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Graduate Diploma in Finance/ Graduate Diploma in Finance with Pre-Sessional English

Academic Year 2021/22

A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be registered. All programmes of the University are subject to the University's Quality Assurance processes. All degrees are awarded by Queen's University Belfast.

Programme Title

Graduate Diploma in Finance/ Graduate Diploma in Finance with Pre-Sessional English

Final Award
(exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes)

Graduate Diploma

Programme Code

NTO-GD-FIN

UCAS Code

HECoS Code

100107

ATAS Clearance Required

Mode of Study

Full Time

Type of Programme

Postgraduate

Length of Programme

1 Academic Year(s)

Total Credits for Programme

120

Exit Awards available

INSTITUTE INFORMATION

Teaching Institution	INTO Queen's
School/Department	INTO
Quality Code https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code Higher Education Credit Framework for England https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/higher-education-credit-framework-for-england	Level 6
Subject Benchmark Statements https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/qualifications-frameworks.pdf
Accreditations (PSRB)
The British Council	Date of most recent Accreditation Visit 11-05-18

REGULATION INFORMATION

Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations
(Please see General Regulations)

None.

Programme Specific Regulations

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
English Language Requirement:
For the Graduate Diploma in Finance, candidates will normally be required to have an English Language test score, taken within the last two years, of IELTS 5.5 or equivalent, with a minimum of 5.5 in all subskills.
For the Graduate Diploma in Finance with Pre-Sessional English candidates will normally be required to have an English Language test score, taken within the last two years, of IELTS 5.0 or equivalent, with a minimum of 5.0 in all sub skills
NB. Students who require a Tier 4 visa to study on the programme must comply with UK Visas and Immigration requirements and hold a Secure English Language Test (SELT) at CEFR Level B1 or above with a minimum of B1 in all components, reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Academic Requirement:
Completed first degree with minimum classification specified by country.
Minimum equivalent of GCSE Grade C in Maths for all students. For the Finance Pathway, students must have achieved minimal grades of 70% in either statistics, mathematics, finance or calculus.
Additional conditions may attach to certain progression pathways and potential applicants are advised to check with University Admissions before applying.
Entrance requirements are kept under review and are subject to change.
Applicants are advised to check the latest information online at;
http://www.intostudy.com/en-gb/universities/queens-university-belfast/courses

There will be two intakes each academic year, in September and in January.

Award:
To be eligible for the award, all students must take and satisfactorily complete (pass) all academic subject modules to the value of 80 CATS points.
Students must also satisfactorily complete (pass) the English Language and Study Skills (ELSS) Module (40 CATS points).

The pass mark for all academic modules is 40%.

The pass mark for the ELSS module is 50% overall (IELTS 6.0), with a minimum of 40% in each sub-skill (IELTS 5.5).

The ELSS module is assessed using an INTO ELSS examination (benchmarked against CEFR and IELTS).
Results are reported as a percentage with 35-39% being equivalent to IELTS 5.0, 40 -49% equivalent to IELTS 5.5; 50-59% equivalent to IELTS 6.0, 60-69% equivalent to IELTS 6.5, etc.
N.B. Students following the Graduate Diploma with Pre-Sessional English must take and satisfactorily complete one term of Pre-Sessional English before taking any of the academic subject modules.

Re-sits:
A student who fails a module at the first sitting shall be permitted one further attempt to achieve a pass for that module. The module will normally be retaken at the next available opportunity.
Where the module is a specified pathway module (and therefore essential to student progression) the pass mark is 50%. In such cases, eligibility to re-sit the module is determined by a first mark lower than 50% and any re-sit mark is capped at 50%. With such modules, the progression mark becomes the de facto pass mark.
The ELSS resit mark is not capped.
Students who fail any module at the second attempt will be reviewed and may be required to withdraw from the programme.

Progression:
Holders of the Graduate Diploma may progress to study graduate degrees at Queen’s University only if they have achieved, as a minimum requirement, the level of performance across all academic modules and the ELSS module as specified in the following progression requirements:

Overall:
Minimum of 60% overall final grade average with no academic module score less than 50%.

English Language Module:
Minimum of 60% overall (equivalent to IELTS 6.5) with minimum of 40% (equivalent to IELTS 5.5) in all components.

Students on the Graduate Diploma in Finance with Pre-Sessional English must achieve a minimum of IELTS 5.5 overall with no sub-skill below 5.5 before proceeding to study further English Language and subject modules.

Students with protected characteristics

None.

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF PROGRAMME

The specific objectives of the programme are to:

1. Prepare graduates of the programme for further study in a range of finance and other related disciplines at Masters level. Emphasis will be placed on the integration of ELSS teaching across the programme.

2. Equip students with the critical writing and oral communications skills appropriate for work at Masters level in finance and other related disciplines.

