Selection of most suitable undergraduate Course in the UK
It is crucial to choose the right program for your undergraduate study in the UK. To ensure that you make the right decision, you should find answers to the following questions.
• What type of degree program do you want to apply?
• What are the requirements for entry in the program under consideration?
• Is the degree you choose to study recognized in your country?
• What are the different options related to your preferred subject?
• Will the degree program be helpful to you in pursuing your dream career?
• Do you like teaching methods?
• What is the procedure of degree assessment?
The undergraduate education programs in the United Kingdom offer a brilliant opportunity to aspiring students for selecting a career path of their choice. Whether you prefer to go for Foundation degree, Simple degree or an HND, the study programs will enable you to think independently and prepare you for the global job market.
There are many different courses for which an undergraduate student can apply. In fact, you can select from more than a thousand different study programs in technology, science, arts, business, social sciences and many more. The extensive variety of courses offered by the education system of the UK enables the students to choose exactly what they want to study.
UK undergrad study programs that address your needs
The diverse range of undergraduate study programs provides the students with flexibility. You can select any course you want as per your interests, and the availability of such a large number of options help you to step ahead in the right direction. A student you get enrolled in a bachelor degree program. If you don’t want to go for that directly, you can choose to take a 2 year HND or foundation degree program and then move up to a degree. Students are allowed to study a single degree of honors and put all their concentration on a single subject. Besides, they can opt for study two subjects together in a combined degree of honors or a joint honors degree.
Duration of Undergraduate courses in the UK
The exact length of full-time undergrad courses in the UK depends on the study program you select, and it can vary from one year to four years.
• HNC program is for one year.
• Foundation degree, HND, and Dip HE are two years programs with an additional year in industry.
• Bachelor’s Degree is for 3 years with one more year in the industry. (In Scotland, the degree takes 4 years for completion).
• Master’s Degree is a four years program (as a first degree).
Available Undergraduate courses in the UK
The Higher National Certificates are one year, and the HND diplomas are two years higher education career-related courses. Both of these courses are equivalent to the first stages of the degree. These courses are available for different fields of study including sports studies, media and communication, arts and design, music and technology, and engineering. Once you complete the course successfully, you can get employment at the junior level of management. Moreover, you can also opt for moving ahead to a degree program by switching to a second or third year of the degree program.
Foundation Degrees
The foundation degrees including FDA and FdSc are higher education courses (career related) that complete in two years. These degree programs are equivalent to initial stages of a degree. These foundation degrees are available in multiple areas which include engineering, arts and design, media and communication, and hospitality management. You can choose the foundation degree program for building a solid base for your career. Besides, you can also top up to a degree program on the basis of a foundation degree.
Higher Education Diplomas
The higher education diplomas are two-year courses in the study programs usually related to social sciences. These include theology, education, communication studies, and social work. These diplomas are perfect choices for the students who want to pursue their career in any of the fields mentioned here. Besides, these diplomas can also form a solid foundation for you for gaining higher education in similar areas.
Degrees
The most popular undergrad study programs in the United Kingdom are the degrees. These are the proper academic courses that usually complete in three years in Northern Ireland, Wales and England. In Scotland, the degree program completes in four years, and the Institute may award you with a master’s degree. Also, some degree programs may extend to another year for allowing the students to spend some time productively in overseas or industry.
Universities and Colleges Admission Services
The Universities and Colleges Admission Services commonly known as UCAS is a centralized process of application for studying undergraduate programs in the United Kingdom. Through this process, you can easily understand the whole application procedure, and it makes it very convenient for the students to apply for any full-time undergrad degree program and the Higher National Diploma.
All the Universities and Colleges Admission Services (UCAS) educational institutes are recognized by the government of the UK. The courses that these universities offer are authorized by other government-recognized educational institutes of the UK.
When students apply through UCAS, they are facilitated in different ways.
• Students can easily track application processing.
• They can apply to a diverse array of courses in a different educational institute.
• Students are allowed to make up to 5 different choices together in one application form.
• If you want to apply through this centralized process, you can apply online by using the UCAS Apply.
All the foreign students who want to apply through UCAS, go ahead. The system offers a fair treatment for every student under the UCAS rules and regulations.
Online Applications via UCAS Apply
Most of the students prefer to apply online because of the enhanced convenience and hassle-free experience. The online system designed for the UCAS applications is named as Apply. Go to the UCAS Apply website, and you will get all the information there. Remember that applying through UCAS is not a compulsion. You can go for independent apply as well. Besides you can also apply through a college, school or any other institution which is registered with UCAS.
Perks of using UCAS Apply
THE UCAS apply offers several benefits to the students. Some of these are mentioned below.
- The process features automatic checks to make sure that your application is error-free. These checks eliminate the common mistakes including wrong course code and wrong birth date.
- You can edit the application and make corrections anytime you want before the submission.
- The ‘View All Details’ option is added to help you see how exactly your application will look like when it is sent to the university or college of your choice.
- Students are allowed to monitor the application progress. They can make changes to the contact details in addition to accepting and declining online offers through the option ‘Track’.
- Majority of the educational institutions on the UK prefer the UCAS procedure. Any student who has internet access can use this method for sending an application.
