18 December 2007
University think-tank welcomes experts' assessment of diplomas
University think-tank Million+ has welcomed the announcement by the universities admissions service UCAS, that candidates achieving top grades in the Government’s new advanced diploma will be credited with 420 tariff points, equivalent to 3.5 A levels.
Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of Million+ said “This means that students, employers and universities should now be in no doubt about the validity, worth and acceptability of the new diploma qualifications. It certainly boosts the credibility of the diplomas and confirms our view about the need to update the qualifications framework.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
Million+ is supported by a network of universities which are a major force in UK higher education and are renowned for encouraging progression to higher education by students of varying backgrounds, ages and varying pre-entry qualifications.
What is the UCAS tariff?
The UCAS Tariff is a points system used to report achievement for entry to higher education in a numerical format. It establishes agreed comparability between different types of qualifications and provides comparisons between applicants with different types and volumes of achievement.
The Tariff works in the following ways:
- Points can be aggregated from the different qualifications included in the Tariff
- There is no ceiling to the number of points which can be accumulated
- There is no double counting – applicants cannot count the same or similar qualifications twice
- Achievement at a lower level will be subsumed into the higher level, e.g. AS points will be subsumed into the A level points for the same subject
What are the diplomas?
Diplomas (formerly known as Specialised Diplomas) are new qualifications offering a blend of theoretical study with practical and applied learning with employer involvement. They are being developed as an alternative to the traditional GCSE and A level route. They will offer a learning route for all 14-19 year olds to both employment and higher education. The points attributed to each grade within the Diploma will be as for A levels of equivalent size and are reliant on assurances from the QCA, as regulator, that the grading will be pegged with that of A levels.
What is Principal Learning?
Principal learning – is the core of the Diploma and is the main compulsory section covering the necessary skills and knowledge of the chosen Diploma. Applying these skills and knowledge in work scenarios is a part of the course with some learning occurring in an environment that could be more like a workplace than a classroom.
What is Generic Learning?
Generic learning comprises functional skills in English, Maths and IT; Personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS); work experience and an extended project.
What is Additional and Specialist Learning?
ASL is where students can choose additional or specialist qualifications to study. There are many hundreds of learning opportunities for ASL and these include A levels. A maximum of 120 points will be available for qualifications that qualify as ASL that are already within the UCAS Tariff.
How was the Tariff for the diplomas determined?
Six Expert Groups met at the end of October to undertake the work necessary in order to make recommendations for a Tariff value for the Diploma.
Membership of the groups comprised academic subject specialists from member institutions (numbering five in the majority of instances), and examiners for both the Diploma, and in most cases, two benchmark awards.
In addition, the groups were joined by a number of observers from QCA, DCSF, Diploma Delivery Partnerships, and the Sector Skills Development Agency.
For further information, please contact Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of Million+ on 07795 645241