Step 1: Foundational Studies

This page contains:

• How to complete your foundational studies as part of your university degree
• CMA Foundational Studies Program information
• Resources for current students
• Resources for prospective students

Path for university accounting students:

Complete your foundational studies as part of your university degree

University students in an accounting program can usually complete the majority of their CMA foundational studies as part of their degree and, if necessary, take the remainder through another university and/or distance-learning program.

These students may then challenge the CMA Entrance Exam directly (i.e. bypassing the CMA Foundational Studies Program and thus saving almost a year of studying and related costs).

As a means of self-evaluation, university students and graduates are encouraged to refer to the full list of CMA prerequisite topics.

To ensure full coverage of the 16 topics, it is strongly recommended that an official transcript evaluation be performed by our CMA office staff prior to finalizing your course selections. If you have already graduated, a transcript evaluation will confirm your standing with CMA as well as your recommended path.

Applicants must complete their university degree before applying for the CMA Entrance Exam.

Path for university graduates:

Step 1: The CMA Foundational Studies Program

The CMA Foundational Studies Program is a part-time, pre-professional course (also known as the CMA Accelerated Program) designed for university graduates as a precursor to the CMA Entrance Exam and as preparation for the CMA professional studies.

This is the usual first step for the majority of applicants on their path to becoming a CMA, with the exception of graduates that have a university degree in accounting.

This eight-month program consists of four modules, allowing for total coverage of the foundational requirements necessary for the remainder of the CMA path.

Offered in three different formats (on-campus, blended, and distance learning), the program is identical in terms of content, testing, and support materials.
Four prerequisite university topics are required for entry into the CMA Foundational Studies Program, as follows:

• Introductory financial accounting,
• Introductory management accounting,
• Statistics/quantitative methods, and
• Economics.

The CMA Foundational Studies Program is not required for graduates of a university accounting program that have the full suite of CMA pre-requisite courses (see details at right) nor those students from a CMA-accredited university program.

* All Canadian-based program registrations are paid in Canadian currency (CAD); all others in American currency (USD). In some cases there may be discrepencies beyond currency conversion to account for the different infrastructure and overhead costs in different markets.

Additional Resources: