CFO Leadership Certificate

The U.S. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Council, in conjunction with the DOD Comptroller, launched the CFO Academy in the summer of 2008 at the National Defense University’s Information Resources Management College. The CFO Academy offers graduate-level courses and services for middle- to senior-level personnel in the government financial management community to prepare them to create and lead 21st Century government organizations.

The CFO Leadership Certificate, the primary educational program offered by the CFO Academy, consists of a strategic leadership curriculum that is dynamic and relevant to the evolving needs of the government financial management community, including personnel who work in accounting and finance, budget formulation and execution, cost analysis, auditing, and resource management. It focuses on current and future challenges and opportunities facing government, best practices, and strategies of financial management, and the changing role of CFOs as organizational leaders of 21st century government.

Courses in the CFO Leadership Certificates are conducted in the eResident format in classrooms at National Defense University at Fort McNair. The eResident courses engage students for five weeks: one week of pre-reading and assignments, five days of class in residence (8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday), and three weeks to complete graded academic assignments as assigned by the course leader. Most, and eventually all, of the courses in the program are also offered in an on-line (distributed learning) format that requires 10 to 12 weeks of asynchronous work plus three weeks to complete graded academic assignments.

Eligibility Requirements

Financial management knowledge can be verified by having earned a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in a business-related field, or a C.P.A., Certified Defense Financial Management (CDFM), or Certified Government Financial Management (CGFM). For those who do not meet the criteria for financial management knowledge, a two-course probationary period of admission can be approved while students are seeking the CDFM or CGFM.

Graduates of the CFO Leadership Certificate will be able to:

Certificate Requirements

To earn the CFO Leadership Certificate students must successfully complete eight graduate-level courses. Four courses must be taken from the Strategic Finance category, one of which, The Changing World of the CFO, is required. Three of the Strategic Finance courses, The Changing World of the CFO, The Future of Financial Reporting and Standards, and Leadership for Risk Management, Internal Controls, and Auditing, are only open to students enrolled in the CFO Leadership Certificate. Students must also select four courses from the Leadership category. Courses may be taken in any order.

The CFO Leadership Certificate is also a concentration in the proposed IRM College Government Strategic Leader Master of Science Degree Program (seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Education). The IRM College is working with its academic partner universities across the U.S. to accept the CFO Leadership Certificate as 15 graduate credits toward selected Master’s and doctoral degree programs at selected institutions.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Applying for the CFO Leadership Certificate is temporarily a paper process. Please do not apply through the regular IRM College on-line application, or you will not be processed for this program. You may down load the application and supporting forms (with complete instructions) here:

Application for Admission to the CFO Leadership Certificate Program

Employer Verification Form for the CFO Leadership Certificate Program

CFO Certificate Courses/Schedule/Information: (Downloadable PDF)

CFO Certificate Requirements

Required Core Course

Course/ Catalog Number

Course Title

CFF (6601)

Changing World of the CFO

Strategic Finance Courses (3 courses)

Course /Catalog Number

Course Title

BCP (6417)

Budgeting and Congressional Relations for Strategic Leaders