Understanding Levels of Education When Looking at Colleges in London

Understanding Levels of Education When Looking at Colleges in London

There are many different levels and types of qualifications offered at colleges in London.

Qualifications in UK Tertiary education can broadly be divided into Vocational Qualifications which are aligned with the Qualifications Credits Framework (QCF) and Academic Qualifications which are aligned with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ).

Career-Related Qualifications

Career-Related qualifications are made up of credit value based on number of learning hours, scale of unit and level and are measured against the QCF. There are three scales of qualification; Awards hold 1 to 12 credits, Certificates hold 13 to 36 Credits and Diplomas hold 37 Credits or more, in addition to eight Levels from Entry Level to Level 8 ascending in difficulty. Levels 4 and above can be applied to most qualifications issued in Higher Education Institutes and colleges in London.

The QCF also aligns with a European framework so that National Qualifications can be recognized of equal value in EU countries.

Recognized Awarding Body Qualifications

University colleges in London award Academic Qualifications in compliance with the Quality Assurance Agency and FHEQ, a framework uniquely associated with recognized UK University awarding bodies.

The FHEQ is roughly equivalent to Levels 4 to 8 of the QCF and is a specialist framework applied in Universities which separates Higher Education study into different stages and levels of competence starting from an Undergraduate Bachelors degree to a Postgraduate Masters Degree to a Doctorate.

The duration of an Undergraduate Bachelors Degree with Honours is 3 years and is approximately balanced with level 6 of the QCF, the duration of a Postgraduate Masters Degree is usually 1 year and Level 7, and a PhD is Level 8 and can last from 2 to 6 years.

Flexible Study Route to your Chosen Career

Some accredited colleges in London offer more flexible study routes into Higher Education by teaching Vocational qualifications such as one year Diplomas. Vocational Qualifications can be directed towards Recognized Academic Awards by the completion of level 4 and 5 Diplomas, which are similar to the first two years of a Bachelors Degree, followed by a Bachelors Top up Year.

The diverse qualifications and levels offered at colleges in London may seem slightly bewildering, but despite the seeming complexity of the UK Higher Education system, the two qualification frameworks utilized enable students to choose a flexible and specialized route in any subject area whether its by gaining an accredited career related qualification or by developing academic and research skills through an internationally recognized degree.

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