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| UNITED
STATES : OVERVIEW |
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STUDY IN USA
Applying to an Institution in the United States is never
a one-time request for admission, but an ongoing process
that may involve several exchanges of information between
the applicant and the institution. The number of state
universities, private institutions and community colleges
offering a variety of courses is as large as 4,000. In
addition, there is a tremendous variety in the numerous
fields of education, like engineering, computer science,
medicine, business management, biological sciences, economics,
etc. Most of these universities or institutions and colleges
hire excellent faculty of international repute. Although
education in the United States is expensive, there is
no dearth of financial assistance offered to the students,
based on need as well on merit. Most of the universities
offer scholarships or tuition-waivers to international
students, which are essentially merit-based. Research
and Teaching assistantships are also offered to a large
number of students from the Professors whose research
interests are closely aligned with theirs.
Following are the reasons which together contribute towards
making higher education in the United States extremely
popular:
Quality :
U.S. colleges are known worldwide for the quality of their
facilities, resources, and faculty. Accreditation systems
ensure that institutions continue to maintain these standards.
Choice :
The U.S. education system features many types of institutions,
academic and social environments, entry requirements,
degree programs, and subjects in which you can specialize.
Value :
A U.S. degree offers excellent value for the money. A
wide range of tuition fees and living costs, plus some
financial help from colleges, make study in the United
States affordable for hundreds of thousands of international
students each year.
Flexibility :
U.S. universities and colleges offer flexibility in choice
of courses, but more importantly there is also the option
for students to move from institution to another. Completing
the first two years of a degree at one institution, usually
a community college, and then moving to another, is very
common.
Universities
U.S. Universities fall under two main categories: PUBLIC
(State supported) and PRIVATE (independent) Institutions.
Each American University is unique in terms of tradition,
missions, and groups from whom it draws students and support.
State Universities are partially supported and indirectly
controlled by their respective state government and combine
aspirations for academic distinction with a mandate to
serve the citizens of their state. Private Universities
tend to be more selective in their offerings, preferring
to strive for higher quality rather than to reach large
numbers.
Community Colleges are usually small in size and their
student’s intake is also limited. Most offer only
undergraduate courses and their fees are usually high.
Colleges, Universities, and Institutes: The Distinction
Degree-granting institutions in the United States can
be called by any of these terms, and colleges and institutes
are in no way inferior to universities. As a general rule,
colleges tend to be smaller and usually offer only undergraduate
degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees.
An institute usually specializes in degree programs in
a group of closely related subject areas, so you will
also come across degree programs offered at institutes
of technology, institutes of fashion, institutes of art
and design, and so on.
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.
State Universities
State universities are founded and subsidized by U.S.
state governments (for example, California, Michigan,
or Texas) to provide low-cost education to residents of
that state. They may also be called public universities
to distinguish them from private institutions. Some include
the words "state university" in their title
or include a regional element such as "eastern"
or "northern." State universities tend to be
very large, with enrollments 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. Also, in-state
residents (those who live and pay taxes in that particular
state) pay much lower tuition than out-of-state residents.
International students, as well as those from other states,
are considered out-of-state residents and therefore do
not benefit from reduced tuition at state institutions.
In addition, international students may have to fulfill
higher admission requirements than in-state residents.
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 enrollments of fewer
than 20,000 students, and private colleges may have 2,000
or fewer students on their campuses.
Community Colleges
Community colleges provide two-year associate degree programs,
usually called the associate of arts (A.A.) or associate
of science (A.S.) degrees, as well as excellent technical
and vocational programs. As the name suggests, community
colleges are community-based institutions with close links
to secondary schools, community groups, and employers,
and many U.S. students live close to campus with their
families. Community colleges can be public or private
institutions and are sometimes called junior colleges
or two-year colleges. A growing number of international
students are choosing to study at community colleges.
Tuition costs are often lower at two-year than at four-year
institutions, and many have agreements to allow students
on transfer programs to move easily into the third year
of a bachelor's degree at the local state university.
Technical and Vocational Colleges
These institutions specialize in preparing students for
entry into, or promotion within, the world of work. They
offer certificate and other short-term programs that train
students in the theory behind a specific vocation or technology,
as well as in how to work with the technology. Programs
usually last two years or less. There are several thousand
technical and vocational colleges across the United States,
and they may be private or public institutions.
Undergraduate Degree
Undergraduate study in the U.S. is a 4-year program and
students who have completed 12 years of education under
the 10+2 system are eligible for admission to the same.
Bachelors and Associate Degrees
The bachelor's degree typically takes four years to complete.
The associate degree usually takes two years to complete.
