Guide to undergraduate awards

Most students aim to complete a full degree, but you can also study for a University Certificate, a Certificate of Higher Education, a Diploma of Higher Education or a Foundation degree.

This chart shows you the range of awards available and what you need to do to achieve them. Level 1 usually equals the first year of a full-time course. Level 2 equates to the second year, and level 3 to the third year. A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) is equivalent to levels 1 and 2 of a degree.

Course	Average length	Requirements
Honours degree (BA, BSc, BEd, BEng or LLB)	3 years full-time*; 4+ years part-time	Successful completion of levels 1, 2 and 3
Foundation degree	2 years full-time; 3 to 3.5 years part-time	Successful completion of levels 1 and 2
Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE)	1 year full-time; 1.5 years part-time	Successful completion of level 1
University Certificate (Cert)	1 semester full-time; 1 year part-time	Passing 45 credits at level 1