Graduate Certificate (GradCert) – Level 6
A GradCert is the same level as a Bachelor’s degree, but is more limited in scope, so takes less time to complete.
They're usually available in specific subjects that are work-related, such as psychology, management, counselling or law. A GradCert helps you develop skills and knowledge in a single subject to prepare you for your career.
A GradCert typically takes 1 year to complete, part-time.
Integrated Master's degree – Level 7
If you want to become a specialist in your subject, and know you want to study to Master's level, doing an Integrated Master's degree helps you achieve your ambition.
It takes 4 years to complete, or 5 with an optional placement year, and combines an undergraduate degree with a postgraduate year. You graduate with a Master's qualification, such as MSc, MEng, MOpthom or MMath.
Top-up degree– Level 6
If you have a level 5 qualification such an HND, a foundation degree, or successful completion of 2 years of degree study you can take a top-up degree course to build on this study and get a full honours degree (level 6).
Top-up degrees are shorter; they're normally completed in just 1 year, but can take anything between 1 and 2 years depending on your starting point and whether you're studying full or part-time.
Some of our top-up degrees (those in 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.
Foundation degree – Level 5
If you're already working and want to boost your skills to take on more ambitious roles, a Foundation degree, or FdA, is a great way to earn while you learn. Foundation degrees were created to help bridge the gap between college and university, and bring more people from vocational routes into higher education.
FdAs are Level 5, so sit just below a Bachelor's degree, but once you complete a Foundation degree, you'll be able to ‘top-up’ to a full Honours degree with extra study when you're ready.
Entry requirements vary depending on the subject. You might need qualifications such as A levels, or industry experience. Admission is usually assessed on an individual basis, to make sure you've got the required background knowledge and skills you need to complete the course.
Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) – Level 4 and 5
Studying an HNC or HND can give you the theory and skills you need to succeed in your current or future job. A Higher National Certificate or Diploma is ideal whether you want to launch straight into your dream career, or jump-start further study by joining a degree programme mid-way through.
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 CertHE or DipHE is a stand-alone qualification that's usually awarded if you don't want to commit to a full degree. You get a CertHE for 1 year of full-time study, worth 120 credits, and a DipHE for 2 years of full-time study, worth 240 credits.
A CertHE or DipHE might be useful for getting a job, depending on the profession, as they're equivalent to other qualifications. For example, a DipHE in Business and Management is comparable to an NVQ 4 Diploma in Business and Administration.
You 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. You still need to make sure you meet the entry requirements of the course you're interested in, and find out whether your previous studies are transferable.
Certificate of Education (CertEd) – Level 4
If you want to pursue a career as a teacher in further education or training, then you need a CertEd. It opens the door to teaching roles in colleges, sixth-forms, private training providers, public services and voluntary organisations. You can also 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. It generally takes 1 year of full-time study, or 2 years part-time through our partner colleges.
FAQs
What are the different types of degrees you can get from a university? ›
There are generally four categories of college degrees: associate degree, bachelor's degree, graduate degree, and doctorate or professional degree. Each category comes with its own particular subcategories, and there are some subtle differences between a doctorate and a professional degree.
What are the 4 types of degrees and years? ›| Academic degree | Typical completion time |
|---|---|
| Associate degree | Two years |
| Bachelor's degree | Four years |
| Master's degree | Two years |
| Doctoral degree | Four years |
- Bachelor of Arts (BA degree)
- Bachelor of Science (BS degree)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA degree)
...
For the graduating class of 2022, the five highest interest majors were:
- Business (6.93% of responding students)
- Nursing (5.57%)
- Psychology (5.52%)
- Biology (5.34%)
- Medicine/Pre-Medicine (4.00%)
| Rank | Degree subject | Average early career pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum Engineering | $94,500 |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) | $88,000 |
| 3 | Applied Economics and Management | $58,900 |
| 4 | Operations Research | $77,900 |
- Social Sciences and History. ...
- Engineering. ...
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences. ...
- Psychology. ...
- Communication and Journalism. ...
- Visual and Performing Arts. ...
- Computer and Information Sciences. ...
- Education.
- Associate degree.
- Bachelor's degree.
- Master's degree.
- Doctoral degree.
Early childhood education is followed by primary school (called elementary school in the United States), middle school, secondary school (called high school in the United States), and then postsecondary (tertiary) education.
What are the two most common degrees? ›| Rank | Major | Number of Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Major Business and Management | Number of Degrees Awarded 289,384 |
| Rank 2 | Major Nursing | Number of Degrees Awarded 141,632 |
| Rank 3 | Major Psychology | Number of Degrees Awarded 127,066 |
| Rank 4 | Major Biology | Number of Degrees Awarded 120,375 |
Associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees vary in terms of prerequisites, lengths, and requirements. College degrees generally fall into four categories: associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral.
What is the highest to lowest degree? ›
- Associate's Degrees. Associate's degree programs typically require about 2 years to complete. ...
- Bachelor's Degrees. Bachelor's degrees typically take 4 years to complete. ...
- Master's Degrees. ...
- Doctorate Degrees. ...
- Professional Degrees.
A polynomial of degree 4 is called bi-quadratic polynomial.
