Higher Education

Higher education in Britain is traditionally associated with universities, though education of University standard is also given at colleges and institutes of higher education which have the right to award their own degrees.

All universities in England and Wales are state universities. English universities can be broadly classified into three types. First come the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge that date from the twelfth century.

Oxford and Cambridge are composed of semi-independent colleges. Each college has its own staff, known as ‘Fellows’. Most colleges have their own dining halls, libraries, chapels and contain enough accomodationfor at least half of their students. The fellows teach their students either one-to one or in very small groups (called ‘tutorials’ in Oxford and ‘supervisions’ in Cambridge). British universities are famous for their tutorial method as it brings the tutor into close and personal contact with the student.

The second group of universities comprises various institutions of higher education, usually with a technical bias. This universities are also known as civic or ‘redbrick’ universities. At first they catered mostly for local people and prepared students for London University degree but lately they were given the right to award their own degrees . In the mid-20^th they started to accept students from all over the country.

The third group consists of new universities founded after the Second World War. They are located in the countryside and provide accommodation for most of their students on site (hence their name ‘campus’universities). They focus on relatively new academic disciplines such as social sciences and teach in small groups , known as ‘seminars’.

Another group of universities comprises ‘polytechnics’. Polytechnics were designed to give more practical and vocational education than universities. They had close links with local industry and attracted many part-time students on short courses. Polytechnics also offered ‘sandwich’ courses, i.e. studies interrupted by periods of time outside education. In the early 1990s most of the polytechnics became universities.

Higher education in England and Wales is highly selective, i.e. entrance to British universities is via a strict selective process based on interview. After the interview a potential student (applicant) is offered a place on the basis of GCE A-level exams results. If the student does not get the proper grades, a place can not be taken by him. Some universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, have an entrance exam before the interview. So, not everyone in Britain with A-level qualifications gets the chance to study at a university.

Universities offer a wide range of courses from highly academic ones to very vocational ones. University studying lasts three years, however medical and veterinary courses last five or six years. The courses are full-time which means that the students are not supposed to take a job during term time. The British University year is divided into three terms with vacations at Christmas, a month at Easter, and three or four months in summer. These are periods of private study.

Students in Great Britain receive a state grant which covers most of their living expenses and the cost of accommodation. The amount of grants depends on parental income: if the parents don’t earn much money, their child will get a full grant. There are also government loans but this money must be paid back.

Students who study for their first degree are called undergraduates. At the end of the third year of study undergraduates pass examinations and take the Bachelor’s degree. If they study arts subjects (history, languages or law) they take Bachelor of Arts (BA). Those who study sciences such as medicine technology or agriculture get Bachelor of Science (BS). When students are awarded the degree, they become graduates. Students who obtain their bachelor’s degree can take post-graduate courses and after one or two years of studying they get Master’s degree (MA or MS). The highest degree is Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) which takes two or three years.

The largest teaching institution in Britain is the Open University. It was founded in 1969 and is so called because it does not require any formal academic qualifications to study for a degree. It offers part-time education for people who cannot attend regular courses. The university is not residential, it operates like a correspondence course with books and programs on radio and TV.

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Education and Training after 16	\|	School Education

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