English course
English is often regarded as the language of the global world. Good command in English Language is crucial for effective communications, conduct business internationally or to follow higher education overseas.
Lots of learners take English courses for self-development with a view to expand business and career internationally, obtain promotion at workplace, gain efficiency and leadership in the most dominating language of contemporary world or simply to learn foreign language.
Efficiency in English is vital for international students seeking to study a higher academic course abroad. Most of the universities have pre-requisite requirements for recognised English test score i.e. IELTS.
Students who do not have the required level of efficiency in recognised English Test, may be eligible to take stand alone course i.e. English for Academic Purpose (EAP) or pre-sessional English course as part of the main study programme. This will enable them to improve their level as required for the main academic course.
Foundation courses i.e. HND, PGD or pre-masters etc. build foundations to start undergraduate & postgraduate degree education.
The study gives students the opportunity to prepare for either undergraduate or postgraduate programme with pre-knowledge in the intended programme and level of study. Foundation courses are taken by students who do not qualify for direct degree programmes.
Access courses are also foundation courses that enable students to gain access to higher level programme of study. For International Students access courses are normally at level 3. Students who do not have GCE A Levels may need to take this course before they fulfil entry requirements for higher level course.
Popular subjects: Foundation course
Accounting, Business, Computing, Digital Media, Engineering, Finance, Health & Social Care, Hospitality, IT, Law, Management, Nursing, Retail, Sales & Marketing, Tourism. There are wide ranges of other subject areas international students may wish to pursue.
Typically, an undergraduate degree qualification is taught and awarded by a university and defines higher or advanced level of learning than GCE Advanced Level.
A GCE Advanced Level holder needs to complete a bachelor degree at least before he/she become a graduate. Before the completion, the student is under or below graduation, and hence the start of the study is called undergraduate degree.
Most of the undergraduate degrees lead to an honours degree in 3 years. However, students who complete a foundation programme which is at level 4 or level 5 may qualify for exemptions from the 1st year or 1st & 2nd year of the relevant degree programme and choose to do top up for the remaining credits.
In Scotland, Bachelor Degrees normally last 4 years and some of them are even called MA (Master of Arts) though they are honours degrees.
Popular subjects: Undergraduate degree course
Accounting, Accounting and Finance, Business Administration, Business Studies, Business Management, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Software Engineering, Computer Networking, Digital Media, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Finance, Health & Social Care, Hospitality, International Business, Human Resource Management, International Relations, IT, Journalism, Law, Management, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Nursing, Pharmacology, Project Management, Psychology, Retail, Sales & Marketing, Social Work, Sociology, Software Engineering, Telecommunications, Tourism. There are wide ranges of other subject areas international students may wish to pursue.
Postgraduate Degree courses are taken post (after) graduate degree i.e. after bachelor or undergraduate degree and normally in the same field of study as the bachelor degree. However, it is a common practice by students from other background to take MBA course which provides business and management knowledge on virtually any industry.
A postgraduate degree provides chances to further explore a subject to attain advanced level of proficiency with opportunities of independent study.
Postgraduate Degrees can be taught programmes or research based. Taught programmes usually take 1 year’s full time study to complete. Research degrees may take 1 to 3+ years to complete. On completion, students get awarded a Master or doctorate degree including MA, MSc, MBA, MPhil, PhD, DBA etc.
MBA (Master of Business Administration) courses
MBA (Master of Business Administration) is a premium masters degree at postgraduate level. This internationally-recognised qualification is designed to provide the skills required for rewarding management careers in the public sectors, government departments, private industries and other areas. From the study of an MBA, you will be able to develop a set of skills including soft skills, cognitive skills, transferrable skills, communication, team-work, decision making and leadership skills. Once qualified, you will be equipped with competitive edge to open your career in any of these sectors.
If you are already working, you can undertake an Executive MBA (EMBA) course to specialise in your current sector, or a new sector that you intend to move into for a career change. An executive MBA program is similar to a regular MBA program, but the programme is primarily designed to train working executives, managers, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders.
