degrees

choosing your degree

course and institution
Do you want excellent career prospects and a better salary when you return to your
own country? A United Kingdom (UK) degree is a fine start. It will carry prestige
throughout the world. In coming to the UK to study, you will also be surrounded by
native speakers of the international language of business and commerce.

The possibilities of where and how you study are endless. You can choose from literally
thousands of courses in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. You can be sure
of their quality. You can go to a university or a higher education college.

Checklist: Why study in the United Kingdom?

• UK education has a unique reputation which will give you a head start in your
career
• UK qualifications are recognised all over the world
• there are strict quality checks on courses, ensuring high standards
• you can choose how you study and still come out with the qualification
• there is a huge range of courses and places in which to study, enabling you to
choose the type of institution and location you prefer
• if you are not at the right level to enter a UK degree there is a wide range of access,
foundation and bridging courses you can choose from
• attending a Scottish university (many of which have four year Honours courses)
could mean that you do not have to take a foundation course
• the UK education style is personal, with a high level of student support, ensuring
that you will not fall behind or feel isolated
• you can take a pre-sessional English language course (before you start) or take one
during your studies, so that your English is fluent enough to study

www.educationuk.org
 • the UK is at the forefront of scientific and creative innovation and you could learn
alongside some of the world’s top intellects, providing an excellent atmosphere for
study
• more intensive, shorter, degree courses will save you time and money in gaining a
high-quality education
• it is easy to apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service(UCAS)
www.ucas.com, which lets you apply to a maximum of six institutions on one form.

1. What can I study?

Types of degree courses Typical content Usual length

Honours degrees
Joint Honours degree
Combined Honours degree
Ordinary (or General)/Pass
degree
Sandwich course
Foundation degree
One subject studied in
depth
Two subjects studied in
less depth
Three or more subjects
studied in less depth
Several subjects studied at
less advanced level
Course including up to one
year of integrated work
experience
Employment related higher
qualification (subjects such
as: e-systems; design and
technology)
Usually three years but can
be four, especially in
Scotland. Architecture,
medicine, dentistry and
veterinary sciences
degrees are five to seven
years.
Three to four years (more
often four in Scotland)
Three to four years (more
often four in Scotland)
Three years
Four to five years
Two years (option to
progress to an honours
degree after a further
fifteen months of study)

First degree titles

Bachelor of Arts BA
Bachelor of Science BSc
Bachelor of EducationBEd
Bachelor of Engineering BEng
Bachelor of Law LLB

www.educationuk.org
 Bachelor of Medicine MB or BS

[At some of the Scottish universities, a first degree in Arts carries the award of Master
of Arts (MA).
There are also a number of other undergraduate Masters awards. The MEng (Master
of Engineering) is increasingly popular in England, Northern Ireland and Wales and
involves four years study, the final two following a different syllabus from that of the
three year BEng. Physics and science are following this pattern with the MPhys and
MSci. Most first degrees take three or four years to complete, though some
professional courses, such as architecture, dentistry, medicine and veterinary science,
can take between five and seven years.]

How should I start to choose my course and my preferred institution?

There are so many degrees and so many places to study that choosing a course and
institution is difficult. You may have a personal preference, for your own reasons. But if
you are starting with only a vague idea, put the questions in the checklists below next
to the institutions you pick out.

Is a university the only place I can take a degree?

No, you can also go to a higher education college or a college of further education. The
degrees will be of the same standard, as they are externally validated. Colleges of
higher and further education offer degree courses validated by universities, as they do
not usually have their own degree awarding powers. This means that you have a huge
choice of colleges, locations and learning environments.

Checklist: Choosing the right course

• Is the subject right for you?

• What type of degree is it?
• Will it be recognised by employers or educational organisations in your own
country? This is particularly important.
• What are the options within the subject?
• What are the teaching methods? Are you happy with them?
• What are the Subject Review (or teaching quality assessment) results for the
course or department? (See ‘Can I compare universities and colleges?’)
• How is the course assessed? Would you prefer continuous assessment or a more
exam-based course?

For more information, refer to Quality issues in this series

www.educationuk.org
 Checklist: Choosing the right institution

• Is the college large enough (or small enough) to have the facilities you would like?
What does it do about student support?
• Is it in a city or the countryside? Do you want to be in one or the other?
• Where in the UK is it? Does this matter to you?
• Is it on a campus or not? Does that matter to you?
• Is it close to any relatives or friends you have in the UK?
• Is it close to an airport that you could use to get home?
• Do you like the way it assesses work – by coursework, written exams or both?
• Does it have a good teaching record?
• Can you afford the course fees?
• What standard of accommodation is offered?
• Can you afford to live in this town or city?

For more information, refer to Tuition fees and the costs of living in the United
Kingdom in this series.

Can I compare universities and colleges?

Yes. There are a number of ways:

(i) By comparing the content of different courses.

Courses do vary considerably from different universities and colleges. Check

individual prospectuses available via www.educationuk.org.

(ii) By looking at the Subject Review Reports.

These are carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA),
which publishes reports by subject and by institution. These are official reports and are
available at www.qaa.ac.uk/revreps/reviewreports.htm. The Subject Review Reports
look not only at the quality of the teaching of that subject by institution, but also look
at the student’s learning experience, including their progression and achievement and
the support and guidance available for them.

