All About the Bachelor UK Degree

 

What is a Bachelor Degree UK?

A Bachelor’s degree is an undergraduate qualification in the UK that is awarded following successful completion of three years or more of higher education study. They could refer to a bachelor of arts (BA), bachelor of laws (LLB), or a bachelor of engineering (BEng). Each bachelor’s degree has a different abbreviation. In the levels of education, it is a level 6 qualification.

Bachelor’s degrees are usually completed after an advanced higher qualification such as an A Level or BTEC course. They provide individuals with the required knowledge in a particular field to progress into work opportunities quickly. They are usually ideal for those who have a certain idea of what industry they would like to go into.

Furthermore, individuals can obtain work quickly after completion as they are useful to fast track you into full-time work.

This article will provide you with lots of information about bachelor’s degrees and answer all the questions you may have. It will also cover the various other options to taking a bachelor’s degree as they are not suitable for everyone.

 

What Are the Different Types?

There are single and joint honours degrees. For example, you may be studying business on its own as a single honour, or business with law as a joint honours. You will have the same time for both, but the two disciplines will be split across your time. If you want to have more experience in the main area of your degree such as business then a single honours may be more appropriate. However, if you would like to specialise in another area of the topic then a joint honours is an ideal start to further specialisation.

There are also honours degrees (commonly abbreviated to Hons) and non-honours degrees. Honours usually offer a higher academic standard of study.

With some bachelor’s degrees in the UK it is possible to undertake a placement year. This allows students to take a year out in between the second and third year of their degree. They can work within their chosen industry as companies offer placements. Not only does this give them a well earned break in between study, it also allows them to gain some real-life working experience. Work experience in companies is something that companies will look out for, therefore it is very beneficial.

In addition, some bachelor’s degrees will have a year abroad. In this option, you will learn in a partnership country at their university. This gives students the opportunity to learn language, culture and the ability to travel.

 

Who Should Study a Bachelor’s in the UK?

Studying a bachelor’s degree in the UK is a choice that many make every year. In 2018-19 there were 1.80 million people who were studying an undergraduate degree.

Respected by employees, a bachelor’s degree holds high value. It can prepare you for some high up jobs, so is a worthwhile investment.

Here are some of the benefits of studying a bachelor’s UK:

• It may help those that have little work experience.
• Job professions such as law require a degree.
• If you are certain on your job path it can progress you there fast.
• You can interact with a number of international students.
• Is ideal for those who have great academic skills.
• Great for those who like coursework and exams.
• For those who can dedicate 3-4 years to full time study.
• If you can afford the fees or obtain a student loan.

 

Here are some of the pitfalls of studying a bachelor’s UK:

• Not for those who cannot afford it.
• If you wish to work in construction. A degree is not needed for manual jobs such as bricklaying. 
• For those who require flexibility, a bachelor’s may not be suitable.
• University is not the only way to learn.
• You may have a lot of debt.
• Sometimes, job experience is better.
• You will find many more opportunities by networking.

 

How to Apply For a Bachelor’s?

The majority of UK universities will have entry requirements, these being A levels or BTEC. However, this is not the only type of qualification that they may accept. An NVQ level 3 is the equivalent to two a levels and an NVQ level 4 is a higher education certificate. These can, equally, prepare you for applying for a bachelor’s degree.

In addition, you can complete the first 2 years of university with an HND course. With 1 year at university, it can be topped up to a full degree.

Further, this way of achieving a bachelor’s is more affordable for many. The price of an HND course is much cheaper than a year at university (currently £9250). For those who cannot dedicate 3 years to full time study, it may be more suitable. Many HNDs can be offered online for free time study. One example of this is the HND in Business Management. 

Furthermore, qualifications are usually converted into UCAS Tariff points when it comes to applying on the UCAS site.

Moreover, some courses require you to take an admissions test or an interview, or both. Your skills will also be assessed, this is usually via a personal statement which can include interests, skills and experience. As applications can be competitive, it is useful to use this to your advantage.

 

How Are They Assessed?

A first, second-class, third-class, pass and fail are the qualifications awarded. The first class degree is the most reputable and some companies will only employ people who have obtained a first or a second class degree. Therefore, it is important that you strive to achieve great results to make your university life worth while.

