Types of studies in UK

Before you apply to a university in UK, it is important to know what type of qualification or diploma you are eligible for and which best suits your academic and career plans. The courses for which you will apply may differ depending on their duration, the field of study you’ve chosen, or the number of credits offered after graduating. If you are interested in studying abroad, you have certainly heard or read abbreviations such as: FdA, BA, MEng, MBA, BArch, etc. EDMUNDO will help you understand all these abbreviations and define for you the different types of studies, as well as the qualification obtained after your graduation.

1. Foundation Year and HND

Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and Foundation Year are two types of studies in the UK, which correspond to level 5 qualification in Europe [after the Bologna System]. They can help you get used to attending courses held in English, as well as with study programs and requirements from universities in UK. These studies take about 2 years and this period of time can be extended on demand and can represent both a direct qualification for a job and a preparatory step for UK Bachelor studies. The courses followed during the study years can be both full-time and part-time. There are several types of Foundation Year for which you can opt in the UK and which are named or abbreviated as follows:

• FdA-Foundation of Arts
• FDA-Foundation Degree of the Arts
• FDArts-Foundation Degree of the Arts
• FDEd-Foundation Degree of Education
• FdEng-Foundation of Engineering
• FDEng-Foundation Degree of Engineering
• FDS-Foundation Degree of Science
• FdSc-Foundation of Sciences

After graduating this type of studies you will get a Foundation Year or HND Diploma, which is equal to 2 study years at a university. To follow one of these two types of studies, you have to access the UCAS platform. EDMUNDO counsellors can help you study Foundation Year or HND in the UK if you contact them here.

2. Bachelor Studies

Bachelor studies are the most popular type of "undergraduate" studies in the UK. They take up to 3 or 4 years to graduate and the courses are linked to various fields of study, such as: Arts, Engineering, Economics, Medical Sciences, Law, Computer Science etc. UK Bachelor studies correspond to level 6 of qualification, according to the Bologna System. Therefore, once you have obtained a Bachelor's degree, you can apply for a job in your study field or you can apply for a Master program, to continue your studies and get a higher degree of qualification. Admission to Bachelor studies in the UK is based on your high school diploma, but depending on the courses you will be following in this country, you may also need:

• an international English language test [IELTS, TEOFL, Cambridge]
• a portfolio [for bachelor programs of Arts universities]
• different courses followed during high school years [mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc.]

The type of qualification or diploma obtained after graduating from Bachelor studies in the UK depends on the type of studies you have chosen to study. Here are some examples of Bachelor Degrees, abbreviated as:

• BA - Bachelor of Arts
• BSc - Bachelor of Science
• BEng - Bachelor of Engineering
• BArch – Bachelor of Architecture
• MB - Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
• BMus - Bachelor of Music
• LLB - Bachelor of Laws

EDMUNDO counsellors can help you choose the most appropriate type of Bachelor studies for you, considering your previous qualifications. We are also experts in the UCAS platform, where students submit their applications online for studies in the UK.  All you have to do is contact us here.

3. Master Studies

Master studies in the UK offer you the chance to get a higher qualification [type 7], after graduating your Bachelor studies. These are the most popular type of "post-graduated" studies in the UK and they imply a more thorough type study than in the case of Bachelor’s studies. If you opt for full-time courses, Master studies will last between a year and two years. If you managed to get a job after graduating and getting a Bachelor's degree and want to study part-time, then the duration of the Master programs can extend up to 4 years. Admission to Master Studies is made based on the diploma which you get after the completion of Bachelor's studies. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a field of study when it comes to a Master Degree, which is similar to the one you followed during your Bachelor studies. In this way, your knowledge and skills will advance, and you will be able to achieve the level of qualification you desire, easily. The fields of study from which you can choose for Master's studies are similar to those available for the Bachelor's degree. These are named as it follows:

• MSc – Master of Science
• MA - Master of Arts
• MArch - Master of Architecture
• MEng - Master of Engineering
• MBA – Master of Business Administration
• LLM – Master of Law

4. Postgraduate Certificate in Education [PGCE]

This type of postgraduate studies helps you obtain a level 7 of qualification certificate in Education. If you have a Bachelor's degree in this field and you do not want to continue your studies with a Master program, then this certificate may be the perfect choice for you. Why? First of all, PGCE studies last about one year, if you opt for full-time courses, but if you choose to study part-time, the duration of the studies will double. This being said, you can get a diploma in Education in just 9 months. Secondly, this type of certificate gives you the opportunity to teach immediately after graduation, even within the institution where you attended the courses. Attention, programmes such as Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert), Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) are not eligible for the governmental postgraduate loan for students, as these are not standalone Master’s Degrees.

5. Top-up

A top-up degree is the final year (Level 6) of an undergraduate degree course and allows you to top up your existing qualification to a full BA, BSc or BEng degree and then potentially to a Master degree. The requirements for a top-up degree are either:

• minimum 2 years of a relevant bachelor
• an IEK diploma – read more about rounding your IEK diploma to a full Bachelor here
• an AP degree
• a Higher National Diploma (HND)

The above should be completed in a field that is relevant for the top-up that you would like to pursue. You can apply for a top-up degree in the same way as you'd apply for a full undergraduate degree, but the duration is one year / one and a half year. Top-up degrees are also ideal if you're interested in studying the final year of your degree in UK or Denmark and obtaining your final degree from a British university or Danish academy, but with less costs towards tuition fees and cost of living. Contact us here for more details about your international studies. You can also find us on Facebook or Instagram!