With such a wide range of qualifications
available we want to make sure that you choose the right course for
you. Achieving the right qualifications can help you to continue to
progress in education or to kick-start your career with the skills
and knowledge you need.
Nationally
recognised, these certificates are aimed at increasing your
confidence to enable you to progress on to other areas of study at
the same level, and at Level 1 and above.
General Certificate of Secondary Education
(GCSEs) and Advanced Levels (A-Levels) are well-known, traditional
academic qualifications involving exams which you can study at
college as well as at school. GCSEs usually take a year to complete
and most of our Level 2 courses require two or more GCSEs at grade
A*-D.
A-Levels are normally studied over two years.
For the first year, you can study up to four subjects at AS-Level
and then, in your second year, you can continue at A2-Level to make
up a full A-Level. A-Levels are the most popular route for entrance
to university although there are other options such as HNC/Ds and
Foundation Degrees.
These qualifications develop the specialist
skills required for your chosen career. They enable you to
demonstrate your skills and knowledge in practical situations
throughout the course rather than taking exams. Level 3 Diplomas
are recognised by universities and employers alike as a great
alternative to A-Levels.
Level 2 Diploma – equivalent to 4 GCSEs
Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma – equivalent to 1
A-Level or 140 UCAS points
Level 3 Diploma – equivalent to 2 A-Levels or
280 UCAS points
Level 3 Extended Diploma – equivalent to 3
A-Levels or 420 UCAS points
HNC/D courses are university level courses
that develop the specialist skills required for your chosen career.
It is possible to study on a HNC/D course for two years before
adding a final year at university to reach a full bachelor’s
degree. Download our Higher
Education prospectus for more information.
Foundation Degrees are university level
qualifications but are specifically designed with a particular area
of work in mind and with the help of the employers from that
sector. This mode of study has been developed to enable you to
apply your subject knowledge directly to the workplace. 70% of your
assessments will be through exams, while the remaining 30% is
through coursework. Download our Higher
Education prospectus for more information.
NVQs are
developed with an industry focus. As work related qualifications,
they will allow you to develop the practical skills that you need
for your chosen career. These qualifications are achieved through
assessment in the workplace and do not involve exams.
All full-time courses up to and including
Level 3 at Bedford College include opportunities to gain
qualifications in Functional Skills. These are skills that
employers require and you will be expected to demonstrate at
interviews such as good communication and numeracy. Functional
Skills therefore focus on English, Information Communication
Technology (ICT) and Maths.
Which Level is right for you?
The following table is a guide to the
different levels and qualifications available at Bedford
College:
