ICA Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Crime Compliance (FCC)

• This is a 9-12 month course assessed by eight masterclass commentaries (1,000 to 1,500 words) and a 3 hour competency-based interview.
• All course materials are delivered via our online learning platform
• There are two residential weekends to attend in the world renowned University of Oxford. Overnight accommodation and meals are provided including private dinners with guest speakers.
• We recommend that you study six hours per week.

We have full syllabi available for all of our qualifications. Click here to download a syllabus.

• Heads of Compliance, AML and Financial Crime Prevention
• Compliance, AML and Financial Crime Managers and senior staff
• Senior Risk staff
• Senior Internal and External Audit staff
• Company Secretaries
• Accountants
• Legal Practitioners
• Regulatory Representatives and FIU Staff
• Law enforcement
• Company Directors/Board Members

This programme is designed to establish the standard of the most senior practitioners working within financial crime compliance roles and engage with aspirants for such positions. Suitable applicants would operate at the most senior level including: Global Heads/Directors of Financial Crime Compliance, Directors/Non-executive Directors, Chief Risk Officer Head of Risk, Head of AML, Head of Financial Crime Prevention, Head of Fraud Prevention, Head of Group Compliance, Head of Compliance, lawyers, accountants and auditors in senior roles and other individuals operating at a significant level within the sphere of Financial Crime Compliance (FCC) as a significant aspect of their role. Aspirants would be likely to have substantial experience both as practitioners and at a senior level: such as members of a firm’s Senior Management team, Senior Analyst, Senior HR Officer, Senior Risk Officer, Chief Internal Auditor or an equivalent role (i.e. certain types of consultant). Applicants for the programme, therefore, must:

• hold a first degree and be a senior practitioner (i.e. hold a senior management role) with at least three years’ experience in that role or at the equivalent level of seniority, or
• possess an ICA Diploma and have at least five years’ experience in a related discipline and currently work in a role that includes senior level responsibilities and regular engagement with senior practitioners, or
• have at least ten years’ experience in a relevant senior management role.

It is normally expected that individuals working at this level will have a first degree. The ICA Professional Postgraduate Diploma provides additional surety, certifying the professional standing of individuals as senior practitioners in FCC roles, but can also be used as a platform for attaining higher-level qualifications.

The organisation is committed to ensuring within the framework of the law that our programmes are free from unlawful discrimination related to protected characteristics. These protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Our online application form advises applicants that consideration is made for those with specific learning needs and support is available in most circumstances.

Teaching takes place over two condensed residential weekends in the world renowned University Centre of Oxford. Overnight accommodation and meals are provided including private dinners with guest speakers. This format is ideal for time-pressed professionals or those travelling from overseas.

• The production of 8 x 1000-1500 word masterclass commentaries: these are summaries of the key learning points outlined in the masterclasses and its impact on your own practice, which forms the reflective journal.
• First submission of each commentary will be reviewed by the Programme Director and feedback provided.
• A three hour competency-based interview, using information describing your career to date and other evidence you wish to submit to map your knowledge, skills and experience against the National Occupational Standards

National Occupational Standards (NOS) are made up of individual competency units. Each unit describes best practice by bringing together skills, knowledge and values. They are useful tools as:

• benchmarks for qualifications: 
• a mechanism for defining roles at work, and
• enabling staff recruitment, supervision and appraisal.

NOS provide evidence of competence. They are statements of the standards of performance individuals must achieve when carrying out functions in the workplace, together with specifications of the underpinning knowledge and understanding for their job role.

One aspect of the assessments carried out by ICA’s examiners for professional postgraduate diploma programmes concerns evaluations of specific competencies selected from a range of NOS units that can be found on this learning platform.

In order to study any ICA course you will need to become a member of ICA. If you're not currently a member of the ICA, membership will be added to your basket during checkout. 

The cost of membership for the period of study is £102/€120/US$140 and it will be activated at the same time as your course commences.

Holders of this qualification can apply for the MSc in Law and Financial Crime Compliance offered by the University of Law (studied via online-distance learning) as well as MPhil degrees offered by The University of Manchester Alliance Business School. You may also receive Approved Prior Learning (APL) towards other university master’s degrees where there is overlap in course content.

Our courses are split into Introductory, Specialist, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert levels to ensure our students study topics relevant to their experience and role.

This course is Expert and is designed for experienced practitioners and those in senior roles.

Read more > Which Qualification Is Right For Me?

Once you have been accepted onto the course, you can choose to pay either through a one-off payment or through eight monthly installments. 

Payment can be made by credit card, bankers draft/cheque or via a wire transfer (bank details available on request). We are happy to take credit card details over the phone if for security reasons you would prefer not to send them electronically or in the post.

For more information please contact a member of the team on +44(0)121 362 7534

We host our free global briefing sessions throughout the year, giving you the opportunity to find out why studying for an ICA qualification is more important than ever for career progression.

To attend, just register your place online today.