The CSCA Certification is established by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and is designed for business professionals who are looking to strengthen their strategic planning and competitive analysis capabilities and aim to be at the forefront of business decision-making and strategy implementation within their organizations.

Becoming a CSCA is ideal for:

• Individuals currently engaged in business roles, whether they are just beginning their careers or are seasoned executives steering their organizations.
• Professionals aiming to enhance their strategic thinking and analytical skills to secure future leadership positions within their field.

The total cost to become a CSCA includes both 1) exam registration fees and 2) exam prep materials.

1) Exam Registration Fees

The CSCA exam registration fee is $600, but through our relationship with IMA, all HOCK students are able to take advantage of a $150 discount, making the cost only $450.

There is no IMA membership requirement for the CSCA exam.

2) Exam Prep Materials

HOCK offers a CSCA subscription for only $59 per month or $199 for 6 months of access.

Candidates must have either:

1. Education and experience

• A bachelor's degree (in any field, from any accredited college/university) and
• Two consecutive years of professional business experience

- OR -

2. One of the following certifications:

• ACCA (Associate Chartered Certified Accountant)
• CA (Chartered Accountant)
• CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
• CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)
• CMA US (Certified Management Accountant)
• CMA India (Cost and Management Accountant)
• CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
• Any recognized accounting or finance certification - click here for the comprehensive list.

Strategic Analysis

• The strategic planning process
• Environmental scan and competitive analysis
• Internal analysis

Creating Competitive Advantage

• What is competitive advantage?
• Strategy in a global context
• Business level strategies
• Corporate level strategies
• Functional level strategies
• Sustaining competitive advantage

Strategy Implementation and Performance Evaluation

• Analyzing strategic alternatives
• Risk management
• Strategy implementation
• Strategy measurement and organizational performance
• Governance, social responsibility, and ethics

You can also view the detailed Learning Outcome Statements from the IMA.

The CSCA exam has two components:

• 60 multiple-choice questions - 70% of the exam score
• One case study - 30% of the exam score

Candidates have 3 hours to complete the exam.

Exams are taken in-person at Prometric Testing Centers located in major cities worldwide. You can search for a testing location on the Prometric web site.

There are two testing windows each year: March and September.

HOCK students can register for the exam through HOCK for a $150 discount ($450 instead of $600). Otherwise, registration is done through the IMA.

Based on the difficulty of the questions randomly selected for your exam and the number of questions that you got correct you are given a “scaled score” between 0 and 400. A 280 score is required to pass the exam.

Note: 280 does NOT translate to 70%. It is simply a score and not a percentage of anything.

Candidates receive exam results via email about eight weeks after the month in which the exam was taken.

To keep the certification, the CSCAs must:

• Pay a $49 annual CSCA renewal fee (no fee required for CMAs).
• Complete 30 hours of relevant continuing professional education (CPE) annually, of which two hours must be in the area of ethics.
• Comply with the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice.

While every student will study at a different pace, it usually takes about 2-3 months of study depending on your knowledge and experience. Our PassMap Learning Management System lets you customize your learning experience. By simply entering your target exam date into PassMap, you will have a weekly study schedule to stay on track for your target exam date.

For even more in-depth articles about choosing a certification, preparing for exams, and professional development, visit the free HOCK Resource Library. If you have any other questions about the exam or study for the exam, please get in touch and we will be glad to help.