Academic Differences

                In the UK, much less focus is placed on homework assignments, with most classes instead being very lecture-based. There may be several assignments, but with some classes your grade will depend solely upon your final exam. The UK tends to use the semester system just like the US, but there are also some universities that use year-long or quarter systems. Things like classroom culture and student/faculty relationships are very similar in the UK and USA, with larger classes allowing for less face-time with the professors. In the UK, full-time students will normally take 60 credits per semester which is usually equivalent to 15 US credits or 30 ECTS credits per semester, and 3-6 modules (classes) each semester (Maryville College requires students to take 12 credit hours each semester to be considered full-time). Modules vary widely on how much time is spent in lectures each week. Letter grades in the UK are different from those in the US: they are given out in percentages, with 40% considered to be passing. It is also considered harder to obtain higher grade percentages in the UK – 70% is considered very good. Each Ulster student is assigned a studies adviser to help with academic support.