Has anyone done the CIMA professional qualifications as distance learning from home?

[dollybird]

I'm currently studying the CIMA certificate, just starting my third of five modules. I'm doing it at home on the distance learning courses via BPP. I work in a finance role for a large insurance company. I'm currently paying for the certificate courses myself, awaiting HR approval for a proper study program (which may never happen)

I'm finding these certificate level course ok to do by myself, but I'm trying to decide how and if I can do the professional qualifications. I currently study eight hours a week, (four on my day off, I work four days a week, and two two hour evening sessions). I think face to face courses for the higher levels would be better, but they are very expensive so if I don't get funding from my company the cost would be prohibitive. The distance learning courses are MUCH cheaper, meaning I could fund them myself and still fit studying around work and home life, but I'm wondering if they are as effective as classroom courses?

Any advice much appreciated. Thanks

I've just sat my E1 paper this week and I was lucky enough to find a class locally but if I hadn't found it, I would have looked at the Classroom Online with BPP.

www.bpp.com/locations/loc/online-classroom-live

The Live classes look attractive as you have to attend it, just like a real class.

I took one of my Certificate Classes using BPP (I think!) and it was prerecorded classes and they were ok.

I'm better in a class where I can ask questions - I couldn't just sit and read from a book.

Good luck - it will be worth it! :)

I did the certificate level qualification as distance learning with BPP. I got an exemption on the maths paper and passed all the others first time.

I then did the courses for the professional level. I think it would be very very hard to do those modules by distance learning. Can you change jobs to get sponsorship?

That's what I thought, that the professional ones would be too hard on your own, even with online tutor support. It's a little way off yet (I intend to have completed the certificate by the end of the year) but I want to have an idea what I could do.

Re changing jobs, I've been with my company for a long time so am reasonably well paid considering I have no qualifications, just experience, so I might have to take a massive pay cut elsewhere. That's one of the reasons I'm doing the certificate, kind of an insurance policy in case I get made redundant in future, so I at least have an accounting qualification on my cv. Just the two courses I've done so far have made a huge difference in my work. I think they'll agree the funding in the end and I am getting time off work, just not the £. All my managers are behind me, they just need to persuade HR!!

I've got as far as my Diploma using BPP distance learning. I've found it ok so far but think as you get further up it will get more difficult. I think it depends on your learning style though. I enjoy learning at my own pace and you do have access to tutors and peer groups if you get stuck.

I passed all my CIMA exams first time by distance learning with Kaplan but for TOPCIMA I decided to take a classroom based course with BPP and again passed first time in December. You do have to be very disciplined to do distance learning, I studied at least 3 evenings a week for 2 hours and then Sunday afternoons until about a month before the exams when I tried to study 6 days a week, it was a real slog but it can be done if you are motivated and disciplined. I was lucky to have support from my DH who helped out with housework and children while I was studying. Good luck whatever you decide.

I passed my CIMA exams using the distance learning route with BPP. I do recommend the revision courses. BPP are very focused on getting students through.

Mind this was around the time dinosaurs roamed the earth and you took all four exams for each stage in one sitting across two days.

As others will tell you, you need commitment but you will need that whatever study method you choose.

Yes DP did this with BPP. He had access to all the classes etc but never went as too lazy. Passed fine just doing it all at home but took a few years.

I did. I studied the courses by distance learning - but went to live revision courses - which allowed me to ask questions and get a pre-exam boost.