The Collins Dictionary gives us an alternative definition of a university as “an institution where students study for degrees and where academic research is done”. Here we have more of a focus on the activities undertaken at a university, from studying for a first degree (also known as undergraduate study) through to the researchers employed at the university to work on new projects, ideas and innovations. This turns our attention to the learning experience you’ll discover at university, where you’ll be engaging in debates and sparking new ideas.
Studying for a degree is quite different from how you will have studied previously. A Levels, for example, usually require you to study across multiple different subjects, whereas a degree will usually be a deeper focus on one subject in particular. Some universities also have options for combined or joint honours degrees, allowing you some flexibility in working across two or more complementary subjects. We’ll look further at some of the differences between university and other forms of education in the ‘How will I learn?’ section of this guide.
Universities offer different levels of degrees, each of which requires a certain amount of previous study. An undergraduate degree, also referred to as a Bachelor’s degree, would usually be taken as a first degree after (but not always immediately after) you complete your time in secondary school or college. Undergraduate study usually covers three years, although some degrees include further years on placement or abroad (either as compulsory or optional elements).
Your degree will comprise a range of different modules, each of which will cover a specific theme related to your subject. At York we have a searchable module catalogue, which gives details about what your module covers and the type of assessment(s) it requires. Depending on the requirements of your department or degree you will likely have ‘core’ modules which all students on your programme will take, as well as ‘option’ modules where you choose which modules to take from a selection offered by your department. This varies hugely by department, however, so check with your department or read your programme specification for further details. Each module successfully completed earns academic credit, which collectively add up to each year of your degree programme and, ultimately, your final degree result (or classification).
Postgraduate degrees are the next level of study. These include taught Masters level programmes, usually lasting a single year but sometimes split across more. Some students then go on to postgraduate research programmes, which typically span over three to four years allowing the researcher to conduct detailed and innovative research in their chosen field.
