The proposed structure has been designed to ensure an individual covers the core knowledge expected of a modern pensions, retirement saving and employee benefits professional. In particular, it fully embraces the academic requirements of the PMI’s Advanced Diploma in Retirement Provision and therefore those who complete the Masters are also able to apply to become an Associate member of the PMI (subject to experience requirements).

In addition, it will provide the skills and intellectual rigour associated with Masters level academic study - critical and analytical thinking and analysis, research, writing and presentation. All of these elements would be supplemented by the availability of several specialist options within the Elective modules that complement the Core employee benefits and retirement savings requirements that will stretch both the aspiring and experienced person working in these areas. Face to face teaching would be delivered within the challenging and stimulating environment of Imperial College London along with a distance learning programme.

In short, an individual will obtain both a professional and academic qualification and will be ideally suited to begin or develop a career in employee benefits and retirement provision.

Delivery

In order to provide maximum flexibility and recognising the fact that many candidates will be working full time, the programme will be delivered with a combination of distance learning and intensive classroom teaching, based around week long residential sessions in each of the two years of study. These sessions can be divided further if necessary into shorter periods to allow for busy and demanding work schedules. The flexibility of such further division would allow the programme to be extended beyond the designated two years delivery programme if necessary.

Both years of the programme will therefore include two residential sessions of five or six days each. The first year’s sessions will cover the Core syllabus material. The second year will cover the Elective options and the research elements.

All modules and the entire programme would include

  • Blended learning and assessment, in preparation for, and bridging of, the residential components
  • Support from both Imperial College London members of staff and PMI nominated employee benefits and retirement savings workplace tutors
  • Leadership and management skills training as appropriate throughout the modules
  • Seminars from leading experts and guest speakers