Graduate diploma

Last updated

A graduate diploma (GradD, GDip, GrDip, GradDip) is generally a qualification taken after completion of a first degree, although the level of study varies in different countries from being at the same level as the final year of a bachelor's degree to being at a level between a master's degree and a doctorate. In some countries the graduate diploma and postgraduate diploma are synonymous, while in others (particularly where the graduate diploma is at undergraduate degree level) the postgraduate diploma is a higher qualification.

Contents

Australia

The graduate diploma is normally taken following a bachelor's degree, and some master's degree programs have graduate diploma as a nested (interim) award. [1] The qualification is at level 8 of the Australian Qualifications Framework, the same as an honours degree. [2] This qualification is at the same level as the post graduate diploma qualifications awarded in New Zealand institutions and Australian graduate diplomas should not be confused with New Zealand graduate diplomas as they belong to two different qualification levels. [3] [4] [5]

Canada

Graduate diplomas offered in Canada (French: Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées ) [6] are typically taken following a bachelor's degree and a successful award allows progression to a master's degree. Depending on the institution, a graduate diploma in Canada may be at graduate level or bachelor's level. [7] [8] Similar courses at other Canadian institutions may be termed postgraduate diplomas at graduate level and post-baccalaureate diploma at bachelor's level.

Denmark

In Denmark there are two forms of master's degree. The master's degree or candidatus is a FQ-EHEA second-cycle qualification worth 120 ECTS credits. These degrees are research-based and offered through universities (e.g. University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen Business School). The second form is the Graduate Diploma within the adult further education system, which is worth 60 ECTS credits and is taught part-time. The graduate diploma is normally taken following a bachelor's degree. Diplomas (in Danish: HD) are studied in business-related fields such as Business Administration and Innovation Management. Programs are normally split into Part 1 (graduate certificate) and Part 2 (graduate diploma), each being 60 ECTS Credits (one year of full-time-equivalent study). [9] [10] [11]

India

In India the graduate diploma, comes one level before a master's degree–level qualification which are usually is a 1/2-year specialized programs. Certain institutes provide master's level programs with increased number lower credit courses for two years. At times for transnational equivalency the same is casually noted as graduate diplomas. Advanced diplomas provided are equivalent to a post-baccalaureate diploma; this is a one to three-year course.

Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, the graduate diploma or post-graduate diploma is a level 9 award on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) which is the same level as a masters degree. The higher diploma is an award at level 8, the same level as an honours bachelor's degree. These programmes generally consist of one year of full-time study and are usually taken after, and/or in a different subject from, an earlier bachelor's degree. [12] A wide variety of courses are offered; it is also possible to progress to a master's degree.

The diploma is generally in two forms:

The graduate diploma (GradDip) is offered by University College Dublin, the Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, HETAC and the University of Limerick. The higher diploma (HDip) is offered by HETAC, NUI institutions, and Trinity College, Dublin.

Malaysia

The graduate diploma forms part of the lifelong education pathway on the Malaysian Qualifications Framework. They are qualifications at the level of a bachelor's degree but with half of the credit value. [13]

New Zealand

In New Zealand, a graduate diploma is an advanced undergraduate qualification normally completed after a bachelor's degree or done at the same time as the bachelors study, and can be used as a bridging qualification to prove a student's ability to undertake postgraduate studies for a completely different field. [14] A graduate diploma (e.g., Graduate Diploma in Education etc.) is different from a postgraduate diploma, which is a course of study at postgraduate level (e.g., Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology etc.). In universities and learning institutes, a graduate diploma is commonly studied by students who have already graduated in a different field and allows them to pursue a new profession. It mainly involves undertaking courses in an accelerated undergraduate level (e.g., normally a mixture of second and third year courses from the bachelor's degree) in order for the student to attain the requirements equivalent to a student who studied towards an undergraduate degree.

