By Maria Victoria Hernandez Jurado, MSc Human Resource Management with CIPD pathway
Every country has a different education system, and it can be difficult for international students to understand and adapt to a new system. I’m from Peru, and I’ve found the system here very different! In this blog, I will describe some points that I found different from my home country, and explain what helped me to familiarise myself with the British education system. You can try these things if you come to Sheffield or you are struggling with it. I consider the UK’s system to be quite good; in my experience, it motivates students to work on weaknesses.
1. Grading Systems
Honestly, this was a shock for me. In my country in South America, we normally use grades of 0-20, and in the UK, 50-59 are the lowest passing grades for PGT students and from 70+ start the highest marks. In the beginning, I did not understand it very well, but with time and research, I understood it clearly. I recommend you to become familiar with this before you join.
2. Intro week
The first week of your university experience in the UK is known as ‘Intro week’, where you register at the university and settle in. I attended some workshops related to how to make the most of my experience at the university, which recommended taking part in extracurricular activities or social societies. The University of Sheffield has the best Students’ Union in the UK, and actually, it is. You can meet many people by taking part in these extracurricular activities, and also they are good to put on your CV if you want to find a job after your studies.
3. Critical thinking
This has been a major challenge for me up to now. In my BA, my assignments were more descriptive than critical, and at a masters level the critical aspect is deeper. However, the university can support you in this. The 301 Study Skills centre offers some workshops and personal consultations, which can help you develop loads of skills including critical thinking, as well as others such as revision and essay writing. I am attending some workshops and trying my best to improve.
4. Constant communication with fellow students and teachers
The only way I could understand this system much be
tter is by talking with other students. It was challenging whilst in online learning, but I knew that this would be essential. Another key is communication with academics. Most of them are very kind, reply to an email quickly, and are willing to support you. I remember a module in which I did not know what a term meant, and the teacher quickly calmed me with a good explanation about it.
5. Organisation
The huge tasks that are required when studying for a Masters are incredible; I consider that I need more hours to read and prepare for my tutorials than I actually need to spend in the tutorial. Being organised can lead to have good concentration and your assignments always being on time.
Finally, adaptation to a new education system needs time, patience, and effort, especially in being a critical thinker! But, these are all skills that will be valuable for the future. I hope that this blog helps!