IPAG Business School: How to choose an online degree course?

For students undergoing initial training, employees undergoing retraining, adults in employment or job seekers, the range of distance learning courses on offer has expanded considerably in recent years. Whether you want to improve your skills or acquire new ones, you will be able to find a course that suits your professional project. But beware, not all online training courses are equal. Some are "qualifying", "certifying" or "diploma" courses. Let's take a look at these concepts to help you define your training project in full knowledge of the facts.

What are the differences between training leading to a qualification, certification or diploma?

Qualifying training

Qualifying training courses have a professional aim (to acquire new skills, additional expertise, training in the use of new tools, etc.) but do not lead to a title or diploma. They last from a few days to several weeks and lead to a certificate of completion of the course or a certificate of aptitude. Some vocational training courses are recognised by a collective agreement, which enables the learner to enhance the value of his or her training within his or her company or professional branch. This type of training is the preserve of continuing education organisations.

Certifying training

Like qualifying training, certifying training has an immediate professional aim, but it concerns a specific trade and not a field of skills. Their validation leads to the award of a professional title listed in the Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles (RNCP) or a Certificat de qualification professionnelle (CQP) when they are recognised by a professional branch. These short courses, lasting less than a year, are generally provided as continuing vocational training.

Diploma courses

As their name suggests, diploma courses are courses that enable learners to obtain an institutional diploma or a diploma recognised by the State. These are classified by level according to the number of years of study (from Bac+2 to Bac+8 in higher education) and according to their status: approved, accredited, registered with the RNCP or certified by the CNCP (Commission nationale de la certification professionnelle). They are awarded by universities or public or private educational establishments (Grandes Écoles de commerce, engineering schools, etc.)

Our online degree courses

At IPAG, all the courses on the school's online campus are degree courses. They are aimed at people who wish to obtain a high-level diploma (Bac+5) and acquire concrete and operational technical skills while avoiding the constraints of classroom teaching. Three Master of Science (MSc) programmes are offered :

• Digital Transformation Manager
• Marketing & Data Analysis: Bac+5, RNCP level VI
• Entrepreneur & Project Management : Bac+5, RNCP level VI

Each of these three MSc's can be completed by an Executive Certificate allowing learners to broaden their field of expertise: "Diversity Manager"; "Intrapreneur" and "Innovation Manager".