411

info@ibtc.co.za | www.ibtc.co.za

For more information on syllabus changes and topic weightings

for each subject, please visit www.ibtc.co.za.

For more information about our assessment centers please visit

www.ibtc.co.za.

Key changes to
the CIMA syllabus
and how it affects you
Dont get left behind. Find out how
to plan your studies accordingly.

Key changes to the CIMA 2015 syllabus

CHANGES AT A GLANCE
The structure of the syllabus has remained fairly unchanged. Of
all the changes, wed like to highlight the following:
new subject descriptions
some shifts in subject content and weighting
the absence of a T4 exam
the absence of written exams
the introduction of on-demand, computer-based exams for all
subjects
the introduction of integrated case study exams per level.

ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

STRATEGIC
LEVEL

E3

Strategic Management

For example, Financial Operations has been changed to

Financial Reporting and Taxation which is more representative
of the syllabus topics below.

SUBJECT WEIGHTING
CIMA have shifted some of the syllabus topic weightings in
line with their competency framework.* For example, see F1
weighting below:

OBJECTIVE TEST

MANAGEMENT
LEVEL

10%

45%

20%

P3

Risk Management
OBJECTIVE TEST

F3

Financial Strategy
OBJECTIVE TEST

AWARD / CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting

MANAGEMENT CASE STUDY EXAM

F1 Financial Reporting and Taxation

25%

E2

P2

F2

OBJECTIVE TEST

OBJECTIVE TEST

OBJECTIVE TEST

Project & Relationship

Management

Regulatory environment for nancial reporting and corporate governance

Financial accounting and reporting
Management of working capital, cash and sources of short-term nance
Fundamentals of business taxation

Advanced Management
Accounting

Advanced Financial
Reporting

For a full breakdown of each subject please visit www.ibtc.co.za

*Competency Framework
CIMAs competency framework is based on what companies
expect from nance professionals. CIMAs research ndings
show that the competencies operate at different levels of
prociency. The structure of the syllabus is developed to match
this competency at different levels within the organisation.

Generic nance competencies

Core
accounting
& nance
skills

Do
accounting
& nance
work

in the
context
of the
business

Business
acumen

25%

25%

25%

25%

STRATEGIC
LEVEL

to inuence
people

Ethics, integrity & professionalism

The gateway assessment route is an accelerated entry route

for students with a Masters in Accountancy, MBA holders and
members of professional bodies (SAICA, SAIPA etc.)

Students applying through the

CIMA Gateway Assessment
(CGA) will only need to
complete the managerial level
integrated case study exam.
CGA students must have a
good understanding of the
topic from E2, P2 and F2.

AWARD / CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting

OBJECTIVE TESTING

OPERATIONAL CASE STUDY EXAM

E1

Organisational
Management
OBJECTIVE TEST

39%

MANAGEMENT
LEVEL

24%

Leadership
skills

GATEWAY ASSESSMENTS

P1

Management Accounting
OBJECTIVE TEST

F1

Financial Reporting &

Taxation

You will now have to do an objective test (OT) for each

subject. The OTs are PC-based exams available on demand
so you can do them all year round; and the results are made
available immediately.
You must complete each OT within a level before you can
attempt the integrated case study exam for the same level.

OBJECTIVE TEST

16%
21%

& lead
within the
organisation

OPERATIONAL
LEVEL

You will now have to do an integrated case study (ICS)

exams at each level. The ICS exams are PC-based and available
four times per year in February, May, August and November of
each year. These exams combine the knowledge and learning
areas within the three pillars from the same level. They include
pre-seen material (similar to what we see at the strategic level
and T4 on the current syllabus), followed by an unseen portion.
The integrated case study exams ensure that the required
competencies are examined at each level. These exams are
marked by CIMA examiners.

STRATEGIC CASE STUDY EXAM

SUBJECT DESCRIPTIONS
CIMA recognised that the subject descriptions did not
effectively represent the topic within each subject. The updated
descriptions aim to provide a better overview for the subjects
based on their topics and weightings.

INTEGRATED CASE STUDIES

People
skills

14%
16%

6%

64%

OPERATIONAL
LEVEL

ENTERPRISE PILLAR

PERFORMANCE PILLAR

FINANCIAL PILLAR

So, for each level you will need to complete 3 x OTs and 1 x ICS
before passing.

* Certicate level remains unchanged (e.g. CIMA Certicate in Business Accounting, degrees in business or accounting or AAT Technical Diploma level [level 4]).

All exams will be PC-based.