The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), located in Lake Mary, Florida, was established in 1941 as the collective voice of the internal auditing profession. The organization is active in virtually all areas of the industry, including certification and education.
There are a number of reasons for auditing professionals to consider IIA certification, starting with a strong base of knowledge from which to operate. Certification also demonstrates a commitment to excellence and continued growth. IIA has developed a certification program that caters to various specialties, allowing auditors to pursue knowledge relevant to their specific needs.
IIA’s cornerstone certification program is the Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP) designation. IIA recommends IAP certification to all university students, rotational auditors, and beginning auditors. IIA has revised education and employment requirements for the certification to promote its value to aspiring auditing professionals. There are no education or work experience requirements, and individuals have two years to pass the exam after meeting the requirements and beginning the program.
Professionals with IAP certification may be interested in furthering their professional knowledge and skills with the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation. The CIA program has been refined over more than four decades and represents a solid foundation of knowledge and experience for industry professionals.
Auditing professionals must meet several requirements before entering the CIA program, including an academic degree or equivalent and a certain amount of professional experience. An auditor’s level of education determines how much work experience they need. For instance, an auditor with a master’s degree needs one year of professional experience. People with the IAP designation and no degree must complete five years of IA work before beginning the CIA certification process.
There is no official coursework associated with the CIA designation, though many audit professionals take advantage of IIA study materials, which are available online through the IIA CIA Learning System. IIA also provides sample questions and a breakdown of the CIA exam. The exam includes 125 questions about the essentials of internal auditing, 100 questions about the practice of internal auditing, and 100 questions in areas of internal auditing business knowledge.
IIA also offers its Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA), often viewed as the next step for auditors who have earned CIA certification. The program has been continually updated over the years to reflect the skills and knowledge needed to provide effective risk management support. Auditors with CRMA certification can oversee risk management and offer insight in areas of quality assurance.
Candidates for CRMA designation can begin after receiving and maintaining CIA certification. Individuals also must have five years of internal audit or risk management experience, though this requirement typically is fulfilled while pursuing CIA designation. After meeting all requirements and passing the CRMA exam, audit professionals must maintain their certification with continuing professional education (CPE), which comprises 20 CPE hours every year. However, newly certified auditors receive 40 CPE hours, which account for the year they earned the designation and the following year.
IIA provides a depth of additional educational opportunities outside of certification programs. Theiia.org has a list of upcoming learning conferences for members. Some conferences are in-person, while others are online. The organization also offers executive development programs, a bookstore featuring many professional texts and materials, and an on-demand library of education videos and resources.
