Two year degrees to help student debt

Higher education minister Bill Rammell yesterday announced his initiatives to help the government reach its target of 50 per cent in higher education.

By introducing a credit system similar to those used in the American higher education situation Mr Rammell hopes to improve the flexibility of how and when students can benefit from higher education study.

“Getting more people into higher education is both a social and economic imperative as the international competition looms large,” Mr Rammell told the Times.

“I believe that two-year degree courses would encourage those who would not usually feel able to take three years out of their lives to study to see that a degree may be possible for them.”

The two-year courses would continue over the summer holidays and would be complimented by pilot schemes promoting online courses and degrees taken while at work.

Education sector organisations like the National Union of Students (NUT) have criticised the proposals, suggesting that intensive two-year courses would prevent students from taking part-time jobs to help them pay for the cost.