PrintProfessional Qualification
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:
Certificate Level - 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.
Diploma Level -Building upon knowledge gained at certificate level, 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 level focuses on public sector issues the overall knowledge can easily be transferred into the private sector companies.
Final Test of Professional Competence - 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.
Developing your career
CIPFA is the only chartered accountancy qualification that is designed to
train accountants with the unique skills required in the public sector.
Many CIPFA students find career progression quickly. With their new skills,
many are promoted before they qualify and on completion go onto greater things.
The majority of finance directors in local government and the NHS are CIPFA
members because the qualification has given them skills and insights to reach
the very top.
- On completion you will be a CPFA - Chartered Public Finance Accountant.
- You will find more diverse opportunities open to you, be it working in social services or educational departments, or helping to set up NHS services.
- You will have the practical skills that can take you to director level and above.
- You will be qualified to work in both the public and private sectors.
Click on a link to find out more:
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Getting started |
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The course |
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Becoming a CIPFA student |
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Case studies |