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Doing another degree later in life
If the ivory towers and hallowed halls of academe beckon, here’s how to get started
Success By DegreesThe modern modular system for degrees gives mature students far more flexibility. To gain an honours degree, a student needs to earn 360 credits. A bit like on ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’, you can opt to stop after the first 120 credits, having safely earned a Certificate of Higher Education.The next 120 credits will earn you a Foundation Degree or Diploma.
Turn up the heat, accumulate the full 360 credits and become the proud owner of a first degree.
Many universities offer part-time degrees in Combined Studies or Humanities, so you can mix and match the units that most appeal to you. Some universities will allocate credits if you already have a qualification higher than A levels.
This system is known APL -Accreditation of Prior Learning - and can help speed the process of getting a degree.
If you decide you want to switch university, or put your study on hold, you can still keep the credits you have earned. They can then often be transferred to another university course in the future. But it’s worth checking in advance.
Most universities also have Lifelong Learning Departments to cater for mature students. Check on the university websites for details.
Masters and Doctors
If you already have a BA or BSc, you can shimmy up the academic ladder by taking a Masters.
Your first degree may be a few decades old, but as long as it was of a reasonable standard, then age is no obstacle to continuing your education.
MAs can be taught or just research led. It’s best to trawl around a few University websites to see what is on offer.
If you already have a first degree or Masters and a passion for researching a specific subject, you can aim even higher for an MPhil or a PhD at any age.
Do a bit of Internet research to find a University with a research department that covers your speciality. These are often available on a part-time basis. Written by Felicity Hawkins
This article was created: 21 July 2006.
This article was last edited: 13 November 2006.
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