Higher Education in the USA

Higher Education in Great Britain

There are around 100 universities in Great Britain. Some are very old. Oxford and Cambridge were founded in the 12-th and 13-th centuries and are among the oldest universities in Europe. Higher education began to expand in the 19-th century.

In England, before going to university, 16-year-olds have to study for 2 more years at school and take A-level exams. Until a few years ago, most studied three subjects. Often, they specialized quite narrowly. For example, a student wishing to study science or engineering at university would study maths, physics and chemistry or biology. A student wishing to study a humanities subject might study English, History and a foreign language. Over the last few years the A-level system has been changed, and is still changing, and students now often study 5 subjects, but not in such depth. In Scotland, students who want to go to University, study for one or two more years, and they usually study 5 subjects and take exams called ‘Highers’.

Nearly 50 % of 18 year - olds now go to higher education in Great Britain. In England many students go to a university in a different city or part of the country from where their families live. In Scotland, most go to a university near their home.

Most universities in Great Britain teach a wide range of subjects - science and engineering, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, law, accountancy, and some have medical schools. The first degree in England is called a Bachelor’s degree (BA or BSc), and usually takes 3 years. Students usually study only one or two subjects in great detail for 3 years. English universities are unusual in Europe for offering such specialized degrees. The reason is because to qualify for university, students have to show that they have passed exams in a broad range of subjects and so are prepared to specialize.

In Scotland, the first degree is called either an MA or a BA.
Students in Scotland usually study for 4 years for their degree, and university education is broader than in England. Most Scottish universities require their students to study 3 or 4 subjects in their 1st year before specializing in 1 or 2.

Funding

Although universities get most of their funding from the state, higher education is not free. Since 1999, Scottish students do not pay fees each year, but after they have graduated and when their incomes reach a certain level, they start to pay a special tax to pay for their education. Last year in England the government introduced a new system. Fees have been increased to £3000 a year, but students will pay them only after they have graduated in a tax like in Scotland.
Big debates over whether fees and taxes are discouraging students from poorer families from going to university. Government is insisting that universities use some of the money they earn in fees to offer grants to students from poorer families.

Higher Education in the USA

American colleges and universities are either public or private, that is supported by public funds or supported privately. Of the nation’s nearly 1900 institutions of higher learning one-third are state institutions.

Higher education in the USA can be divided into two broad fields: liberal arts and professional. Less than half are liberal art colleges and universities that stress the languages, history, science and philosophy. The rest are professional and technological schools.

A college is an institution of higher education which offers a course of instruction over a four year period and which grants a bachelor’s degree at the conclusion of studies. The first two years at college continue the general education and specialization begins in the third year. A student who majors in business administration can be fully prepared for a career in business when he has finished college. But a student majoring in psychology often must do a great deal of graduate work before he is competent in this field.

Students are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. A freshmen is a first year student, a sophomore, a second year student, a junior, a third year student and a senior, a fourth year student. All students who have graduated from the senior class and who continue studying at a university are classified as advanced students or graduate students. Many colleges require all freshmen and sophomores to take one or two full year courses.

The executive head of a college or a university is usually called the president. The various colleges or schools which take up a university are headed by deans.

Professional education in fields such agriculture, dentistry, law, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, teaching is given in professional schools which may be part of university or may be separate institutions. Often two, three or four years of pre-professional liberal arts education are required before admission to a professional school. Three to five years of specialized training lead to professional degrees such as Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor of Law, etc.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1335