In the UK, there are two main different types of universities – city universities and campus universities. These different types of campuses can be beneficial for students in a variety of ways. You may already have a preference for what type of university you would like to study at, or you may be exploring the differences for the first time. Either way, this article aims to provide you with more information about the different campus types and what they can offer you as a student.

City universities

City based universities are characterised by having the campus facilities spread throughout the city or town. This means that student halls might be spread about and not located all in one place, and you may have a small commute to your classes.

Living and travelling around a city can be an excellent experience for students. City life grants you access to things that may feel out of reach at a campus university, for example a wider range of cultural and social settings like museums, shops and nightclubs. However, it can also be slightly more expensive, especially if you are thinking about renting privately once you have moved out of the university provided student accommodation.

Exposure to life in a city is also great preparation for your future career. It can help you to decide if working in a city is what you would like to do, and help you feel more comfortable in your life post-university. Spending your time in a city can also mean that your peer group is more diverse, with students travelling from all over the country, and potentially including some international students as well.

Examples of city universities:

• University of Sheffield
• University of Leeds
• University of Derby
• University of Manchester
• Nottingham Trent University

Campus universities

Campus based universities tend to have their facilities and buildings contained within a particular area. This area can be located in or near a city or town, or can be completely separate. It is likely that all student accommodation halls, lecture halls, libraries and any other amenities or facilities will be situated a very close distance from one another.

Choosing a campus university can be a good choice for any student, but especially for those who would appreciate a short commute between home and study locations. One of the biggest advantages of a campus based university is that they tend to be less expensive than their city counterparts. You might also find it easier to make friends, as you are constantly surrounded by people who are sharing your university experience.

Campus universities can also be helpful when it comes to your studies, as you spend less time travelling between facilities, which means you have more time to spend in the library, speaking to your classmates, and taking advantage of easier access to your teachers and their knowledge.

Examples of campus universities:

• Edge Hill University
• University of Bath
• University of Dundee
• Loughborough University
• Aston University

Other options

If you are interested in studying at a particular university but can’t make a physical move for any reason, you should consider online study. Most universities in the UK now offer a great selection of their degrees and masters as online courses. This would mean that you can access the teaching staff and resources available from the university, without having to leave your life behind in order to study.

Online study is a great option if you have work or family commitments at home, and are usually more flexible than an on campus degree. Some examples of universities that offer great online study options include:

• University of Derby Online Learning
• University of Liverpool Online
• University of Essex Online
• University of Birmingham Online
• University of Glasgow Online

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A module is an element of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme. Each module in your degree will be geared towards an end goal, and will be provided due to its relevance to your subject area.

At university level, programmes are split into several different modules throughout each academic year. One module will take a certain amount of time to complete in a semester, and will normally conclude with some sort of assessment, such as an exam, a written essay or a practical project.

Module Study Load and Size

Taught modules will have different credit values, but they are in multiples of 5. Most undergraduate modules are worth 10 and 20 credits, and postgraduate modules are worth 15 and 30 credits. In theory, one credit is equivalent to 10 hours of effort, including lectures, seminars, practical work and independent study.

Modules can either take one semester to complete, or can run for the entire academic year, depending on their content and importance to the course. In your final year of an undergraduate degree, you will usually find that your dissertation or final project is worth one or two modules.

An undergraduate degree is usually worth 360 credits. You will take 120 credits in each academic year, if you are studying full-time. A postgraduate degree is normally worth 180 credits, which will be earned over the academic year if you are studying full-time.

Regardless of study level, a full-time student will be required to take 60 credits per semester. This is relevant for both undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. There are certain exceptions to this, but they are not common.

How many modules you have to take in each semester will depend on the size of each module and how many credits they are worth. This can be completely different from semester to semester and year to year. On average, you can expect to take between 3 and 6 modules per semester for an undergraduate degree, and between 2 and 4 modules per semester for a postgraduate degree.

Your university will be able to provide you with a breakdown of the modules you will be expected to study in each semester for your specific degree programme, and this is often published on your course webpage on the university website.

Compulsory and Optional Modules

Most courses will consist of compulsory and optional modules. You must complete the compulsory modules in order to gain enough credits to finish your degree. You will normally have to choose a certain number of optional modules in order to complete the credit requirements for your study year.

The amount of fixed and optional modules will depend on your course, as well as your year of study. It is more common to have optional modules later on in your degree programme. This is because universities normally like to ensure that all students are up to speed with their subject area in the first year. You are also more likely to be able to customise your modules if you undertake a masters degree.

