Masters in Investment Fund Administration

Early to mid-stage career professionals who are ambitious to develop their careers further.

The investment fund administration sector is characterised by very well qualified individuals who have deep specialist knowledge of their area of expertise.

This programme provides participants with the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the industry and acquire skills that will assist them as they assume management and leadership roles in their careers.

In order to be eligible for this programme, you need to have a level 8 honours degree and 12 months work experience within the investment fund sector. If you do not have a level 8 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 call RPL (recognition of prior learning) and both SETU and MTU can help you navigate these processes.

• The programme is being offered in 2 institutions, Munster Technological University (MTU) and South East Technological University (SETU). While you will register with one institution there will be opportunities to meet participants on the ‘sister’ programme in the other institution.
• The programme is a unique mix of professional development and sector specific knowledge that will help you to advance your career.
• Multiple exit options means that you will get an award for what you have learned.
• The programme offers the flexibility of online learning with the benefit of an onsite experience also. This allows participants to develop their own personal network within the industry and develop their team and organisational skills through group assessments
• Different forms of assessment with a reduced emphasis on exams. This does not mean that there are less assessments but you will not have to experience the stress of exams, your grade will not be dependent on your performance over a 2 hour window and you will have greater control over assessment completion.

The programme is a blend of modules including:

• management development
• aspects of the funds industry
• technology
• critical thinking & analysis

These are the types of modules that will enhance your knowledge of the industry and develop key skills to allow your career to thrive in an increasingly more complicated world.

Whilst it is not possible to specify precisely who will be teaching you, the lecturing team is made up of a mix of experienced academics and industry professionals. This will allow you to hear a variety of perspectives and to get the benefit of deep sectoral knowledge along with the latest research in the field.

Uniquely, the programme is being delivered across two institutions, SETU – Waterford Campus and MTU – Cork Campus. However, you need to choose one of these locations. The same modules will be offered in both locations and the assessment methods will also be the same.

In making your decision, you may need to consider the requirement to attend on-campus for some of the lectures and your travel time to these campus-based locations

Very few of us like exams and this number gets smaller as we get older. In any case, exams are not suited to assessing many modules, this is especially true where modules address complex issues that do not lend themselves to short, bite-sized answers. On this programme, the assessment approach is the following.

• Group Assignments 
• Presentations
• Reflections
• Projects

The awards attached to this programme are all at level 9 on the National Qualifications Framework. We would be delighted if everyone would complete the award to its completion to attain the MBS in Investment Fund Administration. However, we recognise that life can get in the way and to embark on a full masters award can be a daunting task.

In order to make that hill a little easier to climb, the programme has two embedded awards: a Level 9 Certificate (minor award) in Business (30 credits), a Postgraduate Diploma in Business (30 more credits, 60 in total) and the MBS in Investment Fund Administration (the final 30 credits, 90 in total).

Studying on a part-time basis it is very achievable to obtain 30 credits in an academic year, over 2 semesters. It is possible to complete the masters award in a little over 2 years – the final 30 credits on the Masters award are not lecture based therefore you have greater control over when you complete the programme. 

For the programme commencing in the academic year 22/23, the full cost of the part-time programme for Irish/EU applicants is €5,900 (MTU) and €6,250 (SETU) and €12,000 (MTU) and €11,500 (SETU) for non-Irish/non-EU applicants.

However, for those starting the programme in the academic year 2022/23, the programme is substantially subsidised through the Human Capital Initiative (Pillar 3). A reduced fee for Irish/EU applicants of €500 applies. This reduced fee is available for up to a maximum of 20 eligible applicants in each of SETU and MTU for enrollment for September 2022. Please note, that this programme does require participants to be physically present for some pre-specified classes during each semester and is categorised as a part-time programme.

Once we have accepted 20 people in each enrollment cycle at each institution, we do not intend to offer in excess of these 20 places on the programme to Irish/EU applicants, unless an applicant has declared that, in the event of the programme being over-subscribed, they would pay the full unsubsidised fee.

Applications for September 2024 are now open. Please select an institution  (SETU or MTU) from the buttons above. Places are limited to 10 per institution so early applications are encouraged.

Any applicants that meet the entry criteria will be offered places on ‘a first come first served’ basis.