| Choosing
The Right Course |
It is important not to rush into deciding which course to
take, since it may be difficult to change courses once you are in the
UK. Doing so will affect your academic progress, and may mean that you will lose money paid
in fees.
What qualifications can be obtained in Britain?
Professional qualifications
Many private colleges and colleges of further and higher education (and some
others) offer courses leading to professional qualifications
in, for example, law, accountancy, secretarial studies and banking. Before applying for this type of
course, make sure that the qualification is recognised and accepted by prospective employers in your
country, or by the institution at which you wish to continue your studies. If you already have a relevant degree or vocational
qualification, you may be given exemptions from some parts of the course –so check whether the qualifications you already have will give you any exemptions.
Undergraduate degree courses
Universities and some colleges of higher education offer degrees at undergraduate level (first degrees) such as BA (Bachelor of
Arts), BSc (Bachelor of Science), BEd (Bachelor of
Education), BEng (Bachelor of Engineering) and LLB (Bachelor of
Law), normally known as bachelors degrees.
Undergraduate degrees, assessed by examination, normally last for three years in England and Wales and four years in
Scotland. Degrees which involve a period of work experience outside the college in between periods spent in academic study (sandwich courses) normally last for four
years. Most undergraduate courses in the UK involve study in only
one, or perhaps two, subjects throughout the three or four years of the programme.
Postgraduate degrees
Postgraduate courses are usually taken once you already have an undergraduate
degree. Taught masters degrees –MA (Master of Arts),
LLM (Master of Law), MBA (Master of Business
Administration), MSc (Master of Science), which may involve attendance at classes and are followed by
assessments, usually take one year. Research degrees MPhil and PhD involving independent research and the submission of a thesis, will take up to 3 years or
more.
Have you got the right qualifications to do the course
you have chosen?
Before applying for courses, you will need to find out about the course entry requirements.
All UK colleges will require you to have a sufficient level of English language to follow your chosen course.
The college may also require you to have passed some other
examinations or to have relevant practical experience. Entrance requirements for courses are usually stated in terms of British qualifications (for
example, you may be asked for 4 GCSEs or 2 A levels or their
equivalents). The minimum entrance requirements will vary from one college to another. You may find that your own school-leaving certificates do not meet the entry requirements of some British
institutions. You can check the equivalence of your country ’s qualifications with those in Britain by writing
to the college you want to attend to ask whether you meet the British requirement or by writing to UK NARIC.
If your qualifications are insufficient, it might be necessary for you initially to study a lower qualification in the UK than the one you had intended, in order to achieve the required level for entry to your desired course.
Before finally choosing your course, ask yourself:
- Will I enjoy it?
- Does it offer the right degree of specialisation or breadth that I
want? (i.e. the difference between single and combined courses)
- Does it give me the chance to change direction if I find that I have made a mistake or my interest changes?
- Does it give me the qualification I need and fit in with my long-term aims?
- How long will the course take to complete -can I afford the time and money?
- Is the qualification I will obtain at the end of the course recognised and accepted by employers in my country?
- What are the teaching methods /class sizes?
- How will my work be assessed?
- Are my qualifications and standard of English acceptable for entry onto the course?
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