What is a CertHE? Creative Certificate of Higher Education courses

<p dir="ltr">Starting higher education does not have to mean committing to a full degree straight away. It also does not have to mean studying only once, at one point in your life.</p> <p dir="ltr">At Arts University Plymouth, students can begin creative higher education in different ways. Some choose a <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/foundation-diploma-in-art-and-design-post-a-level">Foundation Diploma</a> to explore creative subjects before degree study. Some choose an <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/level-0-extended-degrees">Extended BA</a>, which includes a preparatory year before moving into a specialist undergraduate degree. Others are ready to begin with a full three-year <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/welcome/undergraduate">BA (Hons)</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">A CertHE offers another route. It is a recognised Level 4 higher education qualification, and at Arts University Plymouth it is completed in one year of full-time study, and sits at the same academic level as the first year of an undergraduate degree.</p> <p dir="ltr">Our CertHE courses are designed for people who want a practical, supported and purposeful year of study. That might mean leaving school or college, returning to education after time away, changing career direction, strengthening a creative business idea or studying again after completing a previous degree.</p> <p dir="ltr">For some students, a CertHE is the qualification that will open the door to the next step. For others, it can support progression into further undergraduate study. Under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, it may also become a route for eligible learners who already hold a higher education qualification but want to retrain, upskill or develop a new creative practice.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">A CertHE sits between pre-degree study (A-levels or equivalent) and a full undergraduate degree.</p> <p dir="ltr">A Foundation Diploma is usually a pre-degree route. It can help students explore different creative subjects, build a portfolio and prepare for degree-level study.</p> <p dir="ltr">An Extended BA includes an additional preparatory year before the three years of degree study. It is designed for students who want more time to develop their creative confidence before moving into a specialist BA (Hons) course.</p> <p dir="ltr">A CertHE is different because it is already a higher education qualification. It gives you a recognised Level 4 award after one year of full-time study, while also creating space to consider whether you want to progress further.</p> <p dir="ltr">A BA (Hons) degree is a full undergraduate degree, usually studied over three years full-time, or four years with an Extended BA route.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">A CertHE can be a good choice if you want a serious year of higher education, but a full degree does not feel like the right starting point.</p> <p dir="ltr">It can help you get used to university-level study, develop practical and academic skills, and spend time with a subject before deciding your next move.</p> <p dir="ltr">For creative subjects, that first year can be especially valuable. You learn through doing: testing ideas, making work, receiving feedback, working with other people and discovering where your strengths are beginning to form.</p> <p dir="ltr">A CertHE can also be useful if you are thinking about freelance work, self-employment, creative enterprise or a change in career direction. It gives you time to build knowledge and confidence without having to map out the next three years from the start.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Arts University Plymouth offers CertHE courses in creative business and specialist making.</p> <p dir="ltr">Both routes are designed to be practical and purposeful. They are not general introductions to university. They focus on real creative skills, professional awareness and the confidence to decide what comes next.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/cert-he-business-management-creatives">CertHE Business &amp; Management for Creatives</a> is a one-year Level 4 course for students who want to connect business knowledge with creative thinking.</p> <p dir="ltr">The course introduces business and management principles through creative, applied learning. You will explore how ideas become projects, how people work together in organisations, and how creative businesses respond to change.</p> <p dir="ltr">You will develop skills in problem-solving, communication, digital literacy, adaptability, teamwork and initiative. Live projects with local businesses help connect your learning to real situations, giving you a clearer sense of how creative work operates beyond the classroom.</p> <p dir="ltr">The course also explores employability, enterprise, social and ethical responsibility, sustainability, entrepreneurship and the impact of digital transformation.</p> <p dir="ltr">This course may suit you if you are interested in creative industries, freelancing, self-employment, business development, project work or progression to further undergraduate study.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Quick facts</strong></p> <p>Award: CertHE<br />Level: 4<br />Duration: One year<br />UCAS code: BY67<br />UCAS points: 72–120</p>

<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/cert-he-ceramics-glass">CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass</a> is a one-year Level 4 course for students who want a hands-on introduction to ceramics and glass as a designer-maker.</p> <p dir="ltr">The course is rooted in making. You will explore clay and glass through practical processes including mould-making, wheel-throwing, slip-casting, glassblowing, kiln-formed glass, coldworking and lampworking.</p> <p dir="ltr">You will also use digital tools in Fab Lab South West for prototyping and mould-making, including CNC milling, laser cutting and 3D printing. This mix of traditional material knowledge and digital fabrication reflects how contemporary craft practice is developing.</p> <p dir="ltr">As the course progresses, you will move from lecturer-led briefs towards more self-initiated projects. You will also begin to think about audiences, markets, exhibiting work, craft fairs and independent practice.</p> <p dir="ltr">On completion, students can progress directly onto BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices at Level 5, subject to successful completion and course requirements.</p> <p dir="ltr">CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass is subject to validation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Quick facts</strong></p> <p>Award: CertHE<br />Level: 4<br />Duration: One year<br />UCAS code: G67W<br />UCAS points: 72–120<br />Validation status: Subject to validation</p>

