Management Accounting CIMA - Can someone explain how you do this qualification?

Log in to reply
F

Fred_the_frog

Free Member
Jan 30, 2011
1,793
232
  • #1
    I've looked on their website and it's not very clear. If you wanted to train as a management accountant, do you have to do the course at University or are the specialist centres around that teach only students who are going for the CIMA thing?

    I'd have to enter it as a school leaver which means I will need to start with a certificate in business accounting. Can I work for a company and do this course at the same time?

    (Sorry if this post is confusing, I basically need a 'Dummies guide to Management Accounting/CIMA' :redface:)
     
    3

    3InABedDarts

  • #2
    CIMA is usually offered only as day release/distance learning/night school option anyway. When I looked into doing CIMA you could work (even for yourself) and study at the same time. You'll find it harder to get the letters after your name unless you can prove practical experience. Again you used to be able to do this as a self-employed person/company director but you should check with CIMA that this is still the case. As with any Professional qualification, the more relevant your work is to the course, the easier the studies will be.
     
    Upvote 0
    F

    Fred_the_frog

    Free Member
    Jan 30, 2011
    1,793
    232
  • #3
    3InABedDarts said:
    CIMA is usually offered only as day release/distance learning/night school option anyway. When I looked into doing CIMA you could work (even for yourself) and study at the same time. You'll find it harder to get the letters after your name unless you can prove practical experience. Again you used to be able to do this as a self-employed person/company director but you should check with CIMA that this is still the case. As with any Professional qualification, the more relevant your work is to the course, the easier the studies will be.
    Click to expand...

    Thanks.

    I was thinking of it as a company that provides a qualification that gets you into management accounting jobs. Is it actually more like a course which extends your knowledge so you can get better jobs? (So you train as a management accountant through a company or uni course then you do the CIMA course which makes you 'professional' with letters after your name)?
     
    Upvote 0
    David Ballantyne

    David Ballantyne

    Free Member
    Jul 10, 2012
    16
    3
    Durham
  • #4
    You can do the CIMA qualification by;

    Studying at home
    You can buy text books from CIMA Publishing, BPP, Kaplan and work through these on your own at home.
    You can buy a home study course from CIMA, BPP, Kaplan, Acorn Tuition (Acorn Tuition recommended) and others and work through this at home.

    Attending classroom courses
    You can attend classroom courses run by universities, colleges of further and higher education, private providers such as BPP, Kaplan, Acorn Tuition and others.

    Most CIMA students work through this qualification in their spare time alongside working in an accounts department in any business or organisation that is large enough to afford its own accounts department.

    You could try contact the CIMA helpline here (0)20 8849 2251 (select option 1)
     
    Last edited:
    Upvote 0
    F

    Fred_the_frog

    Free Member
    Jan 30, 2011
    1,793
    232
  • #5
    David Ballantyne said:
    You can do the CIMA qualification by;

    Studying at home
    You can buy text books from CIMA Publishing, BPP, Kaplan and work through these on your own at home.
    You can buy a home study course from CIMA, BPP, Kaplan, Acorn Tuition (Acorn Tuition recommended) and others and work through this at home.

    Attending classroom courses
    You can attend classroom courses run by universities, colleges of further and higher education, private providers such as BPP, Kaplan, Acorn Tuition and others.

    Most CIMA students work through this qualification in their spare time alongside working in an accounts department in any business or organisation that is large enough to afford its own accounts department.

    You could try contact the CIMA helpline here (0)20 8849 2251 (select option 1)
    Click to expand...

    Ok Thanks. :)

    --

    What about this AAT thing? Is that the same as CIMA but for a different type of accounting?
     
    Upvote 0
    David Ballantyne

    David Ballantyne

    Free Member
    Jul 10, 2012
    16
    3
    Durham
  • #6
    The Association of Accounting Technicians was set up (I believe) by the different chartered accounting bodies to provide a technician level qualification for people who would then work in support of qualified accountants.

    The AAT qualfication is a widely respected stand alone qualification in its own right. This qualification can be used as a stepping stone to one of the higher level accounting qualifications.

    For a good explanation of the variety of junior and senior accounting qualifications in the UK, go to Google search, type 'british qualified accountants' and from the search results select the Wikipedia link which should be the top organic result below the advertisements. For further information about the various accounting bodies click on the links given in the Wikipedia page.
     
    Last edited:
    Upvote 0
    B

    brownkane

  • #7
    AAT will give you a good grounding in accounting and stands alone as a very good firm qualification. This also exempts you from the first year of the CIMA qualification. Have a look around at different providers for distance learning. There are a lot around and find one that offers a package that will work for you.
     
    Upvote 0
    S

    S-Marketing

  • #11
    Fred, for what its worth, my opinion is that at your age and with your enthusiasm you should be aiming a bit higher than management accounting. All they do is the figure based donkey work, which then allows directors to have the facts and figures in a format in which they are useful for decision making.

    Its not as bad as simple bean counting accountants, but its still donkey work. My advice would be to aim to be the one making decisions, not the one getting the info together.

    Management accounting qualifications set you up to be an employee.
     
    Upvote 0
    F

    Fred_the_frog

    Free Member
    Jan 30, 2011
    1,793
    232
  • #12
    Stretchy said:
    Fred, for what its worth, my opinion is that at your age and with your enthusiasm you should be aiming a bit higher than management accounting. All they do is the figure based donkey work, which then allows directors to have the facts and figures in a format in which they are useful for decision making.

    Its not as bad as simple bean counting accountants, but its still donkey work. My advice would be to aim to be the one making decisions, not the one getting the info together.

    Management accounting qualifications set you up to be an employee.
    Click to expand...

    That's the problem I have at the moment. I've got about 7 months until I finish college and then I have to do something. What I'd love to do is come straight out of college and be running a business (as you probably would guess aha) but it's pretty tricky.

    Most people in my class are going on to Uni, but I'd prefer not to as I'd just be going for the sake of it (as there is nothing really I'd want to do), whilst getting in debt. I'd much rather do something else... but thinking of that 'something else' is proving to be difficult :redface:
     
    Upvote 0
    Log in to reply

    Latest Articles

    Join UK Business Forums for free business advice
    Top Bottom
    Community
    Articles
    Menu