Forms of organization of education at universities in the UK

Study in England

In the UK today there is a huge number of courses, training programs and educational institutions. Regardless of which educational institution or program you choose, the process itself will be organized in almost the same way, using standard forms of learning organization.

In teaching at universities and colleges in the UK, as a rule, the following methods or forms of organizing the work of students are used. It should be noted that depending on the specialty, the program and weekly load will be different, because each faculty and specialty has its own schedule. For example, in some specialties, students must attend lectures throughout the week, in others – only a few hours a week are devoted to lectures, and the rest of the time is devoted to independent work.

LECTURES

One of the forms of organization of education at universities and colleges in the UK. A feature of lectures in the universities of Great Britain are: large classes, as a rule, lasting about one hour, where the teacher talks about the subject, and the students outline the material presented. More than 100 students can attend a lecture. The peculiarity of the work at the lecture is taking notes of the material, students do not have the opportunity to ask questions and conduct discussions and discussions. Lectures, as a rule, are intended to:
• Present new material, which will later be examined in detail at seminars and practical classes, or independently by the student;
• Presentation of the general foundations of the course, explanation of the main topics of the subject being studied;• Providing new information on a particular subject that is not included in textbooks or curriculum;

SEMINARS – SEMINARS

Seminars differ from lectures in the number of students involved in it. These are small classes in which students and the teacher discuss a topic. Often in universities in the UK, seminars last longer than seven lectures.

The topic of the seminar is known to the student in advance, so seminars require additional independent work from the student. The main objective of the seminar is discussion and discussion on a specific problem of the subject being studied. Unlike studying at universities in Ukraine, students do not have to provide the correct answer, first of all, they must understand the various arguments and points of view on the same issue, and draw conclusions on this basis.

At the seminars you will learn to think critically and analyze the topic from different points of view.

CONSULTATIONS TUTORIALS

Consultations are meetings of a student or a group of students with a curator, teacher, which are aimed at giving the student guidance on a specific topic, subject or task.

A consultation with a teacher will help you understand the work you are doing or have completed, or help you solve problems that have arisen in the study of a particular subject.

WORKSHOPS PRACTICAL WORK

Some courses at UK universities include such forms of work as practical seminars, laboratory classes, workshops or trainings. These classes are designed to give you hands-on experience with theory and practical skills.
Most of the time in these classes you will work individually, but there are classes in which you will have to interact with other students.

PRACTICE OR INTERNSHIP WORK TRAINING

In some courses, you will need to gain practical skills while working in a company or, for example, in a hospital. These classes will take place as part of the curriculum.
Most programs include internships – the opportunity to work for a certain time during training and gain the experience, knowledge and skills necessary for further employment after graduation.

An internship is not an obligatory part of the program, the availability of internships in the educational process is determined by the university and the specialty of study.

INDEPENDENT WORK INDEPENDENT STUDIES

An integral part of studying at a UK university, as well as in the British academic culture, is independent work. It can be conducted individually by a student or in a group of students in order to explore a particular topic, write an essay, conduct independent research, or prepare a presentation. The main task of independent work:
• To help you develop critical analysis and problem-solving skills
• To develop students’ research skills (for example, to find relevant books and articles)
• To further the student’s study of a particular topic, developing his own opinions, ideas

WRITTEN WORK WRITTEN WORK

What our students are not used to doing is writing assignments. If you are planning to study at the University of England, know that there will be a lot of them.
There are several types of written work that are used in the educational process:
• Essay
• Project or dissertation (A long essay based on extensive independent research , data collection or experimentation)
• Problems (eg a series of mathematical problems).
Written work is often graded.

Other projects and assignments

In some courses, you may be asked to produce work in other forms. For example – write a computer program, prepare a poster presentation on a topic, or prepare a practical work.

FORMS OF CONTROL

Exams and assessments
In educational institutions in the UK use various forms of student knowledge control:
• “Closed” exams closed examinations – where you can not use books and study guides in order to prepare an answer to a question or a series of questions;
• “Open” exams open examinations – during which you can use books and study guides to prepare an answer to a question. In some cases, students are allowed to receive an assignment and prepare it at home;
• Essays, individual projects or dissertations
• Group of work projects
• Seminar presentation
• Presentation or report on the work performed (for example, art show or musical performance)
• Practical training (for example, in laboratories or in hospital wards).

Some types of work are “continuously assessed”, which means that instead of exams at the end of the year, your progress evaluated and noted throughout the entire learning process.

STUDENT SUPPORT DURING STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY

Don’t worry if the process of studying at a UK university seems difficult to you, or you will find it difficult to cope with all the tasks. Educational institutions provide the necessary support for students and thus ensure successful learning and completion of the study program by students.

Do not be afraid to ask for help from consultants, academic staff. During the training, you will be assigned a personal mentor who will help you understand the education system, as well as adapt to the educational process.