Schools in England

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I need your help for the next installment of Assassin. One of the characters is from England I need to know at what age a person would graduate from university with a degree in geology. Thanks for your help, Arecee

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University

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NEVER 'school' here. You have choices here. A schoolchild does compulsory schooling till 16, when they take their GCSE exams. There then typically follow two years in the sixth form, either as part of the school or in a separate sixth form college,where thay take (in England and Wales, the Scots are different) their A(advanced) levels. They then go through the centralised admissions system to get a place. Cue a couple of visits to the Unis, possibly interviews, then an offer based on achieving a certan number and grade of A-levels.

At this point they are 18. A typical BSc undergraduate course will take three years, so that makes them 21 when they finish. There are two complications: some courses offer practical training or feldwork to go with the academic side,and this can take place in a 'sandwich course' which makes it a four year degree. So, 22.
There is also the phenomenon of the 'gap year' where the little darlings go backpacking for a year between finishing A-levels and starting college. So add a year.

Ah, Gap years

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A relatively new invention - at least to me. I'm enjoying a gap retirement of indeterminate length (15 years and counting) :)

Cyclist's spot on with the timing unless the geologist started Uni as a mature student then it could be any age. The major engineering company I worked for wouldn't sponsor undergrads on 4 year courses so most would be qualified at either 21 or 22 and then enter a 2 year or so flexible graduate training programme. I would expect that to be typical, so a fully trained engineer would be 23/24. Know nothing about geology but I wouldn't be surprised if similar timings applied.

Robi

A tease for Assassin

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The school issue has more to do with age than how long it takes to get a degree. Ashley is going to meet a young man on a plane to Angola who is returning from London after a short vacation. I want him to have worked in Angola for a year and be young enough for Ashley to find a romantic interest. This being the case, he would have entered university after sixth form and graduated three or four years later, making him around twenty-four when he meets Ashley. I just want my ducks in a row, Arecee

Degrees

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Most courses run 3 - 5 years so I'd go along with age 22 to be in the safe side. And you are quite correct in your terminology; 'graduate from university'. This will be a B.Sc (Batchelor of Science) for geology. Next step up is a post-graduate (post-grad) course, leading to a Masters (M.Sc). This can be completed in 2 years, making a M.Sc about 24/25. A doctorate (PhD) takes longer (sometimes many years).

Degrees are awarded based on the average mark that the students have achieved.

- First-Class Honours ('a First') is awarded to the highest level of academic achievement; more than one student may be awarded 'a First'
- Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1)
- Lower Second-Class Honours (2:2)
- Third-Class Honours (3rd)
- Ordinary-Degree (Pass)

Having been forced into the job market at 16, I didn't get to uni so I apologise in advance for any mistakes in the above.

S.

Thanks all

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for taking time to answer. As long as he's around twenty-four I can make it work, Arecee

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