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What is the CMBA?
The CMBA is the only universal exam that measures an MBA student or graduate’s grasp of the fundamentals expected of an MBA.
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Who is eligible to take the CMBA exam?
The CMBA is for persons who are currently enrolled in a degree-granting MBA program or have already graduated from such a program earning the degree of MBA.
As the exam is designed to test the ten core curriculum subjects typically completed in the first year of a full time program, we allow candidate’s to sit for the exam prior to being awarded the MBA degree. If a candidate is currently enrolled and passes the exam, the candidate’s CMBA status will be “conditional” until they graduate and are awarded the MBA degree. Once ICI receives the candidate’s final transcript indicating completion of their MBA program the CMBA status will be updated to “Final.”
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What is the CMBA benefit?
The CMBA will help MBA students distinguish themselves in a crowded job market and will help employers improve MBA hiring decisions.
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When and where can the CMBA be taken?
The CMBA will be available on a limited basis on MBA campuses across the country during the upcoming academic year. Contact your MBA school, or others in your area, to see if they are serving as a host site.
Otherwise, the exam is available to the MBA community on an on-going basis. It can be taken at any of the 380 high security Prometric testing centers in the U.S. and Canada. After candidates have completed the application process and received confirmation of eligibility, they will be able to contact Prometric at www.2test.com or by calling 1-877-679-5826 to schedule a seat time. Most Prometric testing centers are open six days per week. When scheduling your exam, please consider that waiting for the transcript to arrive and scheduling a suitable time at Prometric can extend the application time from 4 to 6 weeks.
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How much does it cost to take the CMBA exam?
The CMBA exam is priced competitively, if not less than most comprehensive professional certification examinations. The computer delivered exam price is $330. A $75 non-refundable application and transcript processing fee is collected during the application process and a $255 exam fee is collected approximately 3 days after your application has been accepted. For more information, please review the complete terms and conditions available on the policies page of the Web site www.certifiedmba.com.
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Why is a transcript required to receive my certification?
A transcript is required to confirm that you are enrolled in, or are a graduate of, an MBA degree-granting program.
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How is the exam a reliable and valid measure?
Dozens of MBA program directors and more than 150 MBA professors from around the country contributed to the exam’s content blueprint, objectives and items. Evolution and development of the exam construction was supervised by accomplished MBA educators and internationally respected organizational psychologists and psychometricians.
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What is the format of the CMBA exam?
The CMBA exam is a 260 question multiple-choice exam and will be six hours in length. Most questions on the exam will have four answers while some will have five answers. In some cases, you will be asked to choose multiple answers. There are no essay questions on the exam.
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When will I receive my results and how will they be communicated?
CMBA exam results will normally be reported one to two business weeks after exam has been completed. Candidates will receive an indication of pass/fail and the CMBA Skills Profile™ in the mail. Prior to graduation and earning the MBA degree, candidates who have passed the exam are awarded a conditional certification, with final certification awarded only upon evidence of graduation. Results will only be released to the candidate. Additional sealed and direct-mailed results for other recipients are available only upon candidate request as is customary with school transcripts.
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What is the CMBA Skills Profile™?
The CMBA Skills Profile™ assesses a student’s performance in ten key subject areas and is provided to all those who take the CMBA exam. It allows students to identify their strengths and pursue opportunities to improve in areas where they may be weaker. It will also enable students to match individual strengths with company needs.
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How do I prepare for the test?
If you have completed the core curriculum of your MBA program, or have graduated, you should take the CMBA exam. Individual requirements for preparation will vary, depending upon the nature of a candidate’s MBA program and when specific material was covered. Detailed CMBA exam objectives will give candidates specific information regarding the material covered in each of the ten subject areas of the exam (PDF download available on Exam Preparation Page). Review of textbooks, class notes and past exams are helpful in preparing for the exam. Third party publishers are offering study guides and practice material.
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What areas of study does the CMBA exam test?
The CMBA program ensures that MBA students are proficient in subject areas consistent with the four core curriculum areas required of all MBA programs in order to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)*.