Singapore

A Graduate Diploma offered by Singapore's autonomous universities is a postgraduate qualification that generally requires a Bachelor's degree for entry. It is designed to provide specialised knowledge and skills in a specific field of study, often to enhance professional expertise or prepare for further academic pursuits. Typically, these programs last for about one year of full-time study or up to 18 months part-time. For example, NUS offers Graduate Diplomas in areas like Public Health, [15] Systems Analysis, [16] [17] Maritime Law & Arbitration, [18] [19] Medicine fields, [20] and Arts & Social Sciences fields. [21] NTU offers Graduate Diploma in fields like Sports Medicine. [22] [23] SUSS offers a range of Graduate Diplomas, including in fields like Management, [24] [25] Analytics and Visualisation, [26] [27] among others, [28] with 30 academic credit units from these diplomas often being stackable towards a relevant SUSS Master's degree. [29]

A WSQ Graduate Diploma is a high-level qualification under the Singapore's Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system, a national framework for training, developing, assessing, and certifying workforce skills and competencies. These diplomas are typically offered through bite-sized training modules, allowing individuals to learn at their own pace. Upon completing each module, participants receive a Statement of Attainment (SOA). Accumulating the relevant SOAs leads to the achievement of a WSQ Graduate Diploma. [30] As WSQ Graduate Diplomas are not postgraduate qualifications offered by Singapore's autonomous universities, they do not include academic units that can be stackable towards a Master's degree.

Graduate Diplomas are also offered at various academic levels by Singapore's private education institutes (PEI), [31] and these diplomas are generally awarded by the PEI or overseas universities. Graduate Diplomas awarded by overseas universities follow their countries' education system.

United Kingdom

In the UK, a graduate diploma is a short course, with a value of 80–120 UK credits (equivalent to 40–60 ECTS credits), [32] that is normally studied by students who have already graduated in another field. Graduate diplomas are distinguished from graduate certificates by having a longer period of study, equivalent to two thirds of an academic year or more. [33] Until the 1990s, the British conservatoires of music offered three year undergraduate courses to some of their students, leading the award of the Graduate Diploma, e.g. GRSM, GTCL, equivalent to a university first degree in music. When a number of conservatoires became affiliated to or constituent colleges of universities, the graduate diplomas were gradually replaced by the award of the BMus degree to all successful students.

A graduate diploma should not be confused with a postgraduate diploma, which is a master's degree-level qualification in the UK. Historically, this has not always been the case, with postgraduate diploma and graduate diploma used interchangeably, but the Quality Assurance Agency now makes a clear distinction between these titles. [34] Some institutions have renamed courses as a result, e.g. The College of Law renamed the official title for its law conversion course from Postgraduate Diploma in Law to Graduate Diploma in Law as, although the law conversion course is studied postgraduately, the contents of the course are only undergraduate in nature.

In 2018, the Royal College of Art launched a new Graduate Diploma in Art and Design programme aimed at preparing graduate students for its master's degree programmes in Art and Design. [35] [ dead link ]

United States

In the US, graduate diplomas are "Intermediate Graduate Qualifications" involving study beyond master's level but not reaching doctoral level. They are generally found in professional, rather than academic, fields. Other qualifications at this level include advanced graduate certificates, specialist certificates and specialist degrees. [36]

See also

Related Research Articles

An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The most common undergraduate degree is the bachelor's degree, although some educational systems offer lower-level undergraduate degrees such as associate and foundation degrees. Common postgraduate degrees include engineer's degrees, master's degrees and doctorates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Master's degree</span> Postgraduate educational qualification

A master's degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. A master's degree normally requires previous study at the bachelor's level, either as a separate degree or as part of an integrated course. Within the area studied, master's graduates are expected to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation, or professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently.

A bachelor's degree or baccalaureate is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years. The two most common bachelor's degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science. In some institutions and educational systems, certain bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate educations after a first degree has been completed, although more commonly the successful completion of a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for further courses such as a master's or a doctorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diploma</span> Educational document

A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or official document of diplomacy.

A higher diploma is an academic award in Iraq, Libya, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland and Oman. In Iraq, it's one year after bachelor's degree. In Ireland it is a postgraduate qualification at the same level as the honours bachelor's degree. In the United Kingdom, the diploma is equivalent to higher tier (A*-C) GCSE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postgraduate diploma</span> Type of postgraduate qualification

A postgraduate diploma is a postgraduate qualification at the level of a master's degree, awarded after a university degree, which supplements the original degree and awards them with a graduate diploma. The minimum requirement of completing a Bachelor's degree is necessary to start the Postgraduate course. The duration of a Postgraduate course can vary from 1 year to 2 years.

