CIMA Professional Operational Level

2. Study methods

Do you prefer face-to-face learning or studying online in your own time? Do you have family or work commitments that you need to fit your studies around? With four different study methods, we have a course that will meet your needs.

Study methods available for this qualification

Whatever study method you choose, you’ll benefit from high quality learning materials, practical learning methods, hundreds of practice questions, marked mock exams and expert support even on evenings and weekends. You can be confident with Kaplan.

Study method comparison table keyboard_arrow_down

Timetables - Classroom and Live Online

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3. Exams and sittings

Timings and working towards an assessment

Each subject is assessed by an objective test, and the level as a whole is assessed by a final Case Study. Remember, you’ll have to book your exam as well as your course.

The Objective Tests are computer-based and are 90 minutes each, taken at a Kaplan centre or Pearson VUE test centre. The exams can be sat at any time of the year, and can be taken in any order. All assessments are marked by computer. Your results will be available within 48 hours.

In the Case Study, you’ll be expected to use what you learned in the Operational Level to work through a real life scenario, where your ‘role’ will be a Finance Officer. The Case Study exam is 3 hours long, is computer-based, and available to take in four windows throughout the year (February, May, August, November), at a Kaplan centre or Pearson VUE assessment centre.

The exam is based on a pre-seen that will be released approximately 7 weeks before the exam window. The pre-seen is valid for two sittings, one pre-seen for May and August and another for November and February. It is marked by a human, and results are available 5 weeks after the close of the exam window. It will test your research and analysis skills, how you present information, and your persuasion and communication skills.

How long does it take to pass?

Students usually take around one year to complete the level, but this depends entirely on your preferred way of learning and study method.

What happens if I need to resit my OT exam?

Firstly, don’t worry. We know it can be frustrating to fail an exam, but you can resit, and we try to make the process as easy as possible.

You can take an online resit course, via MyKaplan. It will be available via your existing MyKaplan classroom, Live Online or OnDemand course. To automatically release your resit resources you must have attempted all the assessments and completed the resit survey. Included in this course are helpful articles to help you prepare for your resit exam, access to a PDF containing information to help you get back on track, a chance to build your own tests, so you can practice the areas you’re less sure about, and two previously unseen mock exams for even more question practice. And of course, you still have access to our academic support team for technical support from our expert tutors.

The online resit course is only available to Classroom, Live Online, and OnDemand students who have met the terms of their Pass Guarantee. The resit is not available to buy individually.

If you need to resit your exam and would like to discuss your options, please contact Student Services on 0161 259 7400 for an informal conversation about the best way forward. We are here to support you every step of the way.

What happens if I need to resit my Case Study exam?

We all know that failing an exam is upsetting but it is important to pick yourself up and get ready to try again. At Kaplan we want to make this as easy as possible for you and so we will give you additional support.

The pre-seen material for case study exams is valid for two sittings. May and August share a pre-seen, November and February share a pre-seen. This means that if you sat your exam in May or November and need to resit you can resit your exam using the same pre-seen in the August / February exam window which follows.

If you wish to resit, you have access to an online resit course via your existing MyKaplan Classroom, Live Online, or OnDemand course for the following sitting. The survey for which will be made available during results week for the exam sitting you were attempting. This includes a resit guidance PDF to help you get back on track, or case resources for the new pre-seen*, and two previously unseen, mock exams which you can submit for marking. You will still have access to our academic support team if you need technical guidance or help from our expert tutors.

Alternatively, if you were enrolled on to a classroom course, you have the option of attending another classroom course, or the last two days of a classroom course if your resit is on the same case study (where available), or attending a Live Online course, or sessions 7 and 8 of a Live Online course if your resit is on the same case study. If you were enrolled on a Live Online course then you can attend another Live Online course, or sessions 7 and 8 of a Live Online course if your resit is on the same case study.

*if resitting under a new case study.

Both the online resit course and access to a new course are only available to Classroom, Live Online, and OnDemand students who have met the terms of their Pass Guarantee. The resit product is not available to buy as a stand alone course.

If you need to resit your exam and would like to discuss your options, please contact Student Services on 0161 259 7400 for an informal conversation about the best way forward. We are here to support you every step of the way.

Dates and deadlines for Case Study exams

All the key dates and deadlines for the 2024 Operational Case Study exams are listed below for you.

4. Study materials and delivery costs

Study materials

Our materials are CIMA’s only official study materials, so you can be confident of their quality.

What study materials are included in my course?

Study materials vary based on the study method you choose and whether you're studying an Objective Test or Case Study course.

When it comes to study materials, 9/10 Kaplan learners surveyed preferred a mix of digital and printed. We know learners value our Integrated Workbooks* and Revision Cards as their most used resources, that’s why these are printed and delivered straight to your door. Your Study Text and Exam Kit are provided as interactive eBooks that will complement your studies and feature tools designed to enhance your learning. Not only will you be able to highlight, note-take and search in seconds, but complicated terms will be simply explained with a dictionary at your fingertips, these eBooks are accessible anywhere, anytime, and on any device through Bibliu. Find out more.

*Objective Test courses only. Not included for Distance Learning courses.

The following materials are included in each Objective Test course:

• Study programme

  If you choose OnDemand or Distance Learning, we’ll provide you with a printable study programme. You can choose one of three study durations, as not everyone learns at the same pace. If you choose Classroom or Live Online, your Kaplan tutor will guide you through your course.

• Printed integrated workbook (not included for Distance Learning)

  A key resource for your studies, it guides you through the syllabus and details when to use your other study resources. Includes space to add handwritten notes.

