The aim of this programme is to further develop skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis in the areas of cost and management accounting for associate members and, in the process, create an awareness of some current developments in the profession.

The programme can only be taken by a Student member who has met the pre-requisite entry requirements of the program or a Graduate or Associate member of the Institute.

The programme is not designed as one in which highly structured methods and rules are applied to various topics in order to find one "correct" solution or answer for problems or issues. Rather, it is more a possibilities quest, in which various controversial conceptual and practical issues will be reviewed and analysed, with due recognition to the reality of alternative value judgements. Given the history of recent developments in the profession and business practices, this approach to the study of the subject of management accounting is considered feasible and warranted.

Furthermore, evidence is available that in managerial accounting, procedures continue to evolve and develop. Much of this dynamic activity is in response to changing business practices and policies and the complexity of modern firms.

The CMA Programme is available via a Recognised Provider Institution or via the ICMA's online provider, the Global Business School. The Institute has also accredited a number of universities to provide the two CMA subjects as advanced-level managerial accounting courses in their Masters degrees. Details of such courses are listed in the Recognised Providers section of this website.

The stated aim of the Institute is to obtain university recognition of its education programmes in terms of quality of content and of delivery. The GMA conversion programme and the CMA program is therefore designed to be equivalent to 6 subjects at the masters degree level of most Universities in Australia.

All Recognised Provider Institutions of the ICMA must ensure that the coursework requirements of the CMA programme subjects must each be equivalent to 39 hours of full-time classroom contact in order to be equated to a university subject. This equivalency may be obtained via classroom, seminar, distance education or multi-media educational modes, or a combination of such.