A practical Conduct & Practices Handbook (CPH) study plan: 30-day intensive, 60-day balanced, and 90-day part-time schedules aligned to CSI’s chapters and exam weightings.
CPH prep improves fastest when you train the “what should I do next?” muscle.
Use one repeatable loop:
Read → turn it into “rules” → drill scenarios → review misses → repeat.
CSI lists 40 – 55 hours of study for CPH. Here’s a practical translation into a timeline:
| Weekly study time | Timeline | Total hours (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 12–15 hrs/week | 30 days | 48–60 |
| 6–8 hrs/week | 60 days | 48–64 |
| 4–5 hrs/week | 90 days | 48–60 |
| Week | Chapters / topics | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ch. 1–3 (Ethics + regulatory framework) | Build “first action” rules; drill ethics + framework questions. |
| 2 | Ch. 4–5 (Working with clients + account opening) | Create a KYC/update checklist; practice communication + privacy/cyber scenarios. |
| 3 | Ch. 6 (KYP + suitability + advice) | Focus on “fit vs client constraints”; write 1–2 sentence suitability rationales. |
| 4 | Ch. 7–9 (Trading + account maintenance + integrated case) | Drill prohibited activities + complaints; finish with mixed sets and review weak areas. |
| Weeks | Chapters / topics | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ch. 1 (Standards of conduct) | Build your conduct “rules of thumb”; drill scenario cues → next action. |
| 2 | Ch. 2 (Ethical decision making) | Practice dilemma framing; write your ethical decision checklist. |
| 3 | Ch. 3 (Regulatory framework + AML basics) | Memorize who/what escalates; drill AML red-flag scenarios. |
| 4 | Ch. 4 (Working with clients) | Drill communications + sales literature; add privacy/cyber do/don’t list. |
| 5 | Ch. 5 (Account opening) | KYC mastery: updates, authority, disclosures, documentation discipline. |
| 6 | Ch. 6 (KYP + suitability + advice) | Product due diligence + suitability: constraints → product fit. |
| 7 | Ch. 7 (Trading + prohibited activities) | Order types + best execution + “stop/escalate/document” situations. |
| 8 | Ch. 8–9 (Maintenance + integration) | Complaints + transfers + margin basics; finish with the integrated case and mixed sets. |
| Weeks | Chapters / topics | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Ch. 1–2 (Ethics + decision making) | Build your rules engine; drill small sets weekly. |
| 3 | Ch. 3 (Framework + AML basics) | Create an escalation map (who to involve, when). |
| 4 | Ch. 4 (Working with clients) | Build safe wording patterns for comms; add privacy/cyber checklist. |
| 5 | Ch. 5 (Account opening) | Master KYC completeness + update triggers; drill “missing info” questions. |
| 6–7 | Ch. 6 (Advice + suitability) | Spend extra time here; write “suitable because…” templates. |
| 8 | Ch. 7 (Trading + prohibited activities) | Memorize prohibited practices; do mixed trading sets. |
| 9 | Ch. 8 (Account maintenance) | Complaints + transfers + margin/cash scenarios. |
| 10 | Ch. 9 (Integrated case) | Do case-based review; practice connecting topics. |
| 11–12 | Mixed review | Two mixed sets/week; review misses; tighten your “first action” rules. |
✅ Next: open the Syllabus and begin Topic 1.
Sources: https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/cph/curriculum and https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/cph/exam-credits