What Is the Meaning of a Top-up Course?

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today“, said Malcolm X.Top-up Course  And we all know the truthfulness of these words. Accept it or not, education plays a vital role in determining the future of an individual.

Not only does it impart academic knowledge, but also helps us develop skills and learn life lessons. It aids in boosting your self-confidence and adds value to you as a person. The educational course you choose to study will dictate the field of profession you will be working for the rest of your life. So, it can be safely said that education determines your future and your lifestyle.

But sadly, many end up following the mob and choosing something that wouldn’t suit them personally. The biggest mistake that many young ones make is to follow a specific trend that is popular at that period of time. They forget to listen to their heart and to analyse what they really want and what their goals in life are. And finally, they get stuck into a course, in which their heart does not belong to. And eventually, they do not excel in that field. And we invest a lot in education, including our precious time, money, energy and our beautiful years of youth. So why put it all in something worthless?

To help you out in this big decision of your life, we are here to provide you with information on various educational qualifications. As you read this article, brace up yourself to get in-depth knowledge on Top-up courses and its uses.

What Is the Meaning of a Top-up Course?

Top-up courses are one-year degree programmes that are equivalent to the final year of an undergraduate degree. With these courses, you can top up your existing qualification. You can take up a Top-up degree after completing a higher national diploma (HND) or Foundation degree. It is a degree level qualification and therefore on successful completion of this course for just a year you will gain a degree such as a BA HONS degree or a BSc HONS.

What Are the Circumstances in Which Top-up Courses Could Be an Ideal Choice?

• If you want to take up a full degree but are lacking the qualifications for a full degree, you can opt to do a higher national diploma (HND) course which has lower entry requirements and then top it up with a related Top-up course. Thus you will have the same qualification as a regular Honors Bachelor’s degree at the university.
• Cost: Choosing an HND course and then topping it with a relative Top-up course will save you a lot of money compared to a full Bachelor’s degree with Honours. As in MONT ROSE COLLEGE, the tuition fees are affordable. An HND course only costs 6,999-pound sterling and a Top-up degree costs 9,250-pound sterling per annum, on adding it, totally costs only 16,249-pound sterling to complete a three-year study and gain a Bachelor’s degree with Honours. At the same time, a full degree course would cost you 27,750-pound sterling for three years of study only to get the same qualification. Moreover, you will also be fully funded by the Student Loan Company if you are eligible. Aren’t you wise enough to spend a less amount of your fortune to get the same degree qualification?
• Top-up degrees provide the option of doing them either full time or part-time. Therefore, if you are already into a job, but are aspiring to climb the degree ladder and eventually your position at work, Top-up courses can be ideal for you. You can choose to study part-time, while also satisfying your boss. Besides, also remember that if it is a full-time course you can complete it within a year, whilst it takes 16 months to complete when it is a part-time course.

What Are the Advantages of Doing a Top-up Course?

Studying a Top-up course has numerous benefits. A few of them are listed below:

1. In a foundation degree, you will be taught by combining academic study with pertinent work-based learning. Whereas, during a Top-up programme, you will be taught using competitive curriculums that are specifically designed to teach the needs of the current job market.
2. When you top-up your existing degree you will be indicating your employers that you already have the needed academic, organisational and management skills for the job.
3. Student funding is available for most of the Top-up courses. Therefore, you do not need to be anxious about paying the fees.
4. If you choose to study a Top-up course, there are plenty of options available for you to choose from. It includes Business and Management, Financial Services, Public Health and Community Studies, Law and Practice, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Applied Biosciences, Tourism and Hospitality Management and many other courses.
5. Top-up courses are internationally accepted. It means that after completing your studies, you can settle and start working anywhere in the world.
6. A Top-up degree is considered as an equivalent qualification to an undergraduate program, so this would widen your job opportunities.
7. A full-time student will gain 120 credit points on completion of a Top-up course, which is equal to 1200 national hours. And it is rated as level 6 qualification.
8. You can sharpen your skills in planning and preparing, strategic management, critical thinking, time management, researching, discussion and debate and many other areas.
9. Once you have completed a Top-up degree and earned a Bachelor’s diploma, you can further your studies by applying for a Master’s course. And later can climb the educational ladder by doing MPH and even a Doctorate.
10. Top-up courses will help you expand your knowledge in your field of interest. You will be learning through a dissertation process, in which you are expected to be doing research and project on your own. This method will help you in gaining the needed experience and expertise for your professional field.