The higher education system in the UK is very
diverse. Your students can study at a wide range
of institutions. This includes traditional universities,
further education colleges with higher education
provision, and smaller, specialist institutions.
This diverse range of institutions, and
their different modes of teaching and
learning, greatly benefits your students. It allows them
to choose the setting
that best suits them and their individual
educational preferences.
What course do your students want to study?
The 'what' should always come first when you help
your students with their university decisions. Once they know that,
they will have the difficult but
exciting prospect of deciding where to study it.
A
primary consideration is what the course is like
at each institution. For instance, does the content of the course
cover the topics they are most interested in?
It is also important to note that different higher
education providers will teach the courses in
different ways. Some institutions might focus
on the more theoretical aspects of the course,
whilst others embed more modes of application
and research.
Understanding the different types of universities
will enable you to best advise your students.
What type of educational setting is your student
looking for?
A good way to answer this question is to
encourage your students to think about what is most
important to them personally. They can then consider which
setting best meets these preferences.
Advise them to:
• keep their minds open to all types of institution
• read prospectuses
• browse social media posts
• attend open days
• talk to current students.
Only then can they decide which university suits them best.
To help them discover their preferences, you can ask your students the following questions.
Do you have any preferences on location?
This may be influenced by family or work
commitments. Some institutions provide a 100%
online model. This could allow them to
remain at home but still study their course
of choice.
Are you looking for a traditional
academic university or a more vocational/professional one?
Everyone has a
preferred style of learning, and different
types of universities will accommodate
these. Going to a university that better
suits their style of learning will enable
them to better achieve their goals. For
example, if they prefer project work as
a mode of learning, they can attend a
university that doesn't place significant
weight on end-of-year exams.
Do you like the idea of learning as part of
a large cohort of students or a
smaller one?
Attending a larger university
will provide the conventional ‘university’
experience of being in large groups.
Meanwhile, going to a smaller, more
specialist institution will mean smaller
class sizes where they may receive more
individualised attention.
Do you want a traditional residential
student experience or a more work-like
experience?
For instance, if they are
looking to study Make Up Artistry, they
could study at a specialist institution like
the Arts University Bournemouth, or a
traditional university like Solent University,
or at a further education college like
Bury College. This variety isn't just for
applied courses. For example, the
academic subject of Law can be studied
at a traditional university, but also a
specialist professional university like The
University of Law.
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