University of Kent, Guide to part-time study

GUIDE TO PART-TIME STUDY ANDSHORT COURSESAT KENT

The UK’s European university

PART-TIME STUDY AT KENT

Studying part-time atKent, whether you attenda short course or worktowards a degree, whetheryou are learning forpleasure or studying togain a qualification, youwill find quality teaching,a friendly atmosphereand lots of support.

The University offers a variety ofcourses ranging from short coursesto postgraduate programmes,including distance learning options;most can be studied for academiccredit and some purely for interest.

We know that part-time studentsoften have other demands on theirtime and that these can change.

So if your circumstances changeand you want to study full-time, wewill support you, and if, later, youwant to return to part-time study,that is possible too.

Why do you want to study?What you choose to study at Kentwill depend on why you want tostudy. Below are three of the mostpopular reasons for studying, withsuggestions about what you mightlike to consider.

For personal or careerdevelopment • Undergraduate and postgraduatedegree, certificate and diplomaprogrammes are available on apart-time basis at our Canterburyand Medway locations; withpostgraduate study also possible

at our European centres inAthens, Brussels, Paris and Rome

• Summer schools are run at ourTonbridge, Brussels and Pariscentres and at our Canterburycampus

• The Cambridge EnglishLanguage Assessment test,an internationally recognisedqualification is available at ourCanterbury campus

For professional development• Kent Business School offersbusiness and managementprogrammes including theprestigious Kent MBA aswell as short courses

• There is an extensive rangeof degrees and short coursesavailable in the health and socialcare fields, including ClinicalPractice, Mental Health, LearningDisability, Community Care andChild Protection

• Kent is a leading institution foreducation, training, researchand development in the fieldof health, including: clinicaleducation, minimally invasivesurgery, reproductive biology;pharmacy, and dental educationand oral health. Our activitiesare co-ordinated by KentHealth,see: www.kent.ac.uk/health

• The Centre for ProfessionalPractice, based at our Medwaycampus, offers professionalpractice postgraduatequalifications to peoplein employment

• Our Tonbridge Centre offersa Postgraduate Certificate inProfessional Practice designed

www.kent.ac.uk/part-time2

3www.kent.ac.uk/part-time

for administrators andprofessionals from a rangeof areas, such as construction,retail and financial services

• Kent offers postgraduate taughtand research programmes inhigher education, comprisinga PCert, PDip/MA and PhD inHigher Education. These areopen to people currentlyworking in higher education

Purely for pleasure and interest• Take a short course or attendone of the regular open lectures,college events or exhibitions

• Attend a Language Expresscourse and learn a modernEuropean language or Arabic,Mandarin, Japanese or Russian.(See p4)

For details of all availableprogrammes, visit www.kent.ac.uk

FundingUndergraduateIf you are studying part-time on anundergraduate degree programme,it is your first degree and you arestudying at least 25% of a full-timecourse, you can apply for a tuitionfee loan and will not have to pay foryour course upfront. You will beginto pay off your loan from the Aprilfour years after your course started,or the April after you leave yourstudies, whichever is sooner. Youcould therefore begin paying offyour loan before you complete yourcourse if your annual earnings areabove the government threshold,see www.gov.uk/student-financefor details. You will not generallybe eligible for the living cost loan.

PostgraduateFees for our postgraduateprogrammes are advertised on ourcourse pages: (www.kent.ac.uk/pg)and are payable in two ways:• in full before the course begins –this qualifies for a 2% discount ifcleared funds are received in fullby 31 August

• in two instalments: 50% on orbefore registration and 50% by1 December.

Short courses Short courses and LanguageExpress courses are payablein full before the course begins.

Further informationFor further information about all ourpart-time courses, see:www.kent.ac.uk/part-time

4 www.kent.ac.uk/part-time

WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

Youwill need Level 3qualifications to applyfor university-level credit-bearing study; however,for most short courses youdo not require any prioracademic qualifications.

For students who are returningto learning, we may be able toconsider previous experienceincluding work-related skills,alternative qualifications and otherinformation instead of traditionalentrance requirements.

For Continuing ProfessionalDevelopment courses, such asthose organised by KentHealth,you may need to have relevantwork experience as well asacademic qualifications.

