Centre for Financial & Management Studies (CeFiMS) - University of London

Postgraduate Diploma in Economic Principles

The academic direction of this degree is undertaken by The Centre for Financial and Management Studies (CeFiMS), at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Is this programme for me?

This Postgraduate Diploma provides a thorough understanding of the economic principles of market economies and the basic quantitative techniques economists use for analysing them. It is suitable for those who have a good first degree but no previous formal training in mathematics, statistics and economics.

Programme aims

• provides the sound grounding in economics that is needed by high achieving staff in banks, fund management institutions, governments, public services, international organisations and NGOs

• offers a valuable entry route to the MSc programmes in Financial Economics and Financial Management.

Programme summary

	You study	Study period	Cost
PG Diploma	4 courses	1-5 years	£4,665
Individual Professional Courses	IPCs offer people in the financial and management sector an effective form of flexible professional education. It is also an ideal option if you're keen to sample the programme. The fee per course is £1,040.

Prestige

The programme has been developed by academics at the Centre for Financial and Management Studies (CeFiMS), a postgraduate research and teaching department within SOAS, University of London. Staff at CeFiMS have international reputations and are involved in researching their subjects at the very limits of current knowledge.

Comprehensive study materials and support

You will be sent all the study materials that you need to complete the programme, which may typically include:

• A core text specially written for the course. This is the backbone of the course and is comparable to a series of lecures. It is organised into eight study units, each of which lasts one week.

• Textbooks and collections of readings.

• Online and multimedia tools. Some courses provide video lectures on DVD. These expand on issues that have been raised in the course and relate the material to 'real world' examples. The Online Study Centre (OSC) provides instant access to course materials and also offers academic, administrative and technical support.

• A study calendar for each course to help you organize your time. This sets out a schedule for coursework and assignment deadlines.

• A Student Handbook explaining the nature of distance learning and the specific character of the programme. The University also send you a Study Skills textbook and an audio CD that offers tips on effective distance learning.

Your time commitment

This will depend partly on choices you make, but most students take three years to complete the Postgraduate Diploma. The study calendar consists of five sessions per year. Each session is devoted to a specific course and lasts eight weeks (with the exception of the fifth session which runs for 10 weeks). During each session you will need to allocate between 15-20 hours per week to complete the programme.

Summary of key dates

Application deadline	19 November 2007 for a January 2008 start	31 March 2008 for a June 2008 start
Enrolment deadline	17 December 2007 for a January 2008 start	6 May 2008 for a June 2008 start
Programme starts	January 2008	June 2008
Examinations	October