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What is the CSCA Certification?

The CSCA® (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis) program is designed to prepare accountants and finance professionals to become key players in the strategy management process at their organizations.

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Download 20 real exam questions and see how prepared you are. You’ll also get news and updates related to the CSCA program.

Download six sample exam questions to get a feel for the CSCA exam

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    Three Benefits of Earning IMA's CSCA Certification

    Page 1B - Growth

    Accelerate your career growth.

    Page 1B - Analytical Skills

    Gain in-demand knowledge and analytical skills.

    Page 1B - Leadership

    Grow your leadership mindset.

    The strategy certification for accounting and financial professionals

    Watch this video to see how the CSCA elevates your strategic planning and analysis skills.

    The CSCA: What You Will Learn

    The CSCA program builds your strategic mindset.  It equips you with essential strategic concepts and analytical skills that help you and your organization meet the future with insight, agility, and confidence. The CSCA exam covers three content areas:

    Strategic Analysis

    Creating Competitive Advantage

    Strategy Implementation and Performance Evaluation

    CSCA Program Details

    Program Requirements

    To earn the CSCA, you must:

    To maintain your certification, you must:

    • Pay a $49 annual CSCA renewal fee (if you are a CMA in good standing, no annual renewal fee is required).
    • Earn 30 hours of continuing professional education (CPE), including two hours in ethics (if you are a CMA in good standing, this requirement is already met)
    • Comply with the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice.

    CSCA Timeline

    40 to 75 hours of study suggested, depending on your level of expertise.

    CSCA program entry provides two years to pass the exam.

    The CSCA is offered via two exam windows per year in March and September.

    CSCA Cost

    CSCA exam fees ONLY: $600
    CSCA exam fees PLUS IMA Strategy and Competitive Analysis Learning Series®: $1,295
    IMA Strategy and Competitive Analysis Learning Series® ONLY: $695

    Submitting Education / Certification and Work Experience

    Education/Certification

    To become a CSCA, candidates must either:
    1. Submit proof of their bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university AND proof of their two consecutive years of professional business experience; OR
    2. Submit proof of their qualifying accounting or finance certification.

    For a bachelor’s degree: Educational transcripts should be mailed directly from your college/university to CSCAqualification@imanet.org. Documents should be translated in English and in PDF format.

    For a certification: An official letter (in English and in PDF format) from an approved certifying organization confirming you are a qualified member should be emailed directly from the certifying organization to CSCAqualification@imanet.org.

    More details about accredited colleges/universities and qualifying accounting or finance certifications can be found in the CSCA Handbook.

    If you have questions regarding your educational documents, please email CSCAqualification@imanet.org.

    Work Experience

    Candidates who submit a bachelor’s degree for their qualification must also submit proof of two consecutive years of professional business experience. To validate your work experience, please complete this online CSCA Experience Requirement Form.

    If you have questions regarding your work experience, please email CSCAworkexperience@imanet.org.

    Career Paths

    CSCAs thrive at diverse organizations including: small, mid-sized, and large companies; non-profits; government entities; and academia. Some of our CSCAs work at 3M, Caterpillar, Capital One, IBM, Intuit, Microsoft, Nestle, Oracle, Pfizer, and Shell. CSCAs succeed in positions from staff accountant to CEO.

    Enroll in the program

    Enter the CSCA program. If you are not already an IMA member, join IMA.

    Register for the exam

    When you register for the CSCA exam, you will receive an exam authorization number.

    Create your study plan

    Leverage the various resources available to prepare for the exam. Decide on the combination of resources needed to craft your study plan.

    Schedule the exam

    Visit Prometric’s website to select your exam date. Exams are offered in March and September.

    CSCA Program Registration

    Enter the CSCA program. If you are not already an IMA member, join IMA.

    CSCA Resources

    "The CSCA has prepared me for future positions because it validates the knowledge that I claim to have."
    Akomu Okoh, CMA, CSCA, ACA
    Finance Analyst, Chevron
    "The CSCA is a huge add-on to the CMA. It also gives you more insight into those avenues of finance and allows you to broaden your horizons."
    Lara Jarvis, CMA, CSCA
    Planning and Performance Manager, Coca-Cola
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