How to Get a Degree Without Going to College
Degree apprenticeships
These are offered by employers, usually in partnership with a training provider, such as a university or further education (FE) college. You'll end up with a degree, and you'll earn money while you get it. Many degree apprenticeships also offer a job at the end. "What's so perfect about the management apprenticeship is that you can work and get on-the-job experience, but still get the qualification of a degree and professional accreditation," says Afam Sadiku, who is currently working as a channel development manager in premier banking at Barclays UK. He's doing his chartered manager degree apprenticeship (CMDA) with Anglia Ruskin University. "These kinds of programmes make you mature very quickly," he adds. "It's tough, but I wouldn't change it for the world."
Foundation degrees
These can be full- or part-time, and they're usually related to a particular field of work. They tend to be a mixture of practical workplace and classroom learning – and you can "top up" to a full degree after you've completed the foundation level.
If you don't have the qualifications needed for a traditional degree, then a foundation degree is ideal: although they all have slightly different entry requirements, one or two A-levels or equivalent vocational qualifications are the norm. You still have to pay, but fees tend to be lower than traditional degrees – and you can earn while you learn if your employer is paying, or study part-time.
"These are really viable ways directly into employment," says Kirsti Lord, deputy chief executive at the Association of Colleges (AoC). "They are potentially enabling people to step into a job that's incredibly well paid – such as in engineering or construction – without accruing three years of higher education debt."
Degrees at FE colleges
Some FE colleges, such as Truro and Penwith College in Cornwall, also offer undergraduate degrees. Although tuition fees are likely to be the same as university fees, these colleges may have other advantages if they're local to you: you can live at home while studying, and courses are often more tailored towards the needs of the local area.
"Not every 18-year-old is confident or sensible enough to move away from home and live on their own for three years and be committed to their studies," says the AoC's Lord. "Further education offers an opportunity to engage with higher education in a more supported environment."
Private universities
If you want to study at a university but don't want to go through the Ucas system, consider a private university, where you apply directly. Some of these universities, such as the University of Buckingham (which also offers two-year degrees) or the American University in London, offer a range of subjects, while others, such as the University of Law, focus on a specific sector.
Online learning: an alternative to university life
Moocs and online degrees have introduced new ways to access higher education, giving traditional courses a run for their money
Not sure what you want to do at uni? Want to get into the workplace and earn some cash while you top up your qualifications? The development of online learning and part-time courses means you've got plenty of options to learn 24/7, wherever you may be.
And if you found school difficult, you might even find that online learning suits your particular learning style better than sitting in a classroom. "With online portals, flexible mentoring and group sessions, and the ability to access information anytime from anywhere on smart devices, learning has become more about each individual," says Fay Gibbin, CEO at training provider BB Training Academy.
Moocs – massive open online courses – are great if you're not sure what to study and want to "try before you buy".
To get a flavour of how Moocs work, sign up for free at the Open University's futurelearn.com platform. You'll be offered hundreds of Moocs covering a vast range of subjects, from human anatomy to animation, and developed with partners spanning everyone from the European University Institute to the National Film and Television School. Taking your study beyond the introduction may cost, however.
If you want to stick to getting a degree, there are plenty of universities that offer an online undergraduate degree option. The University of London has a range of courses that you can study for independently, all backed up with academic support and direction from relevant universities. On the University of London's business and management BSc, for example – which is aimed at students interested in careers in finance, and is developed by the London School of Economics – you can receive support from institutions in 16 different countries.
At the University of Derby, you'll find a huge variety of online courses for undergraduates, taking in everything from accounting to psychology. Many of these subjects are also offered as shorter modules or certificates, such as the sports psychology certificate of credit, which is worth 20 credits and typically takes 10 weeks studying part-time.
And at Arden University, students can choose from two approaches: online learning, where the whole course is completed online; or blended learning, where students spend a couple of sessions a week in study centres in Manchester, London and Birmingham.
In short, online learning offers the best of both worlds, says Craig Robinson, director of learning and teaching at Edinburgh Business School. "It can be a cost-effective way of developing core knowledge and skills, achieving qualifications and progressing in your career."
'It doesn't matter to me if you went to university': film-maker Josh Wilson
Josh Wilson, 27, left college at 18. He worked in sales and marketing, and journalism before founding Wilson Worldwide Productions, an award-winning TV production company.
I can employ between 50 and 70 people for a production, and I don't know any of their qualifications. I know their experience. I can list the shows they've worked on. But I don't know if they went to university – because that doesn't matter to me. What matters is what you bring to the table. Experience from a certain country, a company, a genre? A technical skill? What are you bringing that adds value? None of that has anything to do with getting a degree.
Of course, you need a degree for some professions – nobody is saying doctors or lawyers shouldn't have them. But I believe you have to look at your own career path and what's relevant to you. There's a belief that you can't be successful if you don't go to uni, and that's absolutely not the case. There are so many alternatives.
Apprenticeships and internships, for example, are so valuable, because you learn from people who are doing it. Plus, you're making money, rather than going into debt. Many employers – including me – would prefer to have someone who has the experience and common sense to execute something in the right way, to make the company money, rather than a degree that might not be relevant to the job. I'm an executive producer and there's no degree for that. Nothing could have prepared me for the challenges I faced.
But if you choose not to go to uni, you've got to figure out a way to make yourself more appealing. How are you going to spend those three years when everyone else is off getting their piece of paper? How are you going to get your foot in the door? You have to actively think about that. Think about how you're going to make those connections, get that experience. And be excited about what you're doing. I don't care how old you are, or what you've done – if I see that you're excited and enthusiastic, then I'll want to work with you.
How to Get a Degree Without Going to College
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/aug/12/how-to-get-a-degree-without-going-to-university-and-other-life-routes