What is a “Top-Up” Degree?
A Top-Up degree is a short study program (usually 1 year) that allows students who already hold certain qualifications (like a diploma or HND) to upgrade their qualification into a full bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Top-Up in Bachelor
- Students who complete a Level 5 qualification (e.g., Higher National Diploma – HND, or an equivalent diploma) can enter a Bachelor’s Top-Up.
- Duration: Normally 1 year.
- Outcome: Provides the final year of a bachelor’s degree (Level 6).
Examples
- A student with an HND in Business can do a BA (Hons) Business Management Top-Up and graduate with a full UK bachelor’s degree.
- A student with an HND in Law can do a LLB (Hons) Law Top-Up and graduate with a full UK bachelor’s degree.
- A student with an HND in IT can do a BA (Hons) IT Top-Up and graduate with a full UK bachelor’s degree.
Assessment Method
After completing the Levels, there are no traditional exams in these qualifications. Assessment is carried out through assignments, projects, presentations, and dissertations.
Top-Up in Master
- This is usually for students who already hold a Level 7 postgraduate diploma (such as a Qualifi Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management).
- Instead of completing a full 1–2 year master’s program, students can complete just the dissertation/research project at a university.
- Duration: Normally 6–9 months.
- Outcome: A full master’s degree (MBA, MSc, MA, etc.) from a recognized university.
In Short
- Bachelor’s Top-Up: Converts Level 5 (Diploma/HND) → Full Bachelor’s Degree (Level 6).
- Master’s Top-Up: Converts Level 7 Diploma → Full Master’s Degree (Level 7).