<p dir="ltr">Arts University Plymouth has launched CertHE courses to give more people a practical and flexible route into creative higher education.</p> <p dir="ltr">People arrive at university from different places. Some are ready for a full degree. Others want a shorter qualification first, or need time to rebuild confidence, test a subject, return to learning or develop skills that support work and life outside university.</p> <p dir="ltr">CertHE courses also make sense for people who have already studied at higher education level. Someone who has completed a BA or MA may still want to retrain, develop a new creative direction or gain specialist practical skills at Level 4. For example, a graduate might want to add business and enterprise knowledge to their creative practice, or return to hands-on making through ceramics and glass.</p> <p dir="ltr">That matters because the Lifelong Learning Entitlement is expected to change how eligible learners in England access student finance from 2027. The LLE will remove the existing equivalent or lower qualification rule, meaning eligible learners may be able to use remaining entitlement to fund further tuition fee costs even if they already hold a qualification at the same or a higher level.</p> <p dir="ltr">For Arts University Plymouth, CertHE courses are part of a more open approach to creative education: one that recognises that people learn, work, pause, return, retrain and change direction throughout their lives.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">The Lifelong Learning Entitlement, or LLE, is a new student finance system for eligible learners in England.</p> <p dir="ltr">Current government guidance says eligible learners will be able to apply from September 2026 for courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards. The LLE is expected to support full years of study at Levels 4 to 6, with tuition fee loan entitlement equivalent to four years of study for new learners.</p> <p dir="ltr">One of the most important changes is the removal of the existing equivalent or lower qualification rule. Under the current system, previous study can restrict access to student finance for a course at the same or a lower level than a qualification already held. Under the LLE, eligible learners may be able to use remaining entitlement to fund further tuition fee costs, regardless of previous qualifications, as long as they have sufficient entitlement left.</p> <p dir="ltr">This means CertHE courses could be relevant not only to people entering higher education for the first time, but also to graduates and returning learners. For example, someone who has previously used tuition fee support for a three-year undergraduate degree may have residual entitlement remaining for a further eligible year of study.</p> <p dir="ltr">Maintenance loans are also expected to be available for eligible courses with in-person attendance, subject to personal circumstances and course eligibility.</p> <p dir="ltr">A CertHE is a Level 4 qualification, so it sits within the level range covered by the LLE. Funding will still depend on course eligibility, previous study, residency, personal circumstances and the learner’s remaining entitlement.</p> <p dir="ltr">For learners aged 60 or over, the timing of study may be especially important. Under current 2026/27 student finance guidance, there is no upper age limit for Tuition Fee Loans. For courses starting on or after 1 January 2027, GOV.UK guidance says learners must be under 60 on the first day of the course to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, although learners aged 60 or over may still be able to apply for support with living costs.</p> <p>For the latest eligibility information, check GOV.UK’s guidance on student finance for courses starting on or after 1 January 2027.</p>

<p dir="ltr">A CertHE can lead to different next steps.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some students use it as a standalone qualification, adding university-level experience and subject knowledge to their CV or creative practice.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some use it to support freelance work, self-employment, entry-level professional roles or a creative business idea.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others use it as a route into further study.</p> <p dir="ltr">At Arts University Plymouth, CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass is designed to support progression directly onto BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices at Level 5, subject to successful completion and course requirements.</p> <p dir="ltr">CertHE Business &amp; Management for Creatives can support entry-level business or management roles, entrepreneurial or self-employed routes, or progression to a full BA (Hons) degree.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Studying a CertHE at Arts University Plymouth means joining a specialist creative community from the start.</p> <p dir="ltr">You will learn on a city-centre campus with studios, workshops, technical spaces and people who understand creative practice. You will be around students and staff working across art, design, craft, media, business and professional practice.</p> <p dir="ltr">That environment matters. It gives you space to ask questions, try processes, make work, talk about ideas and find your direction among other creative people.</p> <p dir="ltr">A CertHE should feel like a beginning, not a compromise. It is a way to start carefully, seriously and with support.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">A CertHE could be right for you if you want to begin higher education with a focused one-year qualification.</p> <p dir="ltr">It may suit you if you are starting university for the first time, returning to study after time away, changing career direction or looking to retrain after a previous degree. It can also be a useful route if you want to study again but do not want to commit to a full three-year undergraduate course.</p> <p dir="ltr">If you are choosing between a CertHE, a Foundation Diploma, an Extended BA or a full BA (Hons) degree, think about the kind of start you need.</p> <p dir="ltr">Do you want to explore several creative subjects before choosing one? A Foundation Diploma or Extended BA may be right for you.</p> <p dir="ltr">Do you want a recognised higher education qualification after one year, with the option to consider progression afterwards? A CertHE may be the better fit.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Start with the course that fits your interests and next step.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/cert-he-business-management-creatives">CertHE Business &amp; Management for Creatives</a></strong><br />For students who want to combine creative thinking with business, enterprise and management skills.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/cert-he-ceramics-glass">CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass</a></strong><br />For students who want a hands-on introduction to clay, glass, material processes and designer-maker practice.</p> <p dir="ltr">You can also visit Arts University Plymouth at an <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/open-days">Open Day</a> to meet staff, explore the campus and find out more about the course that interests you<br /></p>