The table below will help youto understand the value of anyqualifications you already have.If you would like further adviceabout the level of skill neededfor all of our courses, pleasecall +44 (0)1227 827272.

Level 3

Qualifications are: NVQ 3, A levels, International Baccalaureate, BTEC National Certificate/Diploma,Advanced Diploma, Advanced Apprenticeship, Access to HE course (adults)

To apply for a Level 3 qualification, you usually need: 4-5 GCSEs at grade A*-CIt is possible to apply with Level 2 qualifications such as: GNVQ Intermediate (Merit) or BTEC First Diploma (Merit)

Level ?Not sure of your qualifications or experience?

If you are unsure where you fit into the levels shown above, please contact us on +44 (0)1227 827272

Level 4Qualifications are: NVQ 4, Certificate of Higher Education (= first year at university)

To apply for a Level 4 qualification, you need: Level 3 qualification

Level 5Qualifications are: NVQ 5, Diploma of Higher Education (= second year at university), Foundation Degree, Higher National Diploma

To apply for a Level 5 qualification, you need: Level 3-4 qualification

Level 6Qualifications are: BA (Hons) ie, Bachelor of Arts DegreeBSc (Hons) ie, Bachelor of Science Degree


Level 7Qualifications are: MA ie, Master of Arts Degree MSc ie, Master of Science Degree or equivalent


Level 8Qualifications are: Doctorate (PhD)


FURTHERINFORMATIONwww.kent.ac.uk/part-time


CHOOSING HOW TO STUDY

Below are some of thepart-time study andlearning options available.New courses and summerschools are continuallyadded; for the most up-to-date information, seewww.kent.ac.uk/part-time

UndergraduateIt is possible to study the majorityof Kent’s undergraduate degreeprogrammes on a part-time basis.As a part-time student, generally youstudy 50% of a full-time programme.You can study in stages – atcertificate, diploma and degreelevel. The first two levels can betaken either as higher educationcertificate or diploma programmesor as stepping stones to a degree.For details of our undergraduateprogrammes, see www.kent.ac.uk/ug

Here, we explain how the threeprogrammes are linked and howto progress through the levels.

Accumulating creditsOur programmes are built up fromsmaller individual courses calledmodules. These modules carryacademic credit – usually 15 or30 credits, but sometimes more.Part-time students normally take60 credits a year, although somesubjects offer more flexibletimetables. Each programmelevel is made up of 120 credits.

Stage 1: certificate levelStage 1 is equivalent to the firstyear of a full-time degree. If youstudy part-time, this stage usually

takes two years and involvesstudying certificate-level modulestotalling 120 credits. On successfulcompletion, you are awarded acertificate.

Stage 2: diploma levelStage 2 is equivalent to the secondyear of a full-time degree. As apart-time student, this stage usuallytakes two years to complete andinvolves studying for a further 120credits, taking intermediate levelmodules. On successful completion,you will have accrued 240 creditsand are awarded a diploma.

Stage 3: degree levelStage 3 is equivalent to the thirdyear of a full-time degree. For part-time students, this stage usuallytakes two years to complete andinvolves studying 120 credits,taking higher level modules. Aftersuccessfully completing this stage,you have a total of 360 credits andare awarded your degree.

Achieving your awardIn order to earn any of thethree levels of award, you must passall the assessments and attend acertain number of teaching hours.Methods of assessment vary, butgenerally use a combination ofexams and coursework, while someinclude project work. A number ofmodules, especially those atcertificate level, use continuousassessment with no examination.You are given details on assessmentat the start of your programme.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/ug

PostgraduateIf you already have a first degree orequivalent then postgraduate studyoffers the opportunity to further yourstudies in that area, or to changedirection for either personal orcareer development.

Kent delivers taught and researchpostgraduate qualifications fromPCert, PDip, MA/MSc/LLM to PhDlevel as well as being a highlyregarded provider of executiveeducation, including the MBA.We also offer professionaldevelopment programmes, all ofwhich take account of your workingcircumstances and some of whichoffer distance learning options.

There are over 200 programmesoffered at our different sites, whichgive you the opportunity to find apart-time programme to suit bothyour current lifestyle and futureambitions.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/pg

Other academic creditsIf you have studied elsewhere, youmay apply to transfer your credits toa relevant programme at Kent. Thiscredit needs to be recent (withinthe last six years), relevant and atthe appropriate level. The transferis agreed during the admissionsprocess with your programmedirector. Likewise, other universitiesmay accept credits earned onKent’s courses – you should enquiredirectly with the relevant university’sinformation office.

