CMA study plan: 16 weeks per part, built on IMA’s weightings
Last checked October 21, 2026 · Sources: IMA’s CMA pages and content specification (study hours, topic weightings, windows) and case-based questions page. The week-by-week schedule and hour splits are our suggestion and arithmetic.
A good CMA study plan starts from IMA’s own guidance: 150 to 170 study hours per part. Spread over 16 weeks, that’s about 10 hours a week, by our arithmetic, which fits most working candidates. The plan below follows IMA’s topic weightings, so the biggest areas get the most time, and finishes with timed practice on both multiple-choice and case-based questions.
Where your hours should go
| Part 1 topic | Weight | About | Part 2 topic | Weight | About |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning, budgeting and forecasting | 20% | 32 hrs | Decision analysis | 25% | 40 hrs |
| Performance management | 20% | 32 hrs | Financial statement analysis | 20% | 32 hrs |
| External financial reporting | 15% | 24 hrs | Corporate finance | 20% | 32 hrs |
| Cost management | 15% | 24 hrs | Professional ethics | 15% | 24 hrs |
| Internal controls | 15% | 24 hrs | Risk management | 10% | 16 hrs |
| Technology and analytics | 15% | 24 hrs | Investment decisions | 10% | 16 hrs |
Topic weightings from IMA’s content specification. Hours are our arithmetic on 160 hours per part.
A 16-week plan for one part (our suggestion)
Choose your part and window, register with IMA, and take a diagnostic set of questions from your course or IMA's samples to find weak areas.
Work through the two biggest topics for your part (Part 1: planning and performance management; Part 2: decision analysis), with daily question sets.
Cover the remaining topics in order of weight, keeping a steady daily block of multiple-choice questions.
Practice case-based questions twice a week: read the case and exhibits first, then answer under time pressure, about 30 minutes per case.
Review your weakest topics using your course's analytics, and redo questions you missed.
Take at least two full four-hour mock exams, then IMA's retired questions as a final check. Book your Prometric appointment early in the window.
Practice at exam pace
Each part gives you three hours for 100 multiple-choice questions, about 1.8 minutes each, and you need at least 50% before the case-based section opens. Then you have one hour for two case-based questions. Practice both at full length, because stamina matters across four hours. See our CMA exam day guide for the timetable.
Planning both parts
With three testing windows a year (January/February, May/June and September/October), a common plan is one part per window: about eight months for both parts, well inside IMA’s three-year limit. See which CMA part to take first.
What to study with
Most candidates use a review course. Becker lists CMA Review Advantage at $1,299, UWorld’s Elite-Unlimited is $1,499 with 6,200+ questions, Gleim lists 120+ case-based questions, and HOCK’s membership is $119.99 a month. See our best CMA review courses and free CMA resources.
Start the first units free for a year; $119.99 a month after.
Start free on HOCKCommon questions about CMA study plans
How many hours should I study for the CMA?
IMA suggests 150 to 170 study hours per part. Over 16 weeks that’s about 10 hours a week; over 12 weeks, about 13.
Which CMA topic is biggest?
Decision analysis on Part 2, at 25%. On Part 1, planning, budgeting and forecasting and performance management are joint largest at 20% each.
When should I start practicing case-based questions?
From week 8 or so, twice a week, once you’ve covered enough topics to handle a full case.
How long does it take to pass both parts?
Many candidates take about eight months by doing one part per testing window; IMA allows three years from your entrance fee.