Higher education in great Britain

The structure of higher education in Great Britain is very complex. Four types of institutions - universities, teacher-training colleges, colleges of advanced technology and technical colleges - are the main sources of full-higher education.

A university consists of a number of faculties: theology, medicine, arts, philosophy, law, music and others. The courses at universities are not regarded as vocational. There are 45 universities in Britain, including the Open Universities. Admission to the Universities is by examination and selection.

British universities have been founded at different times in response to different needs. The University of Oxford was founded in the 13th century mainly for the training of priests. The University of Longhborough, founded in the 1960s, is concerned with producing technologists and engineers. Another reason for difference is that universities have always been planned and set up at the local level. Their structure may differ considerably. The type and content of courses may also differ a great deal in entrance requirements, staff-student rations, teaching methods and so on. They have two features in common. In the first place there are no state universities in Britain. Secondary the standards for first degrees are intended to be the same at all universities. The universities grant their own degree. The normal duration of a first degree course is three years.

At the end of a first degree course the successful students are awarded a Bachelor’s degree, usually a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BSc).

Higher degrees may be divided into 3 groups: masterships, the doctorate in philosophy and the senior doctorates. Colleges of advanced technology in the quality of their work and in status are equal to the universities, that is in fact they are technological universities. Sandwich courses were introduced. They are courses where there are alternate periods of full-time employment and full-time education.

The technical colleges provide advanced technical studies training in: food technology, heating, ventilating, refrigeration and fan engineering, rubber technology etc.

Students of teacher-training colleges take the subjects, which they intend to teach as main subjects to a standard which approaches that of pass degree given by universities. The number of teacher-training colleges is growing now.

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