scottish qualifications
The Scottish Credit Qualification Framework shows you at a glance how qualifications in Scotland compare to each other and to secondary school qualifications
| SCQF Level | SQA National Units, Courses and Group Awards | Higher Education Qualifications | SVQ’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | - | Doctorate | - |
| 11 | - | Masters | SVQ 5 |
| 10 | - | Honours Degree | - |
| 9 | - | Ordinary Degree | - |
| 8 | - | HND | SVQ 4 |
| 7 | Advanced Higher Grade | HNC | |
| 6 | Higher Grade | - | SVQ 3 |
| 5 | Intermediate 2/ Credit Standard Grade | - | SVQ 2 |
| 4 | Intermediate 1 / General Standard Grade | - | SVQ 1 |
| 3 | Access 3 / Foundation Standard Grade | - | - |
| 2 | Access 2 | - | - |
| 1 | Access 1 | - | - |
To find out more about the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework go to www.scqf.org.uk
Short Courses
If you would like to start off by taking a shorter course, such as a taster course or pre-access course you may find that you can earn credits towards other qualifications. Check with whoever is organising the course whether this is possible on the opportunity you would like to attend.
National Qualification (NQ) and National Certificates (NC)
An NQ or NC can be taken in a number of different subject areas and is made up of a collection of units. There are five levels called Access, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, Higher and Advanced Higher. Typically they will take one year to complete if you study full-time.
Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ)
An SVQ is often gained while you are in employment, but can be studied at college or through a mixture of both. They usually emphasise practical skills and are designed to assure an employer that you are competent or have the skills and expertise to perform a particular job at a certain level. There are five levels (1-5).
Scottish Group Award (SGA)
An SGA can be taken at your own pace and is built up unit by unit. They are offered at different levels depending on your previous learning experience. Each unit takes 40 hours of study and a combination can be built up to an SGA.
Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND)
HNCs and HNDs are practical qualifications offered by many colleges and universities in work-related subjects. An HNC will typically take one year to complete full-time and is roughly equivalent to first year at university and an HND will take two years to complete and is roughly equivalent to second year at university. If you choose to study part-time they will take longer to complete. You can often go on from an HND to study a degree. All of the colleges in Fife and Tayside offer HNDs that may link on to the second or third year of degree courses (this is called articulation).
Ask staff at the colleges and universities about articulation links for the subjects that interest you or for general information about articulation links in Fife and Tayside look at the Fife and Tayside Wider Access Forum’s Stepping Higher booklet.
Modern Apprenticeships (MA)
MAs are usually undertaken while you are in employment. They have generally been developed by industry to help you to develop the skills to progress and/or qualify in a chosen profession.
Professional Development Awards (PDA)
These are professional awards designed to help individuals and organisations to develop skills in particular areas.
Certificates and diplomas of higher education (CertHE and DipHE)
DipHE is a university qualification that takes less time than a degree, usually 2 years full-time or 3 years part-time. Some universities also offer a certificate after one year of successful study. It is possible to achieve a CertHE or DipHE in many subjects, but you should contact the college or university you are interested in for more information.
Undergraduate degrees
The three most common degrees are the Batchelor of Arts (BA), Master of Arts (MA) and Batchelor of Science (BSc). The title of the degree depends on the subjects you choose and the university you go to. There may also be an option to take a combined degree where you choose two main subject areas.
You will need to study a certain number of courses or modules, which usually last for between a term and a year each. Sometimes there are compulsory modules (which you must take) and then optional ones (from which you can choose particular interests). An honours degree will normally take four years of full-time study. Sometimes you can study your choice at a level to give you an ordinary (or pass) degree, which normally takes three years full time.
Postgraduate courses
After completing a degree, you may wish to continue your studies and go into your subject in more depth. You could study for a postgraduate diploma, master’s degree or a doctorate
Hazel Ellis Saxon
