Part-time undergraduate qualifications 2013-14: now open for applications

Applications are now open for ICE’s one and two-year Undergraduate Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas starting in October 2013.

These part-time University of Cambridge qualifications are taught at undergraduate level and are designed especially for adult and part-time learners who want to advance their personal and professional development. All our courses are led by Cambridge academics who are experts in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences.

New courses for 2013-14

Subjects on offer in 2013 include Archaeology, Astronomy, Coaching, Creative Writing, Educational Assessment, English Literature, Evolutionary Biology, Historic Environment (landscapes and gardens), History of Art, International Development, Local History, Philosophy and Religion.

This year we’re offering a number of new qualifications: Undergraduate Certificates in Creative Writing, Evolutionary Biology and Philosophy; and an Advanced Diploma in Ecological Monitoring and Conservation. We have also expanded the Certificates in English Literature and History of Art, so there are now multiple Certificates in these subjects.

Certificate courses open to all

For most Certificate courses all you need is an interest in the subject; you don’t need any special qualifications to apply. What you will find is that you are surrounded by fellow students who, despite their diversity, share an enthusiasm to learn and to satisfy their intellectual curiosity.

New teaching model for Historic Environment and International Development

Our Certificates in Historic Environment and in International Development are offered to a different timetable this year. Instead of weekly classes, the teaching has been consolidated into weekends and day schools, respectively, so that you can study these courses even if you live farther away from Cambridge.

Study your own research project part-time over two years

As successfully trialled in 2012, our Undergraduate Advanced Diplomas continue in the new two-year structured format, with two intakes of students per academic year: one in November and one in February. The Advanced Diplomas offer the opportunity to study particular subjects in greater depth and include a significant element of research on your own project, for which individual guidance and supervision are given. Because they are research-based, Advanced Diplomas can easily be studied from a distance, and they provide an excellent basis for postgraduate study and research.

Get support when and where you want it

All of these courses are supported by our virtual learning environment (VLE), which will accelerate your learning and enhance your experience of the course. You will be able to download course materials, contact your tutors and talk to fellow students via the web at a time and place that’s convenient to you.

You will also be provided with a University of Cambridge student card for the period of your study, giving access to University facilities, such as the University Library, other services and concessions. Plus you'll retain access to the learning resources for your course on ICE Online, and to the student common room, for two academic years after you have completed your course.

Bursaries and loans to help you with your fees

If you are new to higher education, new to ICE, or if you’re a state-funded teacher, you could be eligible for an ICE Bursary.

You will also be able to pay your fees in instalments to help spread the cost, and you may be eligible for a part-time student loan.

Find out more about these and other sources of financial support

Madingley Hall: your place in Cambridge

Most of our Certificate and Diploma teaching now takes place at Madingley Hall, a 16th-century manor house three miles to the west of Cambridge with state-of-the-art tuition and study facilities. The Hall is easily accessible by road with ample free parking, and is situated in seven acres of landscaped gardens.

What our students say

"The lessons are always interesting and exciting: the lecturers are so enthusiastic that the lessons seem to be over too quickly. The quality of teaching is really good. I feel that I am being encouraged to think for myself."

"When I look at what education and Cambridge means to me, it’s about personal development, not prestige. The course has made me more aware of my own thinking, patterns of behaviour, and listening."

“I would encourage anyone to get into Madingley. It does not judge you on what you have or haven't got as qualifications. It listens to the concerns of those like myself who lack initial confidence and it has opened up for me the world of English Literature.”

"Studying at ICE was an enjoyable, exhilarating, yet challenging experience."

"This experience has been one of the highlights of my last five years living in Europe and I will never forget it."

Read more of what our students have to say about their experience of studying with us.

Find out more

If you have any queries about undergraduate qualifications at ICE, please contact ug-awards@ice.cam.ac.uk.

Tell us your views: new Certificate course in social sciences

Here at the Institute of Continuing Education we are developing a new one-year, part-time University of Cambridge Certificate course to cover subjects in the social sciences.

We would very much welcome your views on the proposed course, and invite you to complete a short survey to help inform the design process.

Complete the survey »

About the course

The Certificate course would be open access, i.e. no special qualifications would be needed to apply beyond an interest in the subject and a willingness to commit to the course.

It would be taught at first-year undergraduate level and would give 60 credits at FHEQ level 4 on successful completion of the course. (For reference, one year of a full-time undergraduate degree is typically equivalent to 120 credits.)

