Uni of Derby 1 year top-up IT degree = US bachelor's degree ! but but but...

Back in 2016, I started on the Oxford Adv Diploma in IT because it was funded by my company. It was a 1 year program (online). After which, I used that diploma to apply into Derby's 1 year top up in IT program. I was surprised that I got accepted, cause I only used the oxford diploma for application. I didn't have 240 cats points for entry.

So I spent the next 2-3 years knocking out module by module for Derby until I finished the whole thing back in 2019, and I just left it there. Recently I was thinking about applying into a Masters program (a UK program!) but I thought what the heck, why not send it to WES and see what they make of it, maybe I'll have more options if something good came back.

So it came back few days ago.



WES says its equivalent to a US bachelor's degree! Hooray ?

but but but... here's the crux which I'm still trying to get my head round



It says I only have 62 UG credits. (Note that 62 UG is counting what I have from Oxford as well. So Derby in itself is only 42 credits. Even if you did an AA/AS prior, you'd only have 102 credits tops)

So I'm not sure if a graduate program in the US will accept this (please dont quote me), but I'm gonna try to make an application into G Tech's 10k CS program, FHSU's MPS Web Dev program, and maybe find 1 more 10k CS/Info Sys program to apply into, and I'll update here how it goes.

For anyone who's interested to do the UK 1 year top-up program and is looking towards US grad schools, you might wanna reconsider. I'm not saying it's bad or what not, I'll update my own experience applying into a graduate program using whatever WES has.

side note: I do have a first bach. degree in a different field. I just thought of doing this as an experiment and for future students around the world who might want an IT degree.

 

It's pretty common for US universities to offer one-year second bachelors programs. Since you have a prior bachelors + top-up, you have very similar qualifications to those second bachelors holders. I don't see any reason this will be a negative in the application. Most if not all US schools will ask for transcripts from all prior degrees so they will see your first bachelors. I don't think you can avoid sending them your first degree transcript (that would be unethical and put you at risk).

Your grades are pretty good and you look like a shoo-in for Georgia Tech's MSCS. Maybe also try UT Austin. Good luck!

P.S. If you don't mind, could you post the original UK grade and WES conversion. Curious how WES converted your UK grades to US grades. Thanks!

 

or why don't you try to get a master's degree from UK?
There's online master of science in computer science program from University of York.
I think it costs about the same price.

 

This is my Oxford transcript and grading rubric



This is the Derby transcript



So.. i guess it's easier to get an 'A' average in Derby since you only need 70 and above, you need 85 and above for Oxford

 

I believe York's is a conversion program. I've checked it before and got turned off after looking at the review thread in thestudentroom about the program.

sounded messy.

i might just try for G Tech. also, i got a reply from FHSU and University of Florida, they will accept my WES evaluation, dont matter if its only 60+ credits. As long as WES says its the same as a US degree, they will accept it.

So that's good for international people looking for a 1 year 'top up' degree.

 

Thanks for sharing. Very interesting. You have very high grades. I have no doubt you'll get into GTech. Best of luck and keep us posted!