There are slightly different systems for England and Northern Ireland, Wales, and
Scotland. Teaching Assessments and subject reviews will have taken place at different
times so direct comparisons may not be helpful. The new review system for Quality
Assurance has started in 2002, information is available from the QAA at
www.qaa.ac.uk/. Use individual results combined with course content and worldwide
recognition to help you decide which university and/or college is best for you. A guide
to understanding the tables is available at www.studyuk.hobsons.com.

www.educationuk.org
(iii) By looking at the unofficial rankings are compiled by various publications.

This includes The Times newspaper (The Times Good University Guide, Times Books),
which ranks by institution and subject, and The Guardian newspaper
(www.education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide), which ranks by subject.

These are less authoritative but can be used to see an institution’s strength in a
particular subject, rather than assessing the overall standard of education from the
student’s point of view. Both of these unofficial rankings are compiled by averaging
information from various official sources – these different types of information are often
not designed to be added together and averaged out and so these rankings can hide as
much as they might reveal about the quality of a university or course. For more
information, refer to Quality issues in this series.

(iv) By checking that professional courses are recognised in your own country.

Will a United Kingdom education be the same as I am used to?

Possibly not – it has a more personal focus than many education systems. You can
expect:
• Lectures in large groups – one or two per week for each course in the degree
programme. You could take four or five courses at the same time.
• Seminars and tutorials – small groups, led by a lecturer or professor, to which each
student is expected to contribute.
• In science, technical and engineering subjects, a lot of your time will be spent in
supervised laboratory work.
• You will have a course tutor who will advise you individually on your course work,
and a personal tutor who is there to give you further advice and support.
• You will be expected to read around your subject and to find and analyse the
material that makes up your course. You will not be ‘spoon fed’.

www.educationuk.org
2. Entrance

What qualifications will I need?

These vary according to the subject and to the competition to get on to a particular
course. You should get details of the course requirements from the institution’s current
prospectus or direct from the faculty. An institution would want to know that you have
met both its general requirements and those of the course. Generally, the basic
requirements are:
• five subject passes (two GCE A-levels and three GCSE at grade C minimum), or
• four subject passes (three GCE A-levels and one GCSE at grade C minimum), or
• equivalent UK qualifications (such as Scottish Standards and Highers, and
vocational A-level ), or
• equivalent overseas qualifications (you can check equivalencies through your local
British Council office or the United Kingdom National Academic Recognition
Information Centre (NARIC)).

What if I do not have these qualifications?

Many international students take an access, foundation or bridging course, which

usually lasts a year. This can be taken at the same university/college as you intend to
take the degree, or one close by. For more information, refer to Choosing your access
course and institution in this series.

Is there anything else I need?

You should be able to speak and write English well. You may be asked to provide formal
proof of your standard. It is worth checking this early to make sure you have enough
time to take an English language test. Most universities and colleges will accept one of
the following:
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) band 6 or above
• Cambridge Proficiency of English or Cambridge Advanced English grade C
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score 550 or higher
• NEAB University Entrance Test in English for speakers of other languages, grade 3

It is possible to take the exams for many of the qualifications listed here at your local
British Council office. Contact your local office for more information or go to
www.britishcouncil.org/education/exams/index.htm.

www.educationuk.org
3. Next steps

Checklist: Your next steps

1. Once you have shortlisted your preferred courses and colleges, you should get the
college prospectuses – these are also available on the Internet and can be accessed
at www.educationuk.org. These will tell you exactly what qualifications you need for
different courses. Carefully consider the courses and colleges you like next to the
checklists above.
2. Get the UCAS application form available from the British Council and online from
www.ucas.com. You can apply for up to six courses on one form.
3. You can apply through UCAS from 1 September of the year before your course
starts. Applications for clinical subjects (such as medicine) and Oxford and
Cambridge must be in by 15 October. For all other courses apply as early as
possible – international students can apply until the end of June.
4. You should be aware that some courses, such as medicine, require an interview,
while others (dance, drama) ask for an audition or (art and design) a portfolio.
5. UCAS will handle your application from here, and tell you whether you have been
made any offers.

For more information on UCAS, refer to Applications in this series and the UCAS web
site at www.ucas.com.

www.educationuk.org
4. Where can I find more information?

British Council Education Universities and Colleges

information Admissions Service (UCAS)
Web site www.educationuk.org Rosehill
For further information, you can find New Barn Lane
details of your nearest office at Cheltenham
www.britishcouncil.org/where/index.htm Gloucestershire GL52 3LZ
, which includes links to all our country Telephone +44 (0) 1242 227788
web pages and a worldwide address Fax +44 (0) 1242 544961
book giving contact details for all E-mail enq@ucas.ac.uk
offices. Web site www.ucas.com
Application forms:
Scottish Education + Training PO Box 28
Web site www.educationukscotland.org Cheltenham
Gloucestershire GL50 3SA
International English Language Or via web site
Testing System (IELTS) Telephone +44 (0) 1242 223707
Web site www.ielts.org

English Language courses in the UK

Web site www.englishinbritain.co.uk

The United Kingdom National

Academic Recognition
InformationCentre (NARIC)
ECCTIS Ltd
Oriel House
Oriel Road
Cheltenham GL50 1XP
Telephone +44 (0) 1242 260 010
Fax +44 (0) 1242 258 611
E-mail naric@ecctis.co.uk
Web site www.naric.org.uk

www.educationuk.org
Foundation degrees Web site www.foundationdegree.org.uk

While every effort has been made to ensure that the information given here is correct
and up to date, the British Council accepts no legal liability for its accuracy, currency or
completeness.

May 2002

British Council
classification
Degree courses (blue)

www.educationuk.org