Response has been overwhelmingly positive to IMA’s new specialty credential, the CSCA® (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis) certification, part of an initiative by IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) to offer specialty credentials to fill certified members’ need for continuous learning and career growth. The CSCA program is available exclusively to CMAs and/or CFMs.

The CSCA certification builds on planning, analysis, risk management, decision support, and performance management skills by strengthening an individual’s knowledge base in the specific discipline of strategic planning. Holders of the certification will be more equipped to drive strategic planning, enable innovation, build resilient financial plans, and manage risk to help their organizations sustain a competitive advantage.

The next testing window to be offered for the CSCA exam is in March 2018, and the deadline for registration is February 28, 2018. IMA is offering a special discount for this testing window: Those who register before January 31, 2018, will receive a $250 discount off registration fees. Click here for more information.

The three-hour CSCA exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and one case study. It is administered in a computer-based testing format and offered at Prometric Testing Centers located throughout the world. To be eligible to take the CSCA exam, you must be an Active CMA or CFM®. To be certified, you need to pass the CSCA exam and maintain Active status as a CMA or CFM.

To help those preparing for the new exam, IMA has developed its Strategy and Competitive Analysis Learning Series™. These five online self-study courses have been designed to present the topics covered on the CSCA exam, including strategy development, competitive analysis, strategy implementation, and performance evaluation. Candidates who successfully complete each course, including a final assessment, can earn NASBA-approved CPE credits, up to a total of 21 credits for all five courses.

Candidates are also advised to review the CSCA Reading List, which has numerous resources that provide in-depth explanations of the body of knowledge. This list includes strategy, management accounting and finance textbooks, and IMA Statements on Management Accounting that can be used to develop a personalized preparation plan. In addition, a CSCA Resource Guide helps candidates find relevant textbook chapters that cover the material in each section of the exam’s Content Specification Outline.

For an in-depth description of the topics covered on the exam, please visit the complete CSCA Content Specification Outline at http://bit.ly/2oDP6lF. For more information on the CSCA program, including registration information, please visit imanet.org/csca.