About the Diploma programme
To be eligible to apply for the Diploma programme, you should have obtained at least an upper second class honours degree from a UK university, or have reached a similar standard with an overseas degree.
The Diploma in Accounting and Finance is a qualification in its own right. It acts as a conversion course for students with little or no background in accounting or finance, such as students with undergraduate degrees in arts, economics, law, business, science, or engineering. It also provides students with some background in accounting and finance the opportunity to extend their knowledge and understanding in areas of special interest within a flexible programme.
Programme details
The programme is deliberately kept small to facilitate the learning experience. The average number of contact hours per week is 12 hours, which includes lectures and seminars. Office hours with teachers and academic advisers are available in addition to this.
For students studying on the Diploma programme there is a clear route towards MSc level study within the Department, subject to satisfactory performance. Those Diploma students who wish to apply for the MSc Accounting and Finance in the following year will not ordinarily be required to submit a GMAT test with their application.
Given the high competition for places on this programme, applicants who indicate an interest in the Diploma in Accounting and Finance specifically as their first choice will maximise their prospect of admission to the programme. Equally, candidates should note the differentiated nature of the graduate programmes in the Department of Accounting, and are advised to identify their first choice accordingly.
Compulsory courses
(* half unit)
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Principles of Finance, which examines the theory of financial decision-making by firms and examines the behaviour of the capital markets in which these decisions are taken or Corporate Finance, Investments and Financial Markets†, which covers topics in corporate finance, investments and performance evaluation and international finance or Quantitative Finance†, which looks at financial risk analysis and financial risk management.
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Either Managerial Accounting, which analyses the roles and applications of management accounting practices and concepts in contemporary organisations and enterprises or Financial Accounting, Analysis and Valuation, which addresses the theory and practice of financial reporting or both Management Accounting, Decisions and Control*, which provides an introduction to issues of accounting information and cost management, managerial decision-making and performance management, and Financial Accounting, Reporting and Disclosure*, which delivers an introduction to financial accounting, and highlights aspects of reporting that are important to users of financial information.
† By special permission
Students will be expected to choose any courses available from departments around the School to a total of two full units, subject to the approval of the Programme Director and, where applicable, permission from the course leader.
You can find the most up-to-date list of optional courses for Diploma in Accounting and Finance in the Programme Regulations section of the current School Calendar.
You must note however that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, some circumstances may cause the School to subsequently change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to circumstances outside of its control. You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee places on its courses. You should visit the School's Calendar, or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the Updated graduate course and programme information page.
Graduate destinations
Our graduates pursue careers across a wide range of sectors, in accounting, corporate finance, equity research, fund management and management consultancy. Companies who have employed recent graduates from the Diploma in Accounting and Finance programme include Barclays Capital, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, HSBC, Mazars, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, PayPal, Simon-Kucher & Partners and Société Générale. Many leading organisations make careers presentations at the School during the year.