Who is it for?

The Diploma in Economics for External students is for you if

• You don't satisfy the entrance requirements for the degrees
• You have the maturity, ability and motivation to study at degree level
• You prefer a taught course
• You have a college with permission to teach near you.

You should also consider the Diploma even if you do satisfy the entrance requirements, but would like to obtain a qualification after one year, or would prefer a course with more teaching support.

What subjects can you study?

Diploma students take four units (over one year full time or two years part time). Students who pass three or four units can transfer to the second year of a degree programme and complete their degree in (a minimum) of two further years.

Note: this information is intended for use by prospective students as a guide. The structure shown above is subject to confirmation in the 2006/7 Regulations. The Regulations also contain full details on the rules that govern the choice of any unit. 

1. Introduction to economics
2. Statistics 1 and Mathematics 1 or Statistics 1 and Statistics 2 or Statistics 1 and Introduction to Programming.

3. and 4. Two of the following:

Either Mathematics 1 and Mathematics 2^*
Or Principles of banking and finance 
Or Principles of accounting
Or Introduction to information systems
Or Introduction to business and management

Economic history in the 20th century
Principles of sociology
Introduction to international relations
Human geography
Democratic politics and the state

^* students may not offer Statistics 1 and Mathematics 1 as compulsory units and Mathematics 1 and Mathematics 2 as optional units.

What are the entrance requirements?

To be accepted onto the Diploma programme you need

• To be aged 18 or over before 31st December in the year of registration and
• To be admitted to a full or part time course of instruction at an institution that is permitted to teach the Diploma

Transferring to a degree

Students who pass the Diploma may transfer to one of the degrees for External students in the fields of Economics, Management, Finance and the Social Sciences, with credit for up to four units (depending on the degree concerned and the subjects passed at the Diploma). It is then possible to complete the degree in a further 2 years.

For those who pass with very high marks, there are at least 24 universities in the UK, including LSE, that will consider you for entry into the second year.

Studying at an institution

The Diploma is a taught programme and you must attend a college that has been granted permission to teach the Diploma by LSE. Click here to see if there is a Diploma college in your area: Institutions With Permission To Teach The Diploma