Автор работы: a**********@bk.ru, 26 Ноября 2011 в 23:10, доклад
Many people get confused by the different terminology but basically the terms Colleges, Universities, Institutes or even School are inter changeable for a degree-granting institution in the United States and colleges and institutes are in no way inferior to universities. Colleges tend to be smaller and usually offer only undergraduate degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees.
Types of US Universities
Many people get confused by the different
terminology but basically the terms Colleges, Universities, Institutes
or even School are inter changeable for a degree-granting institution
in the United States and colleges and institutes are in no way inferior
to universities. Colleges tend to be smaller and usually offer only
undergraduate degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees.
Within each college or university you will find schools, such as the
school of arts and sciences or the school of business. Each school is
responsible for the degree programs offered by the college or university
in that area of study.
There are four major post-high school institutions that offer further
education in the US. They are as follows:
A UNIVERSITY is an institution of higher learning that usually maintains one or more four-year undergraduate programmes leading to a Bachelor's degree in the arts or sciences (BA or BSc). In addition, a university often has graduate programmes leading to Master degrees and Doctorates (Ph.D.'s).
State Universities
State universities are founded and
subsidized by U.S. state governments (eg, Georgia, San Diego, or Michigan)
to provide low-cost education to residents of that state. They may also
be called public universities to distinguish them from private institutions.
State universities tend to be very large, with enrolments of 20,000
or more students, and generally admit a wider range of students than
private universities. State university tuition costs are generally lower
than those of private universities.
Private Universities
Private institutions are funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and gifts from their alumni. Tuition fees tend to be higher at private universities than at state universities, but there is no distinction made between state and non-state residents. Colleges with a religious affiliation and single-sex colleges are private. In general, private universities have enrolments of fewer than 20,000 students, and private colleges may have 2,000 or fewer students on their campuses.
Campus Universities
Most US institutions have centralised campuses that is the hub of student life, where students study, live, work and socialise with one another. Large institutions sometimes have a decentralised or multi-campus system with numerous satellite campuses. In some cases, these satellites will focus on one aspect of study, for example having medical facilities at one location and undergraduate facilities at another. Campuses are made up of administrative offices, residence and dining halls, recreation space, classroom buildings and arts space clustered together. Institutions in rural environments and small towns are frequently very centralised, and in many cases the institution provides the focal point of local life. When discussing possibilities of different institutions it is necessary to consider the type of campus that your child would benefit from and the environment they prefer to live in. Don’t get fixated with the big locations like New York or California. The real offers are with lesser known locations which can provide excellent facilities and quality of Education.
A COLLEGE is again synonymous to "university", an institution of higher learning that offers undergraduate programmes, usually four years in duration, which lead to a BA or BSc.
A COMMUNITY, TECHNICAL OR TWO-YEAR COLLEGE is an institution of higher learning that offers programmes of up to two years duration leading to an Associate's degree in the arts or sciences (AA or AS) or to a technical degree. Credits earned at a community or junior college are usually transferable to a four-year institution. Students on a two-year programme prepare for semi-professional or technical employment. Community and junior colleges usually require a secondary school diploma or its equivalent.
International students often overlook the two-year or community colleges in the US. Community colleges are a great way to study in the US and should be taken into consideration as an option by your child. Entrance requirements are less competitive and admission is available up until the semester begins. Costs are more affordable and the size of classes smaller. Depending on the state, the reputation of some two-year colleges surpasses those of the four-year institutions. The two-year colleges in the US only offer an "Associate's Degree", usually considered to be the first half of a BA or BSc which is what students will get from a four-year institution. Since studying in the US at university level can be very expensive, many students choose to do their first two years of study at a two-year college, and then transfer their credits to a four-year institution for their last two years.
The Standard of Universities in the Intuition consortium
The 120 or so participants in the International Scholarship Consortium are all good accredited Universities. They represent a mixture of State Universities, Colleges and private Universities. To put them into context of the UK system might help. If you categorise the UK Universities into 4 bands: Band A being Oxbridge, B being Russell Group, C the Red Brick and D the old Polytechnics then if you applied a similar criteria to the US Universities then cross section equivalent would place our Universities in Bands B and C. The consortium is not Ivy League and does not set out to be. Securing a scholarship in an Ivy League or even the NESCAC schools like Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury and Williams is incredibly difficulty to do and probably only available to exceptionally high fliers.