Optional modules can sometimes be shared between different programmes, if there is a relevant crossover. This can be interesting as it allows you to socialise with different people, and potentially experience a new way of teaching and learning.

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When you have received replies back from all of the universities you applied to through UCAS, you will need to start thinking about which you would like to select as your firm and insurance choices.

The decision you make about firm and insurance university choices will, in theory, dictate where you go to begin your higher education journey, provided you meet any requirements or conditions of acceptance.

What is a firm choice?

Your firm choice is the university that you would most like to go to, that has offered you a place on a course. Unless you have an unconditional offer, you will still need to meet any requirements set by that university before being accepted. If you do receive a conditional offer, you should make sure that you understand the terms of your offer, it may only count if you put that university as your first choice.

By confirming that an university is your firm choice, you are conditionally confirming that you will attend that institution. This means that you need to take your time when making this decision as it could have a large impact on your future.

Going to university open days can be incredibly useful for deciding on your firm choice. If you can’t make it to an on campus open day, you might be able to take advantage of a virtual open day or tour. Visiting a campus in person can give you a good feel of if you think you would enjoy your time at that university, allowing you to experience the facilities, accommodation, teaching staff and the local area.

What is an insurance choice?

Your insurance choice is your second choice university, sometimes also referred to as a back-up option. Usually your insurance university will have a lower entry requirement than your firm choice, so is a university you could get into if you don’t achieve the grades or conditions required for your first choice university.

You should make sure that when you choose an insurance choice university you could actually see yourself enjoying your time there. Although the plan will be to go to your first choice, it is better to be well prepared for all eventualities. However, it is not mandatory to provide an insurance choice, so if you really don’t want to choose one then you don’t have to.

Once you have chosen your firm and insurance universities, all other offers will be declined, so make sure that you make the decisions that are best for you and your future.

Is there a deadline for deciding?

There is a deadline for deciding on your firm and insurance university choices, and this is set by UCAS and changes by a day or so each year.

When you receive your offers back from all of the universities you applied for, which normally happens in May for general admission (not including Oxbridge or Medicine applicants), you need to start thinking about making your choices. You will normally have around a month to make your final decisions, meaning you need to reply early to mid-June. If you don’t receive your last decision until mid-July, you will have less time to reply.

You can find the most up to date information about replying deadlines on the UCAS website.

Changing your mind

If you make a mistake or change your mind within the first 14 days of replying, you can change your replies once. To do this you need to call UCAS with your personal ID and they will provide you with assistance.

If you change your mind outside of this time then things can be a little more complicated, but don’t worry, there are still options for you. If all else fails then clearing is a great opportunity to see what other course and university options are available, and you never know, it could end up being the best decision of your life!

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What is a Doctorate?

A PhD, also known as a Doctorate of Philosophy, is a three year (when studied full-time) research degree that involves a large amount of independent research, and usually concludes with completing a thesis and a viva voce, which is a speaking examination that invites you to discuss and defend your thesis with an internal and external examiner.

Some PhD course do include taught components, however you are normally assessed based on your research findings and how you present and then defend your thesis, as opposed to your performance in the classroom.

Most universities in the UK require students to have undertaken a Masters degree before they are admitted onto a PhD degree. Some universities will also have minimum entry requirements for both your undergraduate and previous postgraduate degrees. There are some universities that will admit students who do not have a postgraduate degree, such as those who have professional experience in their research field.

A PhD can normally be broken down into three separate elements. If you are studying full-time then these elements will likely each take up a whole year of your degree.

In the first year you tend to discuss and finalise your research proposal with a supervisor before submitting a literature review. This literature review allows you to assess the research content that already exists in your field to ensure that your ideas will be original and worthy of the time and effort.

In your second year you will start to focus on your independent research a lot more, you will be collecting and analysing results and starting to formulate your thesis themes.

In your third year you will mainly focus on finishing your research project and collating the results and analysis in your thesis. Once you have gone through your thesis with your supervisor and they have approved it, you will submit it for evaluation. You will then take part in your viva voce, which is the final examination of your PhD.

What types of Doctorate exist?

There are several viable ways of getting into a research degree, some of them are more popular than others. Below is a list of the options for routes into research, with an explanation of what they are and who each option might suit.

Thesis PhD

The most common route into research, the PhD by thesis is a doctorate degree that culminates in completing your research proposal an taking part in a viva voce. You will be supported through your research proposal by your PhD supervisor, who will also provide help with your viva preparation.

A research thesis is usually between 60,000 and 90,000 words, and normally includes the references, bibliography and appendices in this word count/limit. Different universities approach this differently, with some treating it as a firm limit, and others being more relaxed.

