Key information
Typical offer:
A typical applicant would usually have post-school higher education such as an HNC, or equivalent, or part of a degree course, together with appropriate work experience
Showing content for section Overview
Overview
If you want to gain a University-level qualification alongside your job without committing to a full Bachelor's degree, this Professional Studies Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) distance learning course is ideal.
You'll develop transferable skills in your choice of subject, boosting your career prospects while you improve your performance at work. You can tailor the course to match your professional and personal aspirations and your employer's objectives. You'll get to put the skills you learn to work instantly in your job, contributing to the success of your company.
The course is work based, so you'll need to be in a full-time, part-time or voluntary role to do it. You can study online wherever is most convenient for you and schedule your studies around your existing commitments.
A CertHE is equivalent to the first year of a full-time BA or BSc Bachelor’s degree. When you complete the course, you'll improve your career prospects and have the skills and knowledge to perform more effectively in your job. You could also put the credits you gain towards a BA or BSc Bachelor's degree.
On this course you'll:
- Study 120 credits at level 4 over 2 years
- Choose either a technical or business pathway through your course
- Taught modules develop knowledge, skills and behaviour to enhance performance at work
- Work-based project enables learning to be undertaken to match both your personal and professional goals
- Optional induction day on campus
- A full online induction programme
- Online course material, tutorials and lectures.
- Online seminars and networking opportunities
- Support from a learning manager, academic tutors and a mentor
- Full access to our student support services and community, including study support, sports and recreation facilities, and the Students' Union
- Tap in to our Library's electronic resources, which you can access from anywhere with a Web connection
Course duration
The duration of this course is two years. You can complete the course more quickly if you have relevant work experience, training or qualifications that you can put towards your degree. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). You can use RPL for up to a maximum 40 credits.
Contact us
Entry requirements
CertHE Professional Studies
Qualifications or experience
- A typical applicant would usually have post-school higher education such as an HNC, or equivalent, or part of a degree course, together with appropriate work experience.
Please contact Learning at Work to discuss this course and entry requirements in more detail.
Applicants may be asked to attend an online interview.
See full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept
English language requirements
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
See alternative English language qualifications
If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Qualifications or experience
- A typical applicant would usually have post-school higher education such as an HNC, or equivalent, or part of a degree course, together with appropriate work experience.
Please contact Learning at Work to discuss this course and entry requirements in more detail.
Applicants may be asked to attend an online interview.
See full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept
English language requirements
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
See alternative English language qualifications
If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
We look at more than just your grades
While we consider your grades when making an offer, we also carefully look at your circumstances and other factors to assess your potential. These include whether you live and work in the region and your personal and family circumstances which we assess using established data.
How you'll study
On this Risk and Security degree, you’ll work with our Learning at Work team and your employer to arrange a programme of study that reflects your existing experience, your personal and professional goals, and your current employment situation. This makes up your Learning Contract.
Through a sequence of work-based learning projects, you’ll develop your ability to analyse a problem and deliver a professional solution, with support from a workplace mentor, academic tutors, online lectures and a suite of virtual learning tools hosted by the university. You don’t need to attend the campus if you don’t want to, but you will have an invitation to an induction day and to make use of student facilities here in Portsmouth.
Your learning contract
Your study will include up to four elements:
- Learning Management: You'll set out a plan to shape your learning, and prepare for the research reports you'll produce.
- Recognition of Prior Learning: You can bring up to 240 credits of the 360 credits you need from your existing learning, such as Foundation degrees, HNDs, on-the-job training, or relevant experience in your career. Read more about earning RPL credit for your current qualifications and work experience, or contact us: learningatwork@port.ac.uk
- Work-based learning (WBL) projects. Most of your new learning will be done through WBL projects, where you’ll practise new skills and develop your knowledge alongside your current role. These projects won't involve activities you do in your day-to-day job, as they need to involve new learning for you - but they will be relevant to your career, and your own professional development here can support the goals and objectives of your organisation.
- Learning modules. You can also study in a more formally-structured manner by joining in with the university’s academic modules. Please contact learningatwork@port.ac.uk to discuss the choice of modules available.
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, course content is revised and regularly reviewed. This may result in changes being made in order to reflect developments in research, learning from practice and changes in policy at both national and local levels.
Course duration
The course duration is based on the number of credits you study, and so can vary per student. Most students study between 1 and 3 years. Although our courses have some flexibility, we still work to a typical academic year with some set deadlines for your work.
You can complete the course more quickly if you have relevant work experience or qualifications that you can put towards your degree, such as a Foundation degree, HNC, HND or relevant on-the-job training. This is known as Recognised Prior Learning (RPL). You can use RPL for up to 240 of the 360 credits you need to accumulate to get your degree.