Associate degree programs may be "terminal"
programs, which lead into specific careers upon graduation,
or "transfer" programs, which correspond to
the first two years of a bachelor's degree and tend to
be more liberal arts based. Under the latter option one
could then transfer into the third year of a four-year
bachelor's degree program. Associate degree programs are
offered at two-year colleges known as junior or community
colleges. Four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor's
degree programs, with a small number also offering associate
degree programs.
The U.S. Bachelor's Degree
One of the most attractive features of the bachelor's
degree program in the United States is that it is highly
flexible. You can usually choose from a wide variety of
courses and create your own unique program of study. The
degree is awarded after you complete a specified number
of credits, which are usually completed in four years
of full-time study. The first year is called the freshman
year; the second is called sophomore; the third, junior;
and the fourth, senior. You may read that students in
the United States often take longer than four years to
complete their degrees. This may be because they change
majors and need to accumulate enough credits in the new
major field to earn the degree. Or it may be because they
take less than a full-time course load per term for academic,
personal, or financial reasons. International students,
however, cannot study part-time and must maintain full-time
status
Academic Calendar for Undergraduates Degree Courses
The academic year is slightly different for each institution,
but normally runs from early September to the end of May.
It may either be divided into two terms of 18 weeks called
semesters, or "quarters" or "trimesters,"
which are about 12 weeks long. Universities very often
provide six- to eight-week summer terms. These are optional,
and students attend if they wish to complete their degree
faster, decrease their course load during the regular
terms, or 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" some time between early March
and mid-April.
The Credit System
Students at American universities complete their degrees
when they have accumulated a certain number of "credits."
It usually takes somewhere between 130 and 180 credits
to graduate. Sometimes the terms "semester/quarter
hours" or "units" are used instead of credits.
Each individual course you take earns a specified number
(usually three or four) of credits/hours/units. Your academic
adviser will help you plan your course schedule for the
academic year.
Graduate degree
The graduate degrees in India like the Bachelor of Science
i.e. B.Sc. is termed as undergraduate degrees in the U.S.A.
The postgraduate degrees like Master of Science i.e. M.Sc.
are called the graduate degrees. Only Ph.D. and D.Sc.
are called as postgraduate degrees in the United States
of America. Thus the nomenclature of degrees awarded in
India differs from that awarded by the American institutions
and colleges. A graduate program in the United States
can be completed in 2 years i.e. 4 semesters, with a project
to be completed in the final semester. Students in India
who have completed minimum 16 years of education i.e.
a Bachelor’s degree plus a Master’s degree
are eligible to apply for the same. Students who have
completed a 4-year bachelor’s degree course like
B.E., B.Tech. Etc. does not need a master’s degree.
Very bright students inclined towards research can be
considered for the Ph.D. program directly. Students who
have completed their master’s degree from an American
university can get admission to a doctoral degree.
The two graduate degrees offered in the United States
are the master's degree and the doctoral degree; both
involve a combination of research and coursework. Graduate
education differs from undergraduate education in that
it offers a greater depth of training, with increased
specialization and intensity of instruction. Study and
learning are more self-directed at the graduate level
than at the undergraduate level. Depending on the subject,
courses may be quite formal, consisting primarily of lecture
presentations by faculty members, or they may be relatively
informal, placing emphasis on discussion and exchange
of ideas among faculty and students. Seminars involve
smaller groups of students than lecture courses, and students
may be required to make presentations as well as participate
in discussions. Class participation, research papers,
and examinations are all important.
Degree requirements are stated in terms of "credits"
(sometimes called "units" or "hours"),
and each course usually earns three or four credits, generally
reflecting the number of hours spent in the classroom
and the amount of other work involved. A student will
usually accumulate up to 48 credits per academic year
if the university operates on a traditional two-semester
system.
Master's Degrees
The master's degree is designed to provide additional
education or training in the student's specialized branch
of knowledge, well beyond the level of baccalaureate study.
Master's degrees are offered in many different fields,
and there are two main types of programs: academic and
professional.
Academic Master's
The Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Science (M.S.)
degrees are usually awarded in the traditional arts, sciences,
and humanities disciplines. The M.S. is also awarded in
technical fields such as engineering and agriculture.
Original research, research methodology, and field investigation
are emphasized. These programs usually require the completion
of between 30 and 60 credit hours and could reasonably
be completed in one or two academic years of full-time
study. They may lead directly to the doctoral level.
Many masters’ programs offer a thesis and a non-thesis
option. The degree is the same in both cases, but the
academic requirements are slightly different. Students
in non-thesis programs usually take more coursework in
place of researching and writing a thesis, and they take
a written comprehensive examination after all coursework
is completed. Students in degree programs that include
a thesis component generally take a comprehensive examination
that is an oral exam covering both coursework and their
thesis.
Professional Master's
These degree programs are designed to lead the student
from the first degree to a particular profession. Professional
master's degrees are most often "terminal" master's
programs, meaning that they do not lead to doctoral programs.
