Levels of Study in the U.K.
Levels of Study in the U.K.
To help you understand what options you have when studying at a U.K. university, we’ve summarised the full range of qualifications available here.
To help you understand what options you have when studying at a U.K. university, we’ve summarised the full range of qualifications available here.
Undergraduate Degree’s in the U.K.
Foundation Year
A Foundation year is an additional year of study designed to help bridge the gap between high school and university.
Foundation years take just one year to complete and help students develop the required skills to progress on to their preferred degree programme.
A student may be required to study a foundation year if they do not meet the initial entry criteria of their preferred bachelor’s degree programme. It’s common for international students to pursue a foundation year to help them become familiar with U.K. education before they start working towards their degree.
U.K. universities offer foundation years across a wide variety of subjects, helping to prepare students of all academic interests for entry on to bachelor degree programmes. Upon successfully completing the foundation year, students will then progress on to the first year of their selected bachelor’s degree at the same university.
Foundation Degree
A foundation degree is a two year qualification offered by U.K. universities that combine academic learning and with work based skills.
Foundation degrees are offered in a number of different subject areas. The title of the available types of foundation degrees are as follows:
- Foundation in Arts – FdA
- Foundation in Science – FdSc
- Foundation in Engineering FdEng
- Higher National Diploma
Upon completing a foundation degree, students can opt to use their new qualification to seek employment, or study for an additional year to then complete a bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor’s Degree
A Bachelor’s degree in the most popular type of undergraduate degree. Student’s will typically study for a bachelor’s degree immediately after completing their high school education.
Depending on the subject that a student decides to study, it will impact the title of bachelor’s degree that achieve upon graduation. The titles of bachelor’s degree include:
- Bachelor of Arts – BA (Hons)
- Bachelor of Science – BSc (Hons)
- Bachelor of Engineering – BEng (Hons)
- Bachelor of Laws – LLB (Hons)
Hons at the end of a degree stands for honours and typically means you studied for 3 years and completed 360 credits, as opposed to graduating with an ordinary degree after passing less than 360 credits. Most bachelor’s degrees will take 3 years to complete, or 4 years if a student opts to pursue a placement year.
Undergraduate Degree’s in the U.K.
Postgraduate Degree’s in the U.K.
Master’s Degree
A master’s degree is the most popular form of postgraduate qualification and is offered by universities throughout the U.K.
A master’s degree provides students with the opportunity to become an expert in their preferred subject area and enhance their employability after completing an undergraduate degree. There are a wide range of master’s degrees offered throughout the U.K. in a diverse range of subject areas.
Depending on the subject, the title of the master’s degree that a student will graduate with will vary. The titles of master’s degree offered at U.K. universities include:
- Master of Arts – MA
- Master of Science – MSc
- Master’s of Engineering – MEng
- Master of Research – MRes
- Master of Law – LLM
- Master of Fine Arts – MFA
- Master of Philosophy – MPhil
- Master of Public Health – MPH
- Master of Public Administration / Public Policy – MPA/MPP
U.K. master’s degrees are very popular with international students as the vast majority take just one year to complete, offering student’s the chance to experience life in the U.K. and achieve a prestigious qualification in a short timeframe.
MBA (Master’s in Business Administration)
An MBA is the world’s most popular graduate management degree. The MBA is a highly desirable qualification for both students and employers alike.
Whilst the general management MBA is the most popular version, U.K. universities do also offer a wide range of specializations to allow students to tailor their MBA to their career goals, with examples such as MBA in International Business, MBA in Finance or MBA in Entrepreneurship.
The U.K. is a popular destination for student’s to pursue their MBA as it allows them to complete the qualification in just 12 months, as opposed to 2 years MBA programmes that are offered in other countries. In addition to the shorter study time, the U.K. offers boasts many high ranking business schools and great industry connections with universities.
Some U.K. universities will require students to have two to three years of professional full-time work experience before admitting them on to an MBA programme, whereas some U.K. universities will be open to working with students directly after completing their undergraduate degree. We will be happy to advise a student what options they may have for an MBA in the U.K. after evaluating their academic credentials and any work experience.
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PCGE)
A postgraduate certificate in education is a qualification that prepares you for a career in teaching.
When opting to study a PGCE, students will be able to identify what age range of students they hope to teach later on in their career and pursue a qualification to match, such as a PGCE in Primary Education or Secondary Education.
PGCSE students will also have the opportunity to identify a specialist subject area that they hope to teach in the future, to match their own area of interest. This could range from Art and Design to Physics! It is preferred that students have completed an undergraduate degree in their specialist subject area.
When studied full-time, a PGCE qualification takes 1 year to complete.
Postgraduate Degree’s in the U.K.
How we can help you study in the U.K.
Deciding to pursue a university degree is a big commitment. The course that you select to study will determine how long you stay in education for and what award that you graduate with.
Admission at each U.K. university is assessed on an individual basis for each course. With the entry requirements for each of the above qualifications varying at each U.K. university, it can sometimes be difficult to work out exactly what university you would qualify for. We provide a free service to help international students find suitable study opportunities in the U.K. that match their academic profile and career ambitions.
