Part One, Done!

Friday I completed my last exam for my Master's course, which means I'm officially done with the first, taught phase of my program, so now I feel as free as a bird! That, combined with coming home in just two short days, is really getting me into the Christmas spirit. However, before I decide to shut my brain down for the few weeks over the holidays, I thought I would reflect on some of the differences I've learned about education here versus back home. I'll focus on university education, since that's mostly what I know. Obviously I knew there were going to be differences from the start, but some of the differences surprised me, so here we go!

The biggest difference in education here is that from the moment you start at university, they want you to be very specialized. In other words, focused solely on one area of study. Of course I still don't completely understand how the system here works, but when you apply to university, you're applying to a specific program at a school, not just the school in general. For example, if you want to become a doctor here, you basically start your med school program as soon as you get to uni.

Back home, this is definitely not the case. We apply to a university and then usually decide our major once we get there. Universities back home also put an emphasis on general education requirements, which I believe are still a thing here, but I think there are fewer requirements. All of my friends here have been really confused about my undergraduate education. I tell them I have a degree in Biochemistry and Music, and that's apparently pretty confusing and pretty much unheard of. I get judged about it at home too, but even more so here. Then I try explaining some of the classes I took, like a class on Harry Potter and one on Sherlock Holmes, and they're like, what even was your education.

This specialization carries into graduate programs as well. Those in my program currently applying for PhDs apply to a specific PhD project. In the States, you again apply to a PhD program and only choose your project after a year of lab rotations. I generally prefer the U.S. way of doing things, as it provides more flexibility, as well as the chance to try fun things like a class on Harry Potter. While specializing is good, I think there's plenty of time throughout your education to decide what to do.

Of course, education here is different structurally as well. They don't have high school like we do, but rather they attend a college to study for their A-levels, which are exams that allow them to get into university. Please don't ask me for specifics as I don't really know any, but if you're more interested about this subject I have plenty of people I can refer you to. Following A-levels, they go to university for their undergraduate education, which only lasts three years instead of the four back home. (Side note, the way they apply for university is very different than ours, but again I don't really know much about it so I'm not going to pretend to try). Their master's programs tend to be one year versus our two years, then PhDs are generally obtained in three, while back home it's typically five years to a PhD.

To me, everything seems much more fast-paced, which is good for some people. However, like I said before, the U.S. system leaves room for trying new areas of study to make sure you're really in the program you want to be. I'm really glad I had my undergraduate education in the states, and I'm excited to come back to do my PhD, but I definitely think doing my master's degree here has been a great choice for me.

I would talk a bit about the grading system, which caused me some panic in the beginning, but I might save that for a future post as this one is getting pretty long. I've had a great time during the first phase of my program, and when I return I get to do what I truly love, which is working in a lab all day everyday, working on my own project! Which I will talk about more after the new year, of course. Until then, I passed my exams, I go home in two days, will be spending New Year's Eve in London, and will get to see my Fulbright friends again soon. Life is good!