How long is the Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance?

The Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance runs for 15 to 18 months on-campus, online or by distance learning, with a phased schedule designed around working company-secretarial and compliance professionals.

Can I study the Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance fully online?

Yes. The Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance is offered on-campus, fully online with live board simulations, and by distance learning, all assessed against the same mock board-cycle capstone.

Is the Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance recognised in the UK?

Yes. The Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance is a UK Level 6 qualification aligned with the Chartered Governance Institute and Institute of Directors and recognised by listed companies and regulators.

What are the entry requirements for the Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance?

An Advanced Diploma, HND, Foundation Degree, or three years' relevant experience. IELTS 6.0 for non-native English speakers. The Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance welcomes lawyers and accountants pivoting in.

What does the Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance cost and is funding available?

Tuition for the Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance varies by route. Means-tested bursaries and employer-sponsored places are offered each intake — contact LSCT admissions for the current fee schedule.

Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance London | LSCT | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance at the London School of Commerce and Technology (LSCT) is a Level 6 qualification for professionals who advise boards, manage company-secretarial functions or want to step into a governance career. The syllabus is built around the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Companies Act 2006, the Listing Rules and the FCA Handbook — the texts a working governance professional opens every week.

You will draft minutes for a simulated board, run a mock AGM, file at Companies House and produce a Section 172 statement for a public-interest entity. By the end of the programme you can advise directors on their fiduciary duties, manage a board pack and triage a whistleblowing complaint to its proper committee.

You will study in small, tutor-visible cohorts; meet visiting professionals fortnightly; and work to deadlines that mirror professional practice in the business & commerce sector. British business operates under tighter governance, ESG-disclosure and operational-resilience expectations than at any point in the last twenty years, and the programme is updated annually to reflect new FRC, FCA and Companies House requirements.

Key Features

Syllabus aligned with the Chartered Governance Institute (CGI UK & Ireland) and the Institute of Directors.
Three study modes — on-campus in London, fully online with live board simulations, or distance learning with structured cohort deadlines.
Mock board cycle module — students role-play chair, CFO, NED, company secretary and observer across a full annual cycle.
ESG, sustainability and TCFD reporting module — taught against the latest IFRS S1/S2 and UK SDR rules.
Section 172, stakeholder engagement and whistleblowing taught with real-world FRC and FCA enforcement cases.
Top-up route to a full Bachelor's degree in Business and Governance with one additional year of study.
Case-study peer review — fortnightly board-style case discussion with cohort and a named tutor across the cohort programme.

What You Will Learn

The diploma combines black-letter law with the practical craft of being the trusted adviser in the boardroom. You will graduate able to read an annual report critically, identify a governance failure before it becomes a regulator's letter, and draft committee terms of reference that survive a quality review.

The UK Corporate Governance Code and the FRC's stewardship framework.
Companies Act 2006 directors' duties and Section 172 in practice.
Board composition, succession and effectiveness reviews.
Risk management and internal control per the FRC guidance.
Audit committee, remuneration and nomination committee practice.
ESG, sustainability and climate disclosure under UK SDR.
Shareholder relations, AGMs and proxy advisers.
Listing rules, market abuse and disclosure obligations.
Executive communication — board papers and stand-up presentations to a working chair.
Financial literacy for non-finance functions — read the management accounts.

Across every module you keep a structured working portfolio of board-style papers, models and decision notes — a single source of truth you can show at interview and continue to maintain after graduation. Programme assessment combines coursework, in-class exercises and a substantial practice-led piece of work assessed by a working senior manager.

Who This Course Is For

This Higher Diploma suits learners moving towards a chartered governance career.

Working company secretarial assistants and governance officers ready to step up.
International students seeking a UK-recognised governance credential.
Lawyers, accountants and risk professionals pivoting into governance roles.
Non-executive directors of charities and SMEs formalising their training.
Returners to work re-entering UK business after a career break or family leave looking for an assessed credential.

Career Pathways

LSCT corporate governance graduates move into company-secretarial, compliance and board-support roles across listed companies, financial services, charities and the public sector. Typical destinations include:

Assistant Company Secretary
Governance Officer (FTSE, charity, university)
Compliance Officer (FCA-regulated firm)
Risk and Internal Controls Analyst
Board Coordinator (NHS trust, housing association)
ESG Reporting Analyst
Strategy and Insights Lead at a UK SME or growth-stage scale-up

The Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance is a recognised step into Chartered Governance Institute qualifications and a Bachelor's top-up.

LSCT careers service maintains a working contact book of UK business employers, hosts at least one industry-careers day per academic year and offers structured one-to-one application support during your final stage. Many graduates also build long-term professional networks through CIM, CIPD, CIPS and APM London engagement events that LSCT students are encouraged to attend throughout their study.

Entry Requirements

An Advanced Diploma (Level 5), HND, Foundation Degree, or equivalent prior study in law, business, accounting or public administration.
Three years' relevant work experience — particularly board-support, compliance, audit or legal-secretarial roles — considered in lieu of academic prerequisites.
English language: IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A personal statement and one academic or professional reference.
Applicants with line-management responsibility, P&L exposure or recognised professional-body membership are particularly encouraged to mention these on the application form for the programme.

Why Study at LSCT

The London School of Commerce and Technology (LSCT) is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. We teach in small cohorts so every student is visible to their tutor, run a single intake schedule that students can rely on, and partner with UK professional bodies so qualifications carry weight with employers. London puts Whitehall, the City, Silicon Roundabout, the Royal Courts of Justice, the West End and the NHS estate within a short tube ride of every classroom. For governance students the City of London, the FRC, the FCA's Stratford office and Companies House at Cardiff's London satellite are all within reach for guest sessions, field weeks and graduate hiring.

Our business students frequently complete employer visits, board observation and shadowing weeks at FTSE-listed firms and SMEs as part of the assessed coursework. Students also benefit from our partnership with Harold International College of London, with shared library access, careers-service connections and the option to take a small number of elective modules across the wider Harold International programme catalogue subject to availability.

Whichever study mode you select, you will join a single, intake-aligned cohort with weekly tutor visibility, a named programme tutor for the duration of your studies, an institutional access plan offering peer support and structured careers advice, and the full library and online-resource subscription package of Harold International College of London. Many students travel to London for two short on-campus residentials per academic year — these are optional for online learners but supported by LSCT for students who can attend.

Apply for Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance

Close the gap to a Bachelor's degree with the Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance. Click Enrol Now to apply; admissions confirm your credit-transfer route within one working day and route your application to a governance tutor for a short fit conversation.