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Looking for a shorter postgraduate study option, without a dissertation? A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) could be perfect for you.
These programmes include Masters-level content and are available in a wide range of subjects. However, they are much more flexible and can usually be completed in only one or two terms of study.
Here you can read a detailed guide to PGCert and PGDip programmes, including information on how long they take, what their entry requirements are and who should consider studying one.
For advice on other courses, take a look at our full guide to postgraduate qualifications.
Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas are shorter taught postgraduate courses. They include Masters-level content, but take less time to complete.
Many universities offer PGCert and PGDip qualifications as options within a full Masters programme. This can allow you to complete a specific part of a Masters and still come away with a postgraduate qualification.
Other Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas are more vocational:
A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) is the shortest commonly available postgraduate qualification. You can earn one after a single term (roughly 15 weeks) of full-time study.
| Type | Taught / Professional |
| Subjects | All |
| Qualification Level | 7 (NQF) / Second Cycle (Bologna) |
| Length | 1 term |
| Credit Value | 60 CATS / 30 ECTS |
| Availability | Primarily UK |
A Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) is a slightly longer postgraduate course. You can earn one after completing two terms (roughly 30 weeks) of full-time study.
This usually means completing everything in a Masters degree except the final dissertation. A PGDip can therefore be a great option if you just want to study taught content at Masters level, without having to complete a research project.
| Type | Taught / Professional |
| Subjects | All |
| Qualification Level | 7 (NQF) / Second Cycle (Bologna) |
| Length | 2 terms |
| Credit Value | 120 CATS / 60 ECTS |
| Availability | Primarily UK |
PGCert and PGDip qualifications are often available as options within full Masters programmes and are therefore ‘equivalent’ to part of a Masters degree.
The following table makes this clearer:
| PGCert | PGDip | Masters Degree | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terms | 1 | 2 | 3 (2 + Thesis) |
| Credits (CATS) | 60 | 120 | 180 |
| Thesis | No | No | Yes |
It’s often possible to switch between postgraduate qualifications within the same degree programme. For example, you might enrol for a Postgraduate Diploma and then ‘upgrade’ to a Masters by completing a dissertation. Alternatively, you may be able to exit a Masters programme early, but still earn a PGCert or PGDip for the work you’ve completed.
A PGCert or PGDip will normally cost less than a full Masters, reflecting their shorter length.
The average cost of a classroom-based, taught Masters in the UK is £7,392. Using that figure, you can extrapolate the following averages based on the credit value of a PGCert or PGDip compared to a Masters:
These are only intended as ballpark figures, however – there is a great deal of variation when it comes to tuition fees for PGCerts and PGDips. You may find that some PGDips cost more than certain Masters, especially if they are intended for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) purposes and likely to be sponsored by employers.
A Certificate or Diploma could therefore offer you a more affordable postgraduate study option, particularly if you are studying with a clear professional or career goal in mind.
If so, a PGCert or PGDip could provide a quicker route into work, whilst still picking up some advanced skills and training!
Though they’re often cheaper than a Masters, a PGCert or PGDip may not be eligible for the same funding. Scholarships are often intended for full Masters degrees. This also applies to English and Welsh postgraduate loans, which aren’t available for Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas.
However, Northern Irish postgraduate loans are available for PGDips and PGCerts, while Scottish loans are available for PGDips.
The PGCert and PGDip courses described on this page are most common in the UK higher education system.
Other countries offer similar types of shorter postgraduate course.
As in the UK, they may be designed for students who wish to study for a shorter period. Or they may be slightly different.
In Europe, where a Masters often takes two or more years of full-time study, an alternative qualification may be awarded to students who only complete the first year of a course. This will be broadly equivalent to a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma, but may have a different name.
In countries with newer higher education systems, alternative postgraduate courses may be offered by universities that do not have the power to award full Masters degrees. Again, these may be referred to as certificates or diplomas, but won’t necessarily be equivalent to the British PGCert or PGDip.
The PGCert and PGDip qualifications are internationally recognised and compatible with frameworks such as the European ECTS credit system. Other short courses may sometimes need to be accredited – particularly if you wish to use them as the basis for further study or employment abroad.
You can earn a PGCert or PGDip in any subject. If a university awards a Masters degree in a particular subject, it will normally offer associated PGCert and PGDip options.
Some qualifications are more subject-specific, however. As a general rule, you can dive these courses into three types:
PGCert and PGDip courses are ideal for anyone interested in postgraduate study, but unable to commit to the time required for a full Masters degree.
They’re also perfect for people who aren’t interested in academic research. A Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma gives you the opportunity to learn more about a subject, without having to go on and complete a dissertation.
Remember that a PGCert or PGDip may offer the option to upgrade to a full Masters degree – perfect if your interests or circumstances change after completing your course.
Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas may not be sufficient as a prerequisite for doctoral research. If a PhD requires applicants to hold a Masters, you should check whether a PGCert or PGDip is also acceptable.
It’s not just fresh graduates who should consider a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma. If you’re already in work, but looking to ‘upskill’ yourself, a shorter postgraduate course could be ideal.
The answer to this question really depends on what you want from postgraduate study. If you’re preparing for a specific job and know that a shorter course will do, there’s little point committing to a full Masters. But if you want to carry out your own independent scholarship, a PGDip or PGCert may not satisfy you. Why not check out our guides to common types of Masters degree such as the MA or MSc? Knowing more about the alternatives may help you make a decision.
In most cases a PGCert or PGDip will be a lot like a Masters in the same subject. (Particularly if your course forms part of a wider degree programme).
You’ll study for a shorter period, but your course content will be organised in the same way as a taught Masters and the material you study will be at the same level.
In most cases you’ll complete separate modules, each with their own assessments.
As a rule of thumb you can expect a PGCert to include two modules over one semester, whilst a PGDip will probably include four over two. This may vary slightly, depending on the credit weighting for modules on your course.
A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) course normally requires one term (around 15 weeks) of full-time study.
Some programmes may be longer, particularly if they are designed for professionals studying and working part-time.
Note that the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is slightly different to a standard PGCert. It requires a full year of study, including placements.
A Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) normally lasts for two terms (around 30 weeks) of full-time study. This is equivalent to completing all the taught content on a standard MA or MSc, but not continuing on to a dissertation.
As with PGCert courses, some professional PGDip programmes may be longer. These are usually part-time courses, designed as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) options.
A PGCert normally carries a third of the credit value of a full Masters. In the UK this will be 60 CATS credits, equivalent to 30 European ECTS credits.
A PGDip is worth twice as many credits as a PGCert and two thirds of the credit value of a full Masters degree. In the UK this will be 120 CATS credits, equivalent to 60 European ECTS credits.
Academic PGCert and PGDip programmes will be assessed in much the same way as an equivalent Masters degree.
You’ll complete coursework essays or other assignments for each module and these will collectively determine your grade. Exams are unlikely and you won’t have to produce a dissertation.
Professional programmes may include more practical assessments and tests of your competency in key skills or proficiencies.
Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas usually consist entirely of taught units. This doesn’t meant they won’t require you to study independently – you’ll still need to carry out your own self-directed work for essays, etc. But if you want to do research work as a postgraduate you should consider a different postgraduate qualification.
Your Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma will normally be graded in the same way as a Masters degree.
In the UK qualifications will be awarded with Pass, Merit or Distinction depending on the final mark for your course:
| Overall Mark | Grade |
|---|---|
| 70+ | Distinction |
| 60-69 | Merit |
| 50-59 | Pass |
Last updated - 16/05/2019
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