Comparison between UK and French Degree - Essay Example

Comparison between UK and French Degree Introduction It is of certain that across Europe young people are calculating between joining degree courses and other activities. In the European region, attainment of university degrees does not mean direct employment for graduates. Graduates in the European region may consider paying over 9000 pounds. With unemployment levels across Europe on a dramatic decrease over the last decades means that the entry level for graduate has been on a decrease (Reay, David & Ball, 2005). Across the region, many students will be way up their studies before they realize that their degrees will not give them a comparative advantage. Moreover, investing in degrees in some countries is a risky investment. In countries such as Italy and France, degree certificates are often tarnished. With such eventualities, students in such countries would rather not invest in education. In France, the entry level for students in first year degree programs is 48%. Of this number, 38% proceed to complete the programs (Arias Ortiz & Dehon, 2013). Therefore, in order for students to remain relevant in the European and the global market various strategies are employed. Students improve the strength of their degree credential by joining masters as well as postgraduate programs. Current state of programs In relation to statistics on the United Kingdom, degree programs are considerable popular investments. Despite an increase for fees, students still fill spaces in UK universities. However, research has found a drop in the number of students from affluent background. Despite this, the number of students for degrees in the United Kingdom is considerable higher than in other countries across Europe. This paper provides a comparison between French and United Kingdom degree qualifications. It provides detailed information on qualification requirements, entry and as well as other standards. Self Study Self-study is an important aspect in the progression of students in degree programs. Self-studies assist individuals develop their discipline levels, imagination, and observation and exploration skills. Se lf study programs have been on the offing in educational programs. Individuals are now able to learn from online platforms. This comes through long-distance education or online classrooms. Both France and UK now offer degree programs for self study. In order to gain entry into a French university, students need to have passed their entry-level exams in their countries of origin. For the nationals of the country, individuals need to have held a baccalauréat qualification. In spite of prospective students holding the above qualifications, it is essential that they pass a university entry personal interview exam (Rogers & Arn, 1998). Since the universities use the French language for instructional purposes, it is essential that prospective student have command of the French language. Individuals who wish to join first year degree programs need to prove their French language competency (Abeillé, Godard & Müller, 2003). In relation to their competency in the French language, individuals who hold degrees of French gain absolute entry to programs. The other way of passing the French language qualification is passing language tests. For prospective students wishing to join UK universities, certain entry qualifications are essential. The entry requirements for universities in the region include English proficiency need. Students are further required to provide their criminal records. The accepted English language proficiency qualification includes the Singapore Integrated programme, Cambridge certificate of proficiency or IELTS (Chapman, 1996). In applying for a degree a course in the UK, certain aspects need consideration. The first aspect to consider for student is their course interests. The next step to the application process is the choice of the college of study. The step to follow involves making an application. The application process might involve filling online application forms or supplementary application questioners (Chapman, 1996). The other step to the application process involves attending entry interviews. After the attendance of the entry interview the selecting team select students based on personal statements, college records and academic records (Settimi, 2007). Other aspects of analysis are one’s performance during interviews and on required tests. Academic requirements at the three-year level Bachelor of Arts degree programs in UK take 3 years. Individuals need to satisfy examiners with accomplishing 24-30 credit units for each year. Each student needs to get “C” and above in every unit. Each unit carries a satisfactory or unsatisfactory option. In every year of study individuals may choose specific subject on their option list. Progression for every year is based on satisfactory of previous units. The last year of study consists of completion of projects. The cost of studies in the UK is dependent on diverse factors. The factors of consideration on such analysis include the institution of study, location, program and funding opportunities. The average cost of degree courses in the UK is £18,759 for international students. This cost is further divided in to the cost of living and the costs of tuition. However in respect to the diversity of the courses of studies, the costs of such programs may go up to £38,532 (Greenaway & Haynes, 2003). According to statistics on the average cost of living for students in the UK, £12,056 is the average annual cost. In France, the three-year degree program consists of three phases. The first phase of the program consists of the