Centre for Financial and Management Studies

Postgraduate Certificate in Public Financial Management (Distance Learning)

Key information

Duration
1-years (Max. 3-years)
Start of programme
October / January / April / June
Attendance mode
Distance learning (part-time)
Fees

PGCert: £3,640

Course code
OLTF0028
Entry requirements

You should have a recognised UK Bachelor's degree, or international equivalent, in a social science discipline. Qualifications in other subjects will be assessed on their merits. Your application may be considered if you have previous education and experience, equivalent to a degree-level qualification, which includes suitable preliminary training. All international applicants must be able to show that their English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete their course at SOAS. 

See distance learning English requirements

Course overview

Organisations need managers with a thorough understanding of public finance so that they can make financial decisions and design and operate financial systems for collecting, spending and accounting for public expenditure.

Depending on which options you choose, this programme will enable you to make decisions about investment projects, when and how to use privatisation and public-private partnerships, and how to manage the financial relationships between national and sub-national governments.

Why study PGCert Public Financial Management at SOAS?

  • SOAS is ranked 38th in the UK for Accounting and Finance (Complete University Guide 2023).
  • We're ranked 6th in UK for graduate employability (QS World University Rankings 2023).
  • Interact with talented students, renowned academics, influential business leaders and top policy makers from around the world.
  • We are specialists in the delivery of more that 40 African and Asian languages. As the economies of the Global South continue to expand, knowledge of another language and other cultures will be a big asset in the world of commerce and international trade.

If you have any further questions about the overall programme content and its suitability for you, please email dladmissions@soas.ac.uk.

How to apply

Please read our online and distance learning how to apply guidance, and use our online form to submit your application directly to us for consideration.

Structure

You can study any two of the following modules:

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes. However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Teaching and learning

The programme takes a minimum of 1-year to complete. Each module lasts 10 weeks. You are registered for a maximum of 3 years.

Key dates and calendar

To find out when a particular module is running, please view the study calendar on each individual module page.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees 2022/23 

PG Cert (2 modules)
£3,640

Fees are inclusive of all required resources. Whilst we incorporate all of the costs into your module fees, depending on your country of residence, you may incur local costs such as: fees paid to local examination centres for sitting your examinations.

Fees may increase each year, therefore may be higher in subsequent years of study. See online and distance learning fees for further information.

Pay as you learn

Our distance learning programmes can be paid in full at the time of enrolment (thus avoiding any subsequent rise in fees).or on a pay-as-you-learn basis. Pay as you learn means you only pay for the module you are enrolling on. 

Employment

Students of this programme will receive an invaluable preparation for high level appointments in government, public services, international organisations and NGOs.