Short courses for those looking to fast track their careers
Those thinking of studying overseas have probably already pictured themselves sitting inside a historical library or modern laboratory and conducting group work with classmates from around the world. This is a pretty accurate depiction. The UK plays host to 500,000 foreign students at any one time and offers some of the highest levels of further education in the world.
Short course in the UK: the options and possibilities
Summer Courses
In general, courses last from 3 – 8 weeks, with dozens of programmes in design, media, English and many other subjects. They are a great alternative for people wanting to test drive an academic discipline before committing to an area of study at university, or even for people looking to learn English whilst studying an subject of interest. Remember: Brazilians do not require a visa for courses shorter than 6 months in duration.
English at a university
If you want to improve your English, there are various educational institutions in the UK that offer excellent courses, including universities themselves. Studying an English immersion course on a university campus allows you to marry academic excellence with the authentic experience of student life in the UK. You can even choose an area-specific English course, such as English for law, healthcare or marketing. Or you could opt for an English language programme geared towards international certification, such as the IELTS examination, which is often required for undergraduate or postgraduate study overseas.
Master’s Degree or MBA in one year
Invest in the Master’s degree or MBA if you want to fast track your career: the course only lasts a year, which includes the time dedicated to the final thesis. Other types of higher education courses in the UK are typically shorter than their Brazilian counterparts, such as an undergraduate degree or PhD (both 3 years in England). This presents great value for money: first-class education in a shorter time period, meaning you can minimise the costs of living abroad.
UK programs, in general, are extremely flexible. For example, if you opt to study a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, you can—as part of the same academic programme—sit a Neuromarketing module. Or, indeed, if you are interested in more than one subject area, you can blend subjects, such as English Literature and Psychology.
