What Is A Sandwich Course In The UK: Work & Experience

The sandwich course in the UK is a study program in which you work for 9 months to a year before returning to the courses for the rest of the program. These courses are significantly larger than a conventional degree, but the advantage is that universities usually provide you with a job and this work experience is very valuable when you finish and start looking for a job.

What is a sandwich course and why is it different from a full time course?

Students wishing to complete their degree without obtaining professional experience must be enrolled in a full-time program. Many universities in the UK have implemented mandatory placements for specific courses.

While there may be opportunities to do an internship in a conventional course, it is usually only for up to 12 weeks. This is another difference between a full-time course and a sandwich course in the UK. It takes work for at least 9 months, if not a year, for a sandwich degree.

Suggested reading: Frequently asked questions about the UK education system

Advantages and disadvantages of a sandwich course in the UK

Here are the benefits:

In a difficult job market, you need to take full advantage of it. Industry experience will help you stand out from the crowd of other college graduates looking for the same position.

You may not need to apply for entry-level employment if you have one year of industry experience.

Employers are always on the lookout for training credentials as well as industry experience.

There is also a chance that the placement company you worked with will offer you a full-time job.

Check it out: Scholarships covering living expenses in the UK

Here are the disadvantages:

One of the disadvantages of sandwich programs in the UK is that you have to apply for a placement while studying. The whole process can take months and you remember that you are studying while applying and attending various levels of interviews.

Before accepting an offer, ask about the level of help the foundation offers to find work. It is also important to have a variety of positions.

Make sure you understand how the industrial year is evaluated so that you can prepare.

Make sure that interrupting your training from an industrial year is not an unwanted interruption.

The two different types of sandwich programs in the UK

In the United Kingdom, not all sandwich courses are equally represented. They could be “thick” or “thin” in nature. A four-year degree usually includes a thick sandwich course. The first two years are spent studying, followed by one year of placement in the third year.

You can work in the EU while finishing your final year of study at a sister university there. This is the Erasmus program, which is administered by the British Council in the United Kingdom. Erasmus is the European Community Action Plan for the mobility of university students as a whole.

Recommended Read: What is the cost of studying in the UK?

On the other hand, the three-year curriculum is the “Thin” Sandwich Course. The job in this type of sandwich degree is divided into two halves, with 6 months of practical experience in the first year and another 6 months in the last year.

Universities doing sandwich courses in the UK

Staffordshire University

Course: Mechanical Engineer (BEng and MEng)

Course duration: 4 years full time

Year of installation: 1 year

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Metropolitan University of Manchester

Course: Banking and Finance (BSC Hons)