Fourth year

A supervision partner insisted that anyone who's at Cambridge can do "the fourth year option" (whatever that means; it did NOT refer to undergraduate courses that are four years long; he certainly meant someone doing a three-year course choosing to do an extra year somehow) at regular undergraduate prices and continuing to take loans from the Student Loan Company. Is this complete rubbish, or can somebody shed light on what this refers to (I am regretting my decision to apply for a Masters at Oxford if I could have done it cheaper here!).

Reply 1

Zhen Lin

12

Some triposes have a Part III, which is an (optional) undergraduate fourth year, most famously, the Mathematical Tripos.

Reply 2

Craghyrax

17

crafty bison

A supervision partner insisted that anyone who's at Cambridge can do "the fourth year option" (whatever that means; it did NOT refer to undergraduate courses that are four years long; he certainly meant someone doing a three-year course choosing to do an extra year somehow) at regular undergraduate prices and continuing to take loans from the Student Loan Company. Is this complete rubbish, or can somebody shed light on what this refers to (I am regretting my decision to apply for a Masters at Oxford if I could have done it cheaper here!).

As far as I know, the SLC is standardly willing to dish out four years of loan to all undergraduates if they have good reason, which means that if a person degrades they'll be fine as long as they only do that extra year.

As for Cambridge, I don't know. Maybe the changing of courses and degrading that goes on is the only thing that really means. :dontknow:

Zhen Lin

Some triposes have a Part III, which is an (optional) undergraduate fourth year, most famously, the Mathematical Tripos.

Ahem:

...it did NOT refer to undergraduate courses that are four years long

That means all the courses you just described. If a person mid degree decides they will take the fourth year of one of those, they are changing into the four year stream of that course, which is technically a different course.

Reply 3

FadedJade

15

The SLC fund the length of anyone's course, plus one year. This is to allow for things like degrading. If you don;t use the year and just do three years and graduate, you can't then use the money for something else. It only applies to your first undergraduate degree.

Reply 4

Alexander

12

crafty bison

A supervision partner insisted that anyone who's at Cambridge can do "the fourth year option" (whatever that means; it did NOT refer to undergraduate courses that are four years long; he certainly meant someone doing a three-year course choosing to do an extra year somehow) at regular undergraduate prices and continuing to take loans from the Student Loan Company. Is this complete rubbish, or can somebody shed light on what this refers to (I am regretting my decision to apply for a Masters at Oxford if I could have done it cheaper here!).

It's sounds like either he's talking rubbish, or you've misinterpreted him.

Most NatSci courses, Maths, and Engineering have an optional "Part III" fourth year, which builds the BA up to an MSci or MEng or whatever it is for Maths. For funding purposes (and most other purposes for that matter) these count as an undergraduate fourth year, even though they are optional extras. As you're probably aware, the vast majority of Engineers and most NatScis who are eligible do choose to stay for the fourth year, although it is never compulsory. This could be what your supervision partner is talking about.

Reply 5

Alexander

12

crafty bison

(whatever that means; it did NOT refer to undergraduate courses that are four years long; he certainly meant someone doing a three-year course choosing to do an extra year somehow)

As per my post above, there's no such thing in Cambridge as a Tripos which is automatically four years long (even MMLists can, theoretically, choose not to do the year abroad, although it is very rare for them not to). Hence all the supposed four-year courses, such as PhysNatSci and Engineering, could be seen as three-year courses with an extra year tacked on the end (albeit that it is very rare for Engineers to leave with a BA after three years, although I do know one who did). I think that's how your friend is looking at it, and hence the source of the confusion.

Reply 6

two22

He could be talking about the fact that pretty much anyone can chose to do a fourth year in management that still counts an undergrad and is therefore funded. But you definitely can't do a normal masters at cam and have it paid for by the SLC so don't worry you haven't missed out!

Reply 7

crafty bison

OP

14

Ah, he was probably talking about Management Studies (he does Geography, so no optional 4th year in the subject). I don't really understand how Management works, the subject website seems to treat it as a separate degree - why/how does it count as part of your first degree? Would it "replace" your final year (i.e. the 'official' grade for your degree would be that which you achieve in Management, even though you only did it for one year)?

Reply 8

Supermerp

2

crafty bison

why/how does it count as part of your first degree? Would it "replace" your final year (i.e. the 'official' grade for your degree would be that which you achieve in Management, even though you only did it for one year)?

If I understand correctly, you just switch tripos (the same way anyone switches subject between parts) so you only get one degree. But you only get one degree anyway and it doesn't have what you did or what class you got on it - it's up to you what you tell employers you got. And everything appears on your transcript.

Reply 9

crafty bison

OP

14

So it is in effect a "Part III"?

Reply 10

Supergrunch

10

It's officially a part 2, so god knows how they sort it out if you've already done one. Must be more complicated than linguistics, which is the only other floating part II (though not for much longer) - you can only change to that after a full part 1 or part 1a.

Reply 11

crafty bison

OP

14

That's strange then, everyone I know who's moved to Management has done it after their regular three years.

Reply 12

Alexander

12

crafty bison

That's strange then, everyone I know who's moved to Management has done it after their regular three years.

It's supposed to be used as a replacement to a regular third year part 2 (quite a lot of Economists who can't stand the Maths or want a broader course change to it for third year). However I do agree, most people I've known who've done it have tacked it on as a fourth year.

Fourth year

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