Diploma in Financial Management (2024)

Course Overview

Do you enjoy working with numbers?

Are you someone who would like to attain management positions within accounting firms and finance departments of public and private companies?

This future-focused course explores the complex challenges of the financial decision-making process and provides students with the functions and ability to effectively overcome these issues.

Students learn to make better financial decisions and achieve higher levels of profitability for their companies — making them highly sought-after employees.

The Diploma in Financial Management equips students with an all-around, well-developed financial management mindset and the necessary capabilities to pave their way to highly lucrative local and international careers.

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Objectives

  • Teaches students financial principles of accountability, cost-effectiveness, and value for money so they can make sound financial decisions.
  • Delivers fundamental skills to prepare financial statements using relevant information and accounting techniques.
  • Equips students with essential communication and leadership skills to be great managers.
  • Provides students with an understanding of general legal frameworks and the knowledge to apply specific legal principles relating to business, including taxation applicable to individuals, companies, and groups of companies.
  • Gives students the expertise to conduct financial planning and reporting processes.
  • Teaches students financial management terminology and concepts.

Course details

The Diploma in Financial Management is a three-year distance learning course with a strong emphasis on the needs of students. It aims to make it possible for students with various needs to work full-time and attend school.

Upon registration, every student will receive a comprehensive study guide for their class and continuing access to and help from the lecturer through phone or email.

Students can choose between two delivery options:

Option 1: Distance learning

This option is ideal for students who want to study independently. Workshops, case-study analysis, and independent reading are all included in the modules. The distance learning option offers additional workshops for two weekends each semester. This makes it possible for students to connect and communicate with their teachers and peers in actual settings.

(Areas with a sufficient degree of demand host workshops.)

Option 2: Rich-distance learning

This option is best for students who value frequent interaction with professors and fellow students while also enjoying independent study. This option includes more formal classroom interactions between students and teachers on online platforms.

Rich-distance learning is an excellent choice for those who want to experience the “conventional” way of studying but at a significantly reduced cost.

Programme structure

Duration: 3 years
There are 5 modules per year over two semesters

  • Business Communication 101
  • Mathematics of Finance 101
  • Financial Management 1
  • Economics 1
  • Financial Accounting 1

Year 2

  • Business Management 201
  • Introduction to Taxation 201
  • Financial Management 2
  • Managerial Accounting 2
  • Business Information Systems 2

Year 3

  • Ethics and Corporate Governance 301
  • Public Sector Finance 301
  • Financial Management 3
  • Commercial Law 3
  • Taxation 3

Careers

  • Accountant
  • Auditor
  • Bookkeeper
  • Client Services Data Capturer
  • Cost Accountant Assistant
  • Cost Management Accountant
  • Creditor Clerk
  • Debtor Clerk
  • Finance Administrator
  • Financial Accountant Assistant
  • Financial Manager
  • Financial Planner
  • Financial Sales Adviser
  • Internal Auditor Clerk
  • Inventory Clerk
  • State Accountant Assistant
  • Virtual Banker

Entry requirements

Admission requirements for the Diploma in Financial Management are as follows:

  • A national senior certificate with minimum Diploma admission
  • A relevant NQF Level 4 qualification OR equivalent (‘A’ or ‘O’ level certificates)

All submissions must be approved by the RBS Selection Committee.

Diploma in Financial Management (2024)

FAQs

How hard is financial management? ›

Finance degrees are generally considered to be challenging. In a program like this, students gain exposure to new concepts, from financial lingo to mathematical problems, so there can be a learning curve.

How to pass financial management course? ›

- Take mock tests and solve past exam papers to get a sense of the exam format and types of questions asked. - Keep up with developments in financial markets and regulations as relevant to your course or certification. - Focus on understanding the underlying principles rather than rote memorization.

How long does it take to complete financial management? ›

Duration. Each level takes six months full time to complete. A total of 18 months to complete the theoretical components (N4, N5 and N6).

Is financial management easier than accounting? ›

Generally speaking, people consider accounting majors to be more difficult to study and pass than finance majors. And there are a few different reasons for this. The content of accounting majors is, on average, much more technical than for finance majors, and this can make it more difficult.

Is there a lot of math in financial management? ›

Math is essential in a thorough study of financial management. While the use of more complex math concepts exist through statistics and calculus, these valuable concepts (presented here) of simple compounding interest are only algebraic in nature and pretty straightforward.

Why is financial management so difficult? ›

You may face issues such as cash shortages, excess inventory, late payments, and high borrowing costs. To overcome these problems, you need to improve your cash flow forecasting, implement effective collection and payment policies, reduce your working capital requirements, and manage your financing sources.

What is the hardest financial course? ›

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

The CFA designation is reputed to be the most difficult certification to obtain, which works to the benefit of those who succeed. The focus of the program is on investment analysis and portfolio management.

What is the easiest financial certification? ›

The easiest finance certification is the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) certification. There is no authoritative exam required nor does it require any educational qualifications. The FMVA is an easy resume building finance certification that looks more professional than it is.

Are financial certificates worth it? ›

Certified finance professionals often experience faster career progression and greater job stability than their non-certified peers, highlighting the substantial impact these credentials can have on one's career trajectory.

Is financial management stressful? ›

Financial management is a demanding and rewarding career, but it can also be stressful and challenging. You may face tight deadlines, complex problems, high expectations, and constant changes.

Is financial management is a good career? ›

Financial management is a course worth considering as it helps to shape your career in different dimensions. Any company, regardless of the industry it belongs to, needs a finance department to keep its financial health stable.

How many years does it take to become a financial manager? ›

Financial managers typically need a bachelor's degree and 5 years or more of experience in another business or financial occupation, such as an accountant, securities sales agent, or financial analyst.

What pays better, accounting or finance? ›

The National Association of Colleges and Employers conducted an analysis and determined that the average annual salary for accounting degrees in the United States is generally around $57,511, and the average annual salary for finance degrees is $58,464.

Is finance hard if you're bad at math? ›

One thing to consider when choosing to study finance is that much of what you study during your degree program will include a mix of economics and accounting, which is naturally going to require at least some math, so if you absolutely detest math, then this may not be the right degree for you.

Which pays more financial or management accounting? ›

Management accountants are generally paid more than financial accountants, due to the more complex range of tasks they have to perform. However, as with all careers in accountancy, financial accountants are still well compensated.

Is being a financial manager hard? ›

The role of a Finance Manager is inherently demanding, with the need to oversee financial planning, manage risks, and ensure the fiscal health of their organization. These tasks often extend beyond the typical nine-to-five workday, encroaching on personal time and challenging the very concept of work-life balance.

Is finance harder than accounting? ›

Accounting relies on precise arithmetic principles, making it more complex, whereas finance requires a grasp of economics and accounting without as much mathematical detail.

Is finance major a lot of math? ›

While each program will vary slightly, students earning a finance degree can expect to take a sizable amount of math classes. Finance degrees will often cover more basic mathematical concepts such as algebra and statistics, as well as more industry-specific math courses such as probability and business mathematics.

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