Postgraduate Diploma in Mutual Fund Management via Online Distance Learning

Introduction to Financial Services

What are financial services; The financial services industry; Types of financial services; Roles of the financial system; Functions of financial services; Financial institutions; Changes in the financial service sector; Trends within the financial service; Professional bodies; The financial services consumer;

Insurance, Investment Banking and Capital

Investment Banking; Types of Investment Services; Types of Insurance; The Insurance Policy; Annuity; Types of Capital; Risks associated with Capital; International Capital Standards; Capital Management; Insurable Interest; Utmost Good Faith; Warranty; Rules & Regulations; Marketing Manipulation; Securities Commission;

Financial Laws, Regulations and Compliance

Statutory bodies and regulators; Banking regulations; Banking laws; Regulation of other financial service institutions; Aims and objectives of regulations; International laws and authorities; Aspects of compliance; Compliance management;

Introduction to Mutual Fund Management

What Are Mutual Funds; Characteristics Of Mutual Funds; History; Introduction To Regulation; Types Of Mutual Funds: Open-End; Unit Investment Trust; Closed End; Exchange Traded; Classification By Investment (Money Market Funds; Bond/Fixed Income Funds; Stock/Equity Funds; Hybrid Funds); Index Funds; Actively Managed Funds; Fund Expenses; Organizational Structure; The Fund Manager; Types Of Securities; Advantages And Disadvantages Of Mutual Funds;

Trends in the Mutual Funds Industry

History Of Mutual Funds; Early Development; Fund Growth; Regulation; Size And Segments; Competition; Fees And Expenses; Mutual Fund Performance; Volatility Of Portfolio; Environmental Impact; Share Of Assets; Mutual Fund Flows; Demand For Funds;

The Mutual Fund Prospectus

Defining The Mutual Fund Prospectus; The Prospectus Document; Uses; Information Held Within The Mutual Fund Prospectus; Long-Term Performance Disclosure; Managers Of The Mutual Fund Assets; Financial Statements; Compensation; Litigation; Material Properties; Biographies; Distribution; Prospectus Rules;

Money Market Funds

Introduction To Money Market Funds; Money Market Funds As An Open Ended Mutual Fund; Definition; History; Types Of Money Funds (Institutional Money Fund; Retail Money Fund); Aims And Objectives; Regulation; Risks And Benefits; Returns;

Fixed Income (Bond) Funds

Definition; Classification By Asset; Government/Treasury Funds; Mortgage Funds; Corporate Funds; Municipal Funds; Bond Indices; Advantages And Disadvantages; Risks; Returns; Yield; Diversification; Management Of The Bond Fund Portfolio; Credit Analysis; Credit Considerations;

Equity (Stock) Funds

Defining Stock Funds; Fund Types: Index Fund; Value Fund; Growth Fund; Sector Fund; Income Fund; Balance Fund; Funds Of Funds; Asset Allocation Funds; Methods; Fees; Strategies; Risks; Returns; Benefits And Disadvantages; Performance Indicators; Management Of Equity Fund Portfolio;

Mutual Funds – The Cost

Yearly Fees; Transaction Costs (Brokerage Commissions; Market; Impact; Spread Cost); The Expense Ratio; Management Fees; Administrative Costs; Advisory Fees; Front End Loads; Back End Loads; No-Load Fund; Tax Cost; Cash Drag;

Mutual Fund Risk

Defining Mutual Fund Risk; Risk Characteristics; Price Stability And Returns; Call Risks; Credit Risk; Income Risk; Interest Rate Risk; Risks Associated With The Economy; Market Risk; Principle Risk; Currency Risk; Inflation Risk; Management;

Valuation

Introduction To Valuation; Items That Are Valued; Valuing The Securities In The Portfolio; Financial Assets/Liabilities; Reasons For Valuation; Net Asset Value; Mutual Fund Prices; Market Fluctuations; Price Of Shares; Valuation Models; Regulation Of Valuation Methods; Fair Value Of Traded Securities; Valuation Date;

Performance Evaluation

Reasons For Measuring Performance; Aims And Objectives; The Focus Of Measurement; Principles Of Performance Measurement; The Investors Perspective; The Advisors Perspective; Performance Measures; The Expense Ratio; The Income Ratio; Portfolio Turnover Rate; Indices And Risk; The Importance Of Benchmarking; Appropriate Benchmarking; Collecting And Reporting Information; Processes And Strategies; Decision Making; Statistical Modeling; Performance Reference Model; Evaluating The Fund Manager;

Management: Investment

Investment instruments; Advantages and disadvantages of investment; Measuring and analyzing returns; Investment risks; Aspects behind choice of investment; Maturity management tools and strategies; Capital market investment instruments (notes and bonds);

Management: Liquidity and Reserves

Introduction to liquidity: demands and supply; Issues faced by firms in terms of liquidity; Liquidity strategies; Approximating liquidity requirements; Different sources of reserves; Legal reserves and money position management; Central bank reserve requirements internationally;

