Discover the CAB qualification for employers
Upskill your teams and boost your business capabilities with the Certificate in Accountancy and Business (CAB).
The CAB is our professional certification that develops knowledge and practical expertise in key areas of accountancy, business and finance.
It’s designed to upskill any individual, team or department, no matter their current function or previous experience.
Your employees will learn the fundamentals of how businesses work and understand what drives success.
They’ll unlock new ways to add value to your organisation and gain the confidence and credibility to talk specialist topics like tax and assurance with clients and colleagues.
And with everyone on the same financial page, you’ll reap the rewards of improved cross-team cooperation and collaboration.
Skills for the future of business
The CAB features the same six courses found at the Knowledge level of our prestigious Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification: Assurance, Business Management and Finance, Business Law, Ethics Fundamentals, Reporting and Performance, and Taxation.
And throughout the syllabus we’ve surfaced three themes that are vital to the future of any organisation: ethical leadership, sustainability and the impact of technology.
Learning that's interactive, engaging and flexible
By taking the ICAS approach to learning, students benefit from engaging digital courses delivered through our Advantage platform.
They're designed to engage, embed understanding step by step, and optimise assessment success.
Students are further supported by a range of interactive tutor touchpoints including course discussions and optional in-person or online workshops.
We also offer online and blended options to suit budget and preference, providing the flexibility to fit study around those all-important work and personal schedules.
How the CAB will boost your business
- Develop the key business, accountancy and finance capabilities of any team or individual.
- Give employees the confidence and credibility to talk business with colleagues and clients.
- Empower all departments to add greater value to your business operations.
- Unlock improved cross-team collaboration and cooperation.
- Leverage a future-proof syllabus underpinned by ethics, sustainability and technology.
- Offer employees a valuable professional-development benefit.
- Use as a standalone certification or as a step towards our full Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification.
Discover the CAB syllabus
An introduction to the essential foundations of accounting, business and finance, the CAB builds core knowledge over six courses.
Course descriptions and syllabus learning outcomes:
Ethics Fundamentals
Duration (nominal hours): 3.
Assessment type: Formative, objective test questions.
Assessment pass mark: 75%.
Course description:
This course is at the very start of the CAB syllabus to stress the importance of ethics at the core of business.
The course considers:
- A range of ethical theories
- How people make ethical decisions, both personally and within organisations.
- Various scenarios to allow you to apply a consistent and professional approach to ethical decision making.
Syllabus learning outcomes:
- Explain the nature of ethics and its significance in the business environment.
- Demonstrate an understanding of a range of ethical theories when making decisions.
- Summarise the ICAS Code of Ethics and relevant legislation when undertaking professional work.
- Summarise the ethical consequences arising from a range of environmental, social and governance issues in business scenarios.
- Apply a consistent and professional approach to ethical decision making.
Assurance
CQF Level: 9
Credit points: 10
Duration (nominal hours): 100
Assessment type: Summative, Objective Test Questions
Assessment pass mark: 50%
Course description:
Get an introduction to the assurance process, professional scepticism, and the fundamental ethical principles that are relevant for assurance engagements.
The course concentrates on:
- Risk.
- Internal-control frameworks and business processes.
- The UK regulatory framework for accounting and auditing.
- The key stages in the external audit process.
- Assurance of sustainability audit engagements.
Syllabus learning outcomes:
- Define business risk and explain a range of strategies, including internal controls to manage financial and non-financial risk.
- Explain the role and responsibilities of the external auditor within the UK regulatory framework.
- Apply guidance, including the International Standards on Auditing (UK), to the external audit process.
- Apply ethical guidance, including the Financial Reporting Council Ethical Standard, to assurance engagements.
Business Management and Finance
SCQF Level: 9
Credit points: 15
Duration (nominal hours): 150
Assessment type: Summative, Objective Test Questions
Assessment pass mark: 50%
Course description:
Get an introduction to how businesses operate, the financial and non-financial information required for the management of a business, and how the finance function helps businesses achieve their objectives.
The course concentrates on:
- The general objectives of businesses.
- How businesses identify and calculate relevant data for use in management decision-making to help achieve their objectives.
