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