CEBS study plan
CEBS · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
GBA 1 - Directing Benefits Programs Part 1 (U.S.) / Managing Benefit Plans Part 1 (Canada)
Map Domain 1 into five functional areas: governance, plan design, financing, administration, and compliance.
Define 25 core benefits-management terms in original wording.
Compare at a high level how U.S. and Canadian benefits programs differ in oversight and funding.
Build a one-page concept map linking the five functional areas to common program decisions.
Your checkpoint
Two-page Domain 1 concept map plus a 25-term glossary; score at least 80% on a closed-book terminology self-quiz.
GBA 1 - Directing Benefits Programs Part 1 (U.S.) / Managing Benefit Plans Part 1 (Canada) & GBA 2 - Directing Benefits Programs Part 2 (U.S.) / Managing Benefit Plans Part 2 (Canada)
Analyze 10 plan-design scenarios involving eligibility, enrollment, cost-sharing, and funding.
Solve each scenario by identifying the decision, trade-off, and likely stakeholder impact.
Draft a crossover note showing where Domain 1 concepts feed Domain 2 plan management.
Record every missed judgment in an error log with a corrected rule.
Your checkpoint
Ten written scenario solutions and a one-page Domain 1-to-2 crossover note; error log contains at least five corrected entries.
GBA 2 - Directing Benefits Programs Part 2 (U.S.) / Managing Benefit Plans Part 2 (Canada)
Outline the plan-management cycle from design through vendor selection, implementation, reporting, and renewal.
Compare administrative arrangements for self-funded, fully insured, and hybrid models at a high level.
Identify five performance metrics for cost, utilization, employee experience, compliance, and vendor service.
Create a flowchart of the plan-management cycle with decision points.
Your checkpoint
One-page plan-management flowchart with eight steps, five metrics, and three decision points.
GBA 2 - Directing Benefits Programs Part 2 (U.S.) / Managing Benefit Plans Part 2 (Canada) & GBA/RPA 3 - Strategic Benefits Management (U.S.) / Navigating the Plan Environment (Canada)
Connect benefit plan choices to workforce strategy, total rewards, and retention objectives.
Evaluate a hypothetical plan using cost, utilization, and outcome measures.
Prepare a recommendation memo that states criteria, compares two options, and names trade-offs.
Complete a 40-question mixed set covering Domains 1 and 2.
Your checkpoint
Two-page recommendation memo with three metrics and two trade-offs; score at least 70% on the 40-question mixed set.
GBA/RPA 3 - Strategic Benefits Management (U.S.) / Navigating the Plan Environment (Canada)
Assess economic, regulatory, workforce, and vendor factors that shape benefits strategy.
Build a SWOT analysis for a hypothetical benefits program.
Develop three strategic options with weighted criteria and score each option.
Write a rationale for the highest-scoring option.
Your checkpoint
Strategic options matrix with five weighted criteria, three scored options, and a one-page rationale.
RPA 1 - Directing Retirement Plans Part 1 (U.S.) / Managing Retirement Plans Part 1 (Canada)
Map Domain 4 retirement plan topics into plan types, eligibility, contributions, benefits, funding, and governance.
Compare DB and DC plan mechanics at a high level and note U.S./Canada framework differences.
Calculate eight basic contribution, benefit, and vesting problems showing each step.
Build a formula sheet with assumptions and common traps.
Your checkpoint
Formula sheet plus eight worked calculations; at least seven of eight answers correct.
RPA 2 - Directing Retirement Plans Part 2 (U.S.) / Managing Retirement Plans Part 2 (Canada)
Map Domain 5 topics into funding, investment, communication, compliance, and plan governance.
Analyze how retirement plan design affects cost, risk, and participant outcomes.
Complete 30 practice questions across retirement domains and log every miss.
Summarize the five most frequent error patterns and corrective actions.
Your checkpoint
Thirty-question error log with corrections and a two-page summary of five error patterns.
GBA/RPA 3 - Strategic Benefits Management (U.S.) / Navigating the Plan Environment (Canada) & RPA 2 - Directing Retirement Plans Part 2 (U.S.) / Managing Retirement Plans Part 2 (Canada)
Re-test all five domains with a timed 60-question mixed set.
Review every missed item and write the correct rule in original wording.
Rehearse three short-answer explanations linking strategy, benefits management, and retirement plan outcomes.
Build a final one-page exam-day checklist of formulas, frameworks, and common traps.
Your checkpoint
Timed 60-question mixed set completed with at least 75% score and a corrected error log; one-page checklist.
Milestones
Week 4: Achieve at least 70% on a 40-question mixed Domains 1-2 set and submit the memo and flowchart for self-review.
Week 6: Complete the Domain 4 formula sheet and score at least 7 of 8 on the worked calculation set.
Week 8: Score at least 75% on the timed 60-question mixed set and complete all eight weekly deliverables.