I've experienced both styles (studied abroad from the US to the UK) and the final exam counting as everything in the course tended to encourage cramming and a l

I've experienced both styles (studied abroad from the US to the UK) and the final exam counting as everything in the course tended to encourage cramming and a lack of learning during the rest of the course. Learning happens well when you are able to revisit and review content over time (see Anki repetition patterns). Most people need some structure to help them with this! Some people do not, and for those people they will be annoyed but will still learn the material over time! So this is sort of a lowest-common-denominator situation I think.