US Education System

The US education system is well known for its flexibility and academic excellence. Best university life and a wide choice of degree programs lead individuals to fantastic global careers. The academic year usually lasts nine months. Most universities use a ‘semester’ system that divides the year into two equal parts separated by a long summer break and a short winter break. The United States would seem to provide the best structure for a university system. Also, it combines a wide array of elite and research universities with a large range of good quality top-ranked universities (mostly operated by the States), a plethora of specialized colleges and institutes, and a high number of accessible low-level community colleges (also operated mostly by the States).

US Education System Structure:

Grading System:

Types of Higher Education Institutions:

Public University:

These universities are state-funded institutions and are usually large in size. Foreign students pay out-of-state tuition, which is usually higher than that paid by in-state residents. However, tuition fees at public universities are generally less expensive than private universities.

Private University:

These universities are maintained by tuition fees and private donations. They typically have a smaller student body, close-knit campus community and are more expensive to attend. However, private universities often have better campus facilities and more funding set aside for international students, especially need-based scholarships.

State University:

State universities in USA are part of a State University System which means a single legal entity and administration, but it may also consist of several institutions, each with its own identity as a university.

Liberal Arts College:

Liberal Arts colleges in USA  are the Arts Colleges which largely pertain to Education based on the Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Students get an opportunity to specialize multifarious skills that prove to be an asset at every step of life or in any profession.

Types of Degree:

Associate’s Degree:

Associate’s degree programmes are offered by two-year colleges or four-year colleges or universities and require 2 years to complete. Most community colleges have an open doors admissions policy, but specific programmes (technical specializations, nursing and most transfer programs) often involve some sort of selection procedure. In general, there are two types of programmes leading to the associate’s degree: 

1. predominantly vocationally-oriented programmes that prepare students for immediate employment at a level comparable to that of an MBO diploma.
2. transfer programmes, which can be vocational or general in nature, but contain enough liberal arts subjects (such as English, science, social sciences, etc.) to allow students to transfer to the third year of a bachelor’s programme after obtaining their associate’s degree.

Bachelor’s Degree:

Bachelor’s degrees are awarded by a four-year college or university at the end of an undergraduate programme lasting 4 years, and usually expressed in a minimum number of credits. Most of all the study programme consists of general subjects (liberal arts, Engineering, Business Administration etc.) and electives, a major and sometimes a minor. There is usually a progression from a broad base towards increased specialization, although 4 years of courses are not uncommon. At some institutions, fourth-year students must take research methodology and complete a research project or bachelor’s thesis.

Master’s Degree:

All courses taken after a bachelor’s degree are provided at a graduate school, usually (but not always) at a university. Individual departments determine admissions to graduate programmes. All candidates must have a bachelor’s degree, and there are also some additional requirements, depending on the selectivity of the institution and/or the specialization. These additional requirements can relate to the GPA, prerequisite subjects, entrance examinations, knowledge of a second language, etc. A master’s programme can take between 1 and 3 years, depending on the specialization and the number of credits required.

PhD / Doctorate Degree:

Doctorate degree programs, also known as Ph.D. programs, are the highest level of degree program available. And to get admission into a Doctorate degree program, the individual must holds a master’s degree certificate. Completing a PhD program usually takes 3 to 6 years. It involves the completion of a dissertation and a major research project. Medical-related doctoral programs may have student’s complete hands-on clinical hours with real patients during the final years of the program.