What are they?
Postgraduate Diplomas or Certificates are usually vocational courses
– that is, courses that train you for a specific career. As a general rule
they are either full-time (usually nine months) or part-time (usually eighteen months).
Examples are
- the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
- the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)
- the Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism
These qualifications are useful if you want to change disciplines, embark
on a new career or upgrade your knowledge within a specific field,
so the emphasis is generally on building practical skills rather than academic
study.
Course delivery is
- flexible and modular, involving both a taught programme and submission of
course work
- research projects or dissertations are not usually required
- entrance requirements are usually lower than those required for Masters or
PhD programmes
How does funding work?
If you’re applying for a PGCE, your fees will be funded by the government.
On other courses, however, the majority of students fund their education through
loans, part-time work and personal savings. It’s always worth asking
the institution you want to study at if they have any funded places, scholarships
or bursaries available before application. Find out more about funding at
www.prospects.ac.uk/funding
One advantage of doing a vocational course is that you might also be eligible
for a Career Development Loan. These deferred repayment bank loans are specifically
designed to help you pay for vocational education. For further information, see
www.direct.gov.uk/cdl
What should I think about?
Some questions you might want to ask include:
- Am I willing to commit to a career in this area?
- How many previous students found employment related to the course?
- What help do the tutors give in finding suitable work afterwards?
- What sort of career support will the institution offer you?
