ENEB/IEAD vs. UK Level 7 Diploma

[cholinguist]

Hello,
I am considering completing a MBA through ENEB (or even in Spanish through IEAD) or a UK OTHM Level 7 Diploma (in strategic marketing and leadership). I am having a hard time deciding between the two options and would appreciate some advice. For context, I already have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from a low-ranked U.S. regional university.

ENEB
ENEB is having a very big Black Friday sale in a few days, offering the MBA Double Master for 199 EUR (229 USD). It sounds very cheap, but I know that I getting the título propio and apostille is an additional expense. (If I understand correctly, it would be at least another 300 or 400 USD.) I like the idea of being able to put an MBA on my resume immediately, even if it is not entirely the most well regarded program out there.

However, I am concerned about the recognition of ENEB, even as a post-graduate certificate abroad for more official, bureaucratic purposes. I spend time in a lot of different countries, so the international portability of the qualification is important to me, even though I work in the private sector. I figure that if the "degree" from ENEB is not really recognized anywhere, then I would need to do either a top-up degree in the UK. (I don’t really have the money for an American university). At that point, I question if the ENEB route is even wort the extra paperwork compared to the Level 7 diploma.

I am also open to ENEB’s sister school IEAD as I could complete the program in Spanish. It seems more expensive though, and I have found less information.

UK Level 7 Diploma
I am leaning more towards the Level 7 OTHM diploma. I have secured a price of 817 GBP (1075 USD) with one of the online providers offering this qualification. I figure that this would be a more straightforward way to transition to a top-up MBA in the UK, which it seems like I would need to do anyways due to ENEB’s accreditation issues. Even the Level 7 diploma itself seems to be more easily recognized abroad, or at least in the U.S. and Canada.

Any advice? Thanks.

[Kalas]

Because ENEB is cheap a lot of people have done it and most places have been burned by someone with an ENEB MBA by now. If your plan is to use it to get jobs/promotions, you are better off with the Unimarconi degree via ENEB https://eneb.com/accreditationusd/ It is an official degree that shouldn't have any trouble being recognized in the US. It's a much better degree and only a little more work than the ENEB MBA. I'm doing the Big Data program now, and if you read my thread about it you should be able to avoid most of the aggravation I went through as someone that got in right away. 

Another option would be the SMC MBA for about 100 bucks more. That will give you a better education but takes 2 years. https://smceducation.com/ Hellenic American University is still $3000 for the MBA AFAIK. 

ENEB is highly recommended if you want to do a doctoral program at one of the schools that takes it for admission, will be using it in place of an undergrad degree to get into a grad program or want to get it evaluated and use it as a cheap grad certificate. The ship has just sailed on using it as a main credential to get a job. 

If you specifically want to get your MBA from a school in the UK with a top up program, Level 7+top up is the cheapest way to do it. It's just not the cheapest way to get an official MBA anymore.

[bjcheung77]

Basically, there is no real right or wrong answer for your question, it can sway in so many directions as the ENEB can be equivalent to the UK Level 7 diploma if your UK institution takes it (after an evaluation of course). You need to find out where your last goal post is and find the ways to get to that goal post, for example, you're looking at the Cardiff Metro MBA, I wrote about getting the UK Level 7 and topping up to this degree for an extra $3K BP. I'd advise reading the few options I mentioned in addition to that...

[PearsonOTHMQualifi7654]

Hello,
I am considering completing a MBA through ENEB (or even in Spanish through IEAD) or a UK OTHM Level 7 Diploma (in strategic marketing and leadership). I am having a hard time deciding between the two options and would appreciate some advice. For context, I already have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from a low-ranked U.S. regional university.

ENEB
ENEB is having a very big Black Friday sale in a few days, offering the MBA Double Master for 199 EUR (229 USD). It sounds very cheap, but I know that I getting the título propio and apostille is an additional expense. (If I understand correctly, it would be at least another 300 or 400 USD.) I like the idea of being able to put an MBA on my resume immediately, even if it is not entirely the most well regarded program out there.

However, I am concerned about the recognition of ENEB, even as a post-graduate certificate abroad for more official, bureaucratic purposes. I spend time in a lot of different countries, so the international portability of the qualification is important to me, even though I work in the private sector. I figure that if the "degree" from ENEB is not really recognized anywhere, then I would need to do either a top-up degree in the UK. (I don’t really have the money for an American university). At that point, I question if the ENEB route is even wort the extra paperwork compared to the Level 7 diploma.

I am also open to ENEB’s sister school IEAD as I could complete the program in Spanish. It seems more expensive though, and I have found less information.

UK Level 7 Diploma
I am leaning more towards the Level 7 OTHM diploma. I have secured a price of 817 GBP (1075 USD) with one of the online providers offering this qualification. I figure that this would be a more straightforward way to transition to a top-up MBA in the UK, which it seems like I would need to do anyways due to ENEB’s accreditation issues. Even the Level 7 diploma itself seems to be more easily recognized abroad, or at least in the U.S. and Canada.

Any advice? Thanks.

Thank goodness I just saw this!

As someone who has done both (Pearson BTEC Level 7, and ENEB), I will share my experience. One cannot go wrong with a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership, which is fully recognized globally. Not only that, this OTHM version has an "Advanced Business Research Methods" module, which would likely be with a final project of about 6000-7500 words. 

