Деловой иностранный язык (английский язык) / Higher education system in the UK

Higher education system in the UK

Universities in the UK have long been known for their excellence both in terms of course quality and student welfare. Over 150 universities and colleges equipped with the latest facilities for teaching and research offer a wide range of courses. Higher education in the UK comprises three types of entities - colleges, universities and institutions of higher education.

Course Structure The minimum age for a student to begin his undergraduate course is 18 years. Universities in the UK offer various qualifications. They can be broadly classified as:

Diplomas and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) A Higher National Diploma is best described as a two-year full-time or three-year part-time course, which once completed can lead to entry on the final year of a course. HND courses are vocational in nature as they prepare you for careers in specific areas of industry.

Bachelor/Undergraduate degrees These are three-year degree courses after the completion of which a student is awarded a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree. These are undergraduate (or ‘first degree’) courses.

Masters/Postgraduate degrees Masters degrees are four-year degree courses, often sandwich courses involving one year in industry or one year study abroad. You can also get a masters degree by doing a one-year course after completing an undergraduate degree. These are classed as postgraduate degrees.

Doctorates Another type of masters degree is the MRes, (Masters in Research) which prepares students for doctoral research. Doctorate is the next highest qualification which can be completed in three to four years.

Taught or Research In the UK, there are two types of postgraduate courses : Taught and Research based. Taught courses are have fixed number of contact hours which will be less compared to the undergraduate level but you would still be attending classes. Taught courses are divided into a number of modules for which you are assessed at the end of the term. In a research based course, a student has to keep track of his or her own study route, though a tutor is provided for help. A research student however has access to all the aids within the campus. Postgraduate research courses take much longer time than taught courses (three to four years as opposed to one), and carry a higher level qualification.