The objective of the FAE examination is to assess candidates’ total competency.  With the cumulative principle, the FAE education programme is designed to integrate the knowledge, skills and values derived from earlier studies and the work environment.

Subjects

FAE is broken down into two elements known as FAE Core and FAE Elective. FAE Core is comprised of FAE core comprehensive and FAE core simulations. FAE Elective offers a choice of three electives for candidates to choose from, these are Advanced Auditing andAssurance, Advanced Performance Management and Advanced Taxation (ROI/NI).

With the cumulative principle, what you learned at CAP1 and CAP2 will be expanded in FAE.

The following course completion criteria are applicable for the 2016/2017 academic year:
“All the seven integrated case study workshops within FAE Core education programme are deemed mandatory lectures with full attendance expected. The specific workshops are: Boyne, Claddagh, Finn, Lagan, Lee, Liffey and Shannon”.

Students who are absent from more than two of the above workshops will be deemed to have not successfully completed the FAE Programme and consequently become ineligible to sit the FAE examination in the 2016/2017 academic cycle.

Delivery

FAE runs in Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Waterford/Kilkenny and Dublin centres.  There are also distance programmes in Belfast, Galway and Dublin.  Timetables can be viewed on the student portal. 

Within FAE Core, the traditional education programme gives students a blend of single and multidisciplinary case based teaching. This will continue with the distance programme; however there will be a greater focus on integrated casework in contact sessions. Single discipline and technical content will primarily be delivered online.

Distance learning is a good way for students to organise their studies around their work, social or family commitments in a structured, supported environment. Chartered Accountants Ireland is committed to ensuring students achieve success by providing comprehensive materials, online resources, and ensuring that individual support is available. Students who have proven themselves to be self-motivated, disciplined and committed enough to take responsibility for their own learning will benefit most from this course.

Integrated case study workshops provide an environment for students to hone their skills of analysis and application which are critical to success in the FAE examination.

For more information on the Distance Programme, please go to the Overview: Distance Programmes page.

Exams

The FAE examination is very different to exams previously sat. The case studies give no specific requirements, there are no specific mark allocations and subjects are not examined in the single discipline. FAE assumes your knowledge and tests your understanding and application of that knowledge in a real business-type scenario. FAE expects students to think like a professional, in an integrated manner, and give the professional analysis and advice expected of a chartered accountant.

The FAE exam contains two elements:

FAE Core: Comprises of FAE core comprehensive and FAE simulations

FAE Elective: One of the electives detailed below must be completed.

• AAA: Advanced Auditing and Assurance
• APM: Advanced Performance Management
• ATR/ATN: Advanced Taxation (ROI/NI)

Completion of the Advanced Auditing and Assurance elective is a pre-requisite for gaining an audit qualification. Electives are also available for completion post-FAE, as CPD.

Recommended downloads: FAE

The Learning Journal includes the summer 2016 exam past-papers along with the suggested solutions and examiner reports.

We are experiencing a delay in book distribution and thank you for your patience. If you are in a training contract in a small to medium size firm your books will be delivered directly to your firm. If you are not in a training contract our distributor will contact you once your enrolment is complete and ask you for your preferred delivery address.

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