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Individual Professional Awards

Programme description

For those looking to update their professional skills, specialise in a particular area, or see if distance learning is right for them without the commitment of a full programme, an Individual Professional Award (IPA) is the perfect option.

IPA graduates will be awarded a University of London certificate, and will then have the option of extending their IPA into a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Master's programme, providing they have achieved a pass mark of 50% or more on modules already taken that are relevant to the subsequent Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Master's.

Available modules

You can choose a module from any of the distance learning programmes that we offer.

Modules

Study schedule

Each module lasts 10 weeks and examinations are held in late September/October. Students are registered for a maximum of two years.

To find out when modules are available to study, please refer to the IPA study calendar:

Study calendar 2020/21

Assessment

For each module that you choose to study, you will complete two assignments each worth 15% of your total marks. You will be expected to submit your first assignment by the Tuesday of Week 5, and the second assignment at the end of the module, on the Tuesday of Week 8. You will also sit a three-hour examination held on a specific date in October, worth 70% of the total mark.

Entry requirements

Education and experience

You should have a recognised UK Bachelor's degree, or international equivalent, in an appropriate discipline depending on the modules you are interested in undertaking. Your application may be considered if you have previous education and experience, equivalent to a degree-level qualification, which includes suitable preliminary training.

Language requirements

For all of our modules you are required to have a high level of English language ability in reading and writing and in study skills.

If your first degree was not taught in English, you will need to provide evidence of language ability. You will meet the English language requirement if you have passed any of the following within the past three years:

  • (IELTS) International English Language Testing System (Academic) with an overall score of 7.0 or above, including a minimum of 7.0 on the written sub-test
  • Pearson Test of English (Academic) with an overall score of 67 or above, including a minimum of 67 attained on each of the reading, writing, speaking and listening elements
  • Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English
  • Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English with an overall score of 185 or above, including a minimum of 185 attained on each of the reading, writing, speaking and listening sub-tests
  • (TOEFL) iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language with an overall score of 95 or above, including a minimum of 24 attained on the reading and writing skills sub-tests and a minimum of 25 attained on the speaking sub-test and 22 attained on the listening sub-test.

You are required to have internet access to participate in this programme.

What next?

To make an application, or to find out more about fees and our admissions procedure, please visit the Apply section of this website.