Overview
If you want to advance your scientific knowledge to degree level without leaving your job, this BSc (Hons) Applied Science Learning at Work degree is ideal. You'll strengthen your practical scientific skills so you can apply them in your career.
Because the course is work-based, you need to already be in a full-time, part-time or voluntary role. The way you learn is flexible, so you can study wherever is most convenient for you and schedule your studies around your existing commitments.
You can tailor the course to match your professional and personal aspirations and your employer's objectives. You can focus on a pure science such as physics, biology, chemistry or mathematics, or a more general area. You can also specialise in areas such as analysis, experiment design and scientific reporting.
You'll get to put the skills you learn to work instantly in your job, contributing to the success of your company while learning new skills, such as how to communicate scientific information to specialists and non-specialists with confidence and how to make sound professional judgements when faced with complex scientific problems.
When you complete the course, you'll improve your career prospects and have the skills and knowledge to perform more effectively in your job.
Careers and opportunities
When you complete the course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to perform more effectively in your job, advance your career with your current employer and boost your long-term career prospects.
You can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.
Distance Learning
Your learning modality is distance learning, therefore, the way you learn is flexible, so you can study wherever is most convenient for you and schedule your studies around your existing commitments.
On this course you'll:
- Choose modules and study topics that match your personal and professional goals, as well as your employer's objectives
- Develop your ability to analyse problems, research and propose solutions, and make important decisions
- Take part in work-based learning (WBL) projects that form part of your daily workload, which ensure that the knowledge you develop is relevant to your employer's business
- Get an optional 1-day induction in Portsmouth at the start of the course and have the opportunity to study on campus, if it suits you
- Learn both technical skills and business knowledge
- Develop your learning plan with the University and your employer, so you can make an effective contribution to your workplace as you learn
- Have 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
- Choose a Workplace Partner to support your learning – someone at work who can offer advice, guidance, and moral support
- Have support from an academic tutor specialising in your area of study and a University learning manager who oversees your programme
- Use online tutorials and lectures to help you with study skills, including your analytical and writing skills
Learning Contract
At the start of your BSc (Hons) Applied Computing (Learning at Work) degree course, you'll put together a Learning Contract with the University and your employer that outlines what you'll study.
To get a degree, you need to accumulate a total of 360 credits. You can get these credits in 3 ways:
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Work-based Learning Projects
- Taught Modules
Recognition of Prior Learning
You can get credit for the qualifications you already have, such as a business-based Foundation degree, HNC, HND or international equivalent. You may also be able to get credit for relevant business-based work experience. This is called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
You can use RPL for up to 240 (two thirds) of the 360 credits you need to get your degree.
Contact us to find out if you can receive RPL credit for your current qualifications or work experience.
Work-based Learning (WBL) Projects
Most of your learning will come from work-based learning (WBL) projects. These are projects that are valuable to your employer, which you complete at work. For example, developing an IT solution for your organisation. You'll research, analyse and present a well-reasoned recommendation to your employer as a professional report.
These projects won't involve activities you do in your day-to-day job as they need to involve new learning for you. You'll do most of the work for these projects in your normal working hours.
Taught modules
You can study campus-based or distance learning modules to expand your knowledge and understanding or to develop new skills in a more structured way.
Modules that previous students have studied include:
- Computer Systems
- Human-Computer Interaction Design
- Design for Computer Animation
- Web Engineering and Design
- Information Security
- Animation Programming
- Scripting
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, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional module may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
This course isn't tied to the University of Portsmouth's timetables or academic calendar. So you can work at your own pace, in your own time and in your own location. However, you must complete the course within 8 years.
You can complete the course more quickly if you have relevant work experience or qualifications that you can put towards your degree, such as a business-based Foundation degree, HNC, HND or relevant on-the-job training. This is known as Recognised Prior Learning (RPL). You can use RPL for up to 240 of the 360 credits you need to accumulate to get your degree.
We recommend you study modules worth 60 credits a year. Typically, a student who enters with the maximum RPL of 240 credits and has only 120 credits to study would take 18-24 months to complete the course.
As well as support by faculty teaching staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).
ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:
- academic writing
- note taking
- time management
- critical thinking
- presentation skills
- referencing
- working in groups
- revision, memory and exam techniques
Extra Support
To help you juggle this course alongside your work and home life, you'll get extra support from:
- a Workplace Partner chosen by you – someone at work who can offer advice, guidance, and moral support
- an Academic Tutor specialising in your area of study
- a Learning Manager who oversees your programme
Teaching and Assessment
How you're taught and assessed will depend on which modules you take and the work-based learning projects you do.
Most of the course is delivered via the University of Portsmouth's interactive virtual learning environment. With access to all the study material you’ll need, discussion forums and the chance to connect with peers and lecturers via chat sessions, you’ll have plenty of academic support and heaps of resources.
Depending on the modules you study and your location, you may also be able to study on campus, experiencing face-to-face teaching methods.
Qualifications or experience
- A typical applicant would usually have degree or equivalent. Other qualifications such as HNDs and Foundation degrees, supported by several years of relevant post-qualification experience in responsible posts, may also be acceptable.
- Applicants are usually working at a professional level.
- If you do not hold a level 6 qualification you may be required to present evidence of your ability to study at level 6.
Please get in touch (learningatwork@port.ac.uk) if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree or any other matter relating to such.
Tuition fees (January 24 start)
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.
Credits and fees
- 60 credits – £4,000 (to be paid over 1 year)
- 90 credits – £6,000 (can be split over 1 or 2 years)
- 120 credits – £8,000 (can be split over 1 or 2 years)
- 150 credits – £10,000(can be split over 1, 2, or 3 years)
- 180 credits – £12,000 (can be split over 1, 2, or 3 years)
Kindly view our partner pages regarding Tuition and Fees and other relevant information about the programme here.
How To Apply
Courses start in September or January. You'll need to do the following at least 4 weeks before the start of your course:
- click on the apply now on your chosen course page and complete the online application form
- upload evidence of your qualifications
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) portfolio
If you're using previous qualifications and experience as credit towards your degree, UoP requires you to complete a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) portfolio. You'll need to submit this at least 8 weeks before the start of the course.
When you're ready to begin your application, follow the link below:
January 2024 entry
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to UoP's terms and conditions as well as the University’s policies, rules and regulations. You should read and consider these before you apply.