GIA Cert Governance Foundations study plan
GIA Cert Governance Foundations · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Governance Fundamentals and Frameworks
Define corporate governance and distinguish it from management, then map the principal-agent problem onto a company you know.
Compare the shareholder, stakeholder, and stewardship models and state which assumptions each makes about board purpose.
Outline the main governance codes and frameworks (principles-based versus rules-based) and explain how comply-or-explain differs from prescriptive regulation.
Build a one-page glossary of 25 core governance terms with a plain-language definition for each.
Your checkpoint
A one-page governance frameworks comparison table covering at least four models or codes, with a 150-word note on which fits a listed-company context and why.
Governance Fundamentals and Frameworks & Board Structure, Roles and Responsibilities
Explain how separation of ownership and control creates agency costs and list three mechanisms boards use to reduce them.
Distinguish the roles of chair, CEO, senior independent director, company secretary, and committee chairs.
Differentiate executive, non-executive, and independent directors and justify why independence ratios matter.
Draft the agenda and typical decisions for a board meeting versus a board committee meeting.
Your checkpoint
A board role-map diagram or table assigning decision rights across the full board, audit committee, and management for ten sample decisions.
Board Structure, Roles and Responsibilities
Describe how board composition, diversity, and skills matrices are used to plan succession and refreshment.
Explain the purpose and mechanics of board and director performance evaluations, including external facilitation.
Summarize director duties of care and loyalty and apply them to two short conflict-of-interest scenarios.
Outline a board induction and continuing-education programme with concrete content.
Your checkpoint
A two-page board effectiveness evaluation template with at least twelve rated criteria and a scoring summary section.
Risk Governance and Internal Controls
Define risk appetite and risk tolerance and show how each is expressed in a board-approved statement.
Compare the three lines model and assign responsibilities for risk ownership, oversight, and independent assurance.
Distinguish inherent, residual, and target risk and explain how risk registers record each.
Identify the components of an internal control system and classify ten sample controls as preventive or detective.
Your checkpoint
A risk register extract with eight risks, each scored on likelihood and impact, with owner, existing controls, and residual rating.
Risk Governance and Internal Controls & Regulatory Compliance and Ethical Conduct
Explain the purpose and limits of the external audit and how auditor independence is safeguarded.
Describe how internal audit charters, reporting lines, and scope support objective assurance.
Map the compliance universe for a listed company into at least six regulatory categories with an owner for each.
Apply a code of conduct and whistleblowing policy to three ethical dilemma scenarios and justify the recommended action.
Your checkpoint
A one-page compliance obligations map listing at least six regulatory areas, the responsible function, and the reporting frequency to the board.
Regulatory Compliance and Ethical Conduct & Stakeholder Accountability and Transparency
Explain how materiality is judged for disclosure and distinguish mandatory reporting from voluntary reporting.
Identify the audiences for corporate reporting and the information each stakeholder group prioritizes.
Describe how shareholder engagement, general meetings, and proxy voting create accountability.
Outline the governance content of an annual report, including the governance statement and committee reports.
Your checkpoint
A stakeholder accountability matrix matching five stakeholder groups to their information needs, engagement channel, and escalation route.
Audit, Assurance and Performance Monitoring & Governance in Practice: Policies, Processes and Reporting
Design a board reporting pack structure with the sections, metrics, and dashboards a board needs each quarter.
Distinguish internal audit, external audit, and regulatory review by scope, independence, and output.
Explain how key performance and key risk indicators are selected, baselined, and monitored over time.
Draft a governance policy outline covering delegation of authority, conflicts of interest, and board reserved matters.
Your checkpoint
A one-page quarterly board dashboard mock-up with at least eight indicators, their targets, and a red/amber/green status column.
Governance Fundamentals and Frameworks & Board Structure, Roles and Responsibilities & Risk Governance and Internal Controls & Regulatory Compliance and Ethical Conduct & Stakeholder Accountability and Transparency & Audit, Assurance and Performance Monitoring & Governance in Practice: Policies, Processes and Reporting
Consolidate all seven domains into a single revision sheet of 40 key definitions and linkages.
Complete two timed mixed-domain practice sets and log every missed question by domain and error type.
Re-teach the three weakest sub-topics aloud or in writing without notes to confirm recall.
Assemble a personal exam-day strategy covering question triage, time per item, and flagging rules.
Your checkpoint
A scored two-set practice log with a domain-by-domain accuracy table and a written remediation list for any domain below 70 percent.
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain agency costs and name five board mechanisms that mitigate them without notes, and can assign decision rights correctly for at least eight of ten sample decisions.
Week 4: Scores at least 70 percent on a self-made 20-question set covering domains 1 to 3, and the risk register deliverable is complete with all eight risks scored and owned.
Week 6: Scores at least 70 percent on a mixed set covering domains 1 to 5, and can state the difference between mandatory and voluntary disclosure with two worked examples.
Week 8: Scores at least 75 percent on both timed practice sets, with no single domain below 65 percent and a written remediation list completed.