Types of Degree in the US
A Liberal arts degree (liberal arts and sciences) is a unique feature of the U.S. higher education system. The American "liberal arts" philosophy requires students to take a variety of courses within their first two years of undergraduate study before concentrating in one academic area. A U.S. undergraduate education is based on providing a well-rounded academic education that develops the student's verbal, written, and reasoning skills. Students at a university with a strong liberal arts program, begin their degree study by taking classes in a wide variety of courses in the arts, humanities, languages, and the social and physical sciences. A "major" is the subject or area of studies in which a student concentrates. Usually undergraduates choose a major after the first two years of general courses in the arts and sciences. They take about 25 to 50 percent of their classes in the major area. Even those who do not follow a liberal arts program and instead plan to major in a specialized subject like engineering are usually required to take about 25 percent of their classes in humanities and social sciences to complement their studies. Similarly, a student who wants to complete a major in history is required to take some classes in mathematics and, possibly, the sciences.
To study Medicine or Law these are post graduate studies only. You can take a Pre Med or Pre law course as an undergraduate degree or a related topic and specialise on a Masters programme.
US University Academic Calendar
The academic year varies slightly for each university or college but normally runs from early September to the end of May. It may be divided into two terms of 18 weeks called semesters. Alternatively, the university may have "quarters" or "trimesters," which are about 12 weeks in length. In addition, universities very often provide six- to eight-week summer terms. These are optional, and students attend if they wish to get through their degree faster, to decrease their course load during the regular terms, or to make up for courses not completed successfully during the regular academic year. There are at least two main holidays during the academic year: a two- to four-week break in the winter (December-January) and a one-week "spring break" sometime between early March and mid-April.
Finance and Funding
Even with a Scholarship there is a financial commitment. One of the most important issues to consider is “What is the Real cost of a US University degree?”
If you do take out a loan from a finance company, always read all the information carefully in the contract and keep in mind that you have to pay everything back to the provider. Look also carefully at the interest rate, which can make the repay amount much bigger. The amount you will receive depends on things like the lengths, level and field of your study.
Why Study for a degree in the US?
It is important to consider the value of a degree from a US University? It begs the question “What have the Romans ever done for us?” Aside from the unequivocal benefits of a better funded University, with facilities most Universities in Britain only dream of, the higher Professor Student ratio, the welfare system, the Sports opportunities, the experience of living overseas and last but not least there are the long term benefits in the job market.
There are two key factors here, one is more pastoral, instilling a self confidence developing a global outlook on life. The other is how do future employers view an American degree. Even if most British employers may not understand what an American degree is worth, they would be impressed by someone who had something different on their CV – it makes you stand out, especially if you were given a scholarship to get there!”
Furthermore, gaining an International Scholarship will make your CV stand out in a crowded job market.
When the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) surveyed 230 major UK recruiters one in six employers specifically indicated completing a full degree overseas made the candidate more employable, whereas one in three employers valued any level of international study experience.
-Moreover, 65% of employers favoured applicants with overseas work experience.
-While studying abroad, students gain not only knowledge of another culture but also transferable skills and a broader worldview.
-Further, international students in the US have the opportunity to gain work experience or complete an internship, whilst or after studying.
-As an international student in the US, you can work 20 hours/week on campus during term time, 40 hours/week during holidays and for up to a year after graduation (on the Optional Practical Training scheme, similar to the UK International Graduates Scheme).
-As of this academic year, students
in the sciences and engineering can work for up to two years.
Academic Costume: Colors Associated With Fields
| Field | Color |
| Agriculture | Maize |
| Arts, Letters, Humanities | White |
| Commerce,
Accountancy, Business |
Drab |
| Dentistry | Lilac |
| Economics | Copper |
| Education | Light blue |
| Engineering | Orange |
| Fine Arts, Architecture | Brown |
| Forestry | Russet |
| Journalism | Crimson |
| Law | Purple |
| Library Science | Lemon |
| Medicine | Green |
| Music | Pink |
| Nursing | Apricot |
| Oratory (Speech) | Silver gray |
| Pharmacy | Olive green |
| Philosophy | Dark blue |
| Physical Education | Sage green |
| Public Admin. including Foreign Service | Peacock blue |
| Public Health | Salmon pink |
| Science | Golden yellow |
| Social Work | Citron |
| Theology | Scarlet |
| Veterinary Science | Gray |