An MBA Degree from the UK can greatly boost your salary, professional reputation and networking opportunities globally. MBA graduates get excellent return on investment as the qualification can often lead to promotion, a career change/adjustment or higher earnings. Graduates can expect an average salary increases of 55% to 110% after the successfully achieve the MBA degree.
Universities offer MBA course under different titles including MBA, MBA Global, International MBA etc. Most MBA programmes include a ‘core’ curriculum of subjects as well as option modules to allow students to choose areas according to their personal and professional goals.
You will be required to complete a dissertation or research project as part of the MBA programme at most of the UK universities. Some universities may require students to complete an internship or undertake work placement at a company or organisation so that they can be equipped with career-ready skills from real world work practice.
Popular MBA (Master of Business Administration) courses include General MBA, MBA International Marketing, MBA Banking and Finance, MBA (Finance), MBA (Hospital & Health Services Management), MBA (Human Resource Management), MBA (Internship), MBA (Marketing), MBA Digital Technology Management, MBA (Logistics and Supply Chain Management), MBA (Oil and Gas Management), International MBA, MBA Global, Executive MBA & Distance Learning MBA.
General guidelines to submitting applications for MBA Programme
To apply for the MBA course, submit your Bachelor degree certificate, transcript, personal statement, passport copy other activities and training you might have undertaken. Some universities may require managerial level work experience for 2-5 years along with a detailed CV.
You may need to have an IELTS score of 6.0 or more if your bachelor degree was not studied at a majority English speaking country. Inside the UK international students should include their visa copies, CAS statement, attendance letter, etc.
You may require at least two references (one must be academic) – it is advisable to collect them on organisation’s letterhead with referees’ signatures on it as most of the universities will ask for these at the application stage rather than writing to referees at a later stage.
MBM (Master of Business and Management) Courses
MBM (Master of Business and Management) is a general category for ‘master in business’ or ‘master in management’ degrees. The award title could be either an MSc or an MA in the field studied. Usually, the MBM courses are open to graduates from all fields of the humanities, arts, engineering, science and business.
The MBM (Master of Business and Management) offers you the flexibility and many choices at masters level. You can choose to pursue award titles including MSc Management, MSc International Business with Management, MSc Management with Finance, MSc Management with Marketing, MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management, MSc Management with Project Management, MSc Sustainable Management, MSc International Human Resource Management, MSc International Business with Law, MSc International Relations Management, MSc International Marketing Management, MSc Waste Management Resources & others.
MBM courses are excellent choices as a path into business and management fields for graduates who are seeking to increase their professional value through acquiring both an understanding of global, national and local challenges on business and a capability to respond professionally and effectively to those challenges.
The study provides students with concepts, frameworks, tools and techniques – furnishes them with analytical, problem solving, critical thinking and research skills to enable them to operate confidently and effectively in a global environment characterised by constant change and requiring flexible and innovative responses at a professional level.
Successful completion of an MBM (Master of Business and Management) programme can equip you with competitive edge for employment, improve your current job performance, accelerate promotion towards middle or senior management position and enhance your ability to meet new opportunities.
General guidelines to submitting applications for MBM Programme
To apply for the MBM course, submit your Bachelor degree certificate, transcript, personal statement, passport copy other activities and training you might have undertaken.
You may need to have an IELTS score of 6.0 or more if your bachelor degree was not studied at a majority English speaking country. Inside the UK international students should include their visa copies, CAS statement, attendance letter, etc.
You may require at least two references (one must be academic) – it is advisable to collect them on organisation’s letterhead with referees’ signatures on it as most of the universities will ask for these at the application stage rather than writing to referees at a later stage.
MPhil course is a stand-alone postgraduate research degree that allows students to undertake a programme over one year. This is often taken after completion of a bachelor’s degree as an intermediate step before transferring onto a subsequent PhD programme.