Exams, coursework and projects are the various methods of assessment. Art related bachelor’s in the UK will require a portfolio of your work, including fashion. If you study Computer Science, you may have to complete a website project. There is also the potential of having to do presentations, whilst science students could be undertaking lab tests.

In short, assessment is varied. There are various different alternatives to the classic method of examinations.

 

Is a Bachelor’s Affordable in the UK?

In order to afford the high costs of university, most students obtain student loans. This is from the student loans company, a government organisation. From the 20-21 academic year, you can obtain up to £9,203 outside of London and up to £12,010 in London for maintenance costs. You can also get up to £9,250 per year for tuition fees. The whole ordeal of university is highly expensive. However, until you are earning a high enough amount, you will not have to start paying back the loan. In addition, you must be a UK resident or EU national to apply.

Many individuals are put off the idea of university due to the high costs. Of course, it will not be feasible for everyone and that is why others tend to prefer courses which are more affordable.

A much more affordable route to obtaining valuable qualification is with an online course. Anyone in the world can undertake an online course as long as they have a laptop/computer and internet. Not only can they provide high level qualifications in a variety of subjects, they can also provide HND courses for access into the final year of university. Therefore, it is important to consider your options and discover whether a bachelor’s would be affordable or another qualification would be better.

 

Which Bachelor UK Courses Are the Most Employable?

• Economics 

Economics is desirable for many employers. All types of businesses need individuals in the economics area. Therefore, there will be numerous jobs after university with this degree.

• Computer Science

Due to the growing presence of the online world, there are a huge number of jobs in the computer science industry. You are almost guaranteed a job at the end of this degree. The average graduate salary is £24k which rises hugely with experience.

• Medicine and Dentistry

Those who study medicine often go on to become doctors. This industry will always be in demand and therefore many people choose this degree. The prospects for salary in these roles is high enough to justify the high costs of university. Furthermore, 99% of medicine and dentistry graduates go on to get a job within 6 months.

• Engineering and Technology (STEM)

Engineering is very broad. There is a private and public sector, the private sector is thought to pay more. Those in employment after 6 months is 85%.

It is common to see the majority of students in university studying these kind of disciplines. These are the most popular, and for good reason.

 

What is Next After a Bachelor’s?

A bachelor’s in the UK can lead to a postgraduate course. Universities usually offer postgraduate courses at a discounted amount for those who have already studied in their institution.

• Individuals usually take a master’s degree after they have completed their bachelor”s. This 2 year degree can be studied full or part time. Master’s degrees are level 7 and they take two years full time or four years part time to complete. Master’s degrees can greatly improve your employability by allowing you to specialise in a particular area. It is also very fast-paced in comparison to a bachelor’s.
• After a masters, individuals may obtain a PHD. This is the highest level of degree that a student can obtain. To get to this point, individuals will need to have completed both a bachelor’s at 2.1 or above and a masters.
• Some careers require you to complete a training contract or other relevant qualifications. For example, to become a lawyer individuals must complete a Legal Practice Course (LPC) after their bachelor’s.

Of course, further education is not on the cards for many. The majority will go on to work in the industry and gain experience on the job.

 

Conclusion

This article has discussed what a bachelor is in the UK, the different types and who should study one. It also covered the application process, the assessment and the affordability. Finally, it discussed the bachelor’s which are most employable and the routes after competition.

Of course, studying a bachelor UK course is not the only route for success. There are various other ways in which you can make a fantastic impact on your future. The College of Contract Management is committed to helping individuals meet their career goals. HNDs, diplomas, certificates, CPDs and more are all offered by The College of Contract Management. These are alternative ways to develop your skills, enter into an industry or make a career change. Some of these courses are of equal level to a bachelor’s. For example, the NVQ in Site Management at Level 6. The college also offers a Level 7 diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership which is an equivalent level to a master’s degree.

University is not for everyone as it requires a great deal of time and commitment. If you are already in work, have child care responsibilities or can not afford the high prices, higher education is not out of the picture for you. These reasons are the foundations for institutions creating new ways of learning that provide flexibility. Especially since Covid 19, there are concerns that university life will not be the same due to social distancing. Education may start to change even further as more institutions are having to learn how to provide online teaching.

In short, education is hugely important in the UK and worldwide so finding ways to continue education into adulthood is very beneficial. It was even found in a study that lifelong learning was great for our mental and physical health.