Higher National Diploma (HND), part of the Higher Nationals suite of qualifications, is an academic higher education qualification in the United Kingdom and various other countries. They were introduced in England and Wales in 1920 alongside the Ordinary National Diploma and the Higher National Certificate. A qualification of the same title is also offered in Argentina, Brunei, Cameroon, India, Malta, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and some other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Licentiate (degree)</span> Academic degree similar to masters degree

A licentiate is an academic degree present in many countries, representing different educational levels. It may be similar to a master's degree when issued by pontifical universities and other universities in Europe, Latin America, and Syria.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE/PGCertEd) is a one- or two-year higher education course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland which provides training in order to allow graduates to become teachers within maintained schools. In England, there are two routes available to gaining a PGCE – either on a traditional university-led teacher training course or school-led teacher training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Qualifications Framework</span> Educational standards organization

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) specifies the standards for educational qualifications in Australia. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government's Department of Industry, with oversight from the States and Territories, through the Standing Council of Tertiary Education Skills and Employment. While the AQF specifies the standards, education and training organisations are authorised by accrediting authorities to issue a qualification.

Honours degree has various meanings in the context of different degrees and education systems. Most commonly it refers to a variant of the undergraduate bachelor's degree containing a larger volume of material or a higher standard of study, or both, rather than an "ordinary", "general" or "pass" bachelor's degree. Honours degrees are sometimes indicated by "Hons" after the degree abbreviation, with various punctuation according to local custom, e.g. "BA (Hons)", "B.A., Hons", etc. In Canada, honours degrees may be indicated with an "H" preceding the degree abbreviation, e.g. "HBA" for Honours Bachelor of Arts or Honours Business Administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore University of Social Sciences</span> University in Singapore

The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) is a public autonomous university in Singapore. Established in 2017, SUSS focuses on applied degree programmes primarily in the social sciences. In 2017, SUSS received its inaugural class of 2,137 graduates.

A postgraduate certificate (abbreviated as PGCert, PG Cert or PGC is a postgraduate qualification at the level of a master's degree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academic certificate</span> Document that certifies having received specific education

An academic certificate or tech certificate is a document that certifies that a person has received specific education or has passed a test or series of tests.

The Malaysian Qualifications Framework or the MQF is a unified system of post secondary qualifications offered on a national basis in Malaysia. It is administered by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), a statutory body under the purview of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).

In the UK education sector, there are a wide range of qualification types offered by the United Kingdom awarding bodies. Qualifications range in size and type, can be academic, vocational or skills-related, and are grouped together into different levels of difficulty. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, qualifications are divided into Higher Education qualifications, which are on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and are awarded by bodies with degree awarding powers, and Regulated qualifications, which are on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) and are accredited by Ofqual in England, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in Northern Ireland and Qualifications Wales in Wales. In Scotland, qualifications are divided into Higher Education qualifications, Scottish Qualifications Authority qualifications and Scottish Vocational Qualifications/Modern Apprenticeships, which are on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Scottish Higher Education Qualifications are on both the SCQF and the FHEQ.

A graduate certificate is an educational credential representing completion of specialized training at the college or university level. A graduate certificate can be awarded by universities upon completion of certain coursework indicating mastering of a specific subject area. Graduate certificates represent training at different levels in different countries, for example a graduate certificate is at master's degree level in Ireland, but is at a bachelor's degree level in the United Kingdom. In both cases, the graduate certificate represents less work than a degree at the same level.

Alternative pathways in education are alternative means of obtaining educational qualifications, other than the traditional means of gaining access to or completing the required study to obtain the educational qualifications.

Post-secondary qualifications are qualifications typically studied for after successful completion of secondary school. In Mauritius, this is usually after successful completion of the Higher School Certificate or its equivalent, although select qualifications may permit early school leaving or require additional study. A variety of different post-secondary qualifications are offered in Mauritius.

