The Higher Education System in England and Wales

1
The Higher Education System in England and Wales

• Peter Hartley
• University of Birmingham, UK

2
Content

• Higher Education
• Access to Higher Education
• The Traditional System
• Degree Progression
• Quality Assurance Agency
• Academic Content
• QAA Framework
• Academic Achievement
• QAA Guidelines
• Structure of Degree Programmes
• Undergraduate Degrees
• Module Failure and Progression
• Level of Degree
• Student Funding
• Undergraduate Loans
• Bologna Compliance

3
Higher Education

• Higher Education Post-18 years Education,
• Distinguished from Further Education
• University education at Degree level
• Approximately 1.5m Full-time and part-time
  students

4
Access to Higher Education

• Normal requirement for UK students
• Three passes at A-level
• A-level Advanced level General Certificate of
  Education
• Number and level varies by institution and
  programme of study

5
The Traditional System

• Bachelor Degree (BSc, BEd, BEng)
• Normally three years
• Master Degree taught (MSc, MA, MBA)
• Normally one year
• Master Degree research (MPhil)
• Normally 1.5 to two years
• Doctoral Degree (PhD, SocScD, EdD, EngD)
• Normally three years

6
Degree Progression
7
Quality Assurance Agency

• QAA Established in 1997 Quality Assurance
  Agency for Higher Education (http//www.qaa.ac.uk)
  
• Three Important Aspects
• Sets out a framework of awards for different
  levels of achievement (2001)
• Produce subject benchmark statements
• Assesses the quality of the operating procedures
  supporting academic activities

8
Academic Content

• Academic content must be subject to external
  scrutiny
• External Examiner
• Professional Accreditation (IMechE, IMC,
  UK-SPEC)
• Programme Review

http//www.engc.org.uk/UKSPEC established in
2004 to oversee professional competence in
engineering education
9
QAA Framework
10
Academic Achievement

• Award of any qualification is based on the
  achievement of specific skills or learning
  outcomes
• Degree programmes must specify expected outcomes
  at programme and module level

11
QAA Guidelines

• Honours level
• An Honours graduate will have developed an
  understanding of a complex body of knowledge,
  some of it at the current boundaries of an
  academic discipline. Through this, the graduate
  will have developed analytical techniques and
  problem-solving skills that can be applied in
  many types of employment. The graduate will be
  able to evaluate evidence, arguments and
  assumptions, to reach sound judgements, and to
  communicate effectively.
• An Honours graduate should have the qualities
  needed for employment in situations requiring the
  exercise of personal responsibility, and
  decision-making in complex and unpredictable
  circumstances.

12
Structure of Degree Programmes

• Engineering Degrees at Birmingham
• BEng 3 year undergraduate degree
• MEng 4 year undergraduate degree
• MSc one year taught postgraduate degree
• MPhil/MRes 1.5 to 2 year research postgraduate
  degree
• PhD 3 year research postgraduate degree
• EngD 4 year research/industrial postgraduate
  degree

13
Undergraduate Degrees

• Each year
• 12 modules
• Each module requires 100 hours student-effort
• 1200 hours student-effort per year
• 30-week academic year
• 10 credits per module (pass 10 credits, fail
  zero credits)
• 120 credits per year (100 required to progress to
  next year)

14
Module Failure and Progression

• The pass mark for modules in years 1, 2 and 3 is
  40
• The pass mark for modules in year 4 (i.e. second
  part of stage 3 for MEng students is 50 - also
  applies to PG modules)
• In years 1 and 2, the examination for any (or
  all) failed modules may be re-taken once only
• Must achieve a minimum of 100 credits to progress
  to next level
• In years 3 and 4, there is no opportunity to
  re-take a failed module

15
Level of Degree (Degree classification)

• Applies to Bachelor or UG Master only
• 1st class, 69.5
• Upper second class (2.1), 59.5 69.4
• Lower second class (2.2), 49.5 59.4
• 3rd class, 39.5 49.4
• Fail, 39.4 or less
• Personal Profiling also used (no universal UK
  system)
• Minimum number of credits required for Honours
  degree. Pass degree awarded to those who
  achieve overall pass but do not have required
  credits
• Contribution of each year to final award varies
  between universities

16
Student Funding

• For UG programmes (BEng, MEng) the UK government
  provides loans
• For PhD programmes a grant is provided (15385 pa
  non taxable, including fees of 3085). Research
  support (at least in engineering) usually
  restricted to applied research. No provision for
  MSc support.

17
Undergraduate Loans

• Maintenance loan of up to 3300 pa
• (Other support available for low income,
  including non-repayable grants)
• Fee support, up to 3000 pa
• (From September 2006 Universities may increase
  their course fee, up to a maximum of 3000)
• Repayment
• From April 6th after graduation (or if leaving
  University before completion), if income is more
  than 15000 pa. Interest rate is currently 3.2
  (about one third of Bank loan rate)
• Loan outstanding is written off after 25 years.

18
Bologna Compliance
1 European Credit 2 (Birmingham)
Credits Problem areas Master level
19
Acknowledgements

• The invitation and support of the University of
  Novi-Sad is acknowledged with thanks.