Question 1Internal audit strategy and stakeholder expectations
A utility's internal audit strategy calls for wide use of data analytics within two years, but no current auditor has analytics skills. What should the resource plan include?
What Part 3 covers
Part 3, Internal Audit Function, has four sections. Engagement Results and Monitoring, at 45% of the exam, followed by internal audit operations at 25%.
| Questions | 100, multiple choice |
|---|---|
| Time | 120 minutes (2 hours) |
| Where | Pearson VUE test centers |
| Passing score | 600 on a 250 to 750 scale |
The sections and their weights
| Section | Weight | Questions in our mocks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Internal Audit Operations | 25% | about 25 |
| 2. Internal Audit Plan | 15% | about 15 |
| 3. Quality of the Internal Audit Function | 15% | about 15 |
| 4. Engagement Results and Monitoring | 45% | about 45 |
What each section includes
- Internal audit operations: methodologies, financial, human and technology resources, the internal audit strategy, and relationships with the board and senior management.
- Internal audit plan: sources of potential engagements, the risk-based plan and how it is updated, and coordination with other assurance providers.
- Quality of the internal audit function: the quality assurance and improvement program, internal and external assessments, conformance and performance measures.
- Engagement results and monitoring: communicating results, recommendations and action plans, the final report, residual risk, risk acceptance, monitoring and escalation.
Where the syllabus comes from
The sections and weights are from the Part 3 expanded test specifications (version V2.09.2024), published on the CIA syllabus page for the 2025 syllabus.
Try 4 questions
Question 2Coordination and reliance on other assurance providers
Internal audit wants to rely on testing performed by an energy company's risk management function. The function's staff are competent and reasonably objective. What further step best supports reliance?
Question 3Conformance claims and disclosing nonconformance
An external quality assessment concludes that a telecom company's internal audit function does not conform with the requirements on engagement planning. What should the chief audit executive do?
Question 4Communicating engagement results and ratings
During an engagement on a hospital's agency staffing costs, the finance director refuses to provide the supplier contracts the auditors need to test billing rates. The auditors cannot complete that objective. How should this be handled in the final communication?
Next step
Questions people ask
Which Part 3 section is the largest?
Engagement Results and Monitoring, at 45% of the exam, followed by internal audit operations at 25%.
Which syllabus does Part 3 follow?
The 2025 syllabus. The Part 3 expanded test specifications are version V2.09.2024.
What does Part 3 cost to sit?
$280 for members of The IIA and $415 for non-members, on the CIA page. Every fee is non-refundable.