The first level of higher education in the United States is called "UNDERGRADUATE", and it leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree.
Most undergraduate programs require four years of study, and usually a completed secondary school education is sufficient to enroll as an undergraduate student. First-, second-and third-year students of foreign institutions of higher education can transfer into U.S. undergraduate degree programs.
GRADUATE degrees include the Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) or Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD). Students who have already received their first higher education diploma, either a BA or BS in the United States or the equivalent, are eligible to apply to graduate programs. The MA and MS degrees are usually awarded after two years of study. The Ph.D. is the highest academic degree in the U.S. This degree follows an MA or MS and typically requires at least three years of study and a lengthy dissertation.
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Undergraduate programs (Bachelor degree) :
This is the first level of post-secondary education that begins after 12 years of primary and