The course is likely to cost between £1,500 and £2,000. Eligible students would be able to apply for Part-Time Student Loans, and we also have some bursaries available offering a fee reduction of between £200 and £500.

Teaching would take place at the Institute of Continuing Education at Madingley Hall, Madingley, Cambridge, CB23 8AQ, which is approximately 3 miles west of Cambridge.

About the survey

The survey consists of nine questions and will only take you a few minutes to complete.

Complete the survey »

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Sign up now for an online introduction to property investment

Today’s dynamic and global economy demands strategic and carefully thought-out investments. Property remains a key component of any investment and corporate strategy, and managing and growing a property portfolio requires specialised knowledge and understanding. In partnership with the Investment Property Forum, one of the UK’s leading associations of property investors and managers, the Institute offers the Investment Education Programme.

Introduction to Property Investment is a 7-week course, beginning on 18 March 2013, and taught fully online. It introduces the vocabulary, concepts and methods typically encountered in the further study of property investment.

The course can be studied as part of the Investment Education Programme, or as a stand-alone module. The e-learning format enables participants to manage their study time efficiently and with flexibility, at distance.

Learning aims and objectives

• Identify fundamental characteristics of real property as an investment asset; investment in the UK economy; accounting; regulation and property finance.
• Use the vocabulary of real estate investment accurately and appropriately.
• Identify factors that influence the value and investment worth of property.Identify valuation and appraisal methodologies as applied to investment and investment through development.

IPF Certificate in Investment Education

Successful completion of this course, along with the first two classroom-based modules of the Investment Education Programme ('Investment valuation and portfolio theory' and 'Financial instruments and investment markets'), lead to the IPF Certificate in Investment Education.

This qualification is listed by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) as a Key 2 Appropriate Examination under the Managing Investments activity.

Further information

Find out more about the course

Find out more about the Investment Education Programme

Download an application form (PDF file, 92 KB)

Register your interest by emailing CPD@ice.cam.ac.uk

Green light for new conservation course

We are delighted to announce a new part-time qualification starting in February 2013: the Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in Ecological Monitoring and Conservation.

The Advanced Diploma is a part-time, research-based course that focuses on developing awareness and understanding of key issues in ecology and conservation. Over the course of two academic years, participants will be introduced to important aspects of modern conservation such as global and local patterns of species diversity and current threats to biodiversity worldwide. Participants will discover why this loss of species matters, how monitoring can help to inform policy and reduce these declines, and how this research can be properly planned and carried out.

Based around a series of six structured supervisions over two academic years, the course will help participants to design, implement and interpret meaningful ecological studies. During the second part of the course, participants will be supported in carrying out an original piece of ecological research, which will form the basis of a 10,000-12,000 word dissertation.

Course Director Dr Ed Turner says: "We live in an astonishingly diverse world. Around 7 million species are thought to share the planet with us, although the majority of these have never been formally named or described. It is clear that natural ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain are in severe decline as a result of human activities. Understanding the nature of this loss, its implications for the continued functioning of ecosystems and the services that natural systems provide humankind is of paramount importance."

This course is open to all those with an interest in ecology and conservation who have qualifications in or who can demonstrate previous experience of this subject or a related discipline at an advanced level.

The deadline for applications for the February 2013 intake is 3 January 2013.

Find out more about the course and apply online >>

New online courses announced for 2012-13

We are now accepting bookings for a number of new online courses beginning in October, January and February.

These intensive, 7-week courses give you access to world-class learning led by Cambridge experts – wherever you are in the world.

Upcoming courses

• Forensic science: DNA analysis (begins 29 October 2012)
• The quest for the historical Jesus (29 Oct 2012)
• Understanding the atom: from the ancients to the present day (7 Jan 2013)
• Creative writing: an introduction to travel writing (7 Jan 2013)
• Psychology in the real world (7 Jan 2013)
• Rock art of the world (7 Jan 2013)
• Executive Coaching Online (7 Jan 2013)
• Free will: online seminar group (7 Jan 2013) *
• Roman and Greek mythology (11 Feb 2013)
• Evolution (11 Feb 2013)
• Creative writing: an introduction to short story writing (11 Feb 2013)

* 5-week course

About ICE online courses

Our online courses typically consist of an introductory orientation week followed by five weeks of tutor-led independent study. Active participation is expected and encouraged, and you will have the opportunity to take part in lively discussions and debates with your tutor and fellow students. In the final week you will receive personal feedback from your tutor.

