What is higher education (HE)?
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you read or hear the words higher education?
You may already know lots about universities and colleges, or you may be seeing these terms for the very first time. Either way, this page (and Roots Online) is for you!
Higher education is the level of education you undertake after you have completed post-16 studies (such as A levels, T Levels, and BTECs). Some people choose to progress straight to higher education aged 18, while others choose to study higher education later in life. There is no age limit - in fact the oldest HE student in the UK, Bertie Gladwin, was aged 90 when he graduated!
You might study a HE course at a university, in a further education college or with an online provider. Each higher education provider offers something a little different, and we’ll explore examples of these from the Roots Online Partners: University of York, York St John University, University Centre Askham Bryan, and University Centre York College.
Something to watch or listen to
Hear from current students at the University of York and York St John about their reasons for deciding to go to university.
How were you introduced to higher education?
Why I chose to go to university
How did I choose my course at university?
How did you choose your university?
Something to read
What is higher education?
Higher education (HE) is any course at a level 4 or above. This includes a wide range of options, not just at universities - you can also study HE qualifications at University Centres such as Askham Bryan and York College. Some courses are more practical, others require more studying in classrooms, and some combine both aspects and can even include time spent working for companies.
How many of the qualifications do you recognise? Don’t worry if it’s not many, as we’re going to tell you all about them.
Qualification breakdown
NVQ stands for National Vocational Qualification. This is usually related to practical work-related tasks and useful for if you want to go into certain professions such as plumbing and hairdressing. Usually it involves a year of study, combined with a work placement in the industry, in a hair salon for example.
A degree apprenticeship typically takes between three to six years depending on the course. You are employed by a company to gain work experience but also study part-time at a higher education institution. You also receive a degree when completed! Apprenticeships may be better suited for people who prefer to learn more practically and have a clear idea of their career path.
HNCs and HNDs are usually for those wanting to enter the workforce while gaining additional, practical training. They can take one to two years to complete but can also allow you to enter some higher education institutions starting in the second year if you want to further your studies.
Foundation degrees are ideal if you’re unsure about taking a full degree or if you want to study while you work. Whether you’re working in or towards the role now, you can gain professional and technical skills to further your career in a shorter time frame than a full degree. You can then usually choose to extend your degree to receive the full honours degree.
These degrees are those that you receive after completing your course at most universities. There are numerous subjects available and don’t always associate directly to a particular job or profession, but rather give you skills to enter a range of different jobs. Some subjects you may already study such as English, History and Maths whereas some may be new like Philosophy, Environmental Science or Interactive Media. Usually you will study for three to four years but there are options to extend your study in some cases for extra qualifications.
Why consider a HE qualification?
- to further your interest in a particular subject
- universities are renowned for their teaching and research excellence, and courses are taught by world leaders in their subject field
- they provide you with the opportunity to engage and communicate with other students who are passionate in a subject area, and to demonstrate your own interest in a subject you have chosen
- to improve your future career prospects
- to learn to be independent by living, working and studying away from home
- university is a fun and enjoyable time of your life
What can you study?
Did you know there are over 50,000 courses available in the UK at over 395 higher education institutions?
You can study a range of subjects, some you may already study at school like English, History, Geography and Languages, as well as the Sciences, Maths and technology subjects.
Higher education is also a great way to try something new that you are interested in studying at a more in-depth level. Subjects like Genetics, Film and Television Production, Social Policy, Criminology, Nursing and Midwifery, Robotic Engineering and many more.
Browse all the courses available across the UK on UCAS.
Employability and benefits of higher education
Competition for jobs is high and having a degree in a particular subject, or just a degree in general, may give you the edge on someone else when it comes to applying for jobs. Statistically, those with degrees will earn a higher salary than those without a degree. For example, over a lifetime, a male graduate earned £168,000 more than someone with A-levels but no degree, and a female graduate £252,000 more.
By studying a degree you will gain specialist knowledge in a specific subject and develop a huge number of skills that employers look for. Some of the skills you will develop while undergoing a degree include:
- independent and team working
- analytical ability
- using evidence to make decisions
- organisation
- a creative way of looking at challenges
- confidence in yourself and your work
Something to do
Have a go at the true and false quiz below to test your knowledge on the basics of higher education! You’ll receive the answers as you complete each statement so be sure to read through as you complete them.
Something learned
Hopefully after you’ve read, watched and done everything, you feel like you have a much better understanding of what higher education is. This should have given you some ideas about your future, even if it just helps you decide what GCSEs you may want to choose. Don’t worry if you still are unsure - there will be plenty of more in depth information over the next few months.
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