The most respected credential in finance
The Chartered Financial Analyst® designation is the most valued qualification for investment and finance professionals worldwide. CFA® charters are bestowed by the CFA Institute® in the United States to candidates who have successfully passed three levels of 6-hour exams, hold an accredited bachelor degree, and have 4 years appropriate work experience. As a CFA charterholder, you will gain global recognition, a career advantage, practical skills and a community of an elite group of nearly 90,000 investment professionals.
Recognition
In addition to the professional respect given by employers and finance professionals, CFA charterholders also enjoy other recognition and benefits such as exemption from certain New York Stock Exchange examinations. Also, CFA charterholders are recognized as the equivalent of full members of the UK Securities and Investment Institute (SII). Likewise, CFA charterholders are recognized by the Hong Kong Securities Institute as the equivalent of full members. The Society of Actuaries grants increasing recognition and exemptions for CFA candidates who have passed the level I and then level II exams. In addition, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may grant exemption of the Series 86 testing requirements to financial analysts passing the CFA Level II examination.
Registration Requirement
1. Have an accredited bachelor's degree or equivalent or be in the final year of your bachelor degree or have four years qualified work experience
2.Understand and sign the professional conduct requirements
3. Be prepared to take the exams in English
Additional Requirement to join the CamEd study course: Pass an entrance exam consisting of English and basic math. This requirement will be waived for students holding an international degree, or have an acceptable IELTS or TOEFL score.
Rigor
In 2008, only 35% of candidates passed the Level I exam, 46% passed the Level II exam, and 53% passed the Level III exam. The main reason cited was lack of preparation. Successful candidates should have 250 hours of preparation, depending on their familiarity with the material.
We want all of our students to pass the first time. This why CamEd Business School will begin courses for the 2011 exam in September 2010. Moreover, it is a key reason that both CamEd and the CFA Institute emphasize reading and studying the original CFA curriculum rather than seeking short cuts with summarized study notes.
Careers
The CFA designation is a key advantage to a career in finance. Finance professionals with the CFA designation are paid more and hold more responsibility than their colleagues without a charter. A 2007 survey of 13,562 CFA Institute members found the median income for US based CFA Institute members who worked as sell-side analysts to be $195,000 and equity portfolio managers to be $456,000.
| CFA Institute Member Occupations | |
| Portfolio manager | 23% |
| Buy-side research analyst | 13% |
| Consultant | 6% |
| Sell-side research analyst | 5% |
| Accountant / auditor | 3% |
| Chief investment officer | 3% |
| Investment banker | 3% |
| Chief executive officer | 2% |
| Buy-side trader | 2% |
| Manager of managers | 2% |
| Risk manager | 2% |
| Financial advisor | 2% |
| Source: CFA Institute 2007 Member Compensation Survey Summary Report | |
CFA Program
To earn the CFA charter, candidates must pass each of the three sequential exams for Level I, Level II, and Level III. The course of study is based on practice. Panels of current investment professionals determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to succeed in the workplace.
CFA Exam Topic Area Weights |
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| Topic | Level I | Level II | Level III |
| Ethical and Professional Standards | 15 | 10 | 10 |
| Corporate Finance | 8 | 5 - 15 | 0 |
| Economics | 10 | 5 - 10 | 0 |
| Financial Reporting and Analysis | 20 | 15 - 25 | 0 |
| Quantitative Methods | 12 | 5 - 10 | 0 |
| Alternative Investments | 3 | 5 - 15 | 5 - 15 |
| Derivatives | 5 | 5 - 15 | 5 - 15 |
| Equity Investments | 10 | 20 - 30 | 5 - 15 |
| Fixed Income | 12 | 5 - 15 | 10 - 20 |
| Portfolio Management and Wealth Planning | 5 | 5 - 15 | 45 - 55 |
| Source: CFA Institute, 2010 | |||
Training Course Strategy
The training course is a series of dynamic lectures and in-class exercises that also requires that students directly study the original CFA curriculum that they receive from the CFA Institute upon enrollment as a candidate for the Level I exam. We discourage the use of relying on test-prep textbooks and summarized notes. Moreover, we believe that a strong and rigorous preparation for the Level I exam is the best way to pass Level II and Level III. That is, the Level I preparation is the foundation that will enable success in the following exams. Thus, our study course has approximately one lecture per each CFA curriculum study session during which the class will discuss and analyze the original readings. Beginning September 19, classes will meet each Sunday morning from 8:00 -11:30am.
Note that the CFA Institute does not endorse, promote or warrant the accuracy or quality of the products or services offered by CamEd Business School. CFA® Institute, CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute. CamEd Business School courses are developed to complement the core curriculum and to facilitate the learning process and are not to be used as a substitute for study of the prescribed curriculum.