Level 8 Certificate in Regulated Investment Funds

This programme is for anyone who would like an introduction to the Irish Funds industry, you may be a recent graduate or working in another area of financial services (such as audit, banking or insurance, for example) and wish to take the leap into this industry. This is targeted at complete new entrants to the industry and as such those who have at least one year of experience in the industry may wish to take a look at our Master of Business in Investment Fund Administration instead.

In order to be eligible for this programme, you need to have a level 7 honours degree. If you do not have a level 7 honours degree then it is possible that you may be eligible if you can provide evidence of a broader portfolio of training, learning and experience. This process is called RPL (recognition of prior learning) and we can help you navigate these processes.

This programme has been created to assist our industry partners with broadening their candidate pool and will benefit those with an interest in joining the industry but without any specific fund experience. Our industry partners are the best in the fund administration sector and it is currently a buoyant industry seeking those with the necessary skills.

You will take four modules:

• Fund Accounting  
• The Investment Fund Industry 
• Advanced Fund Accounting  
• Essentials of Fund Regulation 

Further information on these modules as follows:

Fund Accounting – This module will give learners an introduction to the basic concepts of fund accounting. The module will begin with a discussion of the investment funds industry in the context of fund accounting and the fundamentals of the financial statements of a fund. Issues to be addressed include valuation of equity funds, accounting for fund shares, accounting for corporate actions, accounting for fund expenses and NAV calculations.

Essentials of Fund Regulation – In this module, learners will be introduced to the concept of regulation, and more specifically the regulation of financial services in Ireland and in the EU, including a basic introduction to the hierarchy of law and the legal system. Participants will learn what it means to be a “regulated entity”, particularly in the context of the Irish funds industry. Learners will have the opportunity to explore key regulatory issues and will get a high-level overview of the various legislative frameworks to gain a basic level of understanding of the investment funds’ regulatory environment in Ireland.

Advanced Fund Accounting – This module addresses some of the more complex issues in fund accounting. The module begins with accounting for bond funds; including accounting for daily interest, discount & premium amortisation and daily valuation. Accounting for money market funds is then addressed; including an analysis of the various money market instruments along with the unique NAV calculation issues associated with money market funds. Then the issues around some of the more specialist securities (forwards, futures and other derivatives) are explored. The module concludes with a discussion around the main issues associated with incentive fee accounting.

The Investment Fund Industry – The aim of this module is to introduce learners to the general structure of the funds industry in Ireland, with a particular focus on the outsourcing model currently favoured across the industry, along with the concept of governance and how codes of governance are applied in practice. Learners will be introduced to the responsibilities of the various stakeholders in the investment funds industry and how they interact with one another. Learners will be introduced, at a high level, to a number of relevant corporate governance and fund governance codes, and their applicability to funds and fund service providers.

The indicative delivery model for the Certificate in Regulated Investment Funds for the 2023/2024 year is that students will enroll on the course with MTU only. The course will be delivered online on Tuesday evenings, over two semesters (one year). The programme comprises 4 modules. Two modules will be delivered in semester one over one evening (first module from 5pm to 7pm and second module from 8pm to 10pm) with the two remaining modules be delivered semester two over one evening at the same times.

At the end of term, the fund accounting modules will have an examination in each and both of the examinations will be on-campus, these will likely be held during the scheduled class hours at the Cork Campus of MTU.

As this programme is Springboard funded, applicants who are employed will only need to pay approximately €150, while those in unemployment may have their fees fully funded. Please see the Springboard Courses website for further information.

Applications are open now, please click the apply button at the top of this page to apply.