To be considered, potential applicants should normally have a bachelor degree with good grades. However, Entry requirements may vary between academic areas and sometimes a taught master degree may be required.
The MPhil is the first stepping stone for PhD – this study prepared students for advanced research work that is required to start a PhD.
Research done in an MPhil course is normally limited in scope and originality i.e. may be a replication of a published research.
Once the research is completed, students must write a 60,000 word thesis – this then has to be defended by an oral examination. The research thesis demonstrates student’s proficiency in research methods, knowledge and understanding, and a critical evaluation of academic subject area.
General guidelines to submitting applications for MPhil course
At the application stage, provide some standard information about yourself and your past academic attainments, strengths and performances. Include a detailed CV with supporting evidences of any work experience & other activities and training you have undertaken. Make sure that you provide only true information and you can support this with documents.
For references, wherever possible, it is advisable to give at least one reference from an academic who knows you from your past studies and academic strength and aware of your research potential. Make sure your referees know the details if you have given their reference.
PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy (sometimes called DPhil) and is the most common type of doctoral study, although there are other types of doctoral degrees.
A PhD is the first key stage if you are intending to pursue an academic research career. It is also a qualification valued in its own right in many professional areas. The duration of PhD is usually a minimum of 3 years full time study. However, many Universities now require students to complete it within 4 years, including the writing up process.
Normally, PhD is research course – this means you will re-search knowledge either on existing area or in a new area.
Lot of universities in the UK offer Skills Training through a central research office to equip students with range of research, transferable and career oriented skills in addition to the academically rigorous experience.
To gain a PhD Degree, students require to complete a thesis on a substantial piece of supervised research to make an original contribution to existing/new research and knowledge in the subject, and this is judged by the examiners. In the UK most PhDs are normally examined by thesis and a viva voce.
Application process
Unlike other admission applications, to apply for PhD study, you will have to submit a written proposal to support your application. In the proposal, you should give clear, academically sound, description of the area that you intend to work in and the type of research that you are looking to undertake. This will help universities to understand your interests, the quality and originality of your ideas, whether you are able to think critically and whether you have a grasp of the relevant literature, your ability to successfully complete a PhD. This will also allow the university to find an appropriate supervisor for you.
As a general guideline, a research proposal should be around 2,000 to 3,000 words that you write to outline the project you want to undertake – it is a concise and coherent summary of your proposed research. It sets out the central issues or questions that you intend to address. It outlines the general area of study within which your research falls, referring to the current state of knowledge and any recent debates on the topic. It also demonstrates the originality of your proposed research.
It is a good idea to consult with any academic contacts you may already have to discuss the merits before drafting a research proposal. You may contact the faculty of the prospective university to get some feedback from the likely supervisors on the idea you have developed and make necessary amendments and adjustments before submission.
There is no formal structure for proposal; as a general guideline you may follow the following structure and suggestions that get positive outcomes –
A working title
Your title should give a clear indication meaningful & message that summarise the intent of your project, directing attention explicitly to the central issue that you will address.
Research question(s)
Identify the main research question(s) that you will be asking. These should be succinct, researchable and significant. Bullet points are usually best. Outline the key issue(s) that you wish to investigate, and why these are important. You should state why you have chosen to apply to the particular university.
Background
PhD is an original piece of research, so you should demonstrate and prove that your proposed topic was not done before, or if it was done by somebody earlier, you are taking a new perspective on an issue that was not settled or conclusive. You should explain how your questions are different from those asked by others, reflecting on a brief review of the relevant research literature. You should demonstrate that you are familiar with the main literature in the field you are interested in.
Research design & methods
You should describe the research design that you will follow, including who, what, where and why of your research plan. Briefly describe the method(s) that you will use to answer your research questions i.e. visiting particular libraries or archives, field work or interviews and how you are going to access the material and the possible research methods or techniques that you will use. If your proposed research is library-based, you should explain where your key resources e.g. law reports, journal articles are located. If you plan to conduct field work or collect empirical data, you should provide details about this e.g. if you plan interviews, who will you interview? How many interviews will you conduct? Will there be problems of access?
