Is there a difference between a University of London diploma and a U.S. Certificate?

Is there a difference between the University of London Diploma and an American style Certificate program?

Also, the UOL Diploma in Economics states that the diploma is for the person that completed the first degree. Would they allow me to complete it after my MBA?

Thanks.

 

Wow, the University of London. There diploma would be very prestigious and well-respected. Go with the University of London if you get a chance.

 

OK, just so we're all on the same page, a diploma is NOT a degree. Beyond that, I would suggest that you compare the hours required to earn the diploma/certificate and I believe that this will suggest to you what the difference might be.
Let us know what you discover.
Jack

 

The problem is that American certificate programs seem to vary. There are different number of classes and different hours. That's why I wanted to see if someone with knowledge on the UOL programs could tell me if the Diploma (which I never heard of in this context) was similiar to a certificate in the U.S. If I were to get this Diploma and a hiring manager asked me if the Diploma was similiar to a certificate, lesser in value or more in value I would be able to answer them.

 

The information available about the external "Diploma for Graduates" from the University of London website seems to suggest that it is equivalent to a U.S. undergruaduate certificate program.


http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/LSEExternalStudy/Programmes/Default.htm

Although the UoL Diploma uses the term "graduate", it appears to be an undergraduate program; however it can be applied toward a second bachelors program. So this would not be equivalent to, say a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAS or CAGS) which is a post-masters program offered by some universities in the eastern U.S. (similar to an Ed.S. degree).

I hope that this helps.

 

Thanks!

 

Many UK degrees let you take roughly one-third of the degree's coursework, and then give you an exit point with, if taken, a certificate. Then if you stay for the next roughly one-third, you get another exit point and, if taken, a diploma. Then if you stay for the last roughly one-third, you get the degree.

Let's look at a bachelors degree. Though the hours/credits may be different in the UK, a UK bachelors is still equivalent to roughly 120 US undergrad semester hours. One third of that is 40 ungrad semester hours. Two thirds is 80 undergrad semester hours.

So, using common horse sense to blend what we learn in those two paragraphs, a UK certificate would be equivalent to maybe 40 US undergrad semester hours; and a UK diploma would be equivalent to maybe 80 US undergrad semester hours. I'm not saying that that's true every time or in your case. I'm just saying that that may be one way to try to figure it out.

Similarly, if it's a graduate-level diploma, where the graduate UK masters degree of which it is a part is worth the equivalent of 36 US semester hours, then it stands to reason that a certificate exit point on the way to said UK masters would be equivalent to 12 US graduate semester hours, and a diploma exit point would be 24 US graduate semester hours.

If, on the other hand, the diploma isn't part of, and an exit point in, a larger degree... then, yes, it would be more difficult to calculate. But, as Jack pointed out, surely the UK institution tells you how many hours or credits in the UK system the certificate is. Knowing the conversion rate, one should be able to figure it out.

 

I'm glad this question was asked.
Can anyone state what is the valuae of Diploma in Electronics Engiinerring from UK ICS.

A person earned this diploma in 1983 and bacame associate member of what is today IIE UK.

The school then offerd Certificate in Electronics Technology
and Diploma in Electronics Engineering.

I don't think they ever offered complete degrees but more career certificates and diplomas. - some had also National Higer diplomas and certificates.

Learner

 

Diplomas, in the countries aligned or derived from the UK model, are offered at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The postgraduate diploma is generally two thirds of a Master's Degree. The last third of the Master's generally involves some sort of thesis or in US terms a dissertation. If one exits at the end of the first year of the master's program, they are awarded a postgraduate certificate. While if you seek to exit at the end of the second year of subjects before the dissertation requirement, then the candidate is awarded a post grad dip.

Having said that, some courses terminate at the post grad. dip level. These would generally be considered a professionally based qualification. The Post grad. dip. in law, for example, is utilised as a conversion course for graduates of other disciplines to gain entrance to the legal profession.

I would think that a diploma offered at the UOL at postgraduate level would fall into a category of being two thirds of a Master's Degree. Having studied with UOL, I would think that the Diploma would very demanding at the post graduate level. The content may be the same as the undergraduate, but the answers would be expected to reflect a higher process of analysis by the student.

 

Wow. I wish I had written something like that. (just screwin' around)

 

Dear Iquagmire,

The University of London offers several types of Diplomas. Holding an MBA wouldn't preclude you from taking any of these qualifications but hopefully the information below will help you choose which is the right one for you.

The Diplomas available include:

1) Diplomas in X, e.g. Diploma in Law, Diploma in Economics - are qualifications designed to allow entry in to a BSc level degree.

2) Diplomas for Graduates in X, e.g. Diploma for Graduates in Economics or Diploma for Graduates in Management .
These are qualifications for those who wish to undertake postgraduate (Masters) work and whose first degree is in an unrelated field. They are also ideal for those want to undertake postgraduate work at a British university but who have a first degree which may not be readily acceptable as equivalent to a UK first degree (e.g. a student holding the Indian Bachelor of Commerce degree will usually not be admitted on to a Masters degree at a UK University). Given that the entrance requirement is to hold a full first degree completed in a minimum of three years duration (i.e. an undergraduate Bachelors degree) they were termed Diplomas for Graduates.

3) Postgraduate Diplomas (sometimes abbreviated to PG Diplomas) in X, e.g. PG Diploma in Economic Principles or PG Diploma in International Management. This is the sort of Diploma DesElms and ebbwvale summarised succinctly as "being two thirds of a Master's Degree".

For further information, please see this thread which explains levels (or lack of) for British Certificates and Diplomas.

Hope this helps,

Brendan