CIMA® Certification Exam Topics: What to Expect

The Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) curriculum and exam concentrate on your ability to apply a balance of theory and practical knowledge to provide insightful guidance, portfolio construction, portfolio management, and risk management for individual and institutional clients.

What Is the CIMA® Certification Exam Format?

The CIMA® certification exam is proctored, and you can take it online or in person. Either way, when you schedule your exam, you’ll want to plan for a full day.

4

hours for the timed and proctored exam

10

unscored pretest questions

110

scored multiple-choice questions

150

hours of preparation recommended

How Do CIMA® Certification Exam Questions Evaluate My Knowledge?

The questions on the CIMA® certification exam are multiple choice—a format that enables broad representation of the certification curriculum while testing your knowledge and skills at various levels.

  • Recall questions test your ability to recognize and remember specific facts, generalizations, theories, and principles.

  • Application questions draw on your ability to use what you know in different situations.

  • Analysis questions tap into your ability to synthesize what you know and come up with effective solutions, make judgements, or recommend a course of action.

    Learn More About How CIMA® Exams Are Developed

Looking for guided review, self-study guides, and ways to practice for the exam?

Explore CIMA® Exam Prep Offerings

What Topics Will Appear on the CIMA® Exam?

The CIMA® certification exam aligns with the curriculum in the CIMA® Core Body of Knowledge.

TIP: Download and use the CIMA® detailed content outline as a study guide
4 Knowledge Domains
20 Knowledge Sections

Exam Percentage

Domain Sections
15%

Fundamentals

  • Statistics and Methods
  • Applied Finance and Economics
  • Global Capital Markets

25%

Investments
  • Investment Vehicles
  • Equity
  • Fixed Income
  • Alternative Investments
  • Options, Futures and Other Derivatives
  • Real Assets

25%

Behavioral Finance, Portfolio Theory and Construction
  • Portfolio Theories and Asset Pricing Models
  • Behavioral Finance Theory
  • Investment Philosophies and Styles
  • Portfolio Construction

10%

Performance Analysis
  • Risk Concepts and Measurement
  • Performance Measurement and Attribution

25%

 

Portfolio Implementation and Consulting Process
  • IWI Code of Professional Responsibility
  • Client Discovery and Investment Policy Statements
  • Investment Policy Statements
  • Investment Implementation Approaches
  • Manager Search, Selection and Monitoring
  • Portfolio Review and Revisions