The Certificate in Business Accounting

Build your career in business with our foundation-level qualification.

Unlock your business potential

The Certificate in Business Accounting is open to anyone, regardless of your education, background or experience. It’ll help you discover your true business potential, teaching core business and finance skills beyond simple accounting.

The Certificate in Business Accounting covers four subjects: Fundamentals of Business Economics; Fundamentals of Management Accounting; Fundamentals of Financial Accounting and Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law.

A qualification in its own right, the Certificate in Business Accounting could also be the start of your CGMA journey: it’s a formal entry route into the CGMA Professional Qualification. Once you complete both qualifications, you’ll be awarded the CGMA designation and be able to call yourself a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Unlock your business potential

The Certificate in Business Accounting is open to anyone, regardless of your education, background or experience. It’ll help you discover your true business potential, teaching core business and finance skills beyond simple accounting.

The Certificate in Business Accounting covers four subjects: Fundamentals of Business Economics; Fundamentals of Management Accounting; Fundamentals of Financial Accounting and Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law.

A qualification in its own right, the Certificate in Business Accounting could also be the start of your CGMA journey: it’s a formal entry route into the CGMA Professional Qualification. Once you complete both qualifications, you’ll be awarded the CGMA designation and be able to call yourself a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Qualification Overview

  • 4 subjects

  • 4 objective tests

  • 6 months to complete

  • Award: CIMA Cert BA

Qualification Overview

  • 4 subjects

  • 4 objective tests

  • 6 months to complete

  • Award: CIMA Cert BA

What will you study?

Fundamentals of Business Economics

In the first subject of the Certificate in Business Accounting, you’ll focus on the economic and operating context of business and learn how factors like competition, the behaviour of financial markets and government economic policy can influence an organisation. You’ll also learn about the information available to assist management in evaluating and forecasting the behaviour of consumers, markets and the economy in general.

You’ll understand the areas of economic activity relevant to an organisation’s decisions and, within this context, the numerical techniques to support such decisions.

Syllabus at a glance

A. Macroeconomic and Institutional Context of Business (25%)

B. Microeconomics and Organisational Context of Business (30%)

C. Informational Context of Business (20%)

D. Financial Context of Business (25%)

Assessment: Objective Test

  • Format: Computer Based

  • Availability: Online and on-demand from the comfort of your home or office or at any of the 5,500 Pearson VUE centres worldwide.

  • Length: 2 hours

  • Questions: 60 objective test questions

  • Marking: Computer marked

  • Results: Provisional result are available immediately followed by confirmation no more than 48 hours later

Fundamentals of Management Accounting

Here, you’ll develop fundamental knowledge and techniques that underpin management accounting. You’ll learn about the position of the management accountant within organisations and the role of CIMA, as well as the role of management accounting in the contexts of commercial and public sector bodies and its wider role in society.

Syllabus at a glance

A. The Context of Management Accounting (10%)

B. Costing (25%)

C. Planning and Control (30%)

D. Decision Making (35%)

Assessment: Objective Test

  • Format: Computer Based

  • Availability: Online and on-demand from the comfort of your own home or office or at any of the 5,500 Pearson VUE centres around the world.

  • Length: 2 hours

  • Questions: 60 objective test questions

  • Marking: Computer marked

  • Results: Provisional result available immediately followed by confirmation no more than 48 hours later

Fundamentals of Financial Accounting

In the third Cert BA subject, you’ll gain a practical understanding of financial accounting and the process behind the preparation of financial statements for single entities. These statements are prepared within a conceptual and regulatory framework, so you’ll get an understanding of the role of legislation and of accounting standards.

You’ll also cover the need to understand and apply necessary controls for accounting systems, as well as the nature of errors. You’ll also get an introduction to measuring financial performance with the calculation of basic ratios.

Syllabus at a glance

A. Accounting Principles, Concepts and Regulations (10%) B. Recording Accounting Transactions (50%)

C. Preparation of Accounts for Single Entities (30%)

D. Analysis of Financial Statements (10%)

Assessment: Objective Test

  • Format: Computer Based

  • Availability: Online and on-demand from the comfort of your own home or office or at any of the 5,500 Pearson VUE centres around the world.

  • Length: 2 hours

  • Questions: 60 objective test questions

  • Marking: Computer marked

  • Results: Provisional result available immediately followed by confirmation no more than 48 hours later

Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law

In the fourth and final Cert BA subject, you’ll get an understanding of the professional standards that need to be demonstrated for the benefit of all stakeholders, including why the concept of ethics and ethical conflict is an essential underpinning for commercial activity.

You’ll cover the role of corporate governance, corporate social responsibility and audit, as well as their increasing impact in the management of organisations.

You’ll also learn that wherever business is conducted, the legal and administrative framework underpins commercial activity. You’ll learn about the areas of contract law, employment law, administration and management of companies.

Syllabus at a glance:

A. Business Ethics and Ethical Conflict (30%)

B. Corporate Governance, Controls and Corporate Social Responsibility (45%)

C. General Principles of the Legal System, Contract and Employment Law (15%)

D. Company Administration (10%)

Assessment: Objective Test

  • Format: Computer Based

  • Availability: Online and on-demand from the comfort of your own home or office or at any of the 5,500 Pearson VUE centres around the world.

  • Length: 2 hours

  • Questions: 85 objective test questions

  • Marking: Computer marked

  • Results: Provisional result available immediately followed by confirmation no more than 48 hours later

Start your registration

To get you signed up as a CIMA student, we’ll ask you for:

  • Your details

  • Email

  • Contact Number

Start your registration

To get you signed up as a CIMA student, we’ll ask you for:

  • Your details

  • Email

  • Contact Number

Register with CIMA for the Certificate in Business Accounting

Register with CIMA for the Certificate in Business Accounting

icon checkmarkOur guarantee
icon checkmarkOur guarantee

Every purchase you make from the AICPA & CIMA is safe and secure. We also guarantee 100% customer satisfaction on most of our products. If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us.

icon-updateOur refund policy
icon-updateOur refund policy

To start the return process, please contact us first. View all products eligible for refunds.

}