The Differences between UK and USA Education System
According to the world university rankings compiled by the Times Higher Education,
more than half of the world’s top 200 universities are located in either the US
or the UK. Both countries share a rich tradition of quality higher education,
excellent research facilities, and a culture that promotes intellectualism as
well as academic freedom. However, while both certainly provide an excellent
environment for learning, there are many differences between the two countries
regarding the structure of the university as well as student life. In this
article, we will explore the primary differences between the American and
British systems of education.
Length of Time
Perhaps the most important difference between the education system in the
US and the UK is the amount of time it takes to finish your degree (except in
Scotland, where a bachelor’s degree also lasts four years). In general, degree
programs in the US take about one year longer than programs in the UK, although
this varies depending upon whether you receive a Master’s degree prior to a
PhD. In both systems, you can go directly to a PhD program out of your
undergraduate program, but in the UK it is more common to complete a Master’s
degree program before moving on to a PhD. Courses of study are shorter in the
UK because the course programs are generally much more focused than in the US.
Academic Term
Most universities in the US begin their terms in mid to late August,
although smaller liberal arts colleges may start later. Most take a rather
lengthy break beginning in mid-December and begin the second semester in early
to mid-January. However, universities that are on different calendars, such as
a trimester or quarter-based system, may begin their winter break at the
Thanksgiving holiday, which falls at the end of November. The academic term in
the UK is a bit more varied. While most also use the semester system, the
trimester and quarter systems are used in some universities. Many schools start
in September or October and end in May or June, making for a slightly longer
academic year. However, the academic term is less standardized throughout the
United Kingdom; if you choose to study there, your university might use a much
different calendar.
University
Organization
Many universities in the UK are made up of “colleges” which are dedicated
to a specific subject matter. While the colleges are still governed by the
university, each college has quite a lot of autonomy from each other as well as
the university itself. You live with others in your college, eat with others
from your college, and generally stay within your college for the duration of
your studies. Rather than applying to the central university admissions
department, like you do in the US, you either apply directly to the college of
the subject you want to study, or in the case of undergraduate programs, you
apply through a centralized system which allows you to apply to several
colleges at once. This system is called the Universities and Colleges
Admissions Service, or UCAS. This means that you have to know what you want to
study before you even apply.
By contrast, in the US, you apply to the larger university and for the
first year or more, you take courses from a variety of fields and only declare
a major at the end of the first year or perhaps even during the second year.
American universities have different “schools,” or departments, such as the
School of Arts and Sciences, which houses a number of related majors. However,
even after you declare a major at an American university, you are still
expected to take classes outside of that field, known as “electives.” For this
reason, we can say that the general emphasis of higher education in the US is
breadth, or getting a range of knowledge from a variety of different subjects.
In the UK, the emphasis is more on depth; getting a very thorough understanding
of your chosen subject.
Homework and Grades
Because the US system emphasizes breadth, courses require weekly or even biweekly
readings as well as other assignments such as small writing projects, major
research papers, and oral presentations throughout the course. In the UK, most
schools are much more lecture-based, with only occasional assignments
throughout the semester. In some cases, there may be no actual required
assignments and instead your entire grade may be based on one final exam. In
the US, your grade will be based on your performance on the variety of
assignments, with a final exam making up only a percentage of your total grade.
Cost
The cost of education in both countries is far from cheap, but the cost of
an education in the United States is generally higher. According to a law
passed in 2012, universities in England may charge up to £9000 (approximately
$14,300) per year. Of course, this applies only to citizens of the UK and the
EU, not international students. Fees for international students can be
significantly higher. The government sets the limits for tuition fees, and each
individual school sets its own fee up to that limit.
By contrast, the government has very little control over what universities
charge in the United States. The US differentiates between in-state tuition
fees and out-of-state tuition fees, as well as between private and public
universities. These distinctions determine the tuition fee. The average tuition
fee for public two-year institutions is around $3000 per year, while the
average fee for private four-year institutions is around $29,000 per year.
Finally, some private four-year institutions can cost up to $50,000 per year.
In order to help students cover the cost of tuition in both countries, loans
are available through the government with favorable terms and interest rates.
Visit our Financial Aid Center for more information about financing your education in the US.
Accommodation
Both countries provide students with residence halls in which to live. They
are roughly equivalent, although in the UK it is more normal to have a bedroom
by yourself, whereas in the US, you may very well share a bedroom with at least
one other person. However, after the first year, students in the US may have
additional housing options available to them, such as private housing or off-campus
housing. It is also more common for dormitories to be self-catered in the UK,
while the US normally provides a range of full dining options for its students.
One potentially significant difference is that maid service is common in the
residence halls in the UK, although students pay a nominal fee for this
service.
Conclusion
While both countries provide a great education, each system approaches
education slightly differently, and there are advantages and disadvantages to
each. If you are considering getting your education in either the US or the UK,
you should take into consideration the various differences mentioned in this
article, especially the amount of time it takes to finish the degree, the
tuition fees and whether you prefer more depth or more breadth in your degree
program.
Bibliography
http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/educationculture.html
Postingan
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar