ICA Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance

Overview

The ICA Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) is the industry-standard qualification for compliance officers, compliance managers, risk professionals, and governance practitioners seeking to develop advanced expertise across the governance, risk and compliance landscape.

The programme provides the technical knowledge, practical skills, and professional insight required to build and maintain effective governance frameworks, manage regulatory relationships, implement robust compliance programmes, and strengthen organisational resilience in increasingly complex regulatory environments.

Participants explore the evolution of regulation, behavioural compliance, corporate governance, regulatory risk management, and the strategic role of compliance functions and professionals. Through a combination of guided learning, practical application, and industry-focused assessments, the qualification develops the competence required to support effective governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance at both operational and strategic levels.

Why Take This Qualification?

This qualification will help you:

• Develop advanced governance, risk and compliance expertise.
• Strengthen your ability to manage regulatory relationships and regulatory expectations.
• Understand behavioural compliance and organisational culture.
• Build effective governance frameworks and oversight structures.
• Design and implement regulatory risk management programmes.
• Enhance your ability to advise senior management and boards on governance, risk and compliance matters.
• Gain an internationally recognised diploma awarded in association with Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester.

What You Will Learn

Through this qualification, you will develop advanced knowledge and practical capability in:

• The need for regulation and lessons from regulatory history.
• Managing regulatory relationships.
• Behavioural compliance and organisational culture.
• Corporate governance and governance effectiveness.
• Regulatory risk management.
• Compliance function leadership and effectiveness.
• The role and professional responsibilities of compliance professionals.

Who Should Attend?

This qualification is suitable for experienced professionals working within governance, risk, compliance, regulatory, audit, and assurance functions.

It is particularly suited to:

• Compliance Officers and Compliance Managers
• Deputy Compliance Managers
• Governance Professionals
• Risk Managers
• Internal Auditors
• Regulatory Affairs Professionals
• Financial Crime Professionals
• Conduct Risk Professionals
• Company Secretaries
• Accountants
• Lawyers
• Regulatory Representatives
• Professionals responsible for internal compliance controls and oversight functions

Entry Requirements

Applicants should possess:

• A good educational or professional background; or
• An ICA Advanced Certificate qualification; or
• At least three years of relevant professional experience.

A good standard of written and spoken English is required.

Study Format

• Flexible part-time study
• Approximately nine months duration
• Guided online learning
• Expert-led live virtual classrooms
• Practical case studies and industry-focused scenarios
• Designed for working professionals balancing study and career commitments

Assessment

Participants are assessed through:

• Three timed end-of-module assessments
• One industry-focused written assignment
• One written case-study-based assignment integrating programme learning

The assessment approach evaluates technical knowledge, practical application, analytical capability, and professional judgement.

Qualification Award

ICA Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance

An internationally recognised diploma awarded by the International Compliance Association (ICA) in association with Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester.