Postgraduate diploma

Last updated

A postgraduate diploma (PgD, PgDip, PGDip, PG Dip., PGD, Dipl. PG, PDE) is a postgraduate qualification awarded after a university degree, which supplements the original degree and awards them with a graduate diploma. Countries that award postgraduate diplomas include but are not limited to Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Spain, Kenya, South Africa, Sudan, India, Israel, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Republic of Panama the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Pakistan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe. Level of education and recognition differ per issuing country.

Contents

Australia and New Zealand

The Australian equivalent of a postgraduate diploma is called a Graduate Diploma (GDip or GradDip), situated at AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) level eight. New Zealand universities offer postgraduate diplomas (PostGradDip). NZQA level of post graduate diploma is also eight. [1] [2] A postgraduate diploma (or Australian graduate diploma) indicates master's-level studies; a Graduate Diploma is generally equivalent to the first year of a two-year master's degree. Admission is typically based on past study such as via a university degree, although other factors can be taken into account.

Canada

In Canada, a postgraduate certificate program consists of two to three semesters, which can be completed in less than one year in some instances. A university's degree or a master's degree is required to be accepted in this type of program. It offers the advantage of not requiring to write a thesis and to focus on a concise subject. It is recommended for students wishing to enhance their professional skills as it concentrates on a more practical application in order to enter the labor market. Depending on the province, the title can vary: Post-Graduate Diploma, Graduate Diploma, Post-Graduate Certification, Post-Baccalaureate or D.E.S.S. (Quebec's Diplômes d'études supérieures spécialisées). See links to the Canadian education system, as the various regions can be quite different.

India

In India, there are a number of institutes and universities offering postgraduate diploma programs (PG Diploma). These post-graduate diploma programs are mainly one-year programs that are divided into two to four semesters, depending on hands-on training, field work, and credit requirements. These are master's level programs that only cover the essentials. These programs are mainly targeted to offer professional education and training to the candidates for the better employment opportunity and industry readiness. It is designed to provide in-depth exposure to concepts, scientific principles, implementation methodology of new approaches. Post-graduate diplomas in Management, [3] [4] Post-graduate diploma in Banking & Finance, Remote Sensing & GIS, [5] Robotics, Industrial Maintenance Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Technology, [6] are examples of courses offered in India. Certain institutes provide postgraduate diploma programs which satisfies the credit requirement for a master's program with increased number of lower credit courses for 2 years, these programs are provisionally considered equivalent to a master's level. Postgraduate diploma programs are meant for those with a bachelor's degree to gain an advanced technical grasp and to those with a master's degree to enhance their interdisciplinary/translation grasp.

Ireland

Commonly referred to as PgD, the postgraduate diploma (Gaeilge: Dioplóma Iarchéime) has been awarded by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (also known as QQI, Quality Qualifications Ireland, Gaeilge: Dearbhú Cáilíochta agus Cáilíochtaí Éireann), [7] since June 2005 in institutions associated with and accredited by the council. [8] This postgraduate qualification is awarded for a wide range of programmes in the sciences, engineering, and humanities, among others. Entry requirement is a Level 8 Honours Degree in line with EQF standards, including Bachelor's degree or vocational degrees, such as the Meister or Staatlich Geprüfter Betriebswirt in Germany. [9] Most institutions operate under the Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) scheme meaning applicants who do not meet the normal academic requirements may be considered based on publications, relevant work or research experience, which will usually involve an assessment centre or interview process. [10] In Ireland, the vast majority of postgraduate diplomas require the same duration and level of studies as a Master's degree, namely EQF Level 9, yet additional coursework or an independent research project replace the thesis. While progression to doctoral study is only possible at selected universities in Ireland, the Irish postgraduate diploma is widely accepted for entry to EQF Level 8 doctoral degree's in most countries.

Portugal

In Portugal a postgraduate diploma (in Portuguese Pós-graduação) can be awarded under two circumstances: 1) as part of an independent program of studies; 2) after the completion of the first year of study in a masters program. [11] [12]

Singapore

The postgraduate diploma is a postgraduate academic qualification taken after a bachelor's degree. It is usually awarded by a university or a graduate school. It usually takes two or more study terms to complete, a wide variety of courses are offered. It is also possible for graduate diploma holders to progress to a master's degree. Only postgraduate diplomas that are registered with the Ministry of Education (Singapore) are recognised by the industry.

Spain

The postgraduate diploma (PgDip) is awarded by a variety of Spain universities and follows the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) grading system.

For example, Pablo de Olavide University offers an English-language PgDip in the Integral Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Social Activists in cooperation with Protection International. The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) offers an English-language PgDip in International Election Observation and Electoral Assistance, run in cooperation with many organisations in the field of election monitoring, such as The Carter Center, Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS), International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), National Democratic Institute (NDI), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). [13]

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, a postgraduate diploma is a postgraduate academic qualification taken after a bachelor's degree.

United Kingdom

There are a vast number of postgraduate diplomas available in England and Wales. This could be a vocational course studied after an academic degree, such as the Legal Practice Course or the Bar Vocational Course; the resulting diplomas allow the student to enter legal training, relevant to either the solicitor or barrister professions, respectively. Postgraduate diplomas allow a graduate student to study a more advanced programme than at the bachelor's level. It is contrasted with a graduate diploma, where a student studies a new academic subject at degree level, but in a short space of time, such as the Graduate Diploma in Law (also known as the Common Professional Exam), which allows a postgraduate student to study the seven foundation subjects of a three-year undergraduate law degree, in a period of nine months. The City and Guilds of London Institute awards a post graduate diploma 9210 in engineering subjects that are endorsed by the professional engineering institutions, and count toward qualifying as a Chartered Engineer.

Postgraduate diplomas are considered by the National Qualification Framework (NQF) to be at a comparable level to a master's degree, however, they require fewer study credits to achieve (120 credits) when compared to a full master's degree (180 credits). They are typically classified into Distinction, Merit, and Pass, similar to most master's courses. Many schools of architecture commonly operate a 1 or 2-year postgraduate diploma course providing ARB part 3 education in this fashion.

A postgraduate diploma is commonly awarded to students who have completed the master's programme and continuing a one-year advanced course similar to the first year of a PhD program.

A postgraduate diploma typically represents 120 credits of postgraduate courses (whereas a full master's degree is usually 180 credits). Postgraduate diplomas are usually abbreviated as PGDip, PG Dip, PgD, PgDip, and, similar to a PgCert, diploma holders are permitted to use 'PgDip' or 'PgD' as a post-nominal, which is usually listed after all other academic degrees in ascending order, but before any professional qualifications.

Nigeria

In Nigeria PGD is used as a required supplement for students seeking to apply for another postgraduate program (e.g. PhD, Master's degree e.t.c) who have a Higher National Diploma (HND), other lower degrees, a degree in a course that is not connected to the one for which seek a postgraduate admission for, or graduated with very low score from a university.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postgraduate education</span> Phase of higher education

Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree.

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 master's degrees and doctorates.

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

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.

An associate degree or associate's degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of academic qualification above a high school diploma and below a bachelor's degree.

<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 graduate diploma 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 the postgraduate diploma is a higher qualification.

A higher diploma is an academic award in Iraq, Libya, the United Kingdom, 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">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 Diploma of Education, often abbreviated to DipEd or GradDipEd, is a postgraduate qualification offered in many Commonwealth countries including Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

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

Master's degrees in Europe are the second cycle of the Bologna process, following on from undergraduate bachelor's degrees and preceding third cycle doctorates. Master's degrees typically take two years to complete, although the number of years varies between countries, and correspond to 60 – 120 ECTS credits. Within the European Higher Education Area, representing almost all countries in Europe, master's degrees are referenced to the Framework of Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area and national qualifications frameworks.

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

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

Professional social workers are generally considered those who hold a professional degree in social work. In a number of countries and jurisdictions, registration or licensure of people working as social workers is required and there are mandated qualifications. In other places, the professional association sets academic and experiential requirements for admission to membership.

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.

References

  1. "AQF qualifications". Australian Qualifications Framework.
  2. "Qualification types on the NZQF". NZQA.
  3. "PGDM - MIT Pune Distance Education, Institute since 1983". admissions.mitsde.com.
  4. "PGP - IIM Calcutta". www.iimcal.ac.in. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017.
  5. "Training Calendar" (PDF). iirs.gov.in. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "About Us". www.qqi.ie. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017.
  8. "NFQ". www.nfq-qqi.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  9. "Descriptors defining levels in the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) - Learning Opportunities and Qualifications in Europe - European Commission". Learning Opportunities and Qualifications in Europe. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  10. "Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) | NCI". www.ncirl.ie. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  11. See Article 10, Decree-Law no. 216/92 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. See Article 39, Decree-Law no. 115/2013 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)