A simple guide
to the degree awards we offer
Undergraduate study
Connected Degrees
- exclusive to Portsmouth
- choose when to take your placement: either before your final year or after you’ve completed your degree
- allows you to pursue real-world work experience at the time that best suits your personal and career goals
- improve your job prospects
Bachelor's degree – Level 6
- the most common type of undergraduate degree
- this is what most employers refer to when they look for an ‘undergraduate’ or ‘first’ degree
- the (Hons) bit stands for Honours
- this generally means you study for 3 years, or 4 if the course is offered with an optional sandwich-placement year
- you study 360 credits, including a major project or dissertation in your final year
- entry requirements vary depending on the course, but you usually need relevant A levels, or equivalent qualifications, or significant work experience
Certificate of Education (CertEd) – Level 4
- if you want to pursue a career as a teacher in further education or training
- opens the door to teaching roles in colleges, sixth-forms, private training providers, public services and voluntary organisations
- top up your certificate to a BA (Hons) Education and Training degree with further study
- you need a level 3 qualification in your subject, such as A-Levels to get onto a CertEd course
- takes 1 year of full-time study, or 2 years part-time through our partner colleges
Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) – Level 4 and 5
- can give you the theory and skills you need to succeed in your current or future job
- HNCs generally take a year to complete, and are equivalent to the first year of study of an Honours degree
- HNDs take 2 years and are equivalent to the first 2 years of an Honours degree
Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) and Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) – Level 4 and 5
- a stand-alone qualification that's usually awarded if you don't want to commit to a full degree
- CertHE for 1 year of full-time study, worth 120 credits
- DipHE for 2 years of full-time study, worth 240 credits
- a DipHE in Business and Management is comparable to an NVQ 4 Diploma in Business and Administration
- can use a CertHE or DipHE as a stepping stone to a full degree, and you might be able to skip 1 or 2 years of a degree course
- make sure you meet the entry requirements and whether your previous studies are transferable
Foundation degree – Level 5
- if you're already working and want to boost your skills - earn while you learn
- help bridge the gap between college and university
- once you complete a Foundation degree, you'll be able to ‘top-up’ to a full Honours degree with extra study
- entry requirements vary depending on the subject
- admission is usually assessed on an individual basis
Degree Apprenticeship – Level 6
- a Bachelor's degree course, designed to give you high demand skills
- a part-time course that you study alongside your current job
- paid for by your employer and the government, so there's no financial cost to you
- 360 credits, including a major work-related project as part of your course
- you will need a current, relevant job and can expect to spend 1 to 5 years on your degree
Top-up degree – Level 6
- you can take a top-up degree if you have a level 5 qualification (HND/foundation degree) or successfully completed 2 years of degree study
- shorter, can take between 1 and 2 years
- some of our top-up degrees (like business communications) are specifically for students whose first language isn't English
- if you have a lower qualification but you have extensive work experience in a relevant sector we may sometimes consider this for a top-up degree
Integrated Master's degree – Level 7
- ideal if you want to specialise in your chosen subject
- takes 4 years to complete, or 5 with an optional placement year
- combines an undergraduate degree with a postgraduate year
- graduate with a Master's qualification, such as MSc, MEng, MOpthom or MMath
Postgraduate study
Master’s degree – Level 7
- the most popular postgraduate qualification
- includes titles such as Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Engineering (MEng), Master of Research (MRes), Master of Laws (LLM)
- a logical next step after a Bachelor's degree
- enhance your skills and employability
- can lead to further study, such as a PhD
- take 1 to 2 years to complete
- produce an in-depth research or major project, totalling 180 credits
Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Level 7
- an internationally-recognised degree that develops skills for careers in business and management
- open doors for a managerial career
- can help professionals take on ambitious new roles and boost salary expectations
- to enrol, you usually need an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject
- takes a year to complete, or 2 years if you choose to study part-time
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) – Level 7
- offers enhanced academic training to prepare you for a career in teaching
- takes 1 year to complete full-time, or 2 years part-time
- combines theory and learning, with work experience
- you'll spend a good portion of your time in one of our partner schools
- to enrol, you need an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject
Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) and Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) – Level 7
- shorter than a Master’s degree, but at the same level
- ideal if you have a career goal in mind and need a qualification to give you the edge
- easier to fit around your current job
- PgDip is worth 120 credits, a PgCert, is worth 60
- a PgCert can lead to a PgDip, which can lead to a full Master’s course
- you usually need a Bachelor’s degree to enrol on a PgDip or PgCert course, or an equivalent qualification
Postgraduate top-up degree – Level 7
- if you have a PG diploma or equivalent Level 7 qualification you can use a postgraduate top-up degree to build on this study and get a full Master's
- shorter, normally 1 year, but can take between 6 months and 2 years depending on your starting point and if you're studying full or part-time
- if you have a lower level qualification, but extensive work experience in a relevant sector we may take this into account when you apply for a top-up degree
Degree Apprenticeship – Level 7
- designed to give you Master's level skills in high demand areas
- study part-time, alongside your current job
- gaining 180 level 7 credits over 2-3 years
- funded by your employer and the government, so there's no financial cost to you
- you will need a current, relevant job and a relevant first degree, or equivalent
