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Course type
Certificate
Credits
60

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
2 years part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

Postgraduate Certificate in Finance

Course code: K24

This qualification is designed to support professional development and practice in a wide range of roles in finance, whether you are developing in your career or aspiring to enter the sector, such as investment banking, portfolio management, corporate finance, treasury, law and consultancy. It provides a thorough grounding in the financing of companies and other organisations, instruments and structures of financial markets, financial decision-making, mergers and acquisitions, and financial reporting. You'll learn to undertake company and project valuations, and to estimate the cost of capital; and you'll be introduced to Islamic finance, ethics as well as corporate financial strategy and governance. 

  • Provides an up-to-date perspective on both theory and practice in national and international contexts.
  • Learn and apply the most important tools for financial analysis and decision support in corporations, financial institutions and other organisations. 
  • Develop expertise in key areas of finance such as company valuation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and Islamic finance.  
  • Develops your digital literacy skills and critical thinking. 
This certificate is the first stage of a study programme that progresses to a postgraduate diploma and finally a masters degree.
Course type
Certificate
Credits
60

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
2 years part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

How to register

Select the module you will study first, read the full description, and follow the instructions to register.

Modules

To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits from the following:

 Compulsory modules Credits Next start
Financial markets and the financing of organisations (B815)

This module covers the core areas of corporate finance and investments, providing a basis for developing specialist financial expertise.

See full description

Register
 30 01 Nov 2025
Financial strategy and governance (B816)
Acquire the theoretical and analytical expertise necessary to guide financial strategy and make governance decisions within an organisation.

See full description

Register
 30 02 May 2026

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules B858, B859.

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes.

Credit transfer

If you've successfully completed some relevant postgraduate study elsewhere, you might be able to count it towards this qualification, reducing the number of modules you need to study. You should apply for credit transfer as soon as possible, before you register for your first module. For more details and an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

On completion

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Postgraduate Certificate in Finance. You’ll be entitled to use the letters PGCert Fin (Open) after your name.

You can progress from this Postgraduate Certificate in Finance to our Postgraduate Diploma in Finance (E83) or our MSc in Finance (F67).

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 18 March 2025.

You must hold a bachelors degree awarded by a recognised UK university, or equivalent. Please contact us if you hold a qualification that you believe is an equivalent level to a UK degree to ensure that it meets the requirements for admission. 

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend a minimum score of 6.5 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.

You should possess a good working knowledge of maths and be confident with spreadsheets. It would be advisable to self-assess your level of maths before registering for this qualification. To help you decide whether you are ready, you may want to try this diagnostic quiz.

How long it takes

Most students study the Postgraduate Certificate in Finance part-time, completing 30 credits a year over two years. Typically, this means 12–14 study hours each week. The minimum time to complete this qualification is one year.

You must complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Finance within four years.

Career relevance

Financial decision making is fundamental to all organisations. This qualification aims to equip learners with an understanding of how the finances of an organisation work and apply their knowledge in a variety of ways. It will enhance their employability by providing them with skills and knowledge that span from the ability to analyse and interpret financial statements to the comprehension of company valuation, mergers and acquisitions and knowledge of models of corporate governance, and Islamic finance.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.

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