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Are 4 year Bachelor's any better than 3 year ones?

Do 4 year courses (such as those in Scotland), cover more material than those that last 3 (such as those in the rest of UK), or do they simply go at a different pace/level of flexibility? (Or both). And in the case they do cover more, what are the main differences/similarities between the 4 year Bachelor's and the 4 year Bachelor's and Master's?

Reply 1

username2130115

4 year bachelor degrees are structured differently to 3 year ones in England.

In English universities you stick to one subject throughout your time at university or if you're on a joint honors course you stick to two subjects. In Scottish universities if you're doing a single honors degree you do three subjects in the first year, two in the second year and one in the third and fourth year. So for example, if you're doing a single honors computer science degree; you could study maths, computer science and physics in the first year; maths and computer science in the second year; computer science in the third and fourth year.

The additional year means you cover more content throughout your bachelors degree. The first year is at A-Level/Advanced Higher difficulty; the second year is at the difficulty of the first year at an English university; the third and fourth years are around the difficulty of the second to third year at an English university. Some Scottish universities let you take fourth year courses in the third year meaning the difficulty is generally on par with English universities.

Employers view Scottish and English degrees as equal difficulty.

Because Scottish students can attend Scottish universities at a cheaper cost than English students most of them offer a high bursary to students from England and Wales because they have to pay £9000 a year whilst the Scottish only pay around £1820 I think. Edinburgh offers up to £7000 per year to students from very low income families.

Hope that helped.

Reply 2

789XYZ

Right, thanks for your help.