The Diploma in Accounting and Finance is a qualification in its own right, designed for students with little or no background in accounting and finance. It would also be an ideal programme if you have some background in accounting and finance and would like to extend your knowledge and understanding in areas of special interest, or if you require a greater depth of knowledge before pursuing postgraduate study.

It is a flexible programme, providing a solid training and foundation in accounting and finance, including mathematical skills for more advanced master’s elective courses. You will be able to both specialise in accounting and finance, and select from a wide range of courses available throughout the School.

This programme is suitable for students with undergraduate degrees in arts, economics, law, business, science and engineering, as well as those with some background in accounting and finance. There is a clear route from the Diploma towards master's level study within the Department, subject to satisfactory performance.

The programme is housed within the Department of Accounting, which is widely recognised throughout Europe for its excellence in accounting and financial management research and education, as well as for its leading role in public policy issues. The interface between accounting and managers, organisations, institutions, public policy and regulatory bodies is a particular teaching and research strength of the Department.

Teaching methods

LSE is internationally recognised for its teaching and research and therefore employs a rich variety of teaching staff with a range of experience and status. Courses may be taught by individual members of faculty, such as lecturers, senior lecturers, readers, associate professors and professors. Many departments now also employ guest teachers and visiting members of staff, LSE teaching fellows and graduate teaching assistants who are usually doctoral research students and in the majority of cases, teach on undergraduate courses only.

Assessment

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It is designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course.

Careers

Our graduates pursue careers across a wide range of sectors, in accounting, corporate finance, equity research, fund management and management consultancy. Companies who have employed recent graduates from the Diploma in Accounting and Finance programme include Barclays Capital, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, HSBC, Mazars, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, PayPal, Simon-Kucher & Partners and Societe Generale.