sacked

[Graham Breeze]

Having come from England to study at a Scottish university, and then gone back south to work in an English university, I actually think the Scottish system with four-year degrees is better.


In England, you register for a degree subject at the beginning of your first year, and you are stuck with that for your three years. In Scotland, you do three subjects in year one, narrow it down to two subjects in year two, and only choose your final degree subject at the beginning of year three. Most 17/18-year-olds are not absolutely certain of what they want to study; so we (in England) get large numbers of students wanting to change degree subject at various points during their first and even second year, and having to go back to year one, so a year or two of study (and fees!) have been wasted. This doesn't happen in the Scottish system.

Anthony

Does that suggest that an English school leaver with good "A" levels would have an initially easier time in Scotland, and be better able to manage the initial school-university transition - meaning have more fun and still pass First Year exams?


(I once employed a graduate trainee who had managed to change her course twice so took five years to get her Degree in Italian - and was on a full grant for the whole time! Although being absolutely stunningly tall and sultry with lustrous black hair down to her shoulder blades and a body that turned heads in the street may have helped her convince the authorities of her intellectual worth.

It may have helped her get a job with me as well.)