How long is the Higher Diploma in Economics?

The Higher Diploma in Economics runs fifteen to eighteen months across modes, closing with a Green Book methodology capstone evaluation defended before a working economist.

Is the Higher Diploma in Economics recognised by UK employers?

The Higher Diploma in Economics is designed around Royal Economic Society and Society of Business Economists senior syllabuses and GES economist-level competencies, credentials UK regulators and consultancies engage with.

What are the entry requirements for the Higher Diploma in Economics?

An Advanced Diploma (Level 5), HND, HNC, or three years of UK analytical experience, plus GCSE English at grade 5/C and Maths at grade 4/C and IELTS 6.0.

How much does the Higher Diploma in Economics cost?

Tuition varies by route and domicile. Contact LSIBM admissions for the current fee schedule, instalment options and scholarship eligibility for the Higher Diploma in Economics.

Higher Diploma in Economics | LSIBM London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Higher Diploma in Economics at the London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a near-degree Level 5 credential built for candidates who want a UK BSc top-up on completion — with confirmed credit transfer already mapped at enrolment. Sitting in the Accounting, Finance & Economics faculty, this programme covers advanced microeconomics and macroeconomics, applied econometrics, UK policy analysis and a substantial evaluation capstone defended in front of a working economist.

The Higher Diploma is designed for Advanced Diploma or HND holders progressing to a UK top-up, junior economists formalising a portable Level 5 credential, and international candidates preparing for the UK degree stream. Content is designed around the Royal Economic Society and Society of Business Economists senior-practitioner syllabuses and GES economist-level competencies, and study is available on-campus in central London, fully online, or by distance learning. Course material engages with live UK evidence — Bank of England Monetary Policy Reports, OBR Fiscal Outlooks, ONS labour releases and CMA merger decisions — so top-up track students read the same evidence base a working UK analyst engages with.

Higher Diploma teaching runs at near-degree tier with a diagnostic in week one, a weekly seminar clinic, a fortnightly working-practitioner session and a substantial capstone project defended in front of a UK practitioner panel. Every route is mapped against UK professional-body competencies so graduates step onto a Bachelor's top-up with confirmed credit transfer, and the online cohort shares the same intake calendar, tutor allocation and capstone defence panel as the on-campus route.

Key Features

Curriculum designed around the Royal Economic Society and Society of Business Economists senior-practitioner syllabuses and GES economist-level competencies.
Three study modes — central London campus, fully online, or distance learning — with a single intake schedule.
Confirmed credit transfer into UK Bachelor's top-up routes at enrolment.
A substantial evaluation capstone using HM Treasury Green Book methodology on a live UK question.
Fortnightly practitioner clinic with a UK consultancy economist and a working senior regulator analyst.
Structured application coaching for GES economist and top-up routes in the final term.
Structured route toward Royal Economic Society graduate-track membership and Government Economic Service assistant recognition.
Assessment combines a rolling analytical portfolio with a summative policy-brief case defence.

What You Will Learn

The Higher Diploma teaches the near-degree applied economist's toolkit — replicating a published UK regression, designing and defending a full programme evaluation, and writing a policy dossier the Whitehall director will circulate.

Advanced microeconomics — game theory, mechanism design, contract theory.
Advanced macroeconomics — DSGE overview, growth theory, open-economy models.
Applied econometrics — panel, IV, DiD, RDD at practitioner level.
Programme evaluation — Green Book and Magenta Book methodology.
UK competition and regulatory economics.
International economics and post-Brexit UK trade policy.
Behavioural economics and UK Nudge Unit case studies.
Data science for economists — R or Stata at practitioner level.
Full policy dossier — from research question to final recommendation.
Presenting evaluation results to a UK sponsor at director level.
Reading a Bank of England Monetary Policy Report and defending a written economic-reasoning position.
Producing a cost-benefit analysis note in the format used by UK public bodies.
Applying intermediate econometrics in R against an open ONS dataset.
Writing a short economics-and-competition brief in a CMA-recognisable format.

Who This Course Is For

Advanced Diploma or HND holders progressing to a UK top-up.
Junior economists formalising a portable Level 5 credential.
Public-sector analysts stepping into senior evidence-and-policy roles.
Consultancy analysts moving into senior economist tracks.
International candidates preparing for a UK BSc in Economics.
Regulatory analysts at UK bodies preparing for a senior economist-track role.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Higher Diploma typically move into applied-economist roles across UK consultancies, regulators, central government and think tanks, and articulate into UK Bachelor's top-up routes. The Higher Diploma supports applications but does not by itself substitute for an honours economics degree. Typical destinations include:

Economist (junior grade)
Senior Economic Analyst
Regulatory Economist
Policy Analyst (economics)
Sector Analyst
GES Economist Scheme Applicant
Senior Regulatory Economist
Economics Consultant

The Higher Diploma articulates directly into an LSIBM-partner BSc top-up in Economics or a taught MSc route.

Higher Diploma holders top up onto the LSIBM BSc in Economics final year with confirmed credit transfer, and Government Economic Service assistant recognition is a realistic longer-run destination.

Entry Requirements

A relevant Advanced Diploma (Level 5), HND, HNC, or three years of substantive UK analytical experience; numeracy diagnostic set at application.
GCSE English Language at grade 5/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C (or equivalent).
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short statement of intent and two references (one academic or professional-body, one workplace) — applicants presenting a professional-body membership route (ACCA Applied Skills, CIMA Operational, CIM Certificate, CIPD Associate) are particularly welcome.

Why Study at LSIBM

The London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a specialist business-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. Higher Diploma cohorts sit at the near-degree tier — small groups, tutor visibility every week, curriculum reviewed against ACCA, CIMA, CIM, CIPD, CMI and IOE&IT competencies so graduates walk into a UK Bachelor's top-up with confirmed credit transfer.

London puts the City, Canary Wharf, Whitehall, Companies House, the FCA, the Bank of England and the West End within a short tube ride of every classroom. Higher Diploma students attend at least one working practitioner clinic per fortnight and complete a substantial capstone project defended in front of a working professional.

Apply for the Higher Diploma in Economics

Move onto the top-up track with the Higher Diploma in Economics. Click Enrol Now and our admissions team will respond within one working day with intake dates, credit-transfer guidance for UK Bachelor's top-up routes, and the current fee schedule. Higher Diploma graduates articulate into LSIBM's Bachelor's final year with confirmed credit transfer at enrolment.