Academic entry requirements

BU is an excellent place to study, with great facilities and committed staff. We look to recruit strong candidates to all of our postgraduate degrees, and are keen to ensure we give due consideration to a wide variety of qualifications, including previous experience.

If you have the talent and the drive, then we would like to hear from you.

The normal requirement for embarking upon a postgraduate taught degree are:

• A good Bachelors Honours degree
• For professional qualifications, there may be additional entry requirements set by the association or institute that ultimately administers the qualification in question. The qualification description on the course information pages should tell you what these are but please get in touch with the appropriate School if you are in doubt
• If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow – some based on experience

For information on Research Degree requirements, please see the EU(non-UK)/Non-Eu section below.

Make your experience count

There are two sources of prior learning: that obtained from formal degrees for which you have a certificate Accredited Prior Learning (APL) and that obtained as a result of your work and life experiences Accredited Prior Experience Learning (APEL).

If you feel you have sufficient knowledge in a particular topic gained as a result of your experience, you can claim credit. You will need to provide evidence of this learning, normally by reflecting on your experience and demonstrating the learning in writing. The evidence you produce will be subject to the same scrutiny as assignments produced by undertaking formal units of study.

The use of APEL may help your case when applying to join a postgraduate degree.

The University may make a charge for assessing the evidence you submit for an APEL claim and for taking this claim through the process of Accreditation. Please note that there is a maximum amount of APEL credit you can use if you want to earn a BU award.

The majority of our degrees make use of information technology as a tool for support learning. You are therefore advised that a minimal level of IT competence will help you to make the most of your opportunities.

Academic entry requirements

Academic entry requirements vary and will depend on the course you wish to study. For further information take a look at the course information in the Courses Search.

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. For information about how your qualifications relate to those in the UK, we suggest taking a look at the NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centre) website. In all cases, we consider students on the basis of their whole application and on evidence of their ability to benefit from the course and to complete it successfully.

Take a look at our country specific information which identifies entry requirements applicable to a particular country.

Taught Postgraduate (Masters) Degrees

For admission to a Masters Degree, you should normally have a good Bachelors (Honours) Degree or Advanced Diploma, which requires at least 3 years of university-level study, or an equivalent professional qualification.

Research Degrees

The usual academic requirement for a degree by research is a Masters Degree. However, applicants may also demonstrate, by publications or academic references, that they are capable of working for a research degree. The majority of candidates initially register for the award of MPhil (Master of Philosophy). Direct entry to a PhD can be considered for applicants with a Masters Degree in a relevant subject.

European Credit Transfer Scheme (ECTS)

If you are studying an undergraduate or postgraduate course in an EU country your qualification will probably be graded using ECTS.

BU accepts ECTS credits for entry to its courses. One ECTS credit is equivilent to two BU academic credits.

Make your experience count

There are two sources of prior learning: that obtained from formal degrees for which you have a certificate Accredited Prior Learning (APL) and that obtained as a result of your work and life experiences, Accredited Prior Experience Learning (APEL).

If you feel you have sufficient knowledge in a particular topic, gained as a result of your experience, you can claim credit. You will need to provide evidence of this learning, normally by reflecting on your experience and demonstrating the learning in writing. The evidence you produce will be subject to the same scrutiny as assignments produced by undertaking formal units of study.

The use of APEL may help your case when applying for a postgraduate degree.

The University may make a charge for assessing the evidence you submit for an APEL claim and for taking this claim through the process of Accreditation. Please note that there is a maximum amount of APEL credit you can use if you want to earn a BU award.

The majority of our degrees make use of information technology as a tool for support learning. You are therefore advised that a minimal level of IT competence will help you to make the most of your opportunities.