We recommend you study modules worth 60 credits a year. Typically, a student who enters with the maximum RPL of 240 credits and has only 120 credits to study would take 18–24 months to complete the course.
Term times
Each academic year is divided into 2 teaching blocks:
- September/October to December/January – teaching block 1
- January/February to May – teaching block 2
Teaching
How you're taught will depend on which modules you take and the work-based learning projects you do.
Most of the course is delivered via our interactive virtual learning environment. With access to all the study material you’ll need, discussion forums and the chance to connect with peers and lecturers via chat sessions, you’ll have plenty of academic support and heaps of resources.
Depending on the modules you study and your location, you may also be able to study on campus, experiencing face-to-face teaching methods.
How you're assessed
The way you're assessed will depend on which modules you take and the work-based learning projects you do.
Extra support
To help you juggle this course alongside your work and home life, you'll get extra support from:
- a Workplace Mentor chosen by you – someone at work who can offer advice, guidance, and moral support
- an Academic Tutor specialising in your area of study
- a Learning Manager who oversees your programme
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees
Your tuition fee depends on if you have been awarded any Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and how many credits you need to study. To achieve an undergraduate Bachelor's degree you need to accumulate a total of 360 credits. Tuition fees may be subject to annual increase.
- 120 credits – £6,170
- 140 credits – £7,190
- 160 credits – £8,220
- 180 credits – £9,250
- 200 credits – £10,280
- 220 credits – £11,300
- 240 credits – £12,330
- 120 credits – £6,356
- 140 credits – £7,420
- 160 credits – £8,470
- 180 credits – £9,535
- 200 credits – £10,590
- 220 credits – £11,650
- 240 credits – £12,710
We'll apply an even yearly split to your course fee as listed in the schedule above. If you want us to consider an alternative schedule of payments, please contact us before the course start date.
Until RPL has been confirmed, you'll need to pay the full course fee.
If you're an armed forces student in receipt of funding, e.g. ELCAS, any documentation must show the correct start date and tuition fee. If not, we can't accept it and you'll have to pay the course fee yourself.
Additional course costs
These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.
Additional costs
While studying the online modules you may have to read several recommended books or textbooks for each module. Most texts are available online through the library.
There's a fee before you start the course if we need to assess a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) portfolio. If you're starting in September 2024 or January 2025, the fee is £1,125.
Apply
Before you apply for this course, please contact learningatwork@port.ac.uk to discuss the content of your programme of study. Read our information about the application process to find out more.
Ready to apply?
You can study this course starting in either September or January each year. To apply for the upcoming courses, please follow the links below:
January 2025
If you’re interested in applying for a later entry point to this degree, please email us on learningatwork@port.ac.uk and we'll contact you when your application period opens - that is, at the end of October for a January start course, or at the end of February for a course that begins in September.
You can study this course starting in either September or January each year. To apply for the upcoming courses, please follow the links below:
September 2025
January 2026
If you’re interested in applying for a later entry point to this degree, please email us on learningatwork@port.ac.uk and we'll contact you when your application period opens - that is, at the end of October for a January start course, or at the end of February for a course that begins in September.
Not quite ready to apply?
Come to an Open Day to explore our course facilities and tour the campus.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.
Information for international students
At Portsmouth, we welcome students from more than 150 countries across the globe. However, please note that this learning at work course is not eligible for a student visa.
Recognition of work-based and distance learning courses
Our Learning at Work degrees at levels 6 and 7 are approved by the University under its powers to award degrees. They comply with the Office for Students (OFS) and Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) standards in the United Kingdom.
These qualifications are generally recognised internationally but as with distance learning type courses, each country will have its own regulations and rules on work based and distance learning education. You should check with the qualification recognition authority in the country you reside in or intend to use the degrees to secure employment, that the Learning at Work degrees are recognised by them before you commit to studying with us.
We also strongly recommend you check that your employer recognises the value of our work based/distance learning courses. Some countries, including Singapore, state the 'value of the qualification is subject to the employer'.
We are currently unable to offer our courses to applicants who are nationals of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar.
If you're not a national citizen but are working or living in these countries, you can enrol onto our Learning at Work courses. You'll need to sign an Applicant Declaration Letter to confirm you understand that the University of Portsmouth won't accept any liability issues you may have with the recognition of your distance learning course, with your government or employer.
If you’re a national or foreign national in India or China, you can enrol onto our Learning at Work courses. You'll need to sign an Applicant Declaration Letter to confirm you understand that the University of Portsmouth won't accept any liability issues you may have with the recognition of your distance learning course, with your government or employer.
We're unable to accept enrolment from nationals or foreign nationals from Oman.