Significance of your research
You should demonstrate why your research is important and the contribution that you think this research will make. Explain how your research work will add extra or newer domain of knowledge in the field and why it is high time you did that. You should establish how significantly your research work would benefit people, society or the world with distinction.
Timescale
Provide a realistic time plan that shows you are going to manage the research design within a 3/4 year time period. It is better to include a step by step timetable.
Bibliography
Give a list of the main published literature that you have planned to use to conduct your research and any available sources of data you have thought to use.
DBA – Doctor of Business Administration is a professional doctorate degree that develops students’ research, analytical and critical thinking skills to the highest level. The programme addresses strategic issues in professional practice globally, and places a high priority on the beneficial transfer of knowledge to the workplace.
The DBA course is designed to engage students in undertaking practice-based research – offers the opportunity to study business issues in depth and to apply theoretical understanding to real situations through independent research. The course enhances executive and professional practice through the application of management theories and rigorous research into real and complex issues in business and management.
The study includes an intensive, normally 1 year, taught phase that prepares students in considerable depth for the empirical research that they undertake – usually in the organisation where they are currently employed at a senior/executive level. The programme, in fact, aims to apply theory and professional practice perspectives to differing situations and work-based practice so that students are able to demonstrate their capacity to have an impact on their professional performance.
The programme also help students to develop their skills in thought leadership for organisational change and development, thereby build their capacity to address complex business problems of strategic significance through the creative and innovative application of learning.
The qualification level or award level of a DBA degree is equivalent to a PhD degree – NQF Level 8 / SCQF Level 12. Upon satisfactory completion of the DBA degree, graduates are able to use the title ‘Dr’ same as PhD degree holders.
Tier 4 (General) student undertakes a DBA course with a Tier 4 sponsor that is a UK HEI (Higher Education Institution) i.e. university, may be eligible to apply for the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES) to stay in the UK for 12 months after the course has ended.
To be considered for the DBA course, potential applicants should normally have a master’s degree preferably in business management with good grades. Candidates will be expected to have some work experience at managerial level.
General guidelines to submitting applications for DBA Programme
At the application stage, provide some standard information about yourself and your past academic attainments, strengths and performances. Include a detailed CV with supporting evidences of any work experience & other activities and training you have undertaken. Make sure that you provide only true information and you can support this with documents.
You will require at least two references – it is advisable to collect them on organisation’s letterhead with referees’ signatures on it as most of the universities will ask for these at the application stage rather than writing to referees at later stage.
Popular subjects: Postgraduate degree course
Accounting, Applied Accounting, Accounting and Finance, Anthropology, Art and Design, Business Administration, Biotechnology, Business Studies, Business Management, Biology, Brand Management, Civil Engineering, Commercial Law, Computer Animation and Games Technology, Computer Science and Software Engineering, Computer Networking, Digital Marketing, Digital Media, Economics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Event Management, Finance, Finance and Banking, Health & Social Care, Hospitality, International Business, International Development, Investment and Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business Law, International Relations, IT, Journalism, Law, Linguistics, Management, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Nursing, Pharmacology, Physics, Project Management, Psychology, Public Health,Public Relations, Retail, Sales & Marketing, Social Work, Sociology, Software Engineering, Telecommunications, Tourism, Web Analytics. There are wide ranges of other subject areas international students may wish to pursue.
Professional courses provide skills and knowledge both for personal development and for career advancement. Professional education and training prepare students with particular knowledge and skills that are necessary to perform the role of the profession students intend to take in future.
A professional course leads to a professional qualification and entitle students to be a member of professional body i.e. Engineering Council, British Computer Society (BCS), The Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA), Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality (CTH), Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Bar Standard Board (BSB).
Membership of a profession entitles individual to be designated as a professional who are subject to strict codes of conduct, ethical and moral obligations & Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
Some professional course may require articleship or pupillage arrangements with relevant professional firms, and work experience to gain full membership.