For over three quarters of a millennium,
universities in the UK have been teaching degrees in the field of
the Humanities. It is this tradition of Humanities which academic
institutions of Higher Education in the UK are very proud of, and
are delighted to offer students from countries outside the UK the
opportunity to study in Britain.
From its classical narrow base of subjects on offer many years
ago, students currently studying Humanities are able to choose from
a plethora of interesting and challenging degree courses such as
Archaeology, Anthropology, Media Studies, Theatre Studies, Tourism
and Heritage Studies as well as more traditional subjects such as
English, History and Theology. Variety is at the essence of the
current Humanities degree programme.
Because of the sometimes bewildering variety of degree subjects
on offer, all institutions employ members of staff to advise students
on possible pathways which offer students opportunities through
Single, Joint or Combined honours programmes of study. This is sometimes
a considerable task, as some institutions offer over 400 subjects
within the umbrella of their Humanities programme. Smaller institutions
might offer less variety of subject areas, but use their pathways
systems to offer a broad range of subject options to the students.
Within UK institutions the range of subject areas is matched by
the range of institutions in terms of size and character. Many institutions
have a long tradition of higher education teaching whilst others
are ‘new kids on the block’ in educational terms. Similarly,
the settings of institutions range from leafy rural settings to
busy city colleges - which frequently lie within landscapes environments.
In short, the students have the opportunity to study within a setting
which is not only conducive to study, but which allows them to experience
the environment in the vicinity of the institution of their choice.
Facilities on campus are usually of the highest order and many institutions
guarantee that a very high proportion of students are able to live
on campus near the centre of College life. Students’ study
bedrooms are frequently en-suite and akin to high quality hotel
bedrooms. All this provides students with the appropriate working
environment necessary to allow for intensive study.
But there is more to studying in Britain than simply living and
working in the one institution all the time. By studying in the
UK, students have the advantage of living in a small country with
a diverse range of cultural and leisure activities local to all
institutions.
Increasingly, institutions of Higher Education in the UK have developed
opportunities for students to study on a range of exchange programmes.
Many of these opportunities lie within Europe, but increasingly
it is possible for students to study, for one or more semesters,
at an appropriate institution on another continent. UK institutions
are therefore not only at the heart of a wide range of exchange
programmes, but also frequently provide students with the opportunity
to be taught by visiting lecturers and, through video-conferencing
and the web, broaden the learning experience for the students.
One of the most important factors which influences a student’s
decision to study for a Humanities degree in the UK is that they
can study in a country steeped in culture and heritage. What better
than to study modern literature whilst living and working in South-West
Wales, in the same landscape that influenced Dylan Thomas, to study
archaeology in a part of Europe so very rich in cultural heritage,
to study music in a country renowned for a rich variety of musical
traditions, to quote just a few examples. If we also consider that
the heritage of the UK is extremely diverse with rich regional and
national traditions it is easy to understand why the UK has become
one of the major destinations for international students. In many
cases, it is at undergraduate level that students first come to
the UK, but may remain to study at postgraduate level.
Whilst many consider coming to study in the UK because of its rich
heritage and culture, the UK is well blessed with Humanities departments
with modern and up-to-date facilities which ranks among the best
in the world. This allied to internationally renowned teaching quality
makes the UK an ideal destination for international students of
the Humanities.
It is essential that international students take time to carefully
decide which institution within the UK they wish to study at. As
the UK is relatively small geographically, communications are good
throughout the UK and students who study at rural institutions have
easy access to major cities and vice versa. International students
should find studying in the UK a really enjoyable and rewarding
educational and social experience. Any help students may require
in dividing at which higher education institution in the UK they
might like to study in, may be obtained from the International Officers
of the relevant institutions who are experienced in providing students
with detailed help.
Within the UK, the study of Humanities has had an illustrious academic
past, is currently enjoying an exciting and stimulating present
and looks forward to providing all students with the potential for
ensuring that their future is academically successful and enjoyable.
Author: John Howells, Director of BA Humanities, Trinity
College, Carmarthen
This article first appeared in TransWorld Education
