Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy

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Professional Qualification


New CIPFA Professional Qualification
Following December 2011 exam results release on 27 January 2012, current PQ students will be transferred to the new syllabus. Please note that student whose only outstanding exams are at Final Test will not be transferred as they will be given an opportunity to complete the qualification under the current syllabus as both SBM and FMCS will be available in June 2012.

For further information on transition arrangements to the new Professional Qualification please visit http://www.cipfa.org.uk/newpq/

CIPFA's Professional Qualification has been developed with extensive consultation with employers, members, students and academics to ensure it is the most robust financial management qualification for today's public services.

How the course is structured

CIPFA’s Professional Qualification has been designed in three stages and has been developed to dovetail with a trainees work placement and the practical work skills they acquire. At each stage successful students can apply for membership and receive designatory letters:

Professional Certificate stage - the modules at this stage are the building blocks of any career in accountancy or financial management. From double-entry bookkeeping, to preparing and interpreting financial statements and management accounts. This level gives you the right grounding for your career.

Professional Diploma stage - building upon knowledge gained at certificate stage, the diploma focuses on specific public sector business skills and financial topics. It covers areas such as whole of government accounts procedure, public sector reporting frameworks and public sector borrowing. Although this stage focuses on public sector issues the overall knowledge can easily be transferred into the private sector companies.

Strategic stage - this is the last stage in becoming a chartered public accountant. It is the culmination of all the skills learnt throughout the qualification and gives students a more focused strategic financial management overview of running major projects and large complex organisations.