In the Pearson BTEC version, there was "Research Methods," and I had to submit a paper that was about that length. Defensibly, this is up to par with, or even beyond a DEAC-accredited US Master's degree, although I have never submitted just the Level 7 Diploma for evaluation as I am still waiting to receive mine. I also did it to gain entry to a UK MBA program, so I have no reason to evaluate it separately. If I did it would most likely just come back as a US Graduate Diploma, which is a notch above what an ENEB diploma would get (US Graduate Certificate). 

For those in the US reading this who may not be as used to the UK or South African style: A diploma is higher than a certificate. In the UK a graduate school diploma is called Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), which is the highest level right before reaching the full Master's. 

ENEB, on the other hand, is not officially recognized by the UK Gov OfQual, and I do not think that Evaluators in the UK will accept them, although some UK schools I believe do accept them for transfer credit.

Level 7 is academically stronger than an ENEB Titulo Propio. ENEB will incur additional costs once you request physical diplomas, as well as the University Certification. 
When evaluated in the US, the Level 7 is stronger.  The Level 7 allows you to enter a UK MBA program to complete just the dissertation. 
An ENEB degree will not open up that path, and you will have to do the Level 7 over again for the same chance.

I would skip ENEB if you want to earn a legitimate UK MBA after the Level 7 Diploma.
If you want an ENEB Titulo Propio to call an MBA on your resume, then I would do ENEB. 

Caveat: While I did a Pearson BTEC Level 7  Diploma and an OTHM Level 6 Diploma, I have found that from both programs, the modules and final projects require high-quality submissions. So if you plan on doing a Level 7 Diploma awarded by OTHM, please consider that it will take a bit of hard work to complete.
Other Level 7 Options to consider are Qualifi, as it may be a bit more flexible and allow some Recognition of Prior Learning so you don't have to do all the modules.
If you have significant professional experience, and any professional trainings that are documented, such as certificates, I would present all of those, and try to get an exmption or two from the modules for a BTEC or Qualifi Level 7 Diploma,

OTHM I found to be notoriously difficult to gain any RPL. The teaching centres just don't seem to have any process for it and just say "no" as a default answer. (Even though OTHM does have published RPL Policies, it didn't matter; the teaching centres all said no)

[NotJoeBiden]

ACEI evaluates the ENEB/UI1 program, as well as any other propios as a Grad Diploma.

[PearsonOTHMQualifi7654]

ACEI evaluates the ENEB/UI1 program, as well as any other propios as a Grad Diploma.

You’re absolutely right that ENEB/UI1 ends up evaluated as a Graduate Diploma by ACEI. That’s consistent and predictable, but it was 1 evaluation agency, and the rest were all over the place. Ranging from: Refuse to evalulate, Graduate credits, Graduate studies with no credits, Unaccredited program from an accredited institution, etc. 

An OfQual-regulated Level 7 Diploma would never get evaluated as anything below a US Graduate Diploma from a Regionally Accredited University. We've seen quite the contrary with ENEB: If we were to send an OfQual Level 7 Diploma to all NACES and AICE evaluators, not one would refuse to evaluate, and not one would give it less than US RA Graduate Diploma. We are comparing night and day.

They fall into completely different recognition paths

Level 7 Diplomas (Ofqual-regulated):

• Globally recognized straight out of the box
  
• No evaluation required to establish level
  
• Direct progression pathways into multiple fully recognized UK MBA Top-up programs
  
• Designed as part of the UK higher education framework
  

ENEB/UI1 título propios:

• Private, non-official postgraduate awards
  
• Evaluated by foreign credential evaluators (ACEI, IEE, ECE, etc.)
  
• No automatic progression into recognized UK/US master’s programs
  
• Useful, but outside the formal Bologna/Ofqual structure
  

So yes they are very far apart in terms of recognition.

It is good to compare them like this because people do need to understand that even though they seem comparable, they are dramatically different in recognition.

Both have value, but in different lanes.

A Level 7 Diploma typically carries six exemptions toward a UK MBA top-up (No more coursework, just the dissertation, maybe 1 course that teaches how to write one)
ENEB master’s credits may, at best qualify for 1–2 exemptions into a Level 7 Diploma, and in many cases could be declined entirely.

[bjcheung77]

Basically, I would prefer and/or recommend the UK Level 7 (or multiple levels, if you ever wanted to) over ENEB. Unless of course, you know which institution you want to ladder that up to, and that ENEB/UI1 transcripts are accepted (with an evaluation), plus you're a little strapped for cash... Neither of these would be true Masters as it should be just the first year of a two year program.

Let's use Canada as an example, if you do the ENEB/UI1 option, it really depends on which of the 6 FCE's you're going to use. They'll come in either accredited or not, plus, the most you can get out of it is a 1 year post graduate equivalent. The UK Level 7 option, also after an favorable evaluation, would be the same thing. It will not be equivalent to a Masters, but the first year of one...

Essentially, you need to create a pathway and make sure they work before jumping on board with either program. The final educational goal is your choice, make sure that institution would accept them beforehand. Do your due diligence and research, if it works for you, go tread on that pathway until your end goal is met.