Professional Diploma in Banking & Financial Services
The Institute’s flagship qualification for serving bank and non-bank staff: three papers covering banking practice, accounting and finance, and law and regulation.
- Level
- Professional diplomas
- Duration
- 12 to 18 months
- Study mode
- Self-study with Institute revision sessions
- Exams
- June and December, with mock examinations in May and November
About the programme
The PDBFS is a solid professional qualification for staff of banks and non-bank financial institutions. It is studied by self-study and distance learning, with revision sessions organised by the Institute before examinations.
The courseware doubles as a reference for day-to-day work in any financial institution.
Who it is for
Serving staff of banks and non-bank financial institutions. Professionals from outside the financial sector are considered case by case.
Entry requirements
- Five O-level credits or better, including Mathematics and English
- At least one year’s working experience in the financial sector
- Industry membership of ZIBFS
- Copies of academic and professional qualifications and two passport-size photos
What you will study
Paper 1: BF 910 Principles & Practices of Banking
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- Zambian monetary and financial system
- Banking regulation
- Retail, wholesale and international banking
- Capital markets and the Securities and Exchange Commission
- Unit trusts
- Insurance, bancassurance, pensions and PIA
- Factoring, forfaiting and off-balance-sheet items
- Risk management and Basel II
- Alliances, mergers and consolidation
- Credit Reference Bureau
- Recent developments in the Zambian financial system
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- Banker–customer relationship
- Opening accounts for different customers
- Payment and collection of cheques
- Principles of lending and credit monitoring
- Agricultural and MSME finance
- Micro-finance
- Securities, collateral and documentation
- Non-performing assets
- Financial inclusion
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- Bank computerisation
- Payment systems and electronic banking
- Data communication and EFT systems
- Technology upgrades and their impact
- Security considerations
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- Consumer behaviour and product
- Pricing, distribution and channel management
- Promotion and direct selling agents
- Marketing information systems
Paper 2: BF 920 Accounting & Finance for Bankers
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- Interest calculation
- Yield to maturity
- Capital budgeting
- Depreciation
- Foreign exchange arithmetic
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- Scope and accounting standards
- Basic procedures
- Cash books, subsidiary books and ledgers
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- Bank reconciliation
- Trial balance and adjustments
- Inventory valuation
- Bills of exchange
- Leasing and hire purchase
- Incomplete records
- Ratio analysis
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- Partnership accounts
- Final accounts of banking companies
- Company accounts
- Accounting in a computerised environment
Paper 3: BF 930 Legal & Regulatory Aspects of Banking
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- Legal framework of bank regulation
- Control over bank organisation
- Returns, inspection and winding up
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- Case law: paying and collecting banks
- Indemnities and guarantees
- Letters of credit
- Securities and modes of charging
- Registration of charges
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- Bank of Zambia Act
- Banking and Financial Services Act
- National Payment Systems Act
- Lands and Deeds Act
- Money Lenders Act
- Code of Banking Practice in Zambia
- Securities Act
- Tax laws
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- Contracts, indemnity and guarantee
- Bailment, pledge and agency
- Sale of goods
- Partnership and company law
- Anti-money laundering legislation
- ICT legislation
Completion and progression
The programme has three papers of four modules each. You may sit whichever paper you are ready for at each session. On completion you can enrol on the Advanced Professional Diploma.
Exemptions
There are no exemptions on the PDBFS. Every candidate sits all three papers.