Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designationute is an international professional certification offered by the CFA institute (formerly AIMR) to financial analyst who complete a series of three exams. To become a CFA Charterholder candidates must pass each of three six-hour exams, possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (or have equivalent education or work experience) and  have 48 months of qualified, professional work experience. CFA charterholders are also obligated to adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards governing their professional conduct.

The CFA is a qualification for finance and investment professionals, particularly in the fields of investment managment and financial analysis of stocks, bonds and their derivative assets. The program focuses on portfolio management and financial analysis, and provides a generalist knowledge of other areas of finance.

Requirements

The basic requirements for participation in the CFA Program include holding or being in the final year of a university degree (or equivalent as assessed by CFA Institute), or having four years of qualified, professional work experience in an investment decision-making process. To obtain the charter, however, a candidate must have completed a university degree (or equivalent) and four years of qualified, professional work experience, in addition to passing the three exams that test the academic portion of the CFA program.



Candidates generally take one exam per year over three years (assuming a pass on the first attempt). Fees as of December 2009 for all three exams range from $710 to $955, depending on the date on which the candidate registers to take the exam, plus an additional $400 to $480 for program enrollment for new members