Educational institutions in the United States reflect the nation's basic values especially the ideal of equality of opportunity. From elementary school through college, Americans believe that everyone deserves an equal opportunityto get a good education. American view their public school system as an educational ladder, rising from elementary school to high school and finally college undergraduate and graduate programs.
Higher education in the USA is the most extensive and versatile system of postschool education in the world. Now a total of over 10 mln students study at almost 3400 american colleges and universities. All of them are quite unique and their specific features are caused first of all by structural differences as for their sizes, functions, training programmes, financing and administrative bodies. There are two main types of higher education: state (or public) and private. The main difference between the two is a financial one.
There are considerable differences in the quality of the teaching provided in institutions of higher education. This is to a large degree corrected by several non-governmental regulating organizations.
In a rather general and schematic way, it is possible to classify institutions of higher education in the United States of America into four main categories:
1. Technical institutions and "seal-professional" schools offering two-year or three-year courses, leading to an "associate" qualification and preparing students for employment in semiprofessional occupations such as medical, dental and engineering technician or skilled employees for commerce, accountancy nursing etc. Programmes resemble those of junior colleges.
2. Junior colleges or community colleges which provide two-year courses which may lead to studies in the two categories below.
3. Liberal arts colleges states colleges and independent professional institutions awarding the first degree (bachelor's degree) and sometimes the master's degree and the doctorate. Independent professional institutions include teacher-training colleges, institutes of technology (providing short courses in category I) schools of theology, art, etc.
4. Universities, which may award the highest degree (doctor's degree). In most of large universities students can study all subjects, from humanities to applied sciences. Within a university, colleges provide undergraduate courses leading to the first university degree and graduate schools provide courses leading to higher (postgraduate) degrees. It should be noted, however, that the
various programmes offered by different types of institutions often overlap considerably. A university, for instance, usually comprises institutions of professional education as well as offers courses similar to those of a technical institution.
The highest body of a college or university is traditionally the board of trustees (or board of regents, or board of directors), whose members come from outside the institution and belong to industry or the world of finance etc. The president, elected by the board of trustees is responsible for the administrative
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running of the institution. His powers are considerable, especially regarding financial natters and the appointment of academic staff.
Access to higher education is based on the high-school diploma (primary and secondary school-leaving certificate) awarded around 18 years of age, after 12 years of primary and secondary studies. Adults who have not completed work for a traditional high-school diploma may earn a high-school equivalency certificate or diploma by means of the " tests of general education development " (GED). Many institutions of higher education select candidates either on results in the high-school diploma or through an entrance examination.
Institutions of technical and semi-professional education award after two or three years a certificate or associate degree (vocational diploma). Studies leading to the same qualification may be undertaken in junior colleges and community colleges.
In universities and colleges the first two-year phase (freshman year and sophomore year) almost always consists of broadly-based studies in humanities social sciences, applied and natural sciences, fine arts. This phase is aimed at providing general education and preparing for more specialized studies. It represents the first half of the first stage of studies and nay be given in arts and science Junior colleges, state colleges and universities. It is a prerequisite to more specialized studies.
The first main stage of students, however, may only be provided by universities, state colleges, liberal arts colleges, teacher's colleges and institutes of technology. It is devoted to more specialized studies and culminates in the bachelor's degree, which is the first university degree.
In colleges four-year courses in technology train higher technicians.
The second stage of higher education leads, after one or more often, two years study in a university or in some colleges to the master's degree. Candidates usually have to submit a thesis.
The third stage of higher education is reached after two or three years
study in a university or college either in faculties providing traditional teaching (arts, law, science, etc.) or in specialized schools of engineering, agriculture, architecture, economy, veterinary medicine, etc. This culminates in the doctor's degree, which is the highest university degree. There are two types of doctor's degree: the professional doctor's degree, awarded in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, etc., which la a professional qualification, and the research doctor's degree, or degree of doctor of philosophy (PhD), awarded after specialized research leading to a thesis, the level of which varies greatly according to the institution. Candidates for the degree of doctor of philosophy usually have to take an examination as well.
In several subjects, but usually in the scientific ones, postdoctoral studies of one or three years' duration enable holders of degree of doctor of philosophy to acquire further specialized knowledge in their field.
Notes and words
1. ladder -
2. feature - ,
3. non-governmental regulating organizations -
4. "semi-professional" schools - ( )
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5. "associate" qualification -
6. to prepare for employment -
7. dental -
8. skilled employee -
9. accountancy - ()
10. nursing -
11. to resemble - ,
12. junior college -
13. liberal arts college -
14. programs... often overlap -
15. board of trustees (board of regents, board of directors) - ( , )
16. administrative running -
17. especially regarding financial matters -
18. 18. appointment of academic staff -
19. adult -
20. test of general educational development (GED) -
21. associate degree - ,
22. vocational diploma -
23. freshmen - ( )
24. sophomore- ( )
25. humanities -
26. applied sciences -
27. natural sciences -
28. fine arts -
29. to be aimed at -
30. prerequisite -
31. higher technician -
32. to submit thesis -
33. professional doctor's degree - , ,
34. research doctor's degree (degree of doctor of philosophy
35. (PhD) - , ,