CONTINUED OVERLEAF


CHOOSING HOW TO STUDY (CONT)

Tizard CentreThe Tizard Centre offers a range ofprogrammes in intellectual disability,autism and community care forindividuals who would like todevelop their professionalpractice and want to learn whileworking. You can study a range ofundergraduate and postgraduateprogrammes through work-basedlearning and workshops, shortcourses and blended/distancelearning.

The Centre has excellent linkswith social services departmentsand health trusts, working withservice users, families andservice providers in the UKand internationally.

Courses on offer include theopportunity to study areas such as: • Applied Behaviour Analysis• Autism• Community Care• Intellectual and DevelopmentalDisabilities

• Person-Centred Support• Positive Behaviour Support.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/ug (undergraduate)www.kent.ac.uk/pg (postgraduate)www.kent.ac.uk/tizard

Summer SchoolsEuropean Summer SchoolProgrammeThe European Summer SchoolProgramme offers two-weekschools at our centres in Brusselsand Paris. At our Brussels Schoolof International Studies (BSIS),you develop your knowledge ofthe politics of the European Unionand engage with professionalsworking in institutions such asNATO, the European Commissionand the European Parliament.You also have the opportunity tovisit historical sites, including thebattlefields of the First World War.

At our Paris centre, which is locatedin the central Montparnasse area ofthe city, you study the revolutionaryinfluences of French history andculture. You take part in dailyseminars taught by experts in thefields of architecture, art, creativewriting, drama, film, literature andphilosophy, followed by guided visitsto relevant sites such as the CentrePompidou, the Orsay Museum andthe Catacombs.

Kent Law Pre-LLM summerprogrammeThis three-day programme at theUniversity’s centre in Paris givesprospective students an immersiveintroduction to the experience ofpostgraduate study at Kent LawSchool.

Biotechnology Summer SchoolThe Biotechnology SummerSchool is a two-week residentialprogramme for students who are

entering their final year in a Biology-related subject, giving them theopportunity to extend their existingknowledge with valuable practicaland applied training.

Space SchoolThe School of Physical Sciencesruns two space schools over thesummer: one for 11-14 year oldsand one for 15-18 year olds.Participants get to build rockets,use powerful telescopes and seethe sky in our astrodome.

Further informationSee www.kent.ac.uk/summerschools

Centre for English andWorld Languages (CEWL)CEWL offers a range of languagecourses. Our Language Expresscourses run for 10 or 20 weeks,with a two-hour class each week.We run classes for beginners andintermediate students. We currentlyoffer: Arabic, French, German,Italian, Japanese, Mandarin,Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

We also offer exam preparation andhost tests for the Cambridge EnglishLanguage Assessment, a lifelongqualification, respected across theworld, and run a short course forprofessional English Languageteachers, giving them theopportunity to develop theirlanguage and classroom skills.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/cewl

Open Lectures and collegeeventsThe University’s Open Lectures arehugely popular, cover a wide rangeof topics and are delivered byrespected academics, politiciansand other professionals. Lecturesare free, open to all and no bookingis required. They provide an idealopportunity to expand yourknowledge and interests inparticular subjects.

The colleges run an excitingprogramme of events including:• Art exhibitions• Grass roots lectures• Music recitals• Poetry readings.

Further informationRequest the Open Lecturesprogramme or visitwww.kent.ac.uk/openlectures

7

Centre for Child ProtectionThe Centre for Child Protection is acentre of excellence and innovationin training, research and practice,aimed at professionals involved inchild protection. The Centre offers apart-time distance learning Master’sin Advanced Child Protection, whichuses innovative techniques andtechnology, as well as standalonemodules where you can completeall the work online. The standalonemodules are a great taster forMaster’s-level study.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/sspssr/ccp

Centre for ProfessionalPracticeThe Centre for Professional Practice(CPP) offers those in employmentthe opportunity to enrol on work-related learning programmeswhere they gain postgraduate-levelqualifications. Courses run at ourMedway campus and our TonbridgeCentre. CPP runs a genericProfessional Practice programme,and profession-specific specialisthealthcare and teachingprogrammes. Participants canwork to a graduate certificate,diploma or to full Master’s level.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/cpp

Short courses If you want to extend yourknowledge of a particular subject,a short course is a good choicefor you. Short courses are run atour Canterbury campus (seewww.kent.ac.uk/part-time) andat our Tonbridge Centre. TheTonbridge short course programmeis available weekdays and evenings,as well as some Saturdays. Theprogramme includes lectures, studydays and short courses of up to 12weeks. Classes generally run for twohours at the same time each week.Subjects vary but may include:• Art History• Classics• Creative Writing• Geology• History • Languages• Literature• Music• Psychology.

