Differences of the English Education System
There are key differences between the U.S. system of education and the U.K. system. Briefly:
- Students are expected to enter their program with sufficient background knowledge in the field to begin an independent research toward a final project.
- The British Higher education system is based on lectures, seminars, and tutorials, which means study is much more self-directed than in the U.S.
- Courses are typically “taught,” which generally culminate in a dissertation, or “research” based, which means you will do an individual research project and defend the results.
- Course work or research is very independent. Students are expected to structure their own time.
- There are three “terms” of about 10-12 weeks each with 3 week breaks in between.
For more detailed information, see the History and Introduction to the English Educational System
You can also investigate the Resources for Study in the U.K.