Certificate in Impact Investing

CERTIFICATE IN IMPACT INVESTING SPECIFICATION

The Certificate in Impact Investing is a level 4 qualification which delivers the knowledge and skills required by investment professionals to understand impact as it relates to investing and how to integrate impact considerations into the investment process.  

Certificate in Impact Investing Objective

The Certificate in Impact Investing will help you understand the implications of impact investing through the full investment chain, incorporating relevant frameworks and approaches to impact management, measurement and reporting. 

Do I need to have completed any other qualifications prior to taking the Certificate in Impact Investing?

There are no formal entry requirements but you should have a good understanding of the investment process.

What knowledge, skills and understanding do I need before taking the qualification?

You should have a good understanding of the investment process.

What do I have to do in order to complete the qualification?

The Certificate in Impact Investing consists of a single examination which you must pass to achieve the qualification. 

No exemptions are available.  

What skills, knowledge and understanding will I be assessed on?

The syllabus provides detail on the knowledge, skills and understanding against which you will be assessed. 

The question allocation across the syllabus is balanced on the guidance of industry specialists. The syllabus also includes detail on how questions are allocated across topic areas. 

How will you assess my performance?

The Certificate in Impact Investing is assessed through online testing using standard multiple-choice questions, where candidates select 1 option from a choice of 4. 

Exams are delivered through computer-based testing at both test centres and via remote proctoring, both options are administered by CFA UK’s testing partner, Pearson Vue. There are many test centres available across the UK. International candidates will need to take the examination via remote proctoring. 

What are the criteria against which candidate attainment is measured?

The Certificate in Impact Investing examination tests your knowledge against the learning outcome statements of the Certificate in Impact Investing syllabus. To pass the exam, you must demonstrate competence against these criteria. 

Are there any specimen assessment materials available?

A full specimen paper will be made available at the end of September 2023. 

The specimen paper will incorporate questions similar in style and difficulty to those in the Certificate in Impact Investing examination. Please note that, whilst these questions will be indicative of the types of question asked, they are by no means exhaustive. You are strongly recommended to take the necessary time to understand and address the learning outcomes in the syllabus. 

Are there any specified levels of attainment?

A standard setting process has been undertaken by investment practitioners and assessment experts to determine the required 'standard' that candidates must meet to pass the Certificate in Impact Investing. We follow a consistent process to ensure all exams have an equivalent level of difficulty. The pass mark for the Certificate in Impact Investing is between 60% and 70%. Exams consisting of harder questions will have a relatively lower pass mark and vice-versa. 

How long will the qualification take me to study for?

We estimate that a typical candidate will take in the region of 130 hours to study for the qualification. The Total Qualification Time (TQT) for this qualification is 131 hours. This will vary depending on your previous experience and includes any formal study as well as self-study and assessment time. 

What Level is assigned to the Certificate in Impact Investing qualification?

The Certificate in Impact Investing is a Level 4 qualification. This means that the level of difficulty of the qualification broadly equates to the first-year of an undergraduate degree.