Financial Services - Pathway

At a glance

The Pathway to the MSc in Financial Services is a flexible way for you to master skills critical skills that are aligned to your career plans and that prepare you for tackling complex financial services management challenges.



If you’re an experienced professional who wants to deepen expertise in your chosen career while enhancing your strategic mindset, then this flexible MSc Pathway offers you the very best learning experience and a world-class qualification.



Who is it for?

• The programme is ideal for financial services professionals who are in leadership positions, or who aspire to leadership roles.

• The Pathway to MSc in Financial Services aims to develop expertise in your chosen areas of interest (e.g. Digital, Data, Culture, Risk Management, Retail Banking or Investment Funds) while fostering a strategic perspective to enable you to assess strategic alternatives, identify new growth opportunities, and solve complex problems in financial services.

• The curriculum develops industry specific knowledge and research insights and utilises your practical experience to promote peer learning. An important aspect of the programme is the integration of technical skills and a focus on strategic challenges facing financial institutions to identify opportunities and threats arising in the global marketplace.

• You will critically evaluate the implications of operating in a dynamic business environment and the challenges you face in developing and executing strategies to provide value added products, services and solutions as firms seek to create compelling value propositions to support sustainable competitive advantage.



Award

When you successfully complete this programme you will be awarded a MSc in Financial Services from UCD.

This is a level 9 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Two routes to attaining the MSc:



FIRST A - Graduate Diploma Pathway

Complete one of the three Graduate Diplomas listed in the Programme Structure diagram. Each Graduate Diploma consists of six modules over 18 months (60 ECTS).

You must achieve a minimum 2.2 grade in the Graduate Diploma.

Complete the core programme - Professional Diploma in Strategic Management in Financial Services (30 ECTS)



ROUTE B - Professional Diploma Pathway

Complete three Professional Diplomas (30 ECTS each)

One of these must be the core programme - Professional Diploma in Strategic Management in Financial Services (30 ECTS)

Choose the other two Professional Diplomas from those listed in the Programme Structure diagram.



*Please note:

Ensure that there is no overlap in modules across programmes

Reach the required 90 ECTS credits total

Complete all 90 ECTS credits within seven years to be eligible for the MSc award

Entry Requirements

Those interested in embarking on the Pathway to MSc in Financial Services apply in the first instance for one of the constituent Professional Diploma or Graduate Diploma programmes within the Pathways framework.



The entry requirements to these constituent Graduate Diplomas and Professional Diplomas are in most cases:

• An Honours degree (min 2.2 L8 NFQ)

or

• Admission may also be considered for experienced professionals who do not meet the admission requirements as set out above, where they can demonstrate knowledge through their work i.e. they have more than 5 years’ experience in a management role (to be considered on a case by case basis).



Please note that some of the constituent programmes also have additional admission options (for example, entry to the Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning is open to those who hold an equivalent relevant professional qualification (e.g.) Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA), with three years’ relevant work experience obtained in the banking or financial services industry, Chartered Tax Advisers (CTAs), accountants, solicitors and barristers).

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Professional body membership

You must be a current member of IOB, or become a member, to undertake this programme.

Duration: Varies

• Delivery is online.

• Each 5 ECTS module comprises of up to 18 delivery hours per trimester and each 10 ECTS module comprises of up to 24 delivery hours per trimester.

This programme enrols twice a year. Contact Provider for next start date.

Continuous Professional Development

If you hold an IOB designation or a designation managed by IOB, CPD hours may be awarded on successful completion of this programme.