What doesn't kill you, make you stronger.

當家人問起這邊的學生生活還真是難以解釋，還是直接寫篇「報告」比較簡單。
（今天又開始繼續喝咖啡了）

* It’s welcome to correct my English )

I just found it’s very difficult to explain the education system in British to my parents. So, i decided to write a short article for them.
( Although the cafe here is ______, i start to drink again to make my life in order. )

英國教育的特色是很短，很緊。大學三年，碩士一年。也就是說如果到英國拼學士跟碩士的時間，等於台灣學士的時間。英國學士我不懂，講講目前碩士的感覺好了。

As it seems to me, the feature of British education system is short and tight: three years for the bachelor degree; 1 year for master. However, In Taiwan, it cost 4 years for the bachelor degree. Since I know nothing about the bachelor in British, I’ll only focus on the master.

碩士分成三個階段：PGC, PGD, MA，每過一個階段，可以拿到對應的證書。所以如果中途因為工作需要離開學校，之後可以根據階段證書銜接之前的教育。

There are three phases in British master: PGC, PGD, and MA. The student will be given a diploma once he/she passes a phase. In other words, if someone needs to stop his/her education due to work commitment, it’s easier to go back and connect their previous education by the diploma.

這邊對於碩士的期待就是以研究為主，不太有所謂的必修課程，所有的課程都是為了幫助你做出你的研究。進學校前就要給研究計畫，碩士的第一個階段 (PGC) 是以修正自己的研究計畫為主，必須要能說服教授這個研究題目的價值（對於目前相關研究的了解，自己的突破，特殊的切入點）。

I think master here is research-oriented which means merely compulsory courses. The purpose of courses is to make students achieve their research goal. Students are required to hand in their research proposal while applying the offer. Revising the research proposal is also the major task in PGC phase. Students are required to convince his/her supervisor the value of his/her research topic in terms of the understanding of researching field, and difference from current research.

PGC 目前固定課表只有一週一堂的設計所共同課程和一個固定討論研究進度的四人會議。共同課程講的是研究方法，以及設計與哲學、社會學、心理學的關聯，老師也不會強迫你去上課，但是你會非常期待，因為正式的課程實在太少了。四人會議就是指導教授的 meeting，也就是這邊碩士的重心。碩士生被期待可以安排自己的進度，如果需要什麼課程就跟教授開就是了，如果教授願意就會找合適的人開個短期 workshop。workshop 又是那種名額限定的課程，想要就要常看信箱，半公開的課程就看緣份了（在無知的狀況下以錯過一場人體素描的課程）。

In PGC phase, there are only 2 weekly schedule in my timetable. The first thing is a generic lecture for art & design master students which introduces the research method in design, and the relationshop between design, philosophy, sociology, and psychology. I always look forward to this course since this is my only compulsory lecture. The other thing is individual meeting to report your weekly progress. Master students are required to arrange their schedule. If they need any course, they need to inform their supervisor. If the supervisor is happy with the need, he/she will find someone to hold a short term workshop, which is first-come-first-serve, i.e., it’s better to check student email frequently to avoid missing any important workshop. (I just missed a naked people drawing without any notification…)

簡而言之這邊有另外一種壓力，並不像台灣教育有隻無形的手推著你前進。一切都是自己負責。

In a nutshell, the major difference between education in British and in Taiwan is studentes in British are required to be responsible for themselves.