During each online course you will be introduced to up-to-date and wide-ranging resources to support your study. To help you make full use of these resources and lead you into further exploration of your chosen topic, you will retain access to your course materials for two years after your study with us.

Madingley Weekly Programme: 2013 courses now available for booking

Our new programme of weekly courses for January to May 2013, the Madingley Weekly Programme, is now available for booking. This year's programme includes more than 20 courses on topics as diverse as playwriting, Cambridgeshire landscapes, and the search for extra-terrestrial life.

Following a successful pilot in 2012, much of the 2013 programme is once again multi-disciplinary, meaning you can explore a variety of perspectives on each topic.

Led by Cambridge experts, you will have the opportunity to explore the concept of free will, search for life in the Universe, consider the role of education in society, unmask fakery and forgery, analyse the notion of leadership, take a tour of the architecture of ancient empires, or uncover how science works and, for example, delve into the world of ‘Wild Madingley’.

Aspiring writers, on the other hand, can get to grips with writing fiction, non-fiction and plays in our popular creative writing courses.

About the Madingley Weekly Programme

Courses typically last for 5 weeks, with one 2-hour session every week. Most are taught at our home, Madingley Hall, a 16th-century manor house on the outskirts of Cambridge with some of the finest gardens in the region.

Our courses are taught in small, informal groups by academics who are expert not only in their subjects but also in teaching students of all ages and experience.

All courses on the Madingley Weekly Programme are supported by our e-learning centre, ICE Online. You can download course material, contact your tutor and talk to fellow students via the web at a time and place that’s convenient to you.

What our 2012 students say

"Enthusiasm for learning, generated by excellent lecturers."

"Great to have presentations on the website for reference after the course has ended. Really excellent, well-designed course."

"Excellent presentation and infectious enthusiasm for their subject."

"Encouraging, interesting, engaging, useful, motivating."

"Very good - opened up discussion and encouraged participation. I felt I had something to contribute."

"Exceptional. One couldn't have a more knowledgeable and enthusiastic tutor."

Browse the courses online and book your place

Never mind a novel, have you got a 12,000-word dissertation in you?

Your own individual project with individual supervision from a world expert, the Undergraduate Advanced Diploma is a unique opportunity to tailor your own programme of study, explore a passion in depth and gain a University of Cambridge qualification.

The Advanced Diploma is a research-based course, so that means you can choose the research topic and, with an expert in the field to supervise you, you are on the way to gaining a qualification that is equivalent to the third year of an undergraduate degree.

This is a part-time programme so you can combine with a busy life of employment, other studies or family commitments.

Whether you live close to Cambridge or on the other side of the world, this could be your opportunity to study with us. You’ll just need to commit to travelling to Cambridge seven times over two years: first for the induction day when you’ll meet tutors and supervisors and other Advanced Diploma students, and then for six individual supervisions. In between visits, you’ll have access to our virtual learning environment so that you can chat with fellow students and your supervisor and access electronic resources.

With a Cambridge Advanced Diploma under your belt you could continue your research at a higher level, move onto another topic or simply enjoy the sense of achievement.

Subjects you can study

You can study an Advanced Diploma in the following subjects:

• Archaeology
• English Literature
• Historic Environment
• History of Art
• Local History
• Philosophy
• Study of Religion
• Ecological Monitoring and Conservation (expected to be available in February 2013)

How to apply

We are accepting two enrolments of students for 2012-2014. The first application period is now open and the starting date of the course for students in this first intake is 1 November 2012, with a closing date for applications of 10 September 2012.

The second application period will open in early October 2012 and the starting date for the second intake of students is 1 February 2013, with a closing date for applications of 3 January 2013.

Find out more about Advanced Diplomas and apply online >>

What our students say

"Expert supervision, excellent research facilities and efficient and friendly ICE staff all contributed to making my studies for a prestigious University of Cambridge qualification a most enjoyable and rewarding experience." (Irving James Eberwein, Advanced Diploma in the Study of Religion 2010-12)

"The course provided me a unique opportunity to carry out an independent piece of field research at undergraduate level on a subject which I had harboured a passion for years. The expert one-to-one tutoring encouraged and guided me to complete the course flexibly whilst working full time - a truly unique and worthwhile experience." (Charles Leigh-Smith, Advanced Diploma in Historic Environment 2010-11)

“I would encourage anyone to get into Madingley. It does not judge you on what you have or haven't got as qualifications. It listens to the concerns of those like myself who lack initial confidence and it has opened up for me the world of English Literature.” (Jim McGivern, Diploma and Advanced Diploma in English Literature 2010-12)”

Sign up now for the Investment Education Programme

We are currently taking bookings for the 2012-2013 Investment Education Programme, which is offered in parnership with the Investment Property Forum (IPF).

