Choosing an awarding body?

Structure and requirements for complementary therapy have been defined with the national occupational standards. NOS.

This means that any awarding body should adhere to these. So do check out whether they adhere to the NOS or not.

ITEC
In the past, their theory exams where 3 hours of essay, they have now adopted multiple choice. One practical exam is performed with a 60% pass mark.

VTCT
Their standards are absolutely ‘minimalist’. This is why they expect 100% correctness to pass as ‘competent’. But the student will be offered many attempts to accomplish competence…if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.
In other words, the VTCT’s 100% = the ITEC’s 60% (practical)
Yes you can get better at the job but you can’t get worse.
For some therapies, there are theory multiple choice tests but it is more practically challenging than ITEC because there are 3 practical assessments to pass. (All at 100%)

ABC
There are the awarding body for the AOR – Association of Reflexologists. They have a written paper (not multiple choice) and one practical assessment. They are similar to the ‘old’ ITEC. In other words, challenging and likely to produce near experts immediately.

Reiki
No tests just practice – who on Earth can document whether you are able to distance heal or not. It is in the lap of the Gods. Just make sure you find a Reiki Master who applies the NOS which are currently still draft.

BSY group
They do not appear to adhere to anything. Beware, check them thoroughly first – they may have changed since I last contacted them.

Overall – whoever you choose to study with ask these questions:
Can you get insurance to practice afterwards?
Which association can you join after successful completion?

Essay format over multiple choice?
The advantage of multiple choice is that it makes life easier to mark the papers and supplies a robust quality assurance to the overseeing government department. IE good for the awarding body, less of my time to pay for. But:
The disadvantage of this is that the essay’s approach also gave the students a chance to show their ability to communicate. You were put on the spot as if you had a client in front of you asking questions. Multiple choice takes this away and one of the answers is true – you don’t have customers supplying you with the answers, you have to know them!
I feel that the essay approach was fuller than the current method and checked your communication skills far more in-depth than an observation of practical - but you will find that out once you get working. It’s up to you as always!

I have seen something like this somewhere:

Definition of practitioner, expert and master (not in the Reiki sense).

A practitioner can perform the basic skill to a satisfactory conclusion. (You have just passed your exams).
An expert can perform the skill, learn more and apply these variations to it thus making improvements. (You have had at least a year of experience and plenty of CPD)
A master takes learning further by breaking the rules and applying innovations. (Teaches it.)

I hope that everyone taking my courses becomes at least an expert.

This link may advise further although he does not use the term master:
http://www.doceo.co.uk/background/expertise.htm

Good luck.