- How the finance function supports business operations.
- How to identify sources and methods of financing for businesses.
Syllabus learning outcomes:
- Describe the environment within which businesses function.
- Prepare data used in financial analysis.
- Apply appropriate techniques to support investment decision making.
- Explain how non-financial information supports sustainable business decisions.
- Illustrate the use of ethics in business management and finance decisions.
Business Law
SCQF Level: 9
Credit points: 5
Duration (nominal hours): 50
Assessment type: Summative, Objective Test Questions
Assessment pass mark: 50%
Course description:
Get an introduction to the UK legal system and explanation of elements of criminal and civil law that are relevant to the work of finance professionals.
The course concentrates on:
- Contract law.
- The agency relationship and the consequences of negligence.
- Elements of company, insolvency, information and employment law.
Syllabus learning outcomes:
- Identify the key features of UK law as it applies to business.
- Identify the essential features of UK Company law.
- Describe the main elements of law which are relevant to finance professionals.
- Apply ethical guidance in the context of business law.
Reporting and Performance 1
SCQF Level: 9
Credit points: 15
Duration (nominal hours): 150
Assessment type: Summative, Objective Test Questions
Assessment pass mark: 50%
Course description:
Get an introduction to key areas of financial and non-financial reporting and performance.
The financial reporting element of the course covers:
- Double-entry bookkeeping.
- The use of journals to record transactions in accounting systems.
- Adjusting financial records.
- Preparing non-complex financial statements.
The non-financial reporting element of the course introduces:
- Sustainability, including the main elements of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting.
- An exploration of the role of the accountant, including an outline of the evolving non-financial-reporting landscape.
- Linking the financial and non-financial elements of financial statements.
Syllabus learning outcomes:
- Explain the accounting requirements for financial statements.
- Prepare and present a set of financial statements in accordance with relevant accounting standards.
- Explain the requirements for non-financial reporting and performance in accordance with relevant standards.
- Explain ethical guidance in the context of reporting and performance.
Taxation
SCQF Level: 9
Credit points: 15
Duration (nominal hours): 150
Assessment type: Summative, Objective Test Questions
Assessment pass mark: 50%
Course description:
Gain an understanding of the UK tax system and the tax-compliance duties and roles of taxpayers, accountants and HMRC. The course is split into two equal parts covering personal tax and business tax.
The course will enable you to:
- Prepare tax computations for individuals and companies.
- Understand the tax implications of a course of action.
- Explain the potential tax treatments of several straightforward transactions.
Syllabus learning outcomes:
- Calculate a personal tax liability.
- Calculate a direct tax liability for a business.
- Calculate an indirect tax liability for a business.
- Explain the key principles and administration of UK tax.
- Describe best practice when dealing with clients, other professionals and HMRC.
CAB FAQs
Who’s it for?
- Employers seeking to boost the business capabilities of individuals and teams across the organisation.
- Employees in any role seeking to develop professional expertise in accountancy, business and finance.
What are the entry requirements?
- No formal entry requirements.
- We recommend you have a good level of English and maths.
How long does it take?
- From three months to two years (flexible).
How/where is it studied?
- Interactive digital courses on our Advantage platform.
- Options to add tutor-supported online or in-centre workshops (at locations across the UK).
What level of qualification is it?
- Level 9 in Scotland / Level 6 in England.
- Equivalent to the (first) Knowledge level of our full Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification.
How difficult is it to study?
- The study level is equivalent to what you might expect in the final year of a degree.
How’s it assessed?
- Summative assessments using objective test questions with a 50% pass mark.
Where is the CAB qualification recognised?
- Recognised by employers in the UK and internationally.
- ICAS is an internationally respected awarding body.
Can it be studied from outside the UK?
- Yes, with our fully online option.
How much does it cost?
- The same as the Knowledge level of our CA qualification and dependent on your preferred study option.
When can it be started?
- We offer four terms per year, with start dates in either March, June, September or December.
How do I register my interest?
If you'd like to consider upskilling employees through the CAB and would like to find out more, please email firms@icas.com to register your interest and we'll be in touch.
