Turn your degree into a global designation
The Ch.E® fills the gap your economics degree leaves — applied skills, a globally recognised post-nominal, and career momentum you can build in months, not years.
Your degree is the foundation. Ch.E® is the structure built on it.
A formal economics degree gives you theory. Employers and clients need something more: evidence of applied competence and a globally verifiable credential. The Ch.E® delivers both.
Most economics programmes are designed around academic rigour — core theory, research methods, and quantitative foundations. That is exactly the right preparation for postgraduate study. But when you step into a professional role — as a research analyst, credit analyst, economic consultant, or corporate finance professional — the skills expected of you shift sharply toward application.
The Chartered Economist® (Ch.E®) programme was created specifically to close that gap. Designed by leading economists and practitioners with more than 31 years of training experience, the curriculum takes what you already know and extends it into the domains that define a working economist: economic analysis and reporting, applied econometrics, sector economics, industrial organisation, and international trade.
Because the Ch.E® designation is awarded directly by the American Academy of Financial Management USA — the world’s first graduate economics designation, recognised in 150+ countries — it adds an internationally verifiable proof of competence to your CV from day one of your career.
What a degree teaches. What practice demands.
Traditional economics education is theoretical, not practical. The Ch.E® was built to bridge that gap — systematically.
Six modules covering Applied Microeconomics, Advanced Macroeconomics, Quantitative Techniques, Statistical Techniques, Industrial & International Economics, and Applied Economics.
100% online via the USA-ACER e-learning system. Start anytime, set your own schedule, and study when it suits your life — whether you are job-hunting, interning, or already employed.
Modules include hands-on exercises, mock tests, and case studies drawn from real economic conditions. You practise the work before you are asked to do it on the job.
The designation and certification are issued directly from AAFM USA and recognised via 800+ training providers, universities, and business schools across 150+ countries.
Who the Ch.E® is built for — and who should wait
Good fit
- Recent graduates in economics, finance, statistics, or mathematics
- Postgraduate students wanting a professional credential alongside their MA / M.Sc.
- Early-career analysts (research, credit, risk) looking to validate and advance
- Anyone pursuing economics roles in banking, consulting, government, or multinational organisations
- Professionals from adjacent fields — accounting, business administration — moving into economics-intensive roles
Consider other options if...
- You are still in the second or third year of your undergraduate programme and prefer to complete your degree first
- You are seeking a purely academic qualification for a university teaching position — the Ch.E® is a practitioner designation, not a research degree
- You want a domain-specific designation from day one — AAFM also offers specialised designations in petroleum, energy, health, managerial, industrial, and financial economics
From enrolment to designation in three steps
The Ch.E® is structured to fit around a graduate’s schedule. No fixed classroom timetable. No geographical constraints.
Schedule a free career advisory call
Speak with an AAFM India adviser to map your current qualifications against Ch.E® requirements, plan your study timeline, and understand how the designation aligns with your target roles. This call is obligation-free.
Complete the six e-learning modules
Access the USA-ACER system — 2,000+ pages of reading material, hundreds of slide-sets, video classes, mock tests, and case studies. Work through the six modules at your own pace, reinforcing theory with applied exercises. Quizzes and assessments confirm mastery module by module.
Sit the examination and submit your project
Appear at a Pearson VUE centre (5,000+ centres globally) for the 115-minute, 100-mark Ch.E® examination. A passing score of 50% qualifies you to submit your applied project. On successful project approval, AAFM USA awards the Ch.E® designation directly to you.
Full details of examination structure, scheduling windows, and grading are on the Examination page. Module-by-module coverage is on the Curriculum page.
Roles and sectors where Ch.E® holders are sought
Economics expertise is in demand across a wider range of industries than most graduates realise. The Ch.E® signals that you can apply that expertise, not just describe it.
AAFM India corporate members give first preference to Ch.E® designation holders in recruitment. The designation is also recognised by banks, multinational corporations, government bodies, and international organisations including the World Bank and IMF, as a mark of practitioner-grade economics competence.
Beyond a first job, the Ch.E® opens a progression path. Holders who want to deepen a sector focus can pursue one of seven specialised AAFM designations — Chartered Petroleum Economist, Chartered Energy Economist, Chartered Financial Economist, Chartered Health Economist, Chartered Industrial Economist, Chartered Managerial Economist, or Chartered Economic Policy Analyst. See all options on the Ch.E® Overview page.
Post-nominal on your CV
Append Ch.E® to your name on business cards, email signatures, LinkedIn, and application letters — a signal recognised by economists and employers in 150+ countries.
Verifiable credential
AAFM provides an online system for employers to confirm and authenticate your membership and certification — no ambiguity, no need to explain where you qualified.
Postgraduate scholarship pathway
As part of the AAFM certification package, members receive a scholarship opportunity to pursue a Masters or Doctorate at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego.
Global professional network
Join a community of 3,00,000+ AAFM certificants and 50,000+ Chartered Economists across 151 countries, with access to AAFM corporate tie-ups and recruitment networks.
Ready to take the next step? Book a free career advisory call with AAFM India, or explore the six-module curriculum to see exactly what the Ch.E® programme covers.
Explore every step of the Ch.E® journey
The Chartered Economist pathway is a connected set of pages — start anywhere, each links back here.
Become a Chartered Economist® — apply economics to real decisions
Give a course advisor 15 minutes and walk away with a clear plan, fee options and your next batch date — no pressure, no jargon.
Frequently asked questions — Ch.E® for graduates
A bachelor's degree is the standard entry point for the Ch.E®. Graduates in related disciplines — finance, statistics, mathematics, business administration — are also eligible. Contact AAFM India to confirm eligibility for your specific qualification.
Most candidates complete all six modules, the examination, and the project submission within a few months of focused self-paced study. The 100% online USA-ACER e-learning system lets you fit study around placement season, internships, or early employment.
The programme complements rather than repeats your degree. It takes your academic knowledge of micro and macroeconomics and adds applied modules in quantitative techniques, statistics, industrial economics, and sector specialisations — the practice-ready skills that degree curricula typically leave out.
The Ch.E® examination is conducted at Pearson VUE test centres. With more than 5,000 centres across 150+ countries, you can sit the exam close to your campus or home city. Exams are held between the 10th and 20th of every month.
Candidates must achieve a minimum score of 50% (100-mark paper, 55 questions, 115 minutes). There is no negative marking. Results are displayed on screen immediately after submission.
AAFM works with 800+ universities and colleges worldwide. Contact AAFM India to find out whether your institution already has a tie-up or to explore campus enrolment options.
Start your Ch.E® journey today
Request a call back and our counsellors will share the full syllabus, specialisations, fees, batch options and the next start date — and help you choose the right path.