NCFE Accreditation (UK - United Kingdom)

[Yonks]

Does anyone have any experience obtaining credits (at US Colleges / Universities) for any courses they have taken which are NCFE accredited?

Info about NCFE:

• NCFE Home Page
  
• Northern Council for Further Education (Wikipedia)
  

So why am I asking this? I came across a deal on Amazon local for $49 for an Online Marketing Course offered by The Shaw Academy (course is normally $1,395 per their website). I figured for $49 and that the content is something that I am specifically interested in anyway, I'll order this course. After completion of the final assessment (assignment ... 100 multiple choice questions taken online), you can receive an optional NCFE Level 4 Diploma/Certificate for an additional £15.

As globalization continues, I'm sure that these types of opportunities will only increase in proliferation.

Since the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) used in Europe is probably unfamiliar to most people that may be likely to view this post, I'll include a helpful image that I came across ...

[EI2HCB]

Not that I know of on this site. TVAlba might have some input if he pops in. It is unlikely that this will transfer to the U.S the council appears to award GCSE type replacement awards which are which are equal to junior high school classes 8th or 9th grade vocational courses. The Shaw academy has a Dublin Ireland phone number listed yet is using a U.K granting body as its accreditation which is weird. It should be a FETAC level course which is the accrediting body in Ireland. It seems a bit fishy to me. The Address in Dublin is an area know to have been populated by "colleges" which provided visa's to students who wanted to work and study in Ireland. It may not be the case for this business a quick check on the street address indicates three businesses using the building although it looks vacant the building next door certainly is.
A simple CLEP in Marketing would certainly be a better 3 credit course.

[Yonks]

While I can understand the temptation to discuss The Shaw Academy within this thread, I’d prefer to specifically focus on peoples experience, if any, regarding NCFE accredited courses and obtaining credits here in the US for those courses. If anyone would like to have some additional conversation on The Shaw Academy, I feel that it may be best to open a separate thread for that conversation.

It is unlikely that this will transfer to the U.S the council appears to award GCSE type replacement awards which are which are equal to junior high school classes 8th or 9th grade vocational courses.

I added an image to the original post on this thread which provides details on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) used in Europe. As you can see within that image, a NCFE Level 4 Diploma/Certificate clearly falls under the "Higher Education" section above GCSE area (Levels 1-3).

A simple CLEP in Marketing would certainly be a better 3 credit course.

EI2HCB … agree completely. I do plan on completing the Principles of Marketing CLEP exam here very soon actually.

[Kintsukuroi]

I had my GCSEs evaluated and they were awarded the equivalent of a US high school diploma. EI2HCB, where are you getting your information that they are the equivalent of junior high level work?

Yonks, given the hoops that need to be jumped through to transfer credits I'm not sure it would be worth the hassle to try and see if NCFE level courses would transfer when there are other simple options available that we know transfer. IME US schools have a hard time dealing with foreign transfer credits. Heck, they even have a hard time transfering credits within the US in some cases.

[Photog]

Some accredited NCFE courses (usually from college) can be transferred through World Education Services, however, it is probably not worth the hassle, and cost, of doing it. There is no guarantee that the university of your choice will accept them either.

Although not online marketing, Saylor Principles of Marketing is free to study, and only $25 for the exam for 3 credits.

BUS203: Principles of Marketing | Saylor Academy

[Photog]

I also noticed that the course is basically 10 hours long - 10 x 1 hour sections.
This will probably be worthless for credits, if you are lucky you might get 1 credit.

Generally, in the UK 10 credits is 100 hours, or 10 hrs per credit.
10 UK credits = 3 US credits.

[EI2HCB]

While I can understand the temptation to discuss The Shaw Academy within this thread, I’d prefer to specifically focus on peoples experience, if any, regarding NCFE accredited courses and obtaining credits here in the US for those courses. If anyone would like to have some additional conversation on The Shaw Academy, I feel that it may be best to open a separate thread for that conversation.



I added an image to the original post on this thread which provides details on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) used in Europe. As you can see within that image, a NCFE Level 4 Diploma/Certificate clearly falls under the "Higher Education" section above GCSE area (Levels 1-3).



EI2HCB … agree completely. I do plan on completing the Principles of Marketing CLEP exam here very soon actually.

As you mentioned the FHEQ is the standard in Europe and level 4 of which I have 9 didn't transfer at all to the US my level 5's transferred fine. If you are investing money in an Irish College which only uses British certification I think it has relevance since you posted their site within the thread. Don't forget that it costs to have the ECE evaluation done and then the ongoing debate as to "did it really cover xyz" certainly not worth the bother. Kintsukuroi your GCSEs are high school work which you can complete your secondary education with the statement wasn't so much to degenerate the GSCE but to distinguish it from A levels in secondary education (which I did not do well ), did you complete A levels in addition to GCSE and how did they transfer in. TVAlba was able to get college credit for them. My vocational City & Guilds didn't transfer and since levels 1-3 are GCSC equivalence for vocational training their transfer value is the same as a high school diploma. The other issue of ten hours of class equaling a 3 credit class in the United States and the claim that the college is accredited with their Irish phone number listed on all three of their sites means that it would be of little value in transferring over. As for NCFE level four course provided by organisations in the Northern District it theoretically would have some transfer value or at least for your resume evaluation of foreign education.

[AlbaTiVo]

I have qualifications that would be considered level 3 and 4 on that diagram and they transferred over no problem to TESC via World Education Services, but they were not specifically NCFE - they were just secondary school and university courses. Maybe one of the evaluation services would give you an answer before you commit?

[Kintsukuroi]

No, I didn't complete A Levels (I dropped out of mine), only the GCSEs. I'll be glad when I graduate with my Associate's degree in May and I won't have to mess around with foreign high school equivalencies.

[GMT]

Yonks are you in the UK or USA?

... did you complete A levels in addition to GCSE and how did they transfer in .....

A'levels are the equivalent of very hard AP exams and transfer quite easily
However, if you're planning on getting an American degree, in the time you study for one A'level, you'll be able to complete half your degree at least using this forum