Economics

You complete four full courses (or equivalent) to complete the diploma.

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• Download the Programme Specification
• View the Programme Regulations

This programme has one intake date per year: November. 

Study at a Recognised Teaching Centre

This programme is only available to study at a Recognised Teaching Centre and cannot be studied independently.

If you prefer to study independently, a selection of programmes with academic direction from the London School of Economics are available to study fully supported online.

Study materials

Your study materials are available through the Student Portal and are specially written by academics appointed by LSE. These include a Student Guide and the programme handbook; online course materials for each course studied; past examination papers and examiners’ commentaries; and Programme Regulations containing full details of syllabuses, programme structures and degree classification criteria.

Online support

When you register, we will give you access to your Student Portal. You can then access your University of London email account and other key resources:

• The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Here, you can access electronic copies of all printed study materials, resources including audio-visual and revision guides, and forums to discuss course material and work collaboratively with others.
• The Online Library holds thousands of journal articles which you can access free of charge. A dedicated helpdesk is available if you have any difficulties in finding what you need.

Student Support

We are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience for all of our students, regardless of which of our programmes you are studying and whether you are studying independently or with a Recognised Teaching Centre.

You will have access to support through:

• The Student Advice Centre – provides support for application and Student Portal queries.
• TalkCampus – a peer support service that offers a safe and confidential way to talk about whatever is on your mind at any time of day or night.

Assessment

Each module is assessed by an unseen written exam, which is usually held in May or June. You can sit your exams at any approved centre around the world. These centres charge a fee for hosting the exams.

Your exam is set and assessed by academics at LSE, ensuring that your degree is of the same standard as those studying on-campus in London.

More about exams.

For access to this Graduate Diploma, you will need one of the following:

• An acceptable Bachelor's degree, either in a quantitative subject or where you have passed at least 2 courses in satisfactory mathematical subjects.
• An acceptable Master's degree (or any other appropriately accredited Level 7 award) of at least 1 year full-time duration, either in a quantitative subject or with at least 1 course in a satisfactory mathematical subject.
• An acceptable Level 5 or Level 6 award (e.g. HND or Graduate Certificate) of at least 1 year full-time duration, either in a quantitative subject or with at least 2 courses in satisfactory mathematical subjects. You also need at least 2 years' relevant work experience.

Quantitative subjects

Acceptable quantitative degree/award titles include: Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Finance, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology, Quantitative Management, Quantitative Finance, and Social Sciences with Quantitative Methods or Statistics.

Mathematical subjects

Satisfactory mathematical subjects include: Algebra, Algorithms, Business Mathematics, Business Statistics, Calculus, Computer Mathematics, Differentials, Engineering Mathematics, Geometry, Mathematics, Quantitative Methods, Quantitative Techniques, Statistics or Trigonometry.

If you hold qualifications in subjects other than those listed, contact us for advice on eligibility before you apply online.

English Language requirements

You need to demonstrate a good level of English to be admitted to our programmes. We accept a range of evidence, including proficiency test scores. If you don’t have evidence but believe you can meet the standard, we may consider your case.

Do I meet the language requirements?

Computer requirements

We set minimum basic computer requirements because your study resources are accessed via the Student Portal and it is vital that you can access this regularly. For this degree, you will also need Adobe Flash Player to view video material and a media player (such as VLC) to play video files.

More about computer requirements.

The fees below relate to new students registering for the 2022-2023 session, and are effective from 25 January 2022. These may be increased by up to 7% per annum.

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More about programme fees

*The online examination administration fee is charged for each examination paper held online, including resits. This does not apply to any coursework submissions. This fee will be charged at the point of exam entry and is in addition to the exam entry fee listed above.

Additional Costs

You will also need to budget for:

• Textbooks (could extend to around £300 per year)
• Teaching centre tuition costs
• Exam centre fees, which are paid directly to the venues where you sit your exams.

We accept most traditional payment methods, including debit/credit card, international money order, and Western Union.

How to pay your fees

Please note: all student fees shown are net of any local VAT, Goods and Services Tax (GST) or any other sales tax payable by the student in their country of residence. Where the University is required to add VAT, GST or any other sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the fees shown during the payment process. For students resident in the UK, our fees are exempt from VAT.

Further information on Sales Tax

Your payment provider may apply additional transaction fees (if in doubt, please check with them before making a payment).

Further information about fee payment options can be found in the “How to pay your fees” link above.

This programme is only available to study at a Recognised Teaching Centre and cannot be studied independently. Before you apply for this programme with University of London, you should contact your Recognised Teaching Centre of choice for advice on application/admission requirements, including any additional requirements that the teaching centre might have.

Once the Recognised Teaching Centre is happy to offer you a place in principle, they will provide you with an Application Validation Code (AVC) to be used to complete your University of London application. Please remember that any Recognised Teaching Centre offer is subject to formal University of London approval. This will be in the form of you receiving an offer from your University of London application. Your Recognised Teaching Centre can contact University of London on your behalf for eligibility advice, prior to you submitting a formal online application.

This diploma will help to prepare you for careers in economics, politics, regulation, and financial management if your first degree is in a different field. It could also help you to gain entry to master’s programmes in this field.

Graduate Diplomas will help you to question and analyse information, develop arguments, and boost your analytical and communication skills – all of which are valued by a broad range of employers.

What do employers think of our graduates?

In some countries, qualifications earned by distance and flexible learning may not be recognised by certain authorities or regulators for the purposes of public sector employment or further study. We advise you to explore the local recognition status before you register, even if you plan to receive support from a local teaching institution.

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) provides academic direction for this programme. LSE is regarded as an international centre of academic excellence and innovation in the social sciences.

Academic Co-ordinator

Dr Marcia Schafgans is an Associate Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at LSE, specialising in microeconometrics and Semiparametric and Nonparametric Estimation techniques. She received her PhD in Economics from Yale University. She is an Econometrics Programme Associate for STICERD (the Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines).

Without the cost of moving to London, studying for your University of London diploma anywhere in the world represents excellent value for money. However, there may be additional sources of support depending on where you live.

More on funding your study.

About the LSE Summer School

LSE’s Summer School is the most well-established and the largest of its kind in the whole of Europe, with over 80 academically rigorous courses on offer. Each year over 6,000 students from 120 nations study at the LSE campus in the heart of Central London.

Courses are taught by LSE faculty and complement the content of this degree. If you complete two Summer School courses you may be able to earn credit equivalent to one course on the degree. As a student on this programme you will receive a 15% discount on tuition fees to attend the LSE Summer School.

Full details and how to apply are available on the LSE Summer School website.