United Kingdom

Part 2 - Continuing from "University System in Europe" - by Anne-Marie D British adolescents prepare for admission into University by taking 2 years of preparatory education after the compulsory schooling has ended (at age 16). This is called 'sixth form' and is finished by taking exams in select subjects, the GCE A-levels. Higher education in the UK can lead to a variety of degrees, but most students study courses at 'honours' level. Honours courses typically last for 3 years and lead to a Bachelors degree. They are called 'honours' courses but in reality you need to achieve a certain academic level to be awarded a 'first', 'second' or 'third'. Apparently you can also obtain a 'pass degree' if you do not achieve a high enough standard for an honours degree. So you see, in Britain one BA or BSc is not necessarily the same as the next. The UK also knows Masters degrees, and these can be awarded either after taking a short (usually 1-2 years) course after having completed an honours degree, or after following an extended undergraduate program that last, typically, a year longer than honours degree programs. At Doctorate level, the system is the same pretty much everywhere. More to come....