Higher School

After getting a high school education practically anybody can go to a college or a university. This educational period is called higher school where students get their post-secondary education. There are over three thousands colleges and universities in the United States, all with different entrance requirements, tuition fees, and course specialties. They also come with different sizes, from the large state universities having ten thousands of students, to smaller private colleges with fewer than one thousand students.

The American higher educational institutions may be supported by state funding, private organizations or religious denominations. Each institution is headed by a President or a Chancellor and is usually controlled by a governing board of trustees or regents.

The first two years of a university or a college program are devoted to general subjects when students traditionally have many courses including introductory courses for more specialized disciplines. During the final two years students study specialized subject concentrating most of their courses in it. This field of concentration is called a major. Some students can study minor courses – second subjects which may be not related to their major. To earn a degree in a subject, a Bachelor degree or a Master degree, a student must complete a certain number of required and elective courses (major and minors), measured in credits, units or points. For example, the typical requirements for a master’s degree include 32 or 36 credits of graduate courses including a minimum of 20 credits in the major field of study, writing a thesis (dissertation work), and passing examinations in all required courses.

Exercises.

Look through the following scheme. It illustrates the educational system of the USA. Describe the American system of education using this scheme.