Converting diploma to degree

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HollyMae
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Converting diploma to degree

Post by HollyMae »

Does anyone know anything about converting a MT diploma to a degree specifically at Bird? My DD is 16 and very excited to have just been offered a place on the diploma course . Our worry is not having A levels as back up or being able to do the degree course but on the website it says you can do an extra year's distance learning to convert the diploma to a degree . Just not sure how easy or usual this is . My DDs dance teacher is saying she should definitely get a degree not a diploma so that she has more options afterwards.
dancemom43
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Re: Converting diploma to degree

Post by dancemom43 »

HollyMae wrote:Does anyone know anything about converting a MT diploma to a degree specifically at Bird? My DD is 16 and very excited to have just been offered a place on the diploma course . Our worry is not having A levels as back up or being able to do the degree course but on the website it says you can do an extra year's distance learning to convert the diploma to a degree . Just not sure how easy or usual this is . My DDs dance teacher is saying she should definitely get a degree not a diploma so that she has more options afterwards.
Not sure about how Bird do it. It used to be that you had to do a year at a Uni and it cost £9000 but nowadays lots of the big MT colleges seem to offer it distance learning and I believe the price can range from around £300 to £1000 from what I have seen. It seems quite straight forward and relatively cheap nowadays.

I personally wanted my daughter to do degree but in the end was glad to accept a diploma if offered as places and funding are so hard to come by. Luckily for finances sake she got degree.
2dancersmum
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Re: Converting diploma to degree

Post by 2dancersmum »

I don't have information specific to Bird - I think theirs has only been running a couple of years. You can also do a conversion course through Middlesex University, GSA and Arts Ed. They are in essence top up courses to include a few extra academic modules and the dissertation not included in the academic side of the diploma.

They are normally distance learning but with an element of uni/college contact. The diploma aims to get you industry ready for a performing career and I think most graduate and want to start performing. DD knows several people who have done the conversion - some while on cruise ship/Disney/theatre tour contracts, others who have stayed home and done it straight away and others who have been performing for 7/8 years and now doing it. In every case I think it has been for those deciding to follow non-performing careers - theatre management, business, teaching, retail management.

So is it easy to do - yes I think it is pretty straight forward
Is it usual? I think those that do it are in the minority - but it is an option if wanted or needed.
amo185
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Re: Converting diploma to degree

Post by amo185 »

Laine is now offering a degree top up during their third diploma year as well as a post diploma qualification. Maybe other colleges will follow suit. No idea how the funding or logistics work (something like three long essays: 5,000 4,000 and 2,000 words - last one is the write up of a project) but at Laine they are apparently doing it instead of, or as part of, contextual studies during their final year. We know several Laine students doing the post diploma course whilst working but no one who has completed it yet as they graduated last year. They told us about the current third years, but I don't know how accurate this information is.
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