General education is not common at the university level in Great Britain.

A general education curriculum, like ones found in the U.S., are not common in British universities. Coursework is typically geared much more directly to one’s major, allowing a bachelor’s degree to be earned in 3 years rather than the typical four years at a U.S. institution. (Note that A-level courses at the U.S. equivalent of a U.S. high school year.

Changing majors is not common in the U.K.

Most students entering a university in Great Britain must decide on a major prior to applying to the appropriate institution. Once enrolled in the university, the student cannot change that major unless they quit that school and apply to another one. (Universities are made up of individual colleges which are largely independent of one another.) The concept of changing majors two or three times during ones’ undergraduate education is foreign to most British students.

In England, compulsory education lasts until a person’s 18th birthday, although “schooling” is only compulsory to age 16. That means that students 16 – 18 can select from a variety of options to fulfill the education requirements.

Secondary education (U.S. high school equivalent) has two levels: A General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and Advance-Level qualifications. A-level courses are designed specifically for students planning to attend university, similar to Advanced Placement courses in the U.S. Undergraduate credit can be awarded for students who score high enough on their A-level exams.

Great Britain’s “first degree” is often achieved in 3 years, and it is comparable to a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. Many schools are now offering a combined Bachelors/Masters in 4 years in certain topics. Doctoral programs are typically three year programs, often focused more on research than on course work. It is also possible to begin some doctoral programs without first achieving a Master’s degree; additional coursework is simply required in the doctoral program.

Not surprisingly, Great Britain and the U.S. score very similarly on Hofstede’s dimensions, with some differences in uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. For practical purposes, these cultural differences are not likely to have any significant effect on the classroom.

Read more from Hofstede Insights.

Ali, A. (2016) University applicants are regretting the A-level subjects they took, new research shows. Independent.

England Higher Education System. EuroEducation.net: The European Education Directory.

UK vs. USA Education System. International Student.

Patterns and Trends in UK Higher Education 2015. Universities UK. ISBN: 978-1-84036-35107.

Magaziner, J. (2016) Education in the U.K. WES WENR World Education News & Reviews.