British academics are not that different than they are in the US, though one of the main things that I have noticed while researching is the fact that there seems to be some different language and how the classes are treated. There is also a lot of different terminology that is used like module instead of class, revise instead of study and so on. It looks like there will be a lot more outside work than there is at MC since most of the classes I've had thus far rely on in-class assignments and some tests, where in the UK it is much more focused on outside study rather than being guided through work like some professors do here. Most of the work seems to be over the course of the semester and the reading and writing that I will be doing will be in preparation for the final exam rather than a specific test throughout the semester. Students are also expected to do more independent study from the list of sources that are given for each class but are not expected to get the books unless absolutely necessary, something that I find interesting and will definitely enjoy doing since I will also be doing my senior study while abroad.
□ CREDITS:
o How many credits are classes normally worth?
Most of the classes in the UK are worth about 20 credits per class, with the understanding that the average student will take about three to four modules a semester and will earn 60 credits in the course of the semester. One of the people I talked to let me know that most people do three modules in a semester but if I am used to doing more work I can probably bump it to four. Since I am hoping to get the rest of my Literature courses out of the way, I expect that this will be at least two of my classes.
o Are credits/workload valued differently in your host country than here?
As noted before, classes are valued at about 20 credits per class with the workload focusing a great deal more on the individualized work rather than on the assignments that are given in class and are much more lecture based.
o Can you find information on how many hours/week each class will meet?
Even though I can't find how many hours a week these classes meet, it seems as though they meet fewer times than they do here, rather than on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule or Tuesday/Thursday it is more of a once-a-week meeting that lasts for almost three hours. It reminds me slightly of the J-Term schedule, but not as focused on the one class.
o How will your credits transfer? (I’m not asking what your courses will substitute for, I’m asking X # of credits at your host institution = X # credits at Maryville College.)
From what I can discern, 20 credits at Plymouth would count as 4 credits at Maryville because of the content.
□ GRADES:
o Are letter grades in host country equivalent to the U.S.?
One of the things that is different at Plymouth is the equivalency of the letter grades. Rather than being on a ten-point or seven-point system like what is typically seen in the US, the UK goes according to a different scale as shown below:
| Scale | U.S. Grade Equiv. |
| 70-100 | A |
| 65-69 | A- |
| 60-64 | B+ |
| 50-59 | B |
| 45-49 | C+ |
| 40-44 | C |
| 0-39 | F |
This will also mean that I will need to be prepared to get a lower point average than I am accustomed to since getting a higher grade is usually unheard of in the UK.
□ SUPPORT:
o What kinds of support services, academic resources, and tutoring available are available at your host institution?
Students are usually assigned a tutor to help them with classes should they need the assistance and while there isn't a support center like what we have on campus, it will be good to have the assistance if necessary.
□ FULL-TIME STATUS:
o How many credits do you have to enroll in to be considered full time at both your home and host institution? (You must be considered full time at both for financial aid and immigration purposes.)
To be considered full time in the UK, students must have at least 60 credits. To be considered full time in the US, students must have at least 12 credit hours. Since my classes will be lining up with the OVS system and my study abroad I will be within my credit hours to be seen as a full time student in both institutions.
o What is the minimum number of courses you have to take to be full-time there and full-time here?
Since classes are typically 20 credits each, in order to be considered full time I will need to take at least three classes abroad, which will count as 12 credits in the US.
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