CHOOSING A COURSE AND UNIVERSITY

MAIN TOPICS Choosing your course Choosing your university Finding information Timeline

CHOOSING YOUR LEVEL OF STUDY Honours DegreeBA or BSc or BEng3 or 4 years Foundation CoursesCourse before degree. e.g. Art foundation, Engineering etc. 1 year Foundation Degrees- Related to specific career paths - Designed with local employers - Can continue to honours degree in 3 rd year 2 years Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma - Practical subjects - Well-recognised by employers - Standardised qualification - Can continue to honours degree in 2 nd or 3 rd year 1 year 2 years

CHOOSING YOUR SUBJECT Over 38,000 courses on offer! Favourite subject? Develop out of school interest? Try something completely new? Career in mind?

TRUE OR FALSE? Surf Science David Beckham Studies Extreme Sports Studies Oscars Dress Design Parent Management Road Management Fish Farming Golfing Management Baking Technology Fashion Sportswear

TRUE OR FALSE? TRUE Surf Science Universe Fish Farming Golfing Studies Fashion Sportswear FALSE David Beckham Studies Extreme Sports Studies Oscars Dress Design Parent Management Road Management

Course Structure Modular Full-time / Part-time Major / Minor Length of course Sandwich course Combined / Joint honours

COMPARING THE COURSE Content Does it cover your interests? Look at specific topics Professionally accredited? Teaching Styles Lectures, seminars, practicals, independent study Assessment type Class sizes

WHAT DID THEY STUDY? JOHN: Police Sergeant HANNAH: Primary Teacher TONY: Contracts Director for architectural glazing firm DAN: Marketing Executive for IT distributor HELEN: Corporate Partnerships Manager for RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute) KAT: Media Buyer for advertising firm TONI: Cabin Crew for Virgin Atlantic Marketing Management with Economics American (United States) Studies Biological Sciences Biology Psychology Politics and History of the Middle East with Arabic Primary Teaching

WHAT DID THEY STUDY? Biology Primary Teaching Biological Sciences Marketing Management with Economics Politics and History of the Middle East with Arabic American (United States) Studies Psychology JOHN: Police Sergeant HANNAH: Primary Teacher TONY: Contracts Director for architectural glazing firm DAN: Marketing Executive for IT distributor HELEN: Corporate Partnerships Manager for RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute) KAT: Media Buyer for advertising firm TONI: Cabin Crew for Virgin Atlantic

CHOOSING YOUR UNIVERSITY Entry Requirements Size Financial support Reputation Location Facilities

LOCATION

City or country? Campus or town?

HOW FAR?

ACCOMMODATION Where will you be based?

FACILITIES Student Union services Student Union Clubs and Societies Bars and Club nights Sports Facilities Libraries and Computers Part-time work

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION UCAS Prospectuses, web sites and course leaflets Open-days Exhibitions Admission Tutors Independent guides, e.g, Virgin, Times, Guardian, Brian Heap

TIMELINE Register with UCAS Write personal statement Apply to UCAS Oxford/Cambridge/ medicine deadline Receive offers and choose 2 universities Summer 2013 September onwards October 2013 January – Easter

THINGS TO REMEMBER Start Researching NOW! Dont panic o Something for everyone o Career plans not vital Research course content o Right level of study o Areas you are interested in University choice o Realistic entry requirements o Visit before applying! Deadlines and Timeline

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UNIVERSITY

Any Questions?