Professional Diploma in Financial Services Management (Professional DFSM®)

(only available to employees of Lloyds TSB)

Why study for the Professional DFSM®?

Achieves an internationally recognised qualification.
Demonstrates your commitment to professional development.
Helps you understand your role as part of your organisation within the financial services sector.
Gains the core foundation knowledge to strengthen your ability to manage people and resources.
Assists your critical thinking and analysis.
Provides the opportunity to progress on to a higher professional qualification should you wish.

Course content

To achieve the Professional DFSM® you must successfully complete four modules:

Organisations and Individuals
- Syllabus
- Unit taster
Financial Markets and Risk
- Syllabus
- Unit taster
Customers and their needs
- Syllabus
- Unit taster
Measuring Performance
- Syllabus
- Unit taster

View syllabus by clicking on the links above.

Entry requirements

You must be a current employee of Lloyds TSB.

Students are required to have a minimum of GCSE grade C or equivalent in English Language, Maths and Information and Communication Technology. Upon registration you may be contacted and asked to provide evidence that you meet these requirements. Please contact an HE Adviser on +44 (0) 1227 828232 or email abops@ifslearning.ac.uk if this FAQ does not answer your questions.

This guidance document contains examples of equivalences.

You will need to have Internet and email access throughout your course of study, and to access the online student induction and syllabus.

Qualification level

The Professional DFSM® is assessed at first year UK undergraduate degree level.

Study time

By studying one module at a time you should complete the Professional DFSM® in two years.

For each module you should allow approximately 10 hours of study per week over a 25 week study session.

How do I study?

You must follow an approved course of study provided by ifs flexible learning, which includes three workshops per module. Please see Study support and exam information for Diplomas for more information.

Study support

On registration for the modules you will be sent a dedicated set of learning materials.

You will be given access to the ifs Interactive Learning Environment (my ifsILE), which includes online versions of the materials, online self-assessment and discussion forums.

You will be given access to ifs KnowledgeBank for all modules.

Assessment

Each module is assessed as follows:

A one-hour paper-based multiple-choice examination (except Organisations and Individuals, which is a written examination requiring short answers)
Tutor-guided coursework
A written assignment

How to register

You need to gain the consent of your line manager and then complete the Lloyds TSB professional qualification study support form (obtainable from the forms section on the Working@lloydstsb intranet site).

You also need to complete an ifs registration form - please contact the ifs Corporate and Academic Relationship team on +44 (0) 1227 818641 or email cart@ifslearning.ac.uk, for a Lloyds TSB-specific brochure and registration form.

Before enrolling onto this programme there are some online documents you must read, these are viewable in the essential info area.

More information

Call Corporate and Academic Relationship Team on +44 (0) 1227 818641 or email cart@ifslearning.ac.uk.