Fund Administration

Shareholder services (Applications; Redemptions; Transfers);Trading (Principal Features; Market to Market; Margin accounts); Equities (Principle Features; Weighted Average / FIFO Cost Allocation; Realised and Unrealised Profits and Losses; Equities; Gilts/Fixed Interest Securities; Custody (Settlement Procedures; Safekeeping; Corporate Actions; Income Collection; Taxation Services; Proxy Voting; Trustees);  Valuations;

Managing Risk: Changing Interest Rates

Asset management strategies; Liability management strategies; Funds management strategy; Factors affecting interest rates; Measuring interest rates; Responding to interest rate; Interest –sensitive gap management; Time as an interest rate risk factor;

Managing Risk: Dealing with Interest Rate Risks & Risk Management Tools

Derivative contracts; Ways of dealing with interest rate risks: financial futures contracts; Interest rate swaps; Interest rate caps; collars and floors; Interest rate options; Short and long hedges; The securitizing process; Sales of loans to raise funds; Standby credits; Credit derivatives; Credit default swaps (CDS); Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs);

Fraud Protection

Introduction to fraud; Fraudulent activity; Types of fraud (access to account; card fraud; Internet; identify theft; counterfeit identification; phishing); Impact on the financial services sector; Cost of fraud; Consumer confidence; Legalities and regulations; National Fraud Authority (NFA); Fraud protection services;

Macroeconomics

Introduction to macroeconomics; Understanding macroeconomics; Principles of economics; How the market works; Gross domestic product; International trade; Open economy; Labour market; Income; expenditure and the circular flow; The consumer price index; Cost of taxation; Employment; Cost of living; The Philips Curve; National income; Supply and demand for goods and services; Money and inflation; The quantity theory of money; Interest rates; Social costs of inflation; Hyperinflation; Exchange rates; Economic fluctuations; Economic growth; Economy in the long run; Accumulation of capital; Population growth; Policies to promote growth; The Solow Model; The business cycle; Aggregate demand and supply; The IS-LM Model; The money market; How fiscal and monetary policies shift the LM Curve; Floating and fixed exchange rates; The Mundell-Fleming Model; Policy debates; Investment; Government policies;

Microeconomics

Introduction to microeconomics; Trade; Trade-offs and government policy; Production and supply’ Elasticities; Individual choice in supply and demand; Production and cost analysis; Competitive markets; Oligopoly and monopolistic competition; Strategic pricing; Uncertainty;

Marketing Financial Services

Introduction to marketing; Researching the marketplace; Ethics in research and information management; Segmenting and targeting the financial services marketplace; Consumer segments; Business segments; Targeting; positioning; Customer relationship management (CRM); Customer value; Loyalty programmes; Customer satisfaction; Relationships with stakeholders; Relationship with businesses; Internal marketing; Relationship lifecycle;

The Financial Services Industry Workplace

Careers in the financial services industry; Job descriptions; Code of conduct; Employer and employee rights and responsibilities; Performance appraisal; Security; Making decisions; Management; team leadership; Professional development; Time management; Organization;

Communication

Verbal and nonverbal communication in the workforce; Common obstacles to communication; Listening skills; Organization communication; Effective communication channels; Working in a team; Team roles; Benefits of negotiation; Dealing with conflict;

Working with Customers

Types of customers; Customer service; Call centres; Consistency and quality of communication; Channel improvement; Customer empowerment; Measuring the customer experience; Retaining customers;

Presentation and Written Communication

Developing office writing skills; Letters; Reports; Writing style; Language; Layout; Headings and subheadings; References and bibliography; Citing sources of information; Copyright; Defamation and confidentiality; Using graphs; Tables and figures; Planning a presentation; Choice of visual aid; Public speaking; Rehearsal techniques;

Financial Accounting

Introduction to financial accounting; Users of financial information; Key accounting models; Terminology; Need for financial statements; The balance sheet; Balance sheet layouts; Ratio and the balance sheet; Income statement and layout; Ratios; revenues and trade receivables; Owners’ equity; Cash flow measurement and documentation; Inventories and cost of sales; Tangible and intangible assets; Liabilities; Financial statements and recording transactions; Preparing financial statements; Analyzing and interpreting financial statements; Analysis tools; Auditing;

The Future of Financial Services

Acquisitions and mergers; The prosumer; Customer experience; New technology that is transforming banking; Social networking; New payments; Cash-RFID; Biometrics; Mobile P2P micropayments;

Spreadsheets (Calc)

Introduction to spreadsheets; Step by step instructions on using the features; Functions and applications for spreadsheets; Customizing the spreadsheet software; Installing the spreadsheet software; Security; Platforms; Operating system compatibility;

Financial Terminology

Detailed definitions of key financial services terms;

Setting Up & Marketing Your Own Consultancy

The Business Plan; Legalities; Setting Up; the Marketing Strategy; Knowing Your Competitors; Promotional Tools;

Presentation Skills

Preparation and Research; Speech Content; Subject Matter and Objectives; Speech Delivery and Variety; Body Language; Eye Contact; Presentation Aids; Management of Locations and Audiences; Presentation Structure;