Resources for Professors
CFA Program Benefits Aligned to Your Goals
Gain a clear understanding of how CFA Program benefits your university and students.
- How the CFA Charter helps to advance careers
- Benefits of the CFA Program for students
- CFA Program curriculum, structure and content
- Sitting the CFA Exams
- Frequently asked questions
The CFA Program and Your Curriculum
We encourage professors and universities to incorporate the CFA® Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK)—including the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct—into their finance and business degree programs.
If you are considering incorporating the CBOK into your curriculum,* here are some sample syllabi and course descriptions, for your reference (all are PDF files):
- Concordia University:
- Boston University:
- Marquette University:
*Universities that integrate the CBOK into their programs are not required to notify us, but must adhere to our trademark guidelines (PDF). There is no formal recognition by CFA Institute for such efforts nor do we provide verification of any claims made to that effect.
Curriculum Content and Textbooks
CFA Program curriculum content and materials are available in various formats for ease of use in classroom instruction:
- Official CFA Program curriculum, by exam level: The same curricula CFA Program candidates receive when they register for an exam is now available publicly for purchase directly from John Wiley & Sons or through retail booksellers.
- CFA Investment Series: Grounded in the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, these texts are authored by leading industry professionals and academics who bring their wealth of knowledge and expertise to your finance students. Each textbook comes with an associated workbook containing Learning Outcome Statements, chapter summaries, and practice problems. More information, evaluation copies, and teaching aids, including lecture slide decks, are available from your John Wiley & Sons representative.
- Customized via Wiley’s Custom Select platform: Professors can mix and match both CFA Program readings and chapters from other books to create custom course materials in print or digital formats with Wiley Custom Select.
Opportunities for You
- CFA Program Scholarships are available for eligible college/university professors who teach a minimum of six credit hours per quarter/semester and administrators or department heads who teach three hours per quarter/semester.
- The Professor's Kit is a slide deck presentation that helps university faculty explain the structure, benefits, fees, and registration requirements of the CFA Program. Request your Professor's Kit by emailing us at [email protected].
Contact the University Relations team to request your Professor's Kit
Opportunities for Your Students
You can also encourage your students to:
- Visit our Student Resources page
- Review our Career Resources
Opportunities for Your University
CFA Exam Prep Courses
Universities interested in offering exam prep courses for any the CFA Institute programs may apply to participate in our Approved Prep Provider Program.
Educational Waivers
Your university can provide coursework or entrance exam waivers to students who have successfully completed all or part of the CFA Program and/or CIPM Program. Contact us to learn more about this opportunity.
Ethics Teaching Resources
We offer a broad range of resources to help investment professionals uphold the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct (Code and Standards). We developed the Code and Standards video series to provide students with a solid foundation in those principles. Universities that participate in the University Affiliation Program can access the video series at cfainstitute.gallery.video/cfaethics.
Supporting Gender Diversity
Our Women in Investment Management initiative is an action-oriented approach supported by research linking gender diversity with business performance. Universities have a unique perspective and opportunity to effect positive change:
- Increase scholarships for women in finance and tell students about the CFA Program Women's Scholarship.
- Engage with a local CFA member society to invite female industry leaders to speak to your students.
- Distribute this postcard (PDF) and brochure (PDF) at student events.
- Share research reports focused on gender diversity, including the CFA Institute survey of investment management professionals on the subject of gender diversity (PDF) and selections from the Women in Investment Management Initiative curated collection of articles.
- Distribute these action cards, created specifically for: faculty | students | any audience (all files are in PDF format).
Learn more about the Women in Investment Management Initiative