If you need any information regarding the UCAS procedure, you can visit the website of UCAS Apply.
Preparation of UCAS Application
As mentioned before, students can apply for about 5 different study courses in the UK in one UCAS application. Remember that if you choose two courses from the same institution, two choices will be counted.
If you wish to apply for dentistry, medicine, and veterinary science or some medical courses, you can only choose four of them, and for the fifth option, you will have to select a course from any different subject.
You can submit only one UCAS application in each cycle of the application. The total fee for applying for one course is just £9. If you want to choose 5 options, the fee of the application will be £19.
The best thing is that you don’t need to choose all the 5 options at the same time. As long as the students have not accepted their place, they can add a program of their choice.
Visit the website of UCAS TV, and you will find video guides that can be really helpful in preparing your UCAS application.
Dates for UCAS Application
For the study courses applications that are sent via UCAS, three different deadlines include January, March and October.
All the students who live in non-EEA countries, the applications can be sent any time between mid of September to end of June.
If you intend to apply to Oxford or Cambridge University, or for the courses related to medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, or veterinary science, the last date to apply is 15th of October.
For all those UK courses that start before May, you need to submit applications timely as the colleges and universities need time for considering applications. You should check out the course details for knowing what the start date for applying.
You should send the application as early as possible as most of the educational institutes in the UK feel pleased to receive applications at the start of the course. If you submit your application after the 15th of January, it might not be considered. Besides, many of the famous courses usually don’t have vacancies after mid-January.
Post Graduate Courses
Most of the MBAs and Master’s degree programs at universities in the United Kingdom complete in one year while in most of the other countries, the postgraduate courses last for two years. Thus, choosing the UK for your postgraduate studies would be economical and favorable for you. Unlike for Australia and USA, post-graduation will be completed in one year in the UK, and thus you will have to pay the tuition fee for just one year.
Besides, studying here would help you to improve your English language skills which will be beneficial for you in the business world. Also, the UK has a fantastic international community, and you will probably meet people from about 50 different nationalities in your campus.
If you choose to complete your Masters, MBA or PhD from the United Kingdom, it will open several doors of employment opportunities for you across the globe. The potential employers will take you as a self-disciplined, responsible and thoughtful persona and you will be more likely to get hired. So, if you have a post-graduate degree from the UK, any reputable company would be pleased to hire you.
UK Post Graduate Study Programs that meet your needs
The vast array of post-grad courses offers excellent flexibility. You can enroll in a postgrad diploma program and then move to Masters. Besides, you can start with MRes and can complete your PhD after that.
Duration of Post-Graduation Courses in the UK
The exact time duration of a post-grad course in the UK depends on the type of study program you select. The total time can vary from one to four years.
• The one-year post grad courses include Master’s Degree, MBAs, Postgraduate diploma or certificate.
• The two-year programs include some of the Master’s degrees
• The Three-Four years courses include New Route PhDs and PhDs
Available Postgraduate courses in the UK
As mentioned earlier, the full-time postgrad courses in the UK can last for one to four years. The different options currently available are:
Pre-Masters Courses
These courses can prolong from one simple term to the whole academic year. These courses include cultural instructions and language training in addition to the academic study. If your English language skills or qualifications don’t meet the standard needed to apply for a master’s degree, you will have to take the pre-masters course. Majority of these courses guarantee your progression to Master’s degree at a specific university.
Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma
These are the one-year courses that usually don’t include research. These diplomas and certificates are generally accepted as professional qualifications. Hence you can choose these to take an excellent start of your desired career.
Research Master’s
In the Research Master’s programs in the UK, you won’t have to attend lectures. In fact, your complete year will be dedicated to research. The quality of the dissertation you produce will determine your final marks.
Taught Master’s
Taught Masters’ courses including MA, MSc, Med, and LLM usually complete in one year. These courses comprise two elements. You will be required to complete multiple modules (attend seminars and lectures, take examinations and write essays) and create a dissertation using authentic research.
MBA
The Master of Business Administration is a specialist business course that can prepare you for the managerial posts, and many reputed companies would like to hire you once you complete your MBA for the UK. It is among the most preferred and popular postgrad courses.
Doctorate
A doctorate course is also known as PhD. It lasts for three to four years. During all these years, you will have to work dedicatedly on a single research project. Every student is expected to present a research study of 100,000 words. Here, it is important to mention that the New Route PhD programs include both the research and teaching elements. It also gives you the chance to take an interdisciplinary study program.
If you want to work, you must first check that are you entitled to do a job or not. Besides, you must know for how many hours a week you are allowed to work. You can visit the website of the UK border agency for more information.
Your place of study in the UK will offer career service to assist you in finding a suitable job. These services will help you in different ways including:
• Helping you with writing job applications and resumes
• Providing helpful tips for the interview
• Providing useful information regarding working in the UK
• Offering easy access to multiple job adverts
You will also be helped to get direct experience of the workstation, and it will be easier for you to make professional contacts and make better career choices. Many known institutions in the UK have collaborated with the native employers who intend to hire students. They know that you will need some relaxation in order to work along with studies.