External degree
Encyclopedia
An external degree is a degree
offered by a university to students who have not been required to be physically present within the geographic territory of the institution. These undergraduates may be called external students and may study at classes unconnected with the university, or independently, or by distance learning. They may obtain the degree by passing examinations once they have reached the required standard, or by having successfully completed a programme put together from various courses or modules.
In 1858 the University of London
became the first English university to offer external degrees, holding exams open to people in other cities, or to London students who had attended evening classes. In various UK towns university college
s were established, where students could study towards a London external degree. The colleges were among the "approved centres" for London's exams. Soon centres overseas were approved, starting with one in Mauritius in 1865.
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
offered by a university to students who have not been required to be physically present within the geographic territory of the institution. These undergraduates may be called external students and may study at classes unconnected with the university, or independently, or by distance learning. They may obtain the degree by passing examinations once they have reached the required standard, or by having successfully completed a programme put together from various courses or modules.
In 1858 the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
became the first English university to offer external degrees, holding exams open to people in other cities, or to London students who had attended evening classes. In various UK towns university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
s were established, where students could study towards a London external degree. The colleges were among the "approved centres" for London's exams. Soon centres overseas were approved, starting with one in Mauritius in 1865.