What is TOPCIMA?
The Test of Professional Competence in Management Accounting (TOPCIMA) is a three-hour exam based on a case study and set within a simulated business context.
The pre-seen material will be published in advance of the exam with new unseen material and a requirement provided on the day of the exam.
NB. Since TOPCIMA provides the final test it must be taken after the Strategic level papers have been successfully completed.
The pre-seen will be the same for March and May or September and November sittings.
March and September exams will be examined purely by computer based assessment (CBA) and places will be limited. You will sit your exam at a BPP centre. BPP will coordinate your exam entry with CIMA.
At the May or November sittings you can choose computer or paper based exam format - although computer based places will be limited. If you are re-sitting a March/September exam in May/November you can only take the paper based option.
Full details of how TOPCIMA works and the booking process can be read in our TOPCIMA brochure.
Learning Aims
The aim of TOPCIMA is to test your capabilities and competence, to ensure that you:
- have a sound technical knowledge of the specific subjects within the CIMA professional qualification curriculum;
- apply technical knowledge in an analytical and practical manner;
- extract, from various subjects, the knowledge required to solve multi-faceted or complex problems;
- solve a particular problem by distinguishing the relevant information from the irrelevant, in a given body of data;
- in multi-problem situations, identify the problems and rank them in the order in which they need to be addressed;
- appreciate that there can be alternative solutions and understand the role of judgement in dealing with them;
- integrate diverse areas of knowledge and skills;
- communicate effectively with users, by formulating realistic recommendations, in a concise and logical fashion; and identify, advise on and/or resolve ethical dilemmas.
Rationale
TOPCIMA will provide an integrated test of syllabus content that is mainly included within the three Strategic level papers. However, it may also draw upon content covered within the six Managerial level papers.
TOPCIMA will require you to deal with material in less structured situations than those encountered in previous papers, and to integrate a variety of tools in arriving at a recommended solution. Indeed it is very unlikely that there will be an obvious correct answer to a complex business problem, so you will be expected to recognise the possible alternatives in dealing with a problem.
The emphasis of the exam is on assessing your capabilities and competence in the practical use of appropriate, relevant knowledge, the ability to demonstrate the higher level skills of synthesis, analysis and evaluation, and skill in effective presentation and communication of information to users.
What is the assessment method?
In March and September the assessment will be computer based using Word and Excel. You will be given a hard copy of the 'unseen' on which to make notes, but will complete your answers on the computer. In May and November you can choose paper or computer based options.The TOPCIMA examination is three hours (following 20 minutes of reading time).
TOPCIMA will normally be answered using the form of a report and/or presentation, with supporting documents, to a variety of users. The questions will be based upon a case study, which will be published on the CIMA website, at least six weeks in advance of the examination.
As a guide to the volume of material within the case, it is likely to be between fifteen and twenty sides of A4, published in advance of the exam and up to six additional sides of A4 contained within the examination paper.
Questions will test your capabilities and competence in the application of appropriate knowledge and the processes undertaken in dealing with the problems identified in the examination, together with their ability to present and communicate information.
A "TOPCIMA Assessment Matrix" will be published on the CIMA website, with the pre-seen case material. The matrix will identify the list of assessment criteria, performance bands and range of marks that will be used to assess your capabilities and competence.
What is the BPP course structure?
Because TOPCIMA is a different kind of exam we have a different kind of course. A two day 'Analysis' course followed by a three day 'Practice' course*. Booked together they form an integrated programme. The 'Analysis' days work with the pre-seen material you need for your real exam, making sense of it and refreshing and integrating and applying relevant technical knowledge from your earlier studies. The 'Practice' days commence with a brief review of the case but the real work is two substantial exercises to hone your exam room skills ready for the 'twists' and requirements of the real exam. The second exercise will be marked and returned in time for you to address any remaining weaknesses.
*CIMA has stated that all students taking the March sitting must attend a full course of tuition. A full course would be attending both Case Analysis and Case Practice days.
What do you get?
The BPP Integrated TOPCIMA course has been designed to fully equip you with the skills you will need to be successful in the real exam and then ensure that you practice them.
We produce our own Toolkit based on the case study you will be studying, this takes a lot of the pain out the preparation that you would have to do without it.
On the first day of your taught course you will receive the following study materials:
- nationally consistent course notes and folder
- two course exams, together with feedback to assess your progress (together with suggested solutions and guidance on how to improve performance)
Your tutor will be with you throughout the course and will provide you with:
- contact details so that you have a point of contact for your queries right up until you sit your exam
- directed home study to manage your time effectively between classes.
On the first day of your course you will receive:
- BPP's unique Case Study Toolkit (See below)
- BPP Workbook containing practice exercises and analysis
- Tutors' email addresses for queries
- Out of class access to our student helpline.
* Please note that this applies to UK Courses only - courses held in Ireland or overseas centres may differ.
Prepared by BPP's authors and tutors, BPP's unique Case Study Toolkit is built around structured Activities and Debriefing sessions specifically related to the case pre-seen information. The Toolkit is complemented by two mock exams written on the real pre-seen for each exam.
Why is there no 'technical' teaching?
The entire course is tailored towards TOPCIMA scenario on which you'll be tested. Technical 'refreshers' are incorporated into the course as appropriate and relevant to the scenario. We don't have distinct technical refresher days as we don't want you revising topics that are clearly not going to figure in the TOPCIMA.
However, for those who feel they do need a recap of the Strategic level papers, selected centres offer a 'Technical top up day'. It focuses on business, financial and control strategy and how to apply the knowledge and skills from these papers to TOPCIMA.
How to Book
Fax
For UK courses, download and complete the courses application form and fax it to your local study centre. Fax numbers for your local centre are shown on the form.
Phone
If you wish to place an order over the telephone please contact your local study centre.
Post
Post your completed application form to your chosen study centre. If you are posting or faxing applications to London, please use the Shepherd's Bush contact details.
Any queries?
If you have a query, please see our FAQs section for a variety of frequently asked questions. Ask BPP forms part of our student services section.
If you have a query not covered in our FAQs section, please contact our customer services department.
