What are British degrees?

• There quite a few types of degree in the UK (Bachelors Degrees, Foundation Degrees, Masters Degrees and Doctorates), which are all universally recognised qualifications. You can do either a 3-year degree leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a four-year sandwich course which includes a year in industry or a year abroad.
•  If you study in Scotland, you will do an MA (Master of Arts) or MSc (Master of Science) degree over four years. These are undergraduate degrees and more similar to American degrees in that you can take a wider range of subject areas, however, you still declare a main focus going in (though this can be changed during your studies)
• British taught Master's degrees are the same as American Master's degrees, however, the British version is arguably a bit more professionaly oriented and only takes 12 months to complete, saving you time and money.
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What are the main differences between American and British degrees?

• UK degrees are more focused and professionally oriented than the US liberal arts education, which requires each student to learn a broader curriculum. For students who have a clear idea of what they want to study, a British degree is ideal as you are allowed to specialize in your subject area from the start.
• UK undergraduate degrees are typically 3 years in length (4 in Scotland).
• The UK style of education is particularly suitable for students who want to immerse themselves in a specific subject or combination of subjects straight out of high school. British Degrees leave the learning much more up to you, with the emphasis on lectures backed up by tutorials rather than a more interactive learning environment. Undergraduates are expected to read widely around their subject and to motivate themselves outside of lectures.
• There is a high degree of flexibility and choice with UK degrees. You can pursue your interests and ambitions in fields as diverse as sound-engineering to marine biology or Creative Writing.
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How are British degrees taught?

• Lectures: formal presentations to large groups of students, who take notes on what is said.
• Seminars: smaller groups of eight to twenty students who discuss assigned topics with a tutor.
• Tutorials: less structured meetings in which one to three students discuss their work with a tutor. The close contact between student and tutor in seminars and tutorials is a particular strength of UK degree courses.
• Continuous assessment: Depending on your degree course you will be expected to produce course-work, projects, seminar participation, ongoing exams, etc. Plus, usually, a final dissertation and final exams.
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What degree type do I choose?

• Single honors programs involve focused study of a single subject. The core of each program is already designed and you have the opportunity to shape your work by choosing additional modules. Joint honors programs enable you to study a combination of subjects, creating opportunities for you to build a degree program to suit your personal interests and needs.

At Master's level you have a choice between a Postrgraduate diploma, a taught Master's degree or a Reasearch Master's. The Postrgraduate diploma (often referred to as a PG diploma) normally takes 9 months and is in most cases the same as a Taught Master's degree, just withouth the thesis at the end. The Taught Master's takes 12 months and is very popular with American students. It follows the same structure of classroom work and some research that you would expect from a US degree, but is more focused and thus shorter. In terms of recognition it is the same as a US degree, but you save a year!

If you are particularly interested in a specific area and have perhaps already done some undergraduate research, then a Research Based Master's degree may be a good option for you.  These degrees are normally based around working closely with a supervisor and is research based. This type of degree typically takes around 12-18 months, but can take up to 24 months as well. Many students often begin this type of program and then transfer into a PhD. Part of your Master's work is then typically credited towards your Phd. In order to be accepted for this degree in the first place, you must typically submit a research proposal and have a strong academic background in the relevant subject.