Working Out UCAS points

Original post by wizimum

Help Please, 43 year old wanting to return to education as own children have grown and in a position to do so money wise. At school I gained 5 GCSE, At college obtained BTEC National (which I think now is classes as Level 3) recently I have obtained my CSBM (Level 4 Diploma in School Business Management) trying to find out if this is enough to get me into a foundation year of a degree????

Depends on degree and uni. Also presumably you have relevant work experience? Email the unis and see what they have to say.

Reply 2

wizimum

OP

6

Thanks for advice, no want to go for a total change so this might be a challenge just hoped experience could help prove able to produce good standard of written work?

Reply 3

999tigger

19

Original post by wizimum

Help Please, 43 year old wanting to return to education as own children have grown and in a position to do so money wise. At school I gained 5 GCSE, At college obtained BTEC National (which I think now is classes as Level 3) recently I have obtained my CSBM (Level 4 Diploma in School Business Management) trying to find out if this is enough to get me into a foundation year of a degree????

You are going to have to id the foundation degrees you wish to join and then make an informal enquiry as to whether they will acceft what you have.

The CSBM is this?
https://www.sbmpartnership.org.uk/level-4-diploma-csbm/

It doesnt appear to be worth UCAS points, but they might rate it and allow you on. The BTEC on its own wont be enough unless its an extended diploma. It will be at their discretion. the lower the uni you apply to the mre they will want your money.

The alternative is just to do A levels or an Access course?
Foundation degrees have pros and cons, it gets you into uni a year early, but costs more money.

http://www.accesstohe.ac.uk/Access/FAQs/Pages/Default.aspx?acceptcookies=true

Reply 4

Minerva

Original post by wizimum

Thanks for advice, no want to go for a total change so this might be a challenge just hoped experience could help prove able to produce good standard of written work?

Most unis will want evidence of recent study, so would suggest you look at the OU and other online offerings to identify suitable modules you could work on over a year - depending on what subject you are interested in and where you live, you might also like to check out the Continuing Education departments at Cambridge and Oxford, and Birkbeck.

Unis will be more flexible about formal academic qualifications in cases like yours, but (especially if you are looking at a major shift from what you've done before) will need to satisfy themselves that you have the basic skills to undertake university level study. An OU module or similar can be very good way of doing this, without the terrible drudgery of A levels. An Access course is only useful if you are aiming for a specific discipline and the unis concerned are explicit about it being acceptable. Always a good plan to ask the unis you have in mind what they would like, in any case.

Reply 5

Realitysreflexx

22

You obviously wont be able to apply to a Russell group or anything like that without high scores on an access, this looks like a waffley qualification, head to low ranked unis in your region, CCC in that range, but be advised degree value wont be great, you will not be able to work at a multinational but a global business career likely isnt your ambition!

Reply 6

jonathanemptage

Original post by wizimum

Help Please, 43 year old wanting to return to education as own children have grown and in a position to do so money wise. At school I gained 5 GCSE, At college obtained BTEC National (which I think now is classes as Level 3) recently I have obtained my CSBM (Level 4 Diploma in School Business Management) trying to find out if this is enough to get me into a foundation year of a degree????

to be honest you might even get on to 1st year in some places the National diploma is designed to get people in to university.

Reply 7

Original post by Realitysreflexx

be advised degree value wont be great, you will not be able to work at a multinational but a global business career likely isnt your ambition!

Utter twaddle.

Reply 8

Original post by 999tigger

The CSBM is this?
https://www.sbmpartnership.org.uk/level-4-diploma-csbm/
It doesnt appear to be worth UCAS points, but they might rate it and allow you on.

Level 4 courses (also includes HNC, CertHE) don't have UCAS tariff points. They are equivalent to first year at university.

But the suitability of a specific Level 4 will depend on the university.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 9

Realitysreflexx

22

Original post by Doonesbury

Utter twaddle.

but im sure op will have more success in life then doonesbury, who spends his life griping and bidling onTSR.

