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Degrees and courses for international students

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Course types

Honours degrees

360 credits
typically six years part time studying 60 credits a year

Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.
Internationally respected, universally understood.
An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.
Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.
Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.

See a list of honours degrees

Integrated masters degree

480 credits
typically eight to nine years studying part time 60 credits a year

Combines study at the level of an undergraduate honours degree with study at postgraduate (masters) level.
Common in engineering, mathematics and science.
Often linked to professional body recognition.

See a list of integrated masters degrees

Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

240 credits
typically four years part time studying 60 credits a year

Widely recognised qualification.
Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree.
Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject.
Study for interest or career development.
Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.

This type of course may be of particular interest if you’re living or working in Scotland.

See a list of diplomas of higher education

Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE)

120 credits
typically two years part time studying 60 credits a year

Widely recognised qualification.
Equivalent to the first third of an honours degree.
Study for interest or career development.
Shows that you can study successfully at university level.
Count it towards further qualifications such as a foundation degree, DipHE or honours degree.

See a list of certificates of higher education

Open University certificates

60 credits (mostly)
typically one year part time studying 60 credits a year

Qualification unique to The Open University.
Focus on a particular profession or subject area.
Study for interest or career development.
A wide range of subjects and levels.

See a list of OU certificates

Undergraduate modules

30 or 60 credits
typically six to nine months part time

Self-contained unit of teaching, learning and assessment.
Combine modules towards OU qualifications, or study individually for interest or professional development.
Credit in an appropriate subject is widely recognised by many other universities.
Level of difficulty graded as Access or OU level 1, 2 and 3 (equivalent to FHEQ levels 4, 5 and 6, SCQF levels 7, 8, 9 and 10 respectively).

See a list of modules

Short courses

No academic credit
typically 25 to 100 hours

Standalone courses for interest or professional development.
Flexible start dates.
Study entirely online, in your own time.
Ideal if you don’t need academic recognition (credits) or a qualification.

See a list of short courses

Masters degrees

180 credits
typically three years’ part-time study

Internationally respected, universally understood.
Enhance your career prospects and increase your salary potential.
Gain specialist academic, professional and technical knowledge and skills.
Compete in the UK jobs market and further afield.
Progression route to a research degree, for example, a PhD.

See a list of masters degrees

Postgraduate diplomas

120 credits
typically two years' part-time study

Widely recognised qualification.
Equivalent to two thirds of a masters degree.
Deepen your academic, professional and technical knowledge and skills.
Boost your career or take it in a new direction.
Just one more year of part-time study to complete a masters degree.

See a list of postgraduate diplomas

Postgraduate certificates

60 credits
typically one year part-time study

The first step on the way to a masters degree.
A valuable qualification in its own right.
Ideal for professional and career development.
Enhance your academic, professional and technical knowledge and skills.
Just two more years of part-time study to complete a masters degree.

See a list of postgraduate certificates

Postgraduate modules

15, 30, 60 or 120 credits
typically six to nine months' part-time study

Self-contained unit of teaching, learning and assessment.
Combine modules towards OU qualifications, or study individually for interest or professional development.
Credit in an appropriate subject is widely recognised by many other universities.

See a list of postgraduate modules

Featured courses

MBA (Masters in Business Administration)

Highly respected and recognised throughout the world.
Fast track your career and increase your salary potential.
Core disciplines include human resource management, organisational behaviour, accounting and finance, marketing and operations.
A postgraduate qualification – flexible progression routes to help you meet the entry requirements.

For more information, see the MBA course description

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