3. Provide effective systems of learning, academic guidance and pastoral support to encourage the academic, intellectual and personal development of students.

4. Develop students’ skills in problem solving, decision-making, critical thinking, team working and interaction including planning, managing priorities, managing time and negotiating.

5. Equip students with the skills necessary to critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise business, finance and other information from a wide variety of sources.

6. Provide the opportunity for students to formulate business, finance and other ideas and concepts independently and to communicate them in a clear and supported manner.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

1. Problem solve through the application of synthetic and analytic logical reasoning.
2. Independently enquire, critically evaluate and interpret, utilising peer reviewed journals.
3. Demonstrate the ability to use general, academic, and interdisciplinary databases to identify key sources, scholarly and peer reviewed publications.
4. Self-assess and reflect, work with personal tutors and drawing on the content of the individual learning log.
5. Understand the relationship between argument and evidence.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Cognitive skills are developed across first and second term modules and focus particularly on problem solving and logical reasoning. Independent enquiry, critical evaluation and interpretation, abstraction and assimilation are key elements in all modules. Self- assessment and reflection are developed by formative feedback particularly on tutorial presentations.

Methods of Assessment

Assessment of cognitive skills, both summative and formative, occurs in the form of course assignments, oral presentations, project work and examinations.

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

1. Construct arguments and exercise problem solving skills.
2. Apply critical reasoning and evaluate case studies against core theories.
3. Synthesise information/data from a variety of sources including from databases, books, journal articles and the Internet.
4. Prepare and communicate ideas in both written and presentational forms.
5. Work both independently and in groups.
6. Organise and manage time as well as problem solving and critical analysis.
7. Comprehend and use relevant technologies.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Transferable skills development permeates the teaching and learning on the graduate diploma programme. Successful completion of coursework requires students to draw upon a range of sources, select and assimilate relevant information and to complete tasks within deadlines. ICT skills are consolidated throughout the course as an aid to report writing, visual presentation, literature searching and data handling. Although not formally assessed, qualities such as self-reliance, good time management and the ability to undertake independent study are fostered and encouraged throughout the course.

Methods of Assessment

Assessment of coursework requires students to use a range of media (e.g. critiques of journal articles, essays, PowerPoint or similar presentations, case studies) to demonstrate their learning.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

1. Critically understand the financial and economic environment in which organisations must operate and the basic conceptual underpinnings and fundamental principles of microeconomics.
2. Understand management and cost accounting and how accounting information is used to assist short-term and long-term decision making.
3. Appreciate markets and financial institutions and corporate governance as well as the risks and constraints in constructing portfolios to meet financial objectives.
4. Use statistical concepts and methods of data analysis commonly applied in business and finance.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Knowledge-based subject-specific learning and teaching is provided through lectures, seminars, tutorials, group work, directed reading, independent learning activities and computer-based learning materials.

Students’ knowledge and understanding will be assessed through a combination of unseen examinations, formal essays, class tests, individual and group projects, as well as individual and group oral presentations. Tutor moderated peer-informed assessment will contribute to the assessment of group work components

Methods of Assessment

Both summative and formative assessment is used throughout all modules.
Summative assessment takes a variety of forms. In several modules formal examinations are used to gauge and asses understanding and the acquisition of knowledge. Work required for summative assessment (whether in the form of examinations, individual essays, individual or group presentations) will be judged against the Level 3 criteria in the University’s published conceptual equivalents scale.

Formative assessment will take three main forms; (i) weekly assignments in most of the modules aimed at promoting subject-specific understanding, logic, accurate written and (where required) graphical representation of information, and good presentation (ii) frequent and regular discussion of key theories and academic readings to develop understanding, logical argument and critical assessment and (iii) timely feedback on the content and performance of student presentations

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

1. Investigate, critically assess and present complex data and information sources as they relate to the financial sector.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, tutorials.

Methods of Assessment

Examination, coursework, recorded presentations (individual and group)

MODULE INFORMATION

Stages and Modules

Module Title	Module Code	Level/ stage	Credits	Availability		Duration	Pre-requisite			Assessment
				S1	S2			Core	Option	Coursework %	Practical %	Examination %
English Language and Study Skills	NTO3001	1	40	YES	YES	24 weeks	N	YES		40%	0%	60%
Financial and Economic Strategy	NTO3006	1	20	YES	YES	12 weeks	N	YES		35%	0%	65%
Accounting for Financial Management	NTO3007	1	20	YES	YES	12 weeks	N	YES		35%	0%	65%
Financial Econometrics	NTO3008	1	20	YES	YES	12 weeks	N	YES		40%	0%	60%
Financial Market Theory and Investment Analysis	NTO3009	1	20	YES	YES	12 weeks	N	YES		40%	0%	60%

Notes

Please note that the British Council accredits the ELSS module for this programme.