The short course programme offersa structured but informal way oflearning without formal assessmentand is an ideal starting point beforedeciding whether to study for acredit-bearing certificate or degree.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/tonbridge

www.kent.ac.uk/part-time

DID YOU KNOW?Kent has a Student LearningAdvisory Service, whichprovides information andguidance on all aspectsof studying. It is a free andfriendly service for studentsfrom all accredited levelsof study. Seewww.kent.ac.uk/learning


Dockyard. There are also carparks on campus; however, parkingrestrictions do apply. Please seewww.kent.ac.uk/estates/transport/parking for the latestinformation.

Bus services to the campus runfrom Chatham, Rochester, Strood,Gillingham and Gravesend.

Tonbridge Most of our short courses in WestKent are taught at the TonbridgeCentre, which is a small, friendlycentre dedicated to part-timestudy. Facilities include the UniversityLibrary at the Tonbridge Centre andseminar rooms, which are equippedto the same high standard as on ourCanterbury and Medway campuses.

The Centre is situated in the heartof Tonbridge, just off the High Street(in Avebury Avenue), a five-minutewalk from the railway station andclose to numerous car parks.

Athens Students study in the Atheniansuburb of Eleusina, one of the mostimportant archaeological religioussites in the world. Most classes areheld either at the archaeological sitein Eleusina, or in the well-equippedseminar rooms, courtesy of theInitiative for Heritage Conservancy(IHC). The library holdings andcomputer facilities of the IHC are allat your disposal, and you also haveaccess to the library of the AthensUniversity of Economics andBusiness (AUEB) in central Athens,as well as the electronic libraries ofAUEB and Kent.

is easily reached by car or bypublic transport. There are carparks on campus; however, parkingrestrictions do apply. Please seewww.kent.ac.uk/estates/transport/parking for the latest information.

If you are travelling by publictransport, the city centre (with itstwo main railway stations) has aUnibus service to the campus.

Medway Medway offers state-of-the-artbuildings and facilities includingthe Drill Hall Library. You can expecthigh-quality teaching and anexceptional level of personalsupport. The University has investedmillions of pounds in new, purpose-built academic facilities, includingthe refurbishment of key buildingson the Historic Dockyard. There arecafés and bars serving anythingfrom a coffee to a full meal.

The Medway campus can be easilyreached by car. Free parking isavailable for Kent students closeto the main campus, at the Historic

Part-time study is offeredat our two UK campuses,Canterbury and Medway,our part-time study centreat Tonbridge and ourpostgraduate centres inAthens, Brussels, Parisand Rome. Students haveaccess to facilities at allof our locations.

Canterbury The Canterbury campus is built on300 acres of parkland overlookingCanterbury Cathedral, which is partof a world heritage site. Modernbuildings are surrounded by opengreen spaces, courtyards andwoodland. Campus life centresround the Templeman Library,purpose-built science laboratoriesand teaching buildings. Thereare also plenty of places to eaton campus, which serve alltypes of food at good prices.

The campus is a 25-minute walkfrom Canterbury city centre and

LOCATIONS


Eleusis is a fairly large town withmany amenities such as a sportscentre, shops, restaurants, cafés,libraries, a museum and a summercinema, music schools and foreignlanguage schools. It has a good busconnection to Athens, which is just30km away, and the surroundingarea.

BrusselsThe University of Kent’s BrusselsSchool of International Studies(BSIS) is a specialist postgraduatecentre, which offers advancedEnglish language-based degreescovering the spectrum ofinternational affairs. BSIS has itsown purpose-designed facilities,and students also have full use ofthe campus facilities at our partneruniversities, Vrije UniversiteitBrussel and the Université Librede Bruxelles. Brussels is home tomany European Union institutionsand multinational organisations,which provide our students witha daily gateway to the ‘real world’of international relations.

