Widely available Higher Education qualifications and courses include:
These are practical-based, work-related courses provided by HE and FE colleges. An HNC (Higher National Certificate) is a level 4 qualification, equal to the first year at university, which takes one year full-time to complete (or longer part-time). An HND (Higher National Diploma) is a level 5 qualification, which takes two years to complete (or three to four years part-time). After gaining an HND, some universities offer the opportunity to complete a third and final year of study, turning the qualification into a full undergraduate degree. Subjects tend to be technology or science-based and lean towards a specific profession as an outcome.
Not to be confused with an art foundation degree, a foundation degree is a combined academic and vocational qualification. They are well suited to those who are unsure about taking a full degree or for people who want to study while they work. Because foundation degrees are generally vocational, the outcome tends to be a job in a specific area. They usually take two years full-time to complete (longer for part-time students) and are equivalent to two-thirds of a university degree. Normally, you can continue for a further year to gain a full undergraduate degree.
A degree is a level 6+ course which is studied at university. By degree, most people mean an undergraduate degree, also called a Bachelor’s degree. These can be taken in a range of subjects and include both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. There are also postgraduate degrees, which can be completed by those who already have an undergraduate degree and are returning to complete a further, higher level degree. Usually, but not always, this degree and subject will be an extension, or relevant, to the student’s original degree.
These is a relatively new type of programme offered by employers and universities, in which students achieve a full Bachelor’s or master’s degree as part of their apprenticeship in a workplace. It is a good way to combine working with studying part-time at a university. Around 20 per cent of time is spent studying at university (eg for one or two days a week or blocks of a whole week at a time) and the remaining 80 per cent of time is spent working. It takes anywhere between three to six years to complete, depending on course level. A large number of employers now offer them, ranging from PWC to city councils.
Further Education refers to educational choices made after reaching your 16th birthday. FE covers all qualifications lower than a degree.
With over 150 universities and higher education institutions in the UK it should be relatively easy to find an institution and course that fits a student's capabilities and both current interests and future hopes whilst extending and challenging them academically.
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My daughter read avidly from the age of 4 and had finished all the Harry Potter books by the time she was 9. My son is now 9 and I can't get him to read anything other than football magazines. He resists all my attempts to start him on proper books. What can I do?