The core curriculum areas are:
financial reporting, analysis and markets
domestic and global economic environments of organizations
creation and distribution of goods and services
human behavior in organizations.
The 10 key subject areas that align with the above core curriculum are:
Financial Accounting
Management Accounting
Quantitative Analysis
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Finance
Marketing Management
Operations Management
Organizational Behavior
Strategy
* The AACSB was not involved in the development of the CMBA nor has it reviewed the exam for endorsement.
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Do I need to be enrolled in or have graduated from an “accredited” MBA program to take the CMBA exam?
No; any degree-granting MBA program is acceptable. While accrediting agencies share common evaluative assessments of programs and inputs (GMAT scores, faculty credentials, publications, et al) for awarding accreditation, the CMBA is the only universal tool that measures individuals and outputs. It answers the question -- Has the MBA candidate or graduate acquired the fundamentals expected of an MBA? Individuals need to certify that they have acquired the fundamentals expected of an MBA regardless of whether or not the program attended is "accredited."
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Doesn’t the “core curriculum” vary from school to school?
While teaching methods, coursework and specialty focus may vary from school to school, the CMBA is based upon the core curriculum components consistent with AACSB expectations. This core curriculum represents the fundamentals that all MBA students are expected to master.
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How does the CMBA differ from my grade point average?
GPAs contain a high degree of subjectivity based on various teaching styles, methods, and programs, making them a variable tool to compare one student to another. The CMBA is a more objective tool that measures an MBA student’s grasp of the core fundamentals, regardless of school, professor, or program type. For example, some professors use curves while others do not, and the GPA may not accurately reflect what an individual student learned in a team-oriented environment.
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Who is the International Certification Institute (ICI)?
The International Certification Institute (ICI) was founded to develop and deliver the CMBA exam. ICI is organized around three primary constituencies: students, businesses, and educators. Its directors facilitate advisement and product development through its Council of Academic Advisors, Council of Business Advisors, and the Association of CMBAs.
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What is the Association of Certified MBAs?
MBAs who pass the exam are invited to join the Association of Certified MBAs (ACMBA) conditional upon Graduation.
The mission of the Association of Certified MBAs is to promote the value and increase the awareness of the CMBA designation to the business community while advancing the level of professionalism, community standing, employment opportunities and service of its members in their respective communities.
Standing Committees Include: Certification, Ethics, Evolution, Partnership, Advocacy and Communication
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Why did ICI develop the CMBA?
CMBA was created to satisfy three key needs – to help students stand out from the crowded MBA job market, to provide MBA programs benchmarking data for program improvement and to help businesses improve their MBA hiring process by identifying the most knowledgeable candidates. This is particularly important given current economic conditions and a record number of MBA graduates competing for fewer MBA-level jobs.
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How was the exam developed?
ICI partnered with Thomson Learning, the leading provider of computer-based testing services and certification development to ensure test validity. ICI also surveyed more than 100 MBA program directors to develop an exam that reflects the subject matter considered most important. More than 150 professors currently teaching in MBA programs contributed to the weighting of specific objectives and questions that make up the exam.
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How does the CMBA exam consider the impact of different approaches to business education?
Teaching methods do vary tremendously from program to program, as well as from professor to professor. However, the CMBA exam is focused upon the fundamental core curriculum components. It includes information and knowledge critical in the business world regardless of how it is learned.
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Can I retake the CMBA exam if I do not pass?
Yes; the $75 application-processing fee will be waived. Candidates must wait one month before taking the exam again. A $200 retest fee will be charged at the time a candidate is eligible to schedule an exam date at Prometric. Candidates who take on-campus tests can and wish to retake the exam schedule retake exams at Prometric..
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Will I receive a certificate designating my accomplishment?
Yes; you will receive an official certificate documenting your successful accreditation as a Certified MBA.
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Where can I take the exam?
The CMBA exam will be administered at 380 Prometric computer-based testing facilities located across the United States and Canada. You can determine testing locations by visiting www.2test.com or by calling 1-877-679-5826.
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I'm about to or have changed residence. How can I update my contact info?
Sign in to the "My CMBA Account" section and visit the "Update Profile" page.
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