acquisition of basics. The next year of progression, consist of consolidation of units of studies depending on the course. The last step of the study consists of project completion. Students cannot progress to the next stage of study without completion of the units. Students have to observe 60 credit units for the entire course years. In respect to the cost of degree is France, certain variable provide value disparity. The important features providing this disparity relates to the course of studies, location and other programs. The costs of undertaking undergraduate degree programs vary from those in UK. The cost of such programs is £1500 – 6000 per year. The other feature that provides the disparity relates to the diversification of courses. The other feature costs for studying in France include the provision of studying grants. The study support in the country to students ranges to the provision of up to £1,606 and 4,600 (Leroux, 2013). The other beneficial costs include the provision of family allowances and loans. Location counts for additional costs. For example student living in London expect to pay an annual living cost of £13,388. Local students in the UK pay an average of £9,000 as tuition fees. For international students studying in the UK their tuition fee values is $12,044 (Greenaway & Haynes, 2003). With respect to scholarship programs, local students in the UK may acquire US$33,755 to fund their programs. The rest of the student may have funding up to US$29,904. The cost of living in France for students varies depending on location. On average, the cost of residential places for students as well as private lodges costs £100 to 150 and £300 to 600 per month respectively. Pocket money, food and transportation cost an average of £350 to 500 per month. Progression and Academic Standards The Quality assurance for Higher Education in the UK ensures quality degree programs in various universities. The quality assurance body safeguards standards of the university programs as well as develop and improve on quality. The institutions conducting such activities in the UK have teams all over the country who ensure quality and standards of education are maintained. The peculiar value of the standardization of degree programs relates to various perspectives (Greenaway & Haynes, 2003). Both universities in France and UK consider plagiarism as serious offence. Plagiarism carries strict penalties that include the failure ones degree. Intentional plagiarism is the most serious offence. Such an offence occurs when students deliberately copy information from secondary sources. France, on the other hand, depends on the Ministry of National education for the management of quality and standards. The ministry maintains standards by coloration; the institution of higher education offer diploma certificates to graduates (Education 2007). However, it is upon the ministry to award individuals with degree certificate. The other formation of accreditation for the country include through recognition and by visa. The accreditations of UK degree’s concentrate on the code of conduct of the awarding bodies. The quality assurance agency for Higher education in the UK ensures sound management of institutions (Lester, 2009). The body ensures quality accreditation criteria in various institutions within the region. On the other hand, the body ensures better international relations. Conclusion With the current global changes on the education field, it has become apparent that former academic giants transform their management. France and the UK have been academic giants since medieval periods. The global trend in the award of degree and the number of graduates on the job market illustrates the importance of quality in education. Today’s investment in education has its challenges since it may not provide positive results to investors. In ration to the award of degree over the European region, it is imperative to note that the average cost of degree programs is £9000 (Education 2007). The figure may vary depending on the region. In conducting studies on France and the United Kingdom, one can see a disparity in attendance. It is clear that the attendance rate for degree in France is lower than in the UK. References Arias Ortiz, E, & Dehon, C 2013, Roads to Success in the Belgian French Communitys Higher Education System: Predictors of Dropout and Degree Completion at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Research In Higher Education, 54 (6), pp. 693-723. Leroux, J 2013. The professionalisation of degree courses in France: New issues in an old debate, Higher Education Management & Policy, 24, 3, pp. 87-105 Abeillé, A., Godard, D., & Müller, S. 2003. The syntactic flexibility of French degree adverbs. In Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar pp. 26-46. EDUCATION 2007. Reference &ResearchBookNews, 22,(1),pp.219-241. Greenaway, D., & Haynes, M. 2003. Funding Higher Education in the UK: The Role of Fees and Loans*. The Economic Journal, 113(485), F150-F166. Rogers, B, & Arn, J 1998. Language requirements for baccalaureate degrees in AACSB-.., Journal Of Education For Business, 73 (6), p. 347, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 November 2014. Lester, S 2009. Routes to qualified status: practices and trends among UK professional bodies, Studies In Higher Education, 34 (2), pp. 223-236. Chapman, K 1996. Entry qualifications, degree results and value-added in UK universities, Oxford Review Of Education, 22 (3), p. 251 Reay, D., David, M. E., & Ball, S. J. (Eds.). (2005). Degrees of choice: Class, race, gender and higher education. Trentham Books. Settimi, C 2007. Case Study: Global Degrees, Forbes, 180 (4), pp. 100-103 Read More