Is it possible to be examined for a diploma on a special visit? I can't work it out from the website. The way the dates lie I'm going to have to travel 2 1/2 hours to take my dip, and I'd rather not if I can avoid it, it causes all sorts of follow-on problems for me.

If it is possible to do a dip on a special visit, how many examining minutes is it (DipABRSM teaching) so you can add it up to see if you have 3 examining hours?

And whether for a diploma exam or otherwise, if you join on someone else's special visit, does your certificate then automatically have their "presented for examination by..." thing on it, or are you able to opt not to have that if you are not actually associated with the visit, e.g. if you and another teacher have clubbed together to get 3 hours.

Thanks.

hello, the best thing to do is phone the diploma office and ask them. I have always found them very helpful. I would be surprised if you could have a special visit though. I think The Diploma examiners are different to the general grade examiners. I will be interested to know what you find out.

Wish I shared your experience. Conversations with various departments over a variety of issues are making me lose my will to live. I was hoping maybe someone had the answers so I didn't have to call again.

Perhaps it would depend if they had 2 examiners in the area - don't the dip exams have 2 examiners rather than 1?

I still think you're going to have to bite the bullet and give them a ring, but I'll try to answer as many questions as I can.

I don't know about doing a diploma as part of a special visit, although I don't think it's possible. Only certain examiners examine for diplomas which may turn out to be the stumbling block.

The answer to your question about the name on the certificate is no: it's the name of the Applicant which will appear on the certificate.

It may be worth mentioning any circumstances which make it particularly difficult for you to travel - they may well be able to be more flexible than normal. Perhaps not, but you won't know until you ask!

Do the colleges examine diplomas "in house"? I could travel to the Royal Scottish if they'd let me get in on a batch of diploma candidates, dates permitting but at least it has to be outside that examining week to be a special visit. Not sure if they just use their own staff or some other kind of arrangement, but I know many graduates do still do the dip aswell as their degree. It's the only place I can think of that might have a whole bunch of diplomas to examine.

As far as I know from my time there the Royal Scottish definitely does not do this.I do not know about any other conservatoires or universities though, although I would be surprised if they did. With regards to the diploma I think you can only take it during the 2 sessions specifically set aside for diploma examining as it is 2 examiners, both trained to take diploma exams, these are recorded and reviewed as far as I am aware by the diploma board before marks and certificates are sent out, this is why it takes so long to get the results. When I took my diploma last year (in Scotland) the whole week of exams had to be rescheduled due to snow, and was very difficult to reschedule as the examiners were flying up from London. I found the diplomas office staff very helpful at keeping me up to date with proceedings, and could not have been nicer! I think, as several others have said, that to get a definitive answer your best bet is to phone the office and ask.

Hi
I believe it is possible to do diplomas as special visits - Chethams organise special visits for dip candidates, just one example I know of for sure (Have a friend who is a dip examiner and he discussed this with me a couple of years ago). However you would need to meet the minimum examining hours etc stipulated for a special visit. The only way to get the info you require is to ring the diploma office staff, my experience of them has generally been very good and helpful.

Good luck
Lucysop