Reply 10

Original post by Realitysreflexx

but im sure op will have more success in life then doonesbury, who spends his life griping and bidling onTSR.

than

Reply 11

LostAccount

If you'd prefer going to a 'higher' university, explore the option of taking an Access to Higher Education diploma at a local college. Inquire at the university of your wish what they would accept as a AccHE diploma for the degree you want and then try taking the course at the local college. They're fairly cheap and can be payable in instalments.

Once you complete the diploma, you could go on a standard 3-year course (or hastened 2-year) on the basis of the diploma, or begin a 4-year course with a foundation year. Warwick definitely takes on and has a quota of adults doing the HE access diplomas, so they are a good first port of call. Southampton and QMUL also do foundation years for adults seeking a career change, although I think they ask for some relevant work experience even if in skills.

Also, don't forget or abandon the option of the Open University. They have some great courses on offer, are very cheap, fairly respected and self-paced.

Reply 12

LostAccount

Original post by Realitysreflexx

You obviously wont be able to apply to a Russell group or anything like that without high scores on an access, this looks like a waffley qualification, head to low ranked unis in your region, CCC in that range, but be advised degree value wont be great, you will not be able to work at a multinational but a global business career likely isnt your ambition!

The idea that multinationals won't take people outside of Russell Group or people can't try a global business career without being from RG is borderline insane.

City University, Surrey, Bath, St Georges, St Andrews, Strathclyde ... hell City --> Cass route is as widely respected as LSE.

Your opinion is ignorant.

Reply 13

Original post by LostAccount

The idea that multinationals won't take people outside of Russell Group or people can't try a global business career without being from RG is borderline insane.

City University, Surrey, Bath, St Georges, St Andrews, Strathclyde ... hell City --> Cass route is as widely respected as LSE.

Your opinion is ignorant.

And a quick look on LinkedIn found a Group Finance Manager at Procter & Gamble who did BA Business Studies at Sunderland...

le sigh

:smile:

Reply 14

Minerva

Original post by Realitysreflexx

You obviously wont be able to apply to a Russell group or anything like that without high scores on an access, this looks like a waffley qualification, head to low ranked unis in your region, CCC in that range, but be advised degree value wont be great, you will not be able to work at a multinational but a global business career likely isnt your ambition!

Nonsense - and it therefore follows that the rest of what you have written is also nonsense.

Even if the OP was only 22, having consulted the unis they are interested in and established what sort of new academic achievement the unis would expect to see, their prospects could be just as good as anyone else's.

You also cannot say that the OP would not be able to get a job with a multi-national - you don't know what kind of field this individual is talking about, where they live, what work experience they have, and transferable skills.

Reply 15

Realitysreflexx

22

obviously a Russell group or respected instuition, (doesnt have be a Russell to be respected) with her qualification to teach business at level 4?????

Level 4 is year one of undergrad, thats not really anything that unis look for. Sounds like either she has been mislead or uninformed..

Shes already wasted some time with this odd course instead of getting an access or direct foundation program done, so likely to go to a good place top 50 UK she will need to do that,This could still get her a job at maybe a multinational but every SME is a multinational nowadays. Her career in the city is likely not going to be occuring in any form. All i was saying.

Reply 16

Original post by Realitysreflexx

obviously a Russell group or respected instuition, (doesnt have be a Russell to be respected) with her awkward qualification to teach business at level 4?????

Level 4 is year one of undergrad, thats not really anything that unis look for. Sounds like either she has been mislead or uninformed.. Which judging her age and assumed wisdom is not impressive.

Surely if she was even 30 and graduated from a decent uni i would have a more rosey outlook but lets get real. This is what TSR often lacks in the wrong places.

Shes already basically wasted her time with this odd course instead of getting an access or direct foundation program done, so likely to go to a good place top 50 UK she will need to do that, she is 43 now and four more years put here at 47-48ish. That is kind of on the late end especially for business undergrad. This could still get her a job at maybe a multinational but every SME is a multinational nowadays..

Her career in the city is likely not going to be occuring in any form. All i was saying.

Do you know who Procter & Gamble are?

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Reply 17

ageshallnot