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Types of courses

There are different types of degree you can take at BU. Each type is explained in brief below. You can read more about specific course subjects in our Course Search.

Bachelor degrees

These include Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB). All of these types of degress are equal in terms of status. These courses normally last for three years, or four years if the course includes a 'sandwich' work placement year.

Each University degree course is divided into levels that students progressively complete to obtain their award.

Level C (Certificate): The first year
Level I (Intermediate): The second year
Level H (Honours): The final year

Sandwich degrees

If you enrol on a 'sandwich' degree, you will spend your third year on professional placement 'sanwiched' between your second and final years of study. Placements are usually based in the UK, although there are opportunities abroad. Placements are geared towards testing the skills you study during the course in a 'real world' evironment.

Foundation degrees (FdA/FdSc)/Higher National Diploma (HND)

Taught primarily at our Partner Colleges, these two-year courses can lead to a BA, or BSc course following a further year of study. Some Foundation Degrees/HNDs allow students who successfully complete the first year of study to exit with a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE).

For more information visit the Foundation & Top-up website

Top-up degrees

Final-year Level H courses designed for students who have completed, with the required grades, either a HND/Foundation degree or a similar programme of study resulting in an award of an equivalent level.