Such master's degrees are often designated by specific
descriptive titles, such as master of business administration
(M.B.A.), master of social work (M.S.W.), master of education
(M.Ed.), or master of fine arts (M.F.A.). Other subjects
of professional master's programs include journalism,
international relations, architecture, urban planning,
public administration (M.P.A.), and public policy (M.P.P.).
Professional degree programs usually require completion
of between 36 and 48 units (one to two years of full-time
study), and usually do not offer a thesis option. They
do not always require that the bachelor's degree be in
a specific field, but they may recommend a certain amount
of prior study or coursework in a terminal master's degree
to students who complete a certain level of coursework
but do not go the subject area.
Doctoral Degrees
The doctoral degree is designed to train research scholars
and, in many cases, future college and university faculty
members. Receipt of a doctoral degree certifies that the
student has demonstrated capacity as a trained research
scholar in a specific discipline.
At the doctoral level, the Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy)
is the most common degree awarded in academic disciplines.
Other doctoral degrees are awarded primarily in professional
fields, such as education (Ed.D. or doctor of education)
and business administration (D.B.A. or doctor of business
administration). Doctoral programs involve advanced coursework,
seminars, and the writing of a dissertation that describes
the student's own original research, completed under the
supervision of a faculty adviser.
A comprehensive examination is given, usually after three
to five years of study and completion of all coursework,
and when the student and adviser agree that the student
is ready. This exam is designed to test the student's
ability to use knowledge gained through courses and independent
study in a creative and original way. Students must demonstrate
a comprehensive understanding of their chosen field of
study. Successful completion of this examination marks
the end of the student's coursework and the beginning
of concentration on research.
The Ph.D. degree is awarded to those students who complete
an original piece of significant research, write a dissertation
describing that research, and successfully defend their
work before a panel of faculty members who specialize
in the discipline. This may take an additional two to
three years. To earn a doctoral degree, therefore, may
take anywhere from five to eight years beyond the bachelor's
degree, depending on the field of study.
In the United States, you will find a variety of nontraditional
doctoral programs; these programs might have very different
types of requirements from the traditional programs. Prospective
students should be sure of what is required to enter any
program they are considering, and what is required to
obtain the degree. This information is usually available
from university catalogs and websites or directly from
individual departments.
Academic Calendar for Graduates Degree Courses
The academic year in the United States generally lasts
nine months, from late August or early September until
the middle or end of May, and it may be divided into two,
three, or four academic terms depending on the institution.
If the year is divided into two terms, these are called
the fall and spring terms, or "semesters." Short
breaks occur during both fall and spring terms, between
terms, and on public holidays. An optional summer term
is often available and provides the opportunity to continue
courses if you wish to accelerate your program. It is
best to start a program in the fall term (beginning in
August/September). Many courses must be taken in sequence,
and time may be lost in completing the degree if you start
in another term. It is also easier to become accustomed
to studying in the United States and to meet other students
in the department if you start at the beginning of the
academic year. Lastly, scholarship opportunities may be
more readily available to students starting in the fall
rather than midyear.
Course Load and Grading Systems
"Course load" refers to the number of courses
students take each term. The normal course load for a
graduate student is three or four courses, which equals
approximately nine to 12 credits per term. The U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services branch of the Department of Homeland
Security requires that international students take a course
load that is considered full-time by the institution.
Passing grades are typically awarded on a scale of "A"
through "D," and "F" indicates a failing
grade for a course. An average grade of "B"
is usually the minimum required for completion of a graduate
degree program. Other grading systems may include a grade-point
scale from 0 to 3, 4, or 5; pass/fail; high pass/low pass;
or other variations. Credit, course load, grading systems,
and requirements vary between institutions. Make sure
you are aware of the policies of an individual program
and institution before you apply.
Entrance Test Details
A basic requirement for successful study in the United
States is the ability to communicate in English. If English
is not your native language, U.S. universities and colleges
will ask you to take an English language proficiency test
before admitting you to a degree program. Almost all institutions
require that this test be the Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL). A few may accept scores from other examinations
or administer their own tests. For further information,
check the admissions requirements for international students
on the university’s website or contact the admissions
office to discuss your situation.
Each institution sets its own English language admissions
standard, and some general guidelines on requirements
are provided in the section on TOEFL scores below. Some
institutions may grant conditional acceptance with the
understanding that you must attend English language classes
at their college prior to starting your degree program.
Once you have reached the required English language level,
you will be able to start your studies.
Most graduate departments require scores from either a
general aptitude test such as the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) General Test, a demonstration of proficiency in
a specific field such as a GRE Subject Test, or both.
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required
almost without exception for applicants to business schools.
The Miller Analogy Tests (MAT) may also be required in
fields such as education and psychology. These tests are
in addition to an English language proficiency examination.
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