The national qualification frameworks in the United Kingdom are qualifications frameworks that define and link the levels and credit values of different qualifications.

References

  1. ↑ "Master of Data Science- Alternative exits". Monash University. Monash University.
  2. ↑ "Australian Qualifications Framework 2nd edition" (PDF). January 2013. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "Qualification types on the NZQF". New Zealand Qualification Authority.
  4. ↑ "AQF Level 8 criteria for the Graduate Diploma". AQF Qualifications.
  5. ↑ "Enhancing Mobility – Referencing of the Australian and New Zealand Qualifications Frameworks". Australian Government Department of Education and Training and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "Specialized Graduate Diplomas (DESS)". HEC Montréal . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  7. ↑ "Graduate Diploma Programs". *Simon Fraser University . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Computer Science (GrDip)". Concordia University . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Business Administration". University of Southern Denmark . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  10. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Business Administration". Copenhagen Business School . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  11. ↑ "Graduate Diploma (HD) in Innovation Management". Copenhagen Business School . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  12. ↑ "Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)". Quality and Qualifications Ireland. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  13. ↑ "Malaysian Qualifications Framework". Malaysian Qualifications Agency . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "Graduate Diploma". New Zealand Qualifications Authority . Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  15. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Public Health (GDPH) - Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health". NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  16. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis". NUS-ISS. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis|NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE|www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg". MySkillsFuture. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  18. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law & Arbitration - NUS Law Academy". NUS Law Academy. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  19. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law & Arbitration|NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE|www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg". MySkillsFuture. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  20. ↑ "Graduate Diploma - Division of Graduate Medical Studies". NUS Division of Graduate Medical Studies. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  21. ↑ "Programmes Available – NUS Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences". NUS Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  22. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine | NTU Singapore". NTU Singapore. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  23. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine|Nanyang Technological University|www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg". MySkillsFuture. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  24. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Management | SUSS". SUSS. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  25. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Management|SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES|www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg". MySkillsFuture. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  26. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Analytics and Visualisation (GDAV) | SUSS". SUSS. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  27. ↑ "Graduate Diploma in Analytics and Visualisation|SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES|www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg". MySkillsFuture. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  28. ↑ "Degree & University Courses | Part-time & Full-time Programmes | SUSS". SUSS. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  29. ↑ "Graduate Certificate Programmes - CET Courses | SUSS". SUSS. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  30. ↑ "Workforce Skills Qualifications". SkillsFuture SG. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  31. ↑ "TPGateway | PEI Listing". PEI Listing. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  32. ↑ "Higher education credit framework for England" (PDF). Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. August 2008. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2019. There are, in particular, two main variants in the concept of the graduate diploma both of which are consistent with the expectations of the FHEQ. One is typically a year long and comprises 120 credits; the other relates to programmes of shorter duration and for which 80 credits is typically the minimum.
  33. ↑ Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (October 2015), The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (PDF), p. 36, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016, retrieved 5 June 2016, Graduate diplomas and certificates are at the same level (6 on the FHEQ/SCQF level 10 on the FQHEIS) but are differentiated from each other by volume of study and learning outcomes. The title 'certificate' normally signifies learning outcomes which would imply study equivalent to at least one-third of a full-time academic year, and the title 'diploma' normally signifies study equivalent to at least two-thirds of a full-time academic year at the relevant level (and/or, where credit is awarded, the volume of credit specified by the relevant credit framework).
  34. ↑ Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (October 2015), The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (PDF), p. 35, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016, retrieved 5 June 2016, titles with the stem 'graduate' (for example, 'graduate diploma') are used for qualifications from programmes of study that typically require graduate entry, or its equivalent, and have learning outcomes that match relevant parts of the descriptor for a qualification at level 6 on the FHEQ or SCQF levels 9 or 10 on the FQHEIS
  35. ↑ RCA. "The Royal College of Art Announces Graduate Diploma in Art & Design". RCA. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  36. ↑ "Structure of the U.S. Education System: Intermediate Graduate Qualifications". U.S. Department of Education. February 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2016.[ dead link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.