UK "Polytechnic" Degree - not a "degree" after all?

[PeKaJoSa]

Hi Folks -

I've just discovered that my Business Studies degree is not quite the "automatic" 50 EOI points that I'd expected!

According to the list of 'accredited' institutions, it seems that NZIS automatically recognises degrees from UK Universities, but not UK Polytechnics. This has never been an issue with any of my UK employers, but it does appear to be a concern for NZIS, as they have confirmed this via an e-mail.

I took my degree in 1988 (four years before Plymouth Poly became Plymouth University) so if I want to get those 'bonus' EOI points then I need to get it assessed by NZQA.

Has anyone else had a UK Polytechnic degree assessed? If so, was it recognised as equivalent to a University degree? I appreciate that the answer may well vary depending on the subject, but I'd like to hear from other UK Polytechnic degree holders who have been assessed by NZQA.

Cheers!
Pete.

[CJ22]

Pete, I think the problem is the age of the degree, not the source. I also had a 'poly' degree from around the same period, and the equivalent qualification for later years (1992 onwards, I think) automatically qualified, but mine didn't. I think the issue is to do with standardisation of the degree. In the end, I didn't claim for the qually as my other half was the principle applicant and we didn't need the points (or the hassle).

[PeKaJoSa]

Thanks for the info CJ...!

It looks like 1992 was the "magic" year when UK Polytechnics all converted to become Universities. I'd think that degree course itself probably didn't change significantly, just that the awarding 'institution' had then become a University.

Are there any other "40-something" year-old Poly graduates out there who have already had NZQA evaluate their degree? I'd really rather not burn $450 on the evaluation unless there's a reasonable chance of success....!

Cheers,
Pete.

[Gar1]

Hi Folks -
According to the list of 'accredited' institutions, it seems that NZIS automatically recognises degrees from UK Universities, but not UK Polytechnics.
Pete.

I think there may be a number of universities that are not on their list, granted a lot of these will have been the ones that had originally been Polys. I had to have my PGDip from Abertay University assessed. I also had to get my degree done as well and it came from the same institute, but was prior to them becoming a university.

By the way apparently a degree is a degree in NZ as well. Thanks for charging me money, to compare my qualification to your inferior tertiary education system.

[chocolate cake]

I had no such problems having my degree from the then Newcastle Poly in 1989 recognised recently.

[osmyth]

I've had my 1990 Sunderland Poly degree given level 7 at PAR. Just submitted the full assessment so fingers crossed.

[JandM]

Going a bit off-topic here...

[Not directly affected by this issue, as I'll be retired and a sponsored parent when we come out, but fellow feeling to all of you.

Last year I had to register for the Institute For Learning, the new umbrella body for all those lecturing in further/higher education in the UK. Registration happens online by means of filling in a multiple choice form. Only trouble is, the choices available relate to the qualifications of nowadays, and if you have anything else, you have to choose 'other'. On the most basic level, I don't have ANY GCSEs, because they didn't exist when I got my 9 'O'-Levels which didn't count. The net result of all this is that I ended up being 'awarded' an affiliate's membership, with the suggestion that I should hurry up and earn basic qualifications to work in the sector - yeah, right, when I'd been doing the job for decades, have three teaching qualifications, and a master's in the subject area I was delivering. They DID rethink this when I made a fuss.

Point being, though, there does seem to be a tendency to blank - or maybe even not to know - what was perfectly normal for the older generation.]

[thewoodies]

looks like i did the right thing partying too much at poly ! and returning as a matue student when the polys became uni's

Not so sure i want to acknowledge being the older generation YET! though!!: laugh

Crazy - i did o levels and C.S.E,s

[PeKaJoSa]

A quick question for osmyth and/or chocolatecake: Was there much paperwork involved in the process for you? Did you have to contact your old 'poly' to get extra information?

(As you can see, I haven't looked very far into this process yet...!!)

Cheers,
Pete.

[tea drinker]

My degree was from a College of Higher Education (not Poly) which later became a Uni. which is on the recognised list
I had my degree assessed as Level 7
Took about a week after contacting the Uni to recieve transcript, no fee (this included change from College to Uni, change of Campus)

But ...my other degree, done about 10 yrs ago, took 6-8 weeks, £10, phone calls and emails to get it. They told me it was too long ago!!!