Expanded eligibility for the CSCA certification is now available, learn more

CSCA^® (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis)

What is the CSCA Certification?

The CSCA^® (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis) program is designed to prepare accountants and finance professionals to become key players in the strategy management process at their organizations.

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Download six sample exam questions to get a feel for the CSCA exam

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Three Benefits of Earning IMA's CSCA Certification

Accelerate your career growth.

Gain in-demand knowledge and analytical skills.

Grow your leadership mindset.

The CSCA: What You Will Learn

The CSCA program builds your strategic mindset. It equips you with essential strategic concepts and analytical skills that help you and your organization meet the future with insight, agility, and confidence. The CSCA exam covers three content areas:

25%

Strategic Analysis

40%

Creating Competitive Advantage

35%

Strategy Implementation and Performance Evaluation

CSCA Program Details

Program Requirements

To earn the CSCA, you must:

Pass the CSCA exam
Hold a bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited college/university AND have two consecutive years of professional business experience; OR hold a qualifying accounting or finance certification
Comply with the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice.

To maintain your certification, you must:

Pay a $49 annual CSCA renewal fee (if you are a CMA in good standing, no annual renewal fee is required).
Earn 30 hours of continuing professional education (CPE), including two hours in ethics (if you are a CMA in good standing, this requirement is already met)
Comply with the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice.

CSCA Cost

CSCA exam fees ONLY: $600
CSCA exam fees PLUS IMA Strategy and Competitive Analysis Learning Series^®: $1,295
IMA Strategy and Competitive Analysis Learning Series^® ONLY: $695

CSCA Timeline

40 to 75 hours of study suggested, depending on your level of expertise.

CSCA program entry provides two years to pass the exam.

The CSCA is offered via two exam windows per year in March and September.

Submitting Education/Certification and Work Experience

Education/Certification
To become a CSCA, candidates must either:

Submit proof of their bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university AND proof of their two consecutive years of professional business experience; OR
Submit proof of their qualifying accounting or finance certification.

A woman sitting at a desk writing in a notebook. For a bachelor’s degree: Educational transcripts should be mailed directly from your college/university to CSCAqualification@imanet.org. Documents should be translated in English and in PDF format.

For a certification: An official letter (in English and in PDF format) from an approved certifying organization confirming you are a qualified member should be emailed directly from the certifying organization to CSCAqualification@imanet.org.

More details about accredited colleges/universities and qualifying accounting or finance certifications can be found in the CSCA Handbook.

If you have questions regarding your educational documents, please email CSCAqualification@imanet.org.

Work Experience

Candidates who submit a bachelor’s degree for their qualification must also submit proof of two consecutive years of professional business experience. To validate your work experience, please complete this online CSCA Experience Requirement Form.

If you have questions regarding your work experience, please email CSCAworkexperience@imanet.org.

Career Paths

CSCAs thrive at diverse organizations including: small, mid-sized, and large companies; non-profits; government entities; and academia. Some of our CSCAs work at 3M, Caterpillar, Capital One, IBM, Intuit, Microsoft, Nestle, Oracle, Pfizer, and Shell. CSCAs succeed in positions from staff accountant to CEO.