CFA Institute Investment Foundations
Giving you a clear understanding of investment industry essentials
CFA Institute Investment Foundations is a comprehensive
global education program that gives financial
services professionals a clear understanding of
the essentials of the investment industry.
Whether you’re just starting a career in financial services
or want to learn essential industry concepts, the
program offers an accessible solution for breaking
through the complexities of the global investment
industry and raising your professional profile.
Is CFA Institute Investment Foundations right for you?
The program is for all professional disciplines in the
financial services industry outside of investment
roles—from client services to compliance; from
human resources to IT and operations; from sales and
marketing to legal and administrative services.
There is no education or experience requirement; however, you
should feel comfortable with the English language. The
multiple choice, computer-based exam can be taken
at your convenience at available test centers around
the world. Successful candidates will be awarded the
CFA Institute Investment Foundations Certificate by CFA Institute.
What will you learn?
The curriculum is based on an advanced body of knowledge that is continuously reviewed and updated by more than 1,000 active investment practitioners around the world to ensure that it reflects the most relevant trends and the core competencies most needed by today’s top investment employers.
The self-study, program requires approximately 100
hours of study time and covers the fundamentals of the
investment industry across seven course modules:
Module 1: Industry Overview
Module 2: Ethics and Regulation
Module 3: Inputs and Tools
Module 4: Investment Instruments
Module 5: Industry Structure
Module 6: Serving Client Needs
Module 7: Industry Controls
What is the reward?
Bring clarity to complexity
Develop a deeper understanding of
the investment industry with a global
education program that gives you
a strong foundation for working in a
complex and dynamic profession.
Share a common understanding
Raise your professional competence
by understanding industry functions,
relationships, and your role and
responsibilities in the big picture.
Improve your performance
Improve your performance by
gaining a common global standard
of the industry and sharing a
common body of knowledge,
whether you work in New York,
London, Mumbai or Hong Kong.
Stand out from your peers
Gain a fundamental framework
and knowledge of the investment
industry so you stand out from the
crowd in a competitive industry.
Build your confidence
Feel more confident working and
communicating with global colleagues
and clients by understanding
the industry and how your role
impacts the rest of the business.