Definition of CFA

The CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) is a professional-level qualification awarded by the CFA Institute upon completion of 3 different exams.

The areas covered by the CFA exams include:

• Economics
• Ethics
• Accounting
• Security Analysis

The CFA is widely considered to be one of the hardest professional qualifications to complete, requiring hundreds of hours of study as well as 4 years of financial career experience and a bachelor's degree. It is sometimes seen as a quantative alternative to an MBA and is highly desirable among hedge funds.