UK Post-Graduate Diplomas and Top-up Masters

In the United Kingdom, there exists a system of regulated qualifications with private education providers filling in gaps between formal degrees (e.g. final year of a 4-year bachelors, post-graduate diplomas). Bachelor's degree holders (Level 6) can take Level 7 (Post-graduate diplomas) that allow them to fulfill the first year of a 2-year Masters programs. They can then apply to complete their studies in a top-up Masters program, which is typically the second year of a MBA or MSc degree. This will typically consist of either a research methods seminar and a dissertation, or just a dissertation alone. Dissertations tend to range between 10k to 15k words.

This has been known for some time as a strategy for improving one's educational credentials to compete for immigration spots, but only recently has been discussed as an alternative to the traditional US MBA route.

Overview

Pros

• Typically low cost. Level 7 diplomas accredited by awarding bodies tend to start around 1000 GBP. Top-up degrees tend to be between 3000-5000 GBP.
• This option is semi-self paced. The majority of formal assignments tend to be within the confines of the Level 7 diploma, which when delivered online, is typically entirely self-paced. Although top-up degrees may require attendance in a formal research methods seminar, these tend to only be once a week for 4 to 8 weeks. After this, the dissertation is entirely dependent on your own availability to complete. Most Level 7 degrees are also graded on a pass/fail basis.
• The Level 7 diploma on its own is equivalent to a post-graduate diploma or graduate certificate in most countries. For example, WES Canada has affirmed that a Level 7 from the ATHE Awarding Body is equivalent to a post-graduate certificate in Canada. If you are simply looking for a post-graduate diploma, this is the one of the cheapest and fastest ways to obtain one.
• Stronger name brand, for those that care. Many of these universities are public research institutions that have existed in some shape or form for over a century, and have reasonably sized notable alumni lists. They are typically ranked institutions within the UK, and some are ranked within the top 1000 internationally.
• Can be reliably used for immigration purposes. While popular competency-based or low-cost graduate studies options in the US tend to be restricted to US students (e.g. WGU, Hellenic American University), UK universities tend to be much more accommodating for students based outside the UK and more likely to be evaluated as a Masters degree in high-income countries. Graduates (who already held a 4-year Bachelors degree) who have gone down this path have been able to use their earned credentials to increase their points for Canadian immigration.
• Not limited to top-up Masters programs. The below options are provided for programs who have a clear expectation of being dissertation only and are prepared to recognize Level 7 learning as sufficient to proceed to the dissertation stage. This being said, there are more universities that may accept Level 7 learning to fulfill some or all of their pre-dissertation learning requirements.

Cons

• No guarantees of admission into a top-up program. Many top-up Masters programs expect prior or managerial-level work experience, letters of recommendation, interviews and evidence of aptitude for research. In contrast, many competency-based graduate level programs in the US are rather lenient with admissions requirements.
• Level 7 diplomas are not awarded by universities, but by accredited awarding bodies. Outside of the United Kingdom, awareness of awarding bodies tend to be non-existent, as employers and educational institutions tend to expect post-graduate diplomas to be awarded directly by universities and colleges.
• Inconsistent educational credential recognition. Unlike the United States, UK universities are much less consistent on recognition of past learning and do not utilize foreign education credential evaluators such as WES. Although ENIC (the UK's credential evaluation agency) exists, what universities will consider as equivalent to a Level 7 diploma not awarded by the below Level 7 awarding bodies is much less predictable. For example, if one is attempting to use an ENEB degree, the fact that ENIC has evaluated the ENEB to be Level 7 does not mean a top-up program will consider it suitable for entry into their top-up program.
• Overwhelming focus on business. The majority of Level 7 to Top-Up Masters programs are for Masters of Business Administration and business-related programs. Although there are a handful of non-business Level 7 degrees such as Qualifi Data Science and OTHM Public Administration, no linear path exists for these diplomas to a top-up program other than a relatively poorly documented pathway through London Graduate School's awarding partnership with University of Chichester.
• MBA Pathways are not AMBA Accredited. Although each university is effectively regionally-accredited, they are generally not AMBA accredited (similar to AACSB accreditation in the US). Top-tier firms will expect such accreditation for their entry-level hiring pathways, though lower-tier firms that demand such accreditation are usually not worth working for. This puts this pathway roughly on the footing of the low-cost Hellenic American University MBA pathway.

Level 7 Options

If you seek an Masters degree, it is important for you to confirm with the school that the qualification you have selected is acceptable. Schools may require that you have a specific Level 7 diploma - not just any one.

Level 7 diplomas tend to be awarded by an awarding body, and taught by private centres/colleges that are licensed to provide diplomas under the specifications and learning objectives set out by the awarding body. Awarding bodies may also list specific university progression agreements they have for top-up masters, that will give you an idea of which programs are prepared to accept their regulated qualification.

When purchasing your Level 7, be sure that it is awarded by an awarding body. There is also typically a ~300 GBP fee that must be paid to the awarding body, in addition to the tuition cost of the Level 7 diploma. Anything below 1000 GBP (including awarding body cost) is likely not accredited by an awarding body (i.e. avoid endorsed qualifications).

• ATHE
• Edexcel/Pearson
• Qualifi
• LRN
• OTHM
• CMI

Progression Routes

• ATHE Progression Routes,[1]
• OTHM Progression Routes

School	Degree Name	URL	Tuition (GBP) (UK)	Tuition (GBP) (Intl)	Managerial Experience Requirement	The Guardian Ranking (2023)	THE Ranking (2023)	Notes
Anglia Ruskin University	Online MBA: Master of Business Administration	[2]	5250	5250	Yes, 1 year	109	301-350
Buckinghamshire New University	International Master of Business Administration (Top-up)	[3]	3700	3700	No, but desired	n/a	n/a	Accepts ENEB with accompanying ECCTIS evaluation.
Cardiff Metropolitan University	MBA Advanced Entry Route	[4]	3180	3180	No	73	1001-1200	As of Dec 2022, only accepts: Pearson/Edexcel BTEC Level 7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership, LRN Level 7 Diploma in Business Management, ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management, NCC Education Level 7 Diploma in Business Management
University of Roehampton London	MBA (Top-up)	[5]	7508	8348	No	111	801-1000
University of Bolton	MBA Master of Business Administration (top-up)	[6]	4000	8172	Yes, but no minimum	38	n/a
University of Derby	Unknown				No	48	601-800
University of Gloucestershire	MBA Business Administration (Masters Stage)	[7]	3780	5930	Yes, 2 years (recommended)	88	n/a	Does not accept ENEB.
University of Gloucestershire	MSc in Human Resource Management (Masters Stage)	[8]	3550	5700	No	88	n/a
University of Northampton	Executive Master of Business Administration (Top-Up) MBA	[9]	4050		Yes, 2 years	95	n/a
University of Northampton	MSc in Accounting and Finance	[10]	2425	2425	No	95	n/a
University of Sunderland	MBA Top-Up	[11]	8500	9000	No	50	1001-1200
University of Plymouth	MBA (Master of Business Administration) (Top Up)	[12]	5250	5250	No	63	401-500	Accepts ENEB with accompanying ECCTIS evaluation.
University of South Wales	MBA (Master of Business Administration) (Top Up)	[13]	?	?	No	53	1001-1200
University of Chichester	Master of Business Administration (Online Top Up)	[14]	4500	4500	Yes, 3 years	37	n/a	Accepts ENEB with accompanying ECCTIS evaluation.

• Arden University is not recommended due to its abysmal reputation relative to other universities listed here.