What is a 8 year degree called? ›A doctorate degree typically takes anywhere from four to six years to complete. On average, a Ph. D. is earned within eight years. The length of time it takes to earn your doctorate is based on numerous factors.
What is a 3 year degree called? ›Associate's Degree - an award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college-level work.
Which degree is best for life? ›- Biomedical Engineering. ...
- Computational Linguistics. ...
- Information Technology. ...
- Big Data. ...
- Construction Management. ...
- Electrical Engineering. ...
- Drone Technology. ...
- Data Analytics and Business Intelligence.
- Engineering. Engineering is a large scientific branch focused on the practical design and building of structures or machines. ...
- Healthcare. ...
- Psychology. ...
- Computer Science. ...
- Business. ...
- Information Technology. ...
- Accounting. ...
- Economics & Finance.
- Engineering. Starting salary: $70,000 – 95,000 depending on specialty. ...
- Computer Science. Starting salary: $67,000. ...
- Mathematics. Starting salary: $62,000. ...
- Business Operations Research. Starting salary: $77,900. ...
- Political Economics. ...
- Business Analytics. ...
- Pharmacist. ...
- Aeronautics.
- Women's Studies. ...
- Religious Studies. ...
- Foreign Language. ...
- Education. ...
- English Literature. ...
- Anthropology. ...
- Sports Management. Sports management has a lot of similarities and overlapping coursework with business administration. ...
- Art. Your creativity could land you a college degree!
A degree is an award conferred by a college, university, or some other educational institution as official recognition for the successful completion of an academic or vocational program.
What are 4 years of college called? ›Types of Bachelor Degrees
Designed to be completed in 4 years, bachelor's degree programs provide in-depth knowledge and skills across a wide variety of career paths to help you stand out in today's competitive job market. Bachelor's degrees are in high demand.
How many different majors are there? ›
When you get to college, you'll need to pick a major—a specific area of study that you'll specialize in.
What are the 7 levels of education? ›- ISCED 0 = Early childhood education.
- ISCED 1 = Primary Education.
- ISCED 2 = Lower Secondary Education.
- ISCED 3 = Upper Secondary Education.
- ISCED 4 = Post-secondary non-Tertiary Education.
- ISCED 5 = Short-cycle tertiary education.
- ISCED 6 = Bachelors degree or equivalent tertiary education level.
At a glance. Academic degree levels in order are associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree and doctoral degree. Students may also earn certificates as academic credentials.
What are the stages of university? ›- Graduate Certificate (GradCert) – Level 6. ...
- Integrated Master's degree – Level 7. ...
- Top-up degree – Level 6. ...
- Foundation degree – Level 5. ...
- Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) – Level 4 and 5.
#2: Chemical Engineering
The second-hardest college major and hardest engineering major is chemical engineering; students in this field spend an average of 19 hours and 40 minutes a week preparing for class.
Doctoral degrees can take up to 7 years of intense study to complete. After completing doctoral degree coursework, you might sit for comprehensive subject matter exams.
What is an 8 year degree called? ›A doctorate degree typically takes anywhere from four to six years to complete. On average, a Ph. D. is earned within eight years. The length of time it takes to earn your doctorate is based on numerous factors.
What is the lowest degree to the highest degree? ›- Associate degree.
- Bachelor's degree.
- Master's degree.
- Doctoral degree.
Often referred to as accelerated degrees, two year degrees are exactly what they sound like. Instead of the traditional three years of studying that an undergraduate degree usually takes, two year degrees condense it by a year. You'll learn the same information, but in a shorter period of time.
How many years is a master degree? ›Master's degrees typically take two years to complete, but the timeframe can vary from person to person. Depending on your degree program and whether you're going to school full-time or part-time, it could take you less time to get your master's degree – or more.
What is the name of a 2 year degree? ›
Studying Associate Degree (Associate Degree)
It can be typically achieved after a 2-year study. Many colleges offer a so-called 2+2 programme where students receive the Associate Degree after the first two years and a Bachelor Degree after another two years of studies.
- Psychology.
- Criminal Justice.
- English.
- Education.
- Religious Studies.
- Social Work.
- Sociology.
- Communications.
The No. 1 spot goes to electrical engineering and computer science. The early-career median pay for majors is $119,200 annually.
What is higher than a PhD? ›The Doctor of Divinity (DDiv) and the Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) are considered by Oxford to outrank all other degrees, including a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. The DDiv is usually awarded for academic accomplishments beyond the PhD level.
What are the 4 types of higher education? ›- doctoral universities,
- master's colleges and universities,
- baccalaureate colleges,
- baccalaureate/associate colleges,
- associate colleges,
- special focus colleges, and.
- tribal colleges.
- Foreign Languages.
- Psychology.
- Statistics.
- Chemistry.
- Physics.
- Engineering.
- Mathematics.
- Chartered Accountancy.
What are the hardest degree subjects? The hardest degree subjects are Aerospace Engineering, Law, Chartered Accountancy, Architecture, Chemistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology, Statistics, Nursing, Physics, Astrophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Astronomy, and Dentistry.
What is the hottest degree called? ›Certain cosmological models, including the one that has held sway for decades, the Standard Model, posit a theoretical highest temperature. It's called the Planck temperature, after the German physicist Max Planck, and it equals about 100 million million million million million degrees, or 1032 Kelvin.