Bundled Curriculum
Beginning with the 2008 exams, CFA Institute will include the assigned CFA Program curriculum and one online sample exam in the registration fee paid. When enrollment and registration for the June 2008 CFA exams opens in August 2007, the curriculum will be included in the exam registration fee and will be delivered to all candidates. This decision will benefit CFA candidates, the CFA Program, and — we strongly believe — the profession itself. Candidates enrolled in the December 2007 exam will still need to purchase the curriculum separately.
This decision was made after extensive study, modeling, and the unanimous recommendation from the CFA Preparation Task Force, an external working group that convened in 2004 to address questions of candidate preparation and exam performance. The CFA Program curriculum is driven by a rigorous global practice analysis to determine the knowledge relevant to the profession. This body of knowledge drives the curriculum development process and the exam itself. The content in the curriculum is the sole source for exam questions. Yet for many candidates, the focus has shifted from mastering a body of knowledge to merely passing an exam. The current practice of allowing candidates to register for an exam without purchasing the curriculum sends the wrong message that studying the curriculum is optional. Some candidates even confuse third-party materials with the curriculum. This decision to provide the curriculum to all candidates was, in part, based on these concerns. |