This course covers the practical areas of fund structures and strategies, accounting and valuation, taxation, and regulation for those working in fund administration or support.
Course Overview
The course will enable you to develop an understanding of the funds industry and some of the key roles that support fund operations, and consider the different fund structures, strategies for investment and regulatory obligations.
This course is awarded in association with Alliance Manchester Business School, the University of Manchester.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the fundamental workings of the fund industry, including relevant terminology, and the roles and responsibilities of the different teams supporting a fund.
- Be able to identify and understand different fund structures and the documents relating to them.
- Be familiar with, and able to explain the differences between, various fund strategies.
- Be familiar with key terminology and processes in relation to accounting and valuations, and be able to carry out straightforward calculations.
- Understand the basic principles of the taxation of funds, including VAT and transfer pricing, and be able to carry out straightforward calculations.
- Understand the key regulation affecting fund administrators and the obligations placed upon the fund administrator by company law and AML provisions.
Course Audience
The course has been designed for those who are relatively new to the industry or more experienced practitioners who want to refresh their core knowledge.
Students typically include:
- Fund administrators
- Accounting or finance graduates
- Accountants
- Auditors
- Company secretaries
- Compliance professionals
- Lawyers/Solicitors
- Investment managers
- Support staff for custodians, banks or trusts
Course Features
- The programme gives you knowledge of the funds industry and enables you to understand the tasks that those administering or providing other support to a fund will carry out.
- It is a unique qualification in the industry for those who work in fund administration, accounting and support/operations.
- It forms part of a suite of fund administration qualifications and supports the career path of a fund administrator.
- The course is delivered through e-learning with interactive exercises and tasks for students to complete, supplemented with videos, podcasts and a variety of other resources.
- Students can submit academic queries to a dedicated Programme Delivery Manager.
- The course is subject to the rigorous quality assurance procedures of Manchester Business School, a Faculty of the University of Manchester
Format, Delivery and Assessment
This course is available all year round with no formal intake for study. The programme is delivered entirely online and takes three months to complete. We recommend that you spend four to six hours per week on private study for the three months before taking the examination which can be taken at any time during your 12 months subscription to the course.
Enrolment onto this course will include the following:
- 12 months of access to the online learning platform which contains:
- e-learning modules, reflecting tasks that are undertaken in practice
- self-assessment material providing you with an opportunity to test your understanding at each stage
- distance learning support
- examination fees.
Students who prefer to study from a written copy of the materials will be able to download a printable version directly from the online learning platform. Please note, however that the printable version will not include the interactive aspects of the course, which will need to be completed online.
The course is assessed by way of a 90-minute online examination made up of 60 multiple-choice questions. The entire syllabus is examinable and examination questions may be set on material contained in any of the course materials provided.
Once you have successfully completed the course you will be awarded the Certificate in Fund Administration.
Exemptions
There are no formal exemptions available for this course. Completion of this course is not compulsory prior to enrolling onto the Advanced Certificate in Fund Administration, although is strongly recommended as the content within the Advanced Certificate course will build on the Certificate programme.