Help For Teens - Connexions County Durham

Degree courses (or first degrees) usually consist of three to four years full time study.

Degree courses come in various forms:

• Single subject - in depth study of one subject
• Joint courses - joint courses allow you to study two subjects equally or in a Major/Minor combination.
• Combined subjects - even more flexibility is offered with a choice of up to 3 or 4 subjects.

They can be studied in different ways:

• full time
• sandwich (sandwich courses offer full-time attendance interspersed with periods of practical/industrial training).

There are also different flexible ways of studying: part-time, at home, even while you're working:

• through credits
• through Open University
• through distance learning

Universities set their own entry requirements, but for those aged 18 - 21 the usual minimum requirement is:

• 5 GCSEs at grade A* - C plus 2 A levels
• BTEC National
• vocationally related qualifications (VRQs) at level 3
• national vocational qualifications (NVQs) at level 3

In practice, many institutions demand higher qualifications and specific subjects at both GCSE and Advanced level.

Your Connexions Personal Adviser can also help and advise you.