US CMA Syllabus and Paper Pattern 2024 | Zell Education

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      US CMA Syllabus and Paper Pattern 2024

      Last Update On 11th October 2024
      Duration: 3 Mins Read

      Certified Management Accountant (CMA) is a globally reputed certification course administered and offered by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), USA. The course helps students and professionals hone their problem-solving and strategic management skills. The US Certified Management Accountant course syllabus narrows the gap between financial accounting and business management. It is a short course, but cracking the US CMA can be pretty challenging for many. For clearing the US CMA, the first thing you have to do is understand the US CMA syllabus and paper pattern.

      US CMA Syllabus 2024

      Like the paper, the US CMA exam syllabus is divided into two sections. Part 1 consists of Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics, while Part 2 consists of Strategic Finance Management. However, if a candidate cannot pass any of the papers, they will have to reappear in the examination.

      Next, we will elaborate on the US CMA syllabus for you. With this, you can approach each section of the syllabus with a definite preparation strategy. 

      Part 1: Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics

      The CMA syllabus for Part 1 covers the following:

      • External Financial Reporting Decisions (15% of your score)
      • Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting (20% of your score)
      • Performance Management (20% of your score)
      • Cost Management (15% of your score)
      • Internal Controls (15% of your score)
      • Technology and Analytics (15% of your score)

       Part 2 : Strategic Finance Management

      • Financial Statement Analysis (20%)
      • Corporate Finance (20%)
      • Decision Analysis (25%)
      • Risk Management (10%)
      • Investment Decisions (10%)
      • Professional Ethics (15%)

      The US CMA course syllabus needs a minimum of 400 hours of study with the determination and will to succeed in the exam. Dedicating a solid 200 hours to each part is sufficient to clear the examination in about 6 to 9 months.

      US CMA Paper Pattern

      The US CMA exam is divided into two parts. Part 1 and Part 2. Each paper comprises 500 marks distributed over 100 questions. However, examinees must score a minimum of 360 on each paper to qualify for the programme. Program

      The course provides extreme flexibility as you are free to choose the order of the examination. In other words, you can opt for Part 2 and then go for Part 1 and vice versa.

      Candidates get 4 hours to attempt each part of the US CMA exam paper. The question paper is again divided into two sections, 100 MCQs per part and essay-type questions ( 5-6 individual questions from 2 essays).

      Candidates get 3 hours for solving the MCQs and 1 hour for the essay-type questions. But there is a catch, and please be aware of this. You must solve at least 50% of the MCQs correctly to move on to the essay-type questions. However, you cannot roll back to the MCQ questions once you enter the essay-type section.

      Your wait for the results could extend from 40 days to 6 weeks after appearing for the will have to wait 6 weeks or 40 days for the results to get the results of the US CMA exam. The exact allotment of marks for the two sections is not disclosed.

      Conclusion

      The popularity of the US CMA course is high due to its demand by the Big 4, which includes EY, PwC, KPMG, and Deloitte. MNCs like JP Morgan, BDO, Apple, Accenture, and many more often look for US CMA graduates. A tight-knit study plan with persistent dedication is a must to clear the exam. 

      You can check out the US CMA course from Zell Education to help you in your journey to becoming a Certified Management Accountant. With its CMA-qualified faculty, 1:1 student mentorship, unlimited practice test, and 100% placement assistance, the course provides tailor-made guidance for success.

      FAQ’s on US CMA Syllabus and Paper Pattern 2024

      What is the syllabus of CMA US?

      The US CMA course syllabus covers financial analysis and strategy, management, planning, and reporting. Furthermore, the syllabus is divided into two parts; Part 1 consists of Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics, while Part 2 consists of Strategic Finance Management.

      Is CMA USA Tough?

      Many CMA US aspirants get intimidated by the course’s comprehensive syllabus and exam pattern. The variety and complexity of the topics are also contributing factors to the low passing rate of US CMA globally. For such reasons, it is quite tough compared to exams like US CPA.

      What is the paper pattern for CMA US?

      The CMA (Certified Management Accountant) US exam has two parts: Part 1 and Part 2. Each part consists of 100 multiple choice questions and two essay questions, and has a testing time of 4 hours. The exam is computer-based and is administered at Prometric testing centres.

       

      Satyamedh Nandedkar, a seasoned finance professional, holds ACCA, CA, US CMA & CS credentials. With 10+ years of experience, he’s a master ACCA tutor, IFRS trainer, adept in global financial standards, and a trusted advisor in navigating complex financial landscapes.
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      Siddhant Khanvilkar

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