Publication PhD

To earn a PhD by publication you will need to submit some of your previous work that has already been published. These can include journal articles, books and book chapters. This route is most commonly pursued by academics who are further down their career journey, but haven’t gained a thesis PhD.

Depending on the university that will be awarding your PhD, you normally need around 5-10 pieces of published research work, which will be assessed in the same way that a thesis is. You will also be required to submit a supporting statement to an committee of academics. You will have a supervisor that will help you through this process.

Online PhD

Online PhDs are becoming increasingly popular, and therefore are being offered by more and more universities. The fact that doctorate degrees are based entirely on research, and do not require attendance at lectures and seminars, means that they can be easier to complete by distance learning.

Online doctorate degrees are perfect for students who have professional or personal commitments that get in the way of pursing a traditional or on-campus PhD, or those who are looking to study at a university abroad without moving away from home. Although you will be in touch with your supervisor(s) mainly by phone, email and video conferencing, you might need to attend some on-campus meetings, depending on your university and their requirements.

Integrated PhD

Also known as the ‘New Route PhD’, an integrated PhD means doing a one year research postgraduate degree (MRes) before moving straight on to a three year PhD degree. Currently the integrated PhD path is offered by a few select universities around the UK, and is supported by the government and the British Council through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Because this route involves an MRes, it consists of taught and research based modules, which means that there are requirements for attendance at on-campus lectures and seminars.

Professional Doctorate

Pursued mainly by professionals in various fields, a professional doctorate involves a large amount of taught modules and a smaller research project. This route is mostly pursued as a part-time course alongside work commitments, and can last between 2 and 8 years.

There are several professional doctorate types that are accredited by a professional body, such as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Psychological Society (BPS), which can allow you to work within the fields that require professional qualifications from these bodies.

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Deciding to change your degree can be a hard choice, but for some people it can be necessary for a variety of reasons. If you are undertaking a degree that you are not happy with, it might be time to consider transferring to another course. If this is the case for you, then are several things you need to understand before starting the process.

Why change courses?

There are a number of reasons that you might consider transferring from your current course to another one at your university. Perhaps you have realised that your career goals have changed and your current degree won’t serve your new goal. For example, if you are doing a humanities degree but decide you would like to work in a medical field, your degree might not be the most useful or appropriate.

You might have applied for your degree having really enjoyed that subject area at sixth form or college, but then realised that you actually don’t enjoy it enough to do a university course in it and then potentially aim for a career in that field.

What should I do?

If, for any reason, you are considering transferring to a different course at your university, there are a few things you should do before starting the official process. These things will allow you to take the time to ensure that the decision you are making is the right one for you, and to understand the potential consequences.

Turn to your friends and family for their advice and opinions. Talk to them about why you are thinking about changing courses and see what they say. If you are adamant about your decision and have good reasons then they will likely be supportive. They may also offer up tips and advice. Whilst you don’t have to act on their advice, it is your decision after all, it is important that you at least take it into consideration when making your final decision.

It is also very important that you talk to your lecturers and personal tutor about this decision. Don’t just stop turning up to lectures and seminars, as this can reflect badly on your chances of being accepted onto your new course, and can also be detrimental if you choose to continue on your current course. Speaking to your lecturers and tutor can help you to get an idea of the process you will need to go through, as well as the requirements for your current and potential new course.

If you want to get some career or personal advice, it can be helpful to access the career services or student support services at your university. They might be able to offer an insight into what course would best serve your future career goals, or how to make the most of your university journey if you are dealing with personal/financial problems. They will also be able to offer you support with the transferring process, or put you in touch with the relevant people within the faculty staff.

Can I change part way through my course?

How easy it is to change course will depend on your university, and the faculties within your university. You will need to find out if there is any space available on the course you wish to move to. If there are no spaces available then you might have to wait until the start of the next year. You will also need to understand if any of your current course modules will count towards your new course. If the two courses are completely unrelated, then you will likely have to start your university journey all over again, but if there is some crossover then you may get credit for prior learning experience.

Depending on your situation, you may also need to contact student finance. There may be implications on your student loan eligibility when changing your course. For example if your new course is longer or shorter, this might change the amount of money you can borrow from student finance.

Whilst all of this might seem quite daunting, changing your course could be the best decision for you, and is not something you should shy away from if you are seriously considering it. There should be plenty of support available to you from staff members at your university, and you should also take advantage of any support your friends and family offer, as this will make the process more simple and less stressful.

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