CSI Partners, Directors and Senior Officers Course Exam — Information & Free Practice

About CSI Partners, Directors and Senior Officers Course Exam

CSI Partners, Directors and Senior Officers Course Exam · CA

Key exam facts

Provider

Prepared and administered by the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI).

Format

One proctored multiple-choice examination, remotely or in person at a test centre.

Exam questions

Total questions: 80.

Time limit

2 hours of examination time.

Passing score

60% passing grade.

Exam fee

Course bundles: $1,100 with PDF textbook or $1,140 with hard-copy textbook. Second and subsequent examination attempts: $300. Fees are taxable; shipping and handling apply to printed materials. Prices retain CSI’s published dollar symbol; the consulted fee and enrolment pages do not identify an ISO currency code.

Topics covered

• The Role of the Executive and Canada’s Regulatory Environment (6%)

  • Chapter 1 - Risk and the Executive
  • Executive Registration Category
  • Risk Management Overview and The Role of an Executive
  • The Essential Nature of Risk
  • Culture of Compliance
  • Chapter 2 - Canada's Regulatory Environment and Basic Securities Law
  • Overview of the Regulatory Environment
  • The Criminal Code of Canada
  • Civil and Common Law Obligations and Liabilities

• Industry Business Models (18%)

  • Chapter 3 - Private Client Brokerage Business
  • Evolution of the Private Client Investment Industry
  • Business Models
  • Account Types and Sources of Revenue
  • Profitability Drivers
  • Compliance and Risk
  • Client Experience and Value Proposition
  • Chapter 4 - Online Investment Business Models
  • Business Models Providing Online Investment Services
  • Key Risk for Online Investment Businesses
  • Key Success Factors for Online Investment Businesses
  • Measures and Trends
  • Chapter 5 - Investment Banking Business
  • Structure of an Investment Bank
  • Front Office Functions
  • Trends and Challenges

• The Distribution of Securities (8%)

  • Chapter 6 - The Distribution of Securities
  • Bringing Securities to the Market
  • Exempt Issues
  • Maintaining Publicly Trading Status
  • Special Considerations for Investment Dealers

• Ethical Decisions and Corporate Governance (12%)

  • Chapter 7 - Making Ethical Decisions
  • Overview of Ethics
  • Ethics in the Organization
  • Understanding Ethical Dilemmas
  • Resolving Ethical Dilemmas
  • Chapter 8 - Corporate Governance
  • Defining Corporate Governance
  • Corporate Governance Systems
  • The Principles of Corporate Governance
  • Special Considerations for Directors of Investment Companies
  • Special Considerations for Investment Dealer Governance
  • Governance in Canada and Around the World

• Senior Officer and Director Liability (16%)

  • Chapter 9 - Senior Officer and Director Liability
  • Nature of a Corporation
  • Duties of Directors
  • Financial Governance Responsibilities
  • Statutory Liabilities

• Risk Management in the Securities Industry (12%)

  • Chapter 10 - Risk Management in the Securities Industry
  • Objectives of Risk Management
  • Risk Management Framework
  • Types of Risk

• Managing Risk in the Financial Sector (12%)

  • Chapter 11 - Managing Significant Areas of Risk
  • Creating an Effective Risk Management System
  • Internal Control Policies
  • Opening New Accounts
  • Account Supervision
  • Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements
  • Dealing with Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
  • Privacy and Cybersecurity

• Financial Compliance and the Consequences of Noncompliance (16%)

  • Chapter 12 - Financial Compliance and Capital Requirements
  • The Regulatory Requirement for Minimum Capital
  • Capital Formula
  • The Early Warning System
  • Failure To Maintain Adequate Risk Adjusted Capital
  • Chapter 13 - Consequences of Non-Compliance
  • Clients’ Complaints to a Dealer Member
  • Internal Investigations
  • External Reviews and Investigations
  • Civil and Criminal Proceedings

How to prepare

Work through the topics, read the explanation after each answer, and revisit the areas where you miss questions. Use the official outline and reference materials below to guide your study.

These independent practice questions are not actual exam items and do not guarantee a passing result.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources and references

• CSI — PDO Curriculum

  What is the course syllabus?

• CSI — PDO Exam & Credits

  What is the PDO exam weighting?

• CSI — PDO Exam & Credits

  What is the PDO exam structure?

• CSI — PDO Enrol

  Course Formats

• CSI — Fees

  Exams, second and subsequent attempts

Confirm current exam arrangements with the exam provider.