8 Degree courses Qualifications in Higher Education The minimum entry requirement for an honours degree course is typically two A Level passes, or other appropriate level three qualifications including a BTEC National Diploma/ Certificate, an OCR National Diploma, an Advanced Diploma or a Baccalaureate, although exceptions are made for mature students. It is also possible to progress onto a degree course from a Foundation degree, HND or Diploma of Higher Education. For degrees in art and design a foundation diploma or certificate may be asked for. For some courses, passes and grades in specific subjects at both GCSE and advanced level may be required. Appropriate additional studies may be required to support vocational courses. Note that key skill qualifications are accepted by all higher education institutions but are not a requirement for entry to higher education courses. Most degrees normally take a minimum of three years ( four years in Scotland) to complete on a full- time basis. There are, however, some degree courses which take four or five years, normally involving some form of industrial placement. Degrees in dentistry, medicine and veterinary science last for five or six years. A course with a full year spent in industry between years two and four is known as a thick sandwich. A course involving termly blocks of industrial placements is known as a thin sandwich. There are many different types of degree: Single - the in- depth study of one chosen subject, although one or more subsidiary subject( s) may be taken. Joint- two subjects are studied with the time split fairly equally between them. The subjects may or may not be closely related. Combined - where more than one subject is studied. Time may be spent equally between subjects, or one may be a major with the other as minor( s). Modular - a programme based on individual units of study ( modules) which are accumulated and contribute towards the final award of a degree. Interdisciplinary - a combination of courses across a variety of disciplines to build up a degree programme, e. g. human sciences BSc, natural sciences BSc, and biomedical sciences BSc. Studying for a degree can lead to a variety of qualifications, including: BABachelor of Arts BScBachelor of Science BSocSciBachelor of Social Science BEdBachelor of Education BEngBachelor of Engineering BA/ BScBachelor of Arts or Science with with QTSQualified Teacher Status BNBachelor of Nursing LLBBachelor of Law MEngMaster of Engineering - a higher degree usually lasting 4/ 5 years FdAFoundation Degree ( Arts) FdScFoundation Degree ( Science)

9 Qualifications in Higher Education Foundation Degree ( FD) courses Foundation degrees combine academic study with workplace learning and are designed to give you the skills and knowledge employers are looking for. They take around two years to complete full- time, or three to four years part- time. Being distinctly vocational they can lead on to employment or provide progression to an honours degree or further professional qualifications for successful students. There are a very wide range of subjects available including veterinary nursing, e- commerce, health and social care, and forensic science to name but a few. There are no set entry requirements for foundation degrees but as a guide school/ college leavers should expect to be asked for one of the following: A/ AS Level, BTEC National, OCR National, Advanced Diploma, Baccalaureate, NVQ or other level three qualification. Check with the institution offering the course you are interested in to see if you have the necessary experience or qualifications. BTEC Higher National Diploma ( HND) courses HNDs are also work related and focus on ' learning by doing'. They are designed to give you the skills and knowledge that will be effective in a particular job area, and are therefore highly valued by employers. They take two years to complete full- time, but can also be studied part- time which will take a little longer. There are many subjects to choose from, including agriculture, computing and IT, engineering, performing arts and exercise sciences. Many HND students go on to convert their qualification into a bachelors degree with one or two years extra study. The usual entry requirement is one A Level pass ( although normally two should have been studied), a BTEC or OCR National Diploma/ Certificate/ Advanced Diploma or a Baccalaureate. The BTEC, OCR National Diploma/ Certificate or Advanced Diploma may need to be within an appropriate related subject area. Check with the institution offering the course you are interested in to see if you have the appropriate entry requirements. Diploma of Higher Education ( DipHE) courses There are relatively few DipHE courses and they are mainly linked to vocational areas such as nursing and social work. Lasting two years full- time or three plus years part- time, they are equivalent to the first two years of a degree course, and can normally be converted to a related degree with an extra year of study. Entry requirements are usually the same as for a degree. Professional courses Some colleges, university colleges and universities run full or part- time courses leading to qualifications recognised by professional bodies: for example, within accountancy, surveying, insurance and journalism. Many of the HE qualifications introduced in this section can be studied on a part- time basis whilst in employment or training. See pages 22 & 23. Always check on relevant websites such as UCAS ( www. ucas. com), in key reference books or with the educational establishment you are applying to for the latest information on entry requirements. See pages 31 & 33.