Degrees are not the only qualifications universities offer. There are also many other awards. At the Open University the most prominent at undergraduate level are Certificates of Higher Education and Diplomas of Higher Education. But just what are they?
Quite simply a Certificate of Higher Education (abbreviated CertHE) is an award that indicates a student has completed and been assessed for study up to the equivalent of the first year of a three-year full-time Bachelor's degree (120 credits at Level 1 in the jargon). A Diploma of Higher Education (abbreviated DipHE) is a similar award that indicates a student has completed and been assessed for study up to the equivalent of the second year of a three-year full-time Bachelor's degree (120 credits at Level 2).
(In the language of the various frameworks for qualifications used in the United Kingdom, they are awards at Levels 4 and 5 respectively on the Regulated Qualifications Framework used in England and Northern Ireland and the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales or at Levels 7 and 8 respectively on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.)
They are achieved in one of two ways. They can be studied for as short qualifications in their own right with dedicated outlines and modules. Or they are awarded to students who have completed the first and/or second full-time (equivalent) year of university.
Some universities award them to students who leave early. But the Open University also makes them available to ongoing students who've completed a level or the equivalent of a full-time year. As most OU students are studying at a slower rate and many do interrupt their studies, it will be a long time before they receive a degree. The Certificates and Diplomas help to fill this gap by providing formal recognition for study already undertaken. For some students they are the first qualification certificates they have ever received and are much appreciated.
A quick note that these are not the only non-degree awards available from the OU. I'll discuss postgraduate awards another day. There are also currently ten undergraduate awards with either "Certificate" or "Diploma" in the name that don't easily fit into the CertHE, DipHE, Foundation Degree, Bachelor's Degree model. They have an eclectic mix of lengths and levels with the result that some of the titles are inconsistent and potentially confusing.
The only one in Law is the Professional Certificate in Legal Practice: SQE1. This contains 90 credits at Level 3 and consists of the three modules to prepare students for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. Just to be confusing the OU has two other awards with "Professional Certificate" in their names with different requirements. The Professional Certificate in Chemistry contains 90 credits at Level 2 (plus an in-person practical 2.5 day laboratory school). Meanwhile, the Professional Certificate in Practical Statistics contains 120 credits across all of Levels 1, 2 and 3.
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