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Professional Development Courses

Our flexible part-time programme of study enables you to update your existing skills and to develop new ones. Qualifications available range from the University Certificate in Professional Development to a Diploma of Higher Education and credits earned from these awards can contribute to those required for an honours degree.

What Qualifications Are Available?

Our versatile programme allows you to study modules over a flexible period to suit you.

There are two levels of qualification available, Undergraduate and Postgraduate. Postgraduate level courses require you to have already completed a first degree (a BSc or BA for example).

Undergraduate Level

At undergraduate level, each module earns you credits, which are accumulated to gain a recognised qualification. All modules have the same value at 10 credits each.

Credits required to achieve undergraduate qualifications.
Qualification Credits Required
University Certificate in Professional Development (UCPD) 30
University Certificate in Advanced
Professional Development (UCAPD)
60 or UCPD + 30
Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) 120 or UCAPD + 60
Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)* CertHE + 120
BSc (Hons) Computer Studies** DipHE + 120

* For this award credits at Level 2 are required
** For this award credits at Level 3 are required

More information is available on studying for a BSc Computer Studies part time.

Postgraduate Level

At postgraduate level, students study a certain number of modules to achieve each qualification. All modules have the same value.

Modules required to achieve postgraduate qualifications.
Qualification Postgraduate Modules Required
University Certificate of Postgraduate Professional Development (UCPPD) 2 modules successfully completed
Postgraduate Certificate in Computing (PgC) 3 modules successfully completed
Postgraduate Diploma in Computing (PgD) 6 modules successfully completed
Masters Degree 6 modules successfully completed plus a substantial individual project

More information is available on studying for a Masters Degree part time.

Entry Requirements

For undergraduate courses, no previous qualifications or experience are required. However, we recommend that those with no experience of information technology take the module Introduction to Information Technology as a first stage and follow this with other modules (such as Word Processing or Introduction to Spreadsheets) before taking other more technical modules.

For postgraduate courses, an honours degree or equivalent is required and individual modules may require specific prior knowledge and experience.

What Subjects Can I Study?

Pick a subject area that interests you from the list on the left of this page.

Duration

Undergraduate Level

Modules are normally taught over 10 weekly sessions.

For those modules assessed by end test/examination, an additional week's attendance may be required. A session generally lasts for two to three hours.

Postgraduate Level

Individual modules are taught over 30 week periods and would normally require attendance for 2 hours a week. Some modules are delivered over 15 weeks, with up to 4 hours of taught classes per week.

Fees

If you are receiving unemployment benefit, income support, family credit, housing or similar benefits there are no fees. Any specific queries regarding fee exemption should be directed to the University's Finance Department.

For Undergraduate Level Courses (UCPD/UCAPD/BSc etc) delivered on campus, the initial module fees are £62.50 for each 10 credit module.

Modules normally cost £125, but students registering for the first time on a new undergraduate course will normally only pay 50% of the standard fee for the first 20 credits.

For Postgraduate Level Courses (UCPPD/MSc etc), the module fees are £400 each. Previously enrolled students will be charged a different rate.

Enrolment

Enrolment takes place in the School of Computing at the beginning of September, January and April each year.

When Do I Study?

Most undergraduate level courses (on the list on the left of this page) run in the evening.

In addition to the modules shown on this website, students may study modules from the Undergraduate Prospectus during the day, alongside full-time students. This option gives those students who have free time during the day a wider choice of modules and enables those students who wish to gain a degree award to have access to the required number of Level 2/3 modules (not currently available during the evenings).

In contrast, most postgraduate level courses are delivered during the day, alongside full-time students.

Part Time BSc (Hons) Computer Studies

This course is delivered as a day-release course to those who have 180 UCPD/UCAPD credits (or 120 UCPD/UCAPD credits and a portfolio of relevant work). Students are able to complete a degree with two further years of part-time study during the day along side full-time students.

More information is available on studying for a BSc Computer Studies part time.

What Now?

Further information is available from the School of Computing.

Tell me how to apply for this course.


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