Investment Management Certificate (IMC)

Brum_Man

Not sure whether this is the best place to post this, but seeing as though it has to do with investments I couldn't think of anywhere else to put it!

I was just wondering if anyone on here had done the IMC? I've seen a few people that say they are studying for CFA, but has anyone done this as a pre-requisite or as a stand alone thing?

How information is there to consume? I'm looking at doing it but not really sure what sort of standard it is going to be comparable in terms of other proffesional qualifications?

To those that have done it do you think that it is fairly easy to do via self study?

I was looking http://www.uksip.org/ and it seems that you can book it though them, but not sure what you get for the money i.e. course books etc...?

JDinho

Have a read of this page from BPP who offer tution and courses for Financial Services exams to help put this qualificiation into context linky.

The IMC is considered for threshold competence, it's a very basic 3hr multiple choice paper. It will provide a useful grounding, give an overview of investment managment and regulation. IMO a decent start before studying for a professional level qualification.

As for studying for the exam, it is as hard as you want to make it! If you want to pass it first time, work hard. I know people who gave up after 5+ attempts and some who blitzed it at the first sitting in less than half of the available time.

You should be aware that part of the syllabus changed on 1 Dec 2007.

Brum_Man

Cheers for the information! I'm not sure I'm going to do it yet, just waiting on some other results before I decide what I'm going to do.

I suppose I was trying to think of it in terms of exams through other bodies. I've done Certificate in Financial Planning, CeMAP and a couple of Diploma in Financial Planning exams, which is what I am waiting the results on. Any ideas on how it compares to say CFP/CeFA, harder/easier?

If it was booked though the site I posted do they give you all the study literature and exam entry as part of the booking fee?

Franko43

Interesting thread folks....in your opinions is ther any point in studying for any of these courses if you are not going to use them in Financial Services. E.g. what course would be best for the private Investor or ordinary Joe Bloogs to do??

dunstonh

I've done Certificate in Financial Planning, CeMAP and a couple of Diploma in Financial Planning exams, which is what I am waiting the results on. Any ideas on how it compares to say CFP/CeFA, harder/easier?

Isnt the IMC of a lower standard than FPC/CFP/CeFA?

It would probably be better to look towards the diploma (CII). That is when the qualifications start getting interesting and have some real clout. The advanced diploma is top of the pile and equivalent to a degree.

Brum_Man

dunstonh wrote: »

Isnt the IMC of a lower standard than FPC/CFP/CeFA?

It would probably be better to look towards the diploma (CII). That is when the qualifications start getting interesting and have some real clout. The advanced diploma is top of the pile and equivalent to a degree.

I'm not sure, is it?

I've already done two diploma exams, I did J01 Personal Tax and J06 Investment Principles in October for which I should get the results in a week. The only reason I was looking at doing IMC was that once I get these results, assuming I pass the next sitting is not until April and so I was wanting to do something in between.

Also, I am looking to perhaps get in to more the investment management side of things next year and was perhaps thinking that the IMC would be more recognised as a base exam in that area.

Was also thinking that it might be interesting to do aswell!

haleybopp

Hi

If you're looking to get into the Investment Management side then the IMC is the threshold qualification and is mandatory for all trainee Investment Managers. It's often followed up by the CFA qualification which is very difficult!!

You can also sit the exam in 2 parts if you wish. I've passed the first unit 1 UK Regulation and Markets and now working towards unit 2 Investment Practice. I've found it much easier this way as I work pretty long hours.

I guess it really depends what you want to do? I work in Performance, risk and attribution for an Investment Bank (so they're paying!). I wouldn't have thought it would be much use for anyone wanting to get into Financial Advice territory etc.

Brum_Man

haleybopp wrote: »

If you're looking to get into the Investment Management side then the IMC is the threshold qualification and is mandatory for all trainee Investment Managers. It's often followed up by the CFA qualification which is very difficult!!

I don't suppose you've done any other proffesional qualifications that you can compare it to have you?

I got the results for the 2 diploma exams today and passed them both, so this will definitely be the next exam I take, but just thinking when I need to start it to give my self enough time to revise to take it early on in the year.

Does anyone know if you book it through the UKSIP does the £210 you pay include the exam and study text?

MARVIN_2

Hi guys.
Anyone study for IMC with the BPP?
I have ordered study books and questions around 6 months ago.
Unfortunately I was so busy and di not have any time to do it before.
What is the situation right now, how questions has been changed?

Brum_Man

dunstonh wrote: »

Isnt the IMC of a lower standard than FPC/CFP/CeFA?

Having got the books this week I can definitely say that the IMC is not at a lower level than the CFP/CeFA. In fact, having looked through it a lot of the information in there seems at a higher level, with some of the stuff similar to what I did in J06 of the Diploma in Financial Planning. Also, some of the material given in the Economics and Statistics sections looks on a par with what I did in the 1st year of my degree. It's also a lot more math-sy that CFP, so I would say better level of numeric ability is needed.

The slight difference is that the amount is quite a lot less, with there only being about 250 pages to the material altogether, where as if you stacked all of the CFP together there would be almost triple that. That's why I'm assuming it's also classed as 'Level 3' but the QCA in the same way that CFP/CeFA is.

dunstonh

Thanks for that. They keep changing the exams so much its a little hard to know where things stand nowadays.