The Brussels campus is a 15-minutedrive from the city centre and thereare also metro, bus and tram links.It is easy to reach other Europeancities: London, Paris, Amsterdamand Cologne are all around twohours away by train and Brusselshas an international airport.

ParisThe University of Kent’s Paris centreis based at the Columbia GlobalCenter, known as Reid Hall.Situated in the historic heart ofMontparnasse, where Picasso andModigliani had their studios, andnear cafés that were frequentedby Gertrude Stein and ErnestHemingway, Reid Hall is a beautifulspace where you will have theopportunity to meet students andstaff from Kent and from the otheruniversities established there,including Columbia University,Barnard College and DartmouthCollege.

The Centre is easily accessibleby metro, tram or bus as it is in thecentre of Paris; the Gare du Nordtrain station is just 15 minutes away,making it easy to travel to Londonand other European cities. Paris isa major centre of European cultureand attracts artists from all overthe world, creating a thrivingcontemporary arts scene.

RomeIn Rome, Kent students are basedat the campus of the AmericanUniversity of Rome (AUR). Situatedin the picturesque district ofMonteverde, with a wide range ofshops and amenities close by, thecampus is within walking distanceof Rome’s historic centre.

Study facilities at the AUR includecomputers, free wi-fi and full audio-visual equipment in all classrooms.Lecture rooms are housed in aformer monastery while the gardensand terraces make relaxed socialspaces. The library houses over15,000 volumes, a large collectionof DVDs, and offers access toonline databases and the vastnetwork of Rome’s other libraries.Students have full access to allsupport facilities.

www.kent.ac.uk/part-time10

The Tonbridge Centre runs informaldrop-in sessions and informationevents; for details, please contactthe Centre directly:T: +44 (0)1732 352316E: [email protected]

If you would like to visit our Athens,Brussels, Paris or Rome sites,please contact staff at the locationto arrange a visit:www.kent.ac.uk/locations

More informationIf you have any further queries onhow to choose your degree, ouradmissions procedures, how toprepare for your studies or wouldlike information about the Universityof Kent’s facilities and services,please contact us.

T: +44 (0)1227 827272 Freephone (UK only): 0800 975 3777 www.kent.ac.uk

VISIT THE UNIVERSITY

Come along for an OpenDay and see for yourselfwhat it is like to be astudent at Kent.

Open DaysKent runs Open Days during thesummer and autumn. These providean excellent opportunity for you todiscover what it is like to study at theUniversity. You can meet academicstaff and current students, find outabout our courses and attendsubject displays, workshops andinformal lectures. We also offertours around the campus to viewour sports facilities and the library.

For further information and detailsof how to book your place, seewww.kent.ac.uk/opendays

Informal visits You are also welcome to make aninformal visit to our campuses at anytime. The University runs tours of theCanterbury and Medway campusesthroughout the year for anyone whois unable to attend an Open Day. Itmay also be possible to arrangemeetings with academic staff,although we cannot guarantee this.For more details and to book yourplace, see www.kent.ac.uk/informal

Alternatively, we can provide youwith a self-guided tour leaflet, whichincludes the main points of interest.For more details and to downloada self-guided tour, go towww.kent.ac.uk/informal

OPEN DAYSCanterbury12 July 201417 September 20144 October 2014Medway21 June 201411 October 2014

Terms and conditions: the Universityreserves the right to make variations to thecontent and delivery of courses and otherservices, or to discontinue courses andother services, if such action is reasonablyconsidered to be necessary. If theUniversity discontinues any course, it willendeavour to provide a suitable alternative.To register for a programme of study, allstudents must agree to abide by theUniversity Regulations (available online at:www.kent.ac.uk/regulations).

Data protection: for administrative,academic and health and safety reasons,the University needs to process informationabout its students. Full registration as astudent of the University is subject to yourconsent to process such information.


COME ANDVISIT US

University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: +44 (0)1227 764000 www.kent.ac.uk

We hold Open Days at our Canterburyand Medway campuses throughoutthe year.

For more information, see:www.kent.ac.uk/opendays

DPC 11680906/14PUB532

Documents

University of Kent, Guide to part-time study