Why Should I study the Certificate & Diploma in Financial Studies?
The Certificate course aims to equip you with the vital life skills in financial awareness. It empowers individuals to make informed and confident decisions when managing their finances. You will learn how to manage your money effectively and about financial products such as credit cards, loans, mortgages and pensions. This is a very topical course providing you with an awareness of important issues like debt and debt management. It has a progression to a diploma which is equivalent to a full A-Level.
What will I study?
Certificate in Financial Studies
Unit 1: Why Money Matters
Unit 2: Risk and Reward
Unit 3: Making Judgements
This will enable you to:
- Appreciate the benefits that can be derived from financial services products and how these can contribute to achieving your personal aspirations.
- Understand the concept of ‘money’ in all its forms, and how its value is subject to time and circumstance
- Develop an awareness of risk and regard, and the obligations associated with different financial solutions
- Understand the scope of the financial services industry and how it impacts upon the individual
- Appreciate how different external factors impact upon the individual directly, and indirectly.
Diploma in Financial Studies
Unit 1: Financing the Future
Unit 2: Financial Services – The Providers’ Perspective
Unit 3: Enhancing Financial Capacity
This will enable you to:
- Understand financial product types and mixes available to the individual and assess their suitability and affordability to support a personal financial plan
- Understand the wider financial environment, its key impacting factors and its application to a variety of different groups of people from a variety of cultures and at different stages in their life-cycle
- Appreciate a financial provider’s perspective and how they develop products to suit different customer groups and be able to analyse this approach
- Develop an in-depth understanding of financial products, how they will suit different individuals and how providers retain and attract customers to them
- Appreciate the factors that will influence and change the financial marketplace and be able to explain the benefits of an efficient and effective financial services industry.
What are the entry requirements?
Normal college entry requirements plus GCSE Maths grade C would be an advantage.
What skills do I need?
- An interest in how to manage your money and how money impacts on your life choices
- An ability to research and analyse information
- The ability to handle simple numerical problems
How will I be taught?
A range of teaching methods are used including videos, worksheets, group work and online assessments.
You will build up a portfolio of information during the course based on your research using the Internet and other sources.
How is the course assessed?
For the Certificate and Diploma Units 1 and 2 are examined by multiple choice questions. Unit 3 is a written examination based on an unseen case study.
You must pass all units to complete the course.
What will this course prepare me for?
You can progress onto careers in any profession as the course will help you to make financial decisions about your future career, going to University taking a gap year etc.
If you are interested in a career in the financial services market you will find this course invaluable.
Private Study
As an approximate guideline AS subjects require 3-4 hrs of independent study each; A2 subjects 4-5 hrs each and GCSE subjects 2 hrs each.
What materials will I need to purchase?
Not applicable.
Examining Board
IFS
Financial Studies is for you if
You are interested in finding out about your own personal finance and financial institutions like banks and insurance companies.
Financial Studies is not for you if
You want to study how to set up a business and how businesses work.
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