• Study text eBook powered by Bibliu

  A fully interactive eBook textbook covering the full subject syllabus with worked examples and activities.

• Study modules (Not included for Distance Learning)

  Engaging, online modules including bite-sized tutor led lectures taking you step by step through the whole syllabus.

• Application modules

  Helping deepen your knowledge of key topics areas, understand how smaller topics fit together and how you might see them in a work environment.

• Printed revision cards

  Pocket-sized, brief revision notes that highlight and prioritise the essential topics you need to understand to pass your CIMA exams.

• Exam kit eBook powered by Bibliu

  The eBook exam kit gives you plenty of exam-style questions and answers to test your knowledge and practice.

The following materials are included in each Case Study course:

• Study text ebook powered by Bibliu

  CIMA’s official ebook textbook covering Integrated Case Study Exam preparation with worked examples and activities.

• Printed Familiarisation and Practice Workbook

  An examination preparation tool, based on the case study, including ethical considerations, key issues, how to prioritise, and plan your answer. The workbook includes 10-12 case specific tasks including a familiarisation quiz and exercises.

• Case analysis videos

  Watch a tutor walk you through the pre-seen, highlighting key facts, information and potentially examinable topics.

• Technical Recap videos and notes (not included for Distance Learning)

  Technical recap recordings that will help you revise key syllabus areas from the underpinning subjects, and introduce you to how those topics could be examined in a case study examination.

To buy the materials separately...

You can buy CIMA approved books for each subject on this level from Kaplan Publishing.

Delivery costs

5. MyKaplan: online learning environment

MyKaplan explained (1m:18s)

MyKaplan is your online learning portal where you can access all of your online learning and testing resources, including online versions of your study materials. Accessible from your computer, tablet or via the dedicated mobile app, it’s the one stop shop for everything you need with practical resources to help you prepare for your exams.

Online features

• View your detailed study programme and online materials in one place and access your content in a few clicks
• Contact a tutor directly using live chat. You can also email or request a callback
• Complete practice tests and get instant feedback (Objective Tests)
• Track your performance by topic and easily identify where you need to improve; you can even compare yourself with others in your class
• Take part in forum discussions with students and tutors and find answers to common questions
• See instantly when your assessments have been marked (Case Study)
• Use the mobile app to study on the move and access your study materials offline

Access duration

Your chosen study method determines how long you can access your content for. For Objective Tests:

Classroom
Six months from last course date.

Live Online
Six months from last course date.

OnDemand
Six months from selected start month.

Distance Learning
12 months from selected start month.

There is also one free extension for 3 months, and a further 3-month extension for £50.

For the Case Study, access durations are all six months after the selected exam sitting.

computer Minimum system requirements for MyKaplan

6. Tutor support

We’ll support you every step of the way throughout your CIMA learning experience with us. You can contact a tutor and get the help you need quickly and easily.

Provided by our Academic Support team (our dedicated team of expert tutors):

• LiveChat (instant response via online messenger system)
• Email (we'll get back to you within 4 hrs)
• Discussion forum (we’ll get back to you within 4 hrs)
• Request a callback so you can speak to a tutor (we'll arrange a call with you within 24 hrs). Please note request a callback is not available to overseas students.

Ways to get support

If you think you'd benefit from additional tutor support while studying, we recommend the structured study methods such as Classroom and Live Online.

7. Testing and mocks

We have a wealth of materials to help you revise for and pass your exams.

Objective Test

For the Objective Test, all study options come with the following:

• Knowledge checks

  As you go along knowledge checks help assess your understanding of a topic before you move onto the next one.

• Consolidation test

  Each course has a consolidation test approximately two thirds of the way through the knowledge/application phase. It has the same look and feel as the real exam but is a little shorter, with 40 questions. It'll test how you are doing and allow you to identify and address problem areas early on in the course so they don't become 'big problems'.

• Progress test (not available with Distance Learning)

  Check your understanding with this exam standard test. It as the same look at feel as the real exam so is a great start to your revision. It will help diagnose your weaker areas to help you focus your exam preparation on the topics that need most attention.

• Test yourself

  This online question bank is made of  hundreds of questions so you can build your own tests to  target weak areas, or check your overall knowledge.

• Two mock exams

  Practice your exam technique with two mock exams so you can check your progress. The mock exams have the same look and feel as the actual exam.

Case Study

The Case Study is a difficult exam, testing your overall knowledge across the level, and is tested by a written exam, based on a business scenario. We support you with resources that match the feel of the real Case Study:

• 3 mock exams based on the live case (2 for Distance Learning)

  All marked with personalised feedback.

• Recorded debrief of all 3 mocks (Distance Learning will get one debrief on the first mock)

  To help you understand the approach you should have taken and some common mistakes that were made.

8. Pricing structure

Subject prices can differ depending on your study method, location and the time you choose to study (if you’re choosing Classroom).

Go to our study methods page to learn more about each option.

Subjects are all priced individually, so you can purchase them altogether (for a discount), or separately as you need them.

Funding options

Employer sponsoredchevron_right

Your employer may fund the costs of your studies if you’re already working in a related field and want to develop your learning. You’ll need to speak to them to see if if they’re willing to provide this support.

Payment planschevron_right

CIMA Operational is covered in our interest-free payment plan. The plan lets you spread the cost of your studies over 12 months, with no extra costs. You’ll need to buy all subjects in the level to take out a payment plan.

Apprenticeshipschevron_right

You may be eligible for an Apprenticeship through your employer, depending on your circumstances. Speak to your employer to find out more.