How is the Higher Diploma in International Economics delivered?

The Higher Diploma in International Economics is delivered on-campus in central London, live online and by structured distance learning. All three modes share the same case-room seminar structure.

Is the Higher Diploma in International Economics recognised in the UK?

The Higher Diploma in International Economics is a UK Level 5 qualification aligned with Royal Economic Society, ODI and CIPFA themes and articulates into a UK Bachelor's top-up at LSLPE and partner universities.

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

A relevant Level 4 Diploma or comparable qualification, GCSE English and Maths at 4/C, and IELTS 6.0 for non-native speakers. Finance or public-service experience strengthens your application to the Higher Diploma in International Economics.

What does the Higher Diploma in International Economics cost and is funding available?

Fees for the Higher Diploma in International Economics are published on the LSLPE fees page. Staged payment plans are available and international applicants can request the current scholarship window.

Higher Diploma in Int'l Economics | LSLPE | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Higher Diploma in International Economics at LSLPE is a UK Level 5 qualification running 15 to 18 months across on-campus, online and distance routes, with structured articulation into a UK Bachelor's top-up in international or applied economics. The programme reads the international economy through the working lenses of trade, capital flows, exchange rates, sovereign debt and the international financial architecture (WTO, IMF, World Bank, OECD).

By closing terms you will have run structured trade-model case notes, produced exchange-rate briefs, drafted an OECD-style country note, and completed a supervised capstone project on an international-economics question of your choice.

Key Features

UK Level 5 Higher Diploma with structured articulation into a UK Bachelor's top-up.
Reading list aligned with Royal Economic Society (RES), Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) themes.
Weekly case-room seminars with tutors drawn from research and public-service backgrounds.
Applied assignments in trade-model, exchange-rate brief and country-note format.
Optional strands in international trade, international finance, and development economics.
Capstone project supervised by tutors with international-institution or think-tank backgrounds.

What You Will Learn

Apply Ricardian, Heckscher-Ohlin and new-trade models.
Read and interpret UK trade-balance and current-account data.
Analyse exchange-rate regimes including floating, managed and pegged.
Interpret WTO dispute-settlement outputs in policy terms.
Trace sovereign-debt dynamics using standard models.
Draft an OECD-style country note.
Prepare a Bachelor-standard capstone of around 8,000 words.
Use econometric software for international time-series work.

Who This Course Is For

Working analysts in Whitehall trade or economic teams.
Diploma progressors preparing for a UK Bachelor's in international economics.
Career-changers moving from finance or research into policy work.
International applicants preparing for multilateral or public-service roles.
NGO staff working in trade or development programmes.

Career Pathways

Trade Economist
Development Economist
Central Bank Analyst
Investment Analyst
Research Economist
Regulatory Economist

The LSLPE careers service links Higher Diploma in International Economics finalists with Whitehall analytical services, ODI-adjacent research, City sovereign-debt teams and multilateral-institution pipelines.

Entry Requirements

A relevant Diploma (Level 4), Advanced Diploma or comparable qualification in economics or a quantitative discipline.
GCSE English at grade 4/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C or equivalent.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
One academic or professional reference.
Working professionals moving from finance, research or public-service roles are welcomed.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE reads international economics inside a school where the legal, political and diplomatic sides of the international system are examined by staff who work across departments. The Higher Diploma sits in small tutor-visible cohorts drawn from research, City and public-service backgrounds.

Central London puts the Bank of England, HM Treasury, ODI, Chatham House and the leading City sovereign-debt teams within a short tube ride of every classroom. Three parallel study modes let working analysts continue in employment while completing the programme, and the careers service refreshes curriculum alignment annually against RES guidance.

Apply for Higher Diploma in International Economics

Places are offered across three intake windows. Complete a Higher Diploma at LSLPE and articulate into a UK Bachelor's top-up in the same discipline, credit transfer is confirmed at enrolment. Enrol Now.