Today’s dynamic and global economy demands strategic and carefully thought out investments. Property remains a key component of any investment and corporate strategy, and managing and growing a property portfolio requires specialised knowledge and understanding.

IPF Diploma in Investment Education

ICE is pleased to offer a number of property investment courses which when taken together lead to a diploma in property investment from the Investment Property Forum (IPF), recognised as the IPF Diploma in Investment Education. Each three day face to face course is delivered in central London and supported by ICE's Virtual Learning Environment.

IPF Certificate in Investment Education

You may also be interested in completing the first three courses (Introduction to property investment (online), Investment valuation & portfolio theory & Financial instruments and investment markets) which when completed successfully, lead to the IPF Certificate in Investment Education, listed by the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) as a Key 2 Appropriate Examination under the Managing Investments activity. Holders of the IPF Certificate will need to complete a Key 3 qualification, namely a UK regulatory examination, to meet the full examination requirements for this activity.

The Investment Property Forum

The IPF is one of the UK’s leading associations of property investors and managers. The Investment Education Programme comprises a series of professional development courses delivered by leading names in property investment and academic research. The courses provide applied and relevant up-to-date information that is grounded in current thinking and research.

What our students say…

"Very impressed with the quality and level of speakers"
"Very good quality pre-course reading materials"
"Very high quality speakers throughout. Useful learning tools acquired"
“Exceeded my expectations! Far greater ‘workshop’ feel which gave me greater appreciation for investment strategies”
“Absolutely brilliant! Very informative, brilliant presenters. Really learnt bucket loads… hopefully to be reflected elsewhere!”
“Really exceptional. My hand though is sore. I don’t want to write anymore”

Weekends at Madingley Hall: new courses for 2012-13

Our new brochure of weekend courses at Madingley Hall is now available. This latest brochure gives details of more than 150 weekend courses taking place at Madingley Hall between now and June 2013.

As well as the new 2013 courses, we’re pleased to announce a number of additions to the 2012 programme:

• The psychology of everyday life (21–23 September)
• Art, architecture and society in the age of Hogarth (9–11 November)
• Birds: their hidden world (9–11 November)
• Compose yourself: writing and arranging music (9–11 November)
• Flash fiction: unlocking the writer within (9–11 November)
• Intermediate Spanish weekend (9–11 November)
• Life as we know it (9–11 November)
• Romantic poetry: exuberance and dejection (9–11 November)

Regular students will notice that the brochure contains several new subject areas, reflecting the increasing diversity of courses you can study with us. During the past year we have been delighted to welcome new academic directors specialising in biological sciences, physical sciences, literature and philosophy, along with a number of new tutors.

Reduced rates for room sharers

This year for the first time we are offering reduced rates for students who share a room. Two people sharing a double or twin room will save £40 on a standard weekend course.

£100 bursaries for new ICE students

We are continuing to offer bursaries for weekend students in 2012. If you are studying with the Institute for the first time, you could be eligible for a James Stuart Bursary award of £100. Or if you are a UK-state-funded teacher, you can apply for a Cambridge University Press bursary of £200.

To apply for a bursary, go to the course you wish to study on our website and follow the on-screen instructions.

Early application is recommended as funds are limited.

About our weekend courses

As a weekend student at Madingley you will enjoy comfortable en-suite accommodation with award-winning food, plus the historic atmosphere of a spectacular Elizabethan mansion and some of the finest gardens in Cambridge.

Our weekend courses are taught in small, informal groups by academics who are expert not only in their subjects but also in teaching students of all ages and experience.

You can choose to stay at the Hall for the duration of your course, or attend as a non-resident.

Browse our weekend courses and book online

"I really enjoy coming here - a real treat - lovely surroundings and good staff" (SM, 2011)

"A total delight - can't imagine a better way of spending a weekend." (TW, 2012)

"Throughly worthwhile and refreshing. Best training I've done in years." (PL, 2012)