Professional Studies (Learning at Work) CertHE

Develop transferable skills, boost your career prospects & improve your performance at work on this 2-year work-based, part-time work-based course.

Key Information

Typical Offer

A typical applicant would usually have post-school higher education such as an HNC, or equivalent, or part of a degree course, together with appropriate work experience.

Study Mode and Duration

2 years part-time

Start Date

September 2025
January 2026

Course Information

Overview

At Portsmouth, we welcome students from more than 150 countries across the globe. However, please note that this learning at work course is not eligible for a student visa.

If you want to gain a University-level qualification alongside your job without committing to a full Bachelor's degree, this Professional Studies Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) distance learning course is ideal.

You'll develop transferable skills in your choice of subject, boosting your career prospects while you improve your performance at work. You can tailor the course to match your professional and personal aspirations and your employer's objectives. You'll get to put the skills you learn to work instantly in your job, contributing to the success of your company.

The course is work based, so you'll need to be in a full-time, part-time or voluntary role to do it. You can study online wherever is most convenient for you and schedule your studies around your existing commitments.

A CertHE is equivalent to the first year of a full-time BA or BSc Bachelor’s degree. When you complete the course, you'll improve your career prospects and have the skills and knowledge to perform more effectively in your job. You could also put the credits you gain towards a BA or BSc Bachelor's degree.

On this Course You'll:

Study 120 credits at level 4 over 2 years
Choose either a technical or business pathway through your course
Taught modules develop knowledge, skills and behaviour to enhance performance at work
Work-based project enables learning to be undertaken to match both your personal and professional goals
Optional induction day on campus
A full online induction programme
Online course material, tutorials and lectures
Online seminars and networking opportunities
Support from a learning manager, academic tutors and a mentor
Full access to our student support services and community, including study support, sports and recreation facilities, and the Students' Union
Tap in to our Library's electronic resources, which you can access from anywhere with a Web connection

Course Duration

The duration of this course is two years. You can complete the course more quickly if you have relevant work experience, training or qualifications that you can put towards your degree. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). You can use RPL for up to a maximum 40 credits.

Entry Requirements

CertHE Professional Studies

Typical Offer (September 2025 / January 2026 start)

Qualifications or Experience

A typical applicant would usually have a level 3 qualification such as A level, or equivalent (BTEC, City and Guilds, Apprenticeship), together with appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

How You'll Study

On this Risk and Security degree, you’ll work with our Learning at Work team and your employer to arrange a programme of study that reflects your existing experience, your personal and professional goals, and your current employment situation. This makes up your Learning Contract.

Through a sequence of work-based learning projects, you’ll develop your ability to analyse a problem and deliver a professional solution, with support from a workplace mentor, academic tutors, online lectures and a suite of virtual learning tools hosted by the university. You don’t need to attend the campus if you don’t want to, but you will have an invitation to an induction day and to make use of student facilities here in Portsmouth.

Your Learning Contract

Your study will include up to four elements:

Learning Management: You'll set out a plan to shape your learning, and prepare for the research reports you'll produce.
Recognition of Prior Learning: You can bring up to 240 credits of the 360 credits you need from your existing learning, such as Foundation degrees, HNDs, on-the-job training, or relevant experience in your career.
Work-based learning (WBL) projects. Most of your new learning will be done through WBL projects, where you’ll practise new skills and develop your knowledge alongside your current role.
Learning modules. You can also study in a more formally-structured manner by joining in with the university’s academic modules.

Changes to Course Content

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, course content is revised and regularly reviewed. This may result in changes being made in order to reflect developments in research, learning from practice and changes in policy at both national and local levels.

Modules

Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits.

In total, you need to study modules worth a total of 120 credits. For example, four modules worth 20 credits and one module worth 40 credits.

What You'll Study

Year 1

Effective Communication - 20 credits
Learning Management and Study Skills - 20 credits
Foundations of Business - 20 credits (optional)
Technical Foundation - 20 credits (optional)

Year 2

Reflective Professional - 20 credits
Work Based Project - 40 credits (optional)

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees

Your tuition fee depends on if you have been awarded any Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and how many credits you need to study. To achieve an undergraduate Bachelor's degree you need to accumulate a total of 360 credits. Tuition fees may be subject to annual increase.

120–160 credits (must be split over 2 years) – September 2025/January 2026 start
- 120 credits – £6,360
- 140 credits – £7,420
- 160 credits – £8,470
180–240 credits (must be split over 3 years) – September 2025/January 2026 start
- 180 credits – £9,530
- 200 credits – £10,590
- 220 credits – £11,650
- 240 credits – £12,710

Additional Course Costs

These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.

Recommended reading
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) portfolio

Apply

Before you apply for this course, please contact the Learning at Work team to discuss the content of your programme of study.

Ready to Apply?

September 2025 start
January 2026 start

Not Quite Ready to Apply?

Come to an Open Day to explore our course facilities and tour the campus.

Admissions Terms and Conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.

Recognition of Work-Based and Distance Learning Courses

Our Learning at Work degrees at levels 6 and 7 are approved by the University under its powers to award degrees. They comply with the Office for Students (OFS) and Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) standards in the United Kingdom.

These qualifications are generally recognised internationally but as with distance learning type courses, each country will have its own regulations and rules on work based and distance learning education. You should check with the qualification recognition authority in the country you reside in or intend to use the degrees to secure employment, that the Learning at Work degrees are recognised by them before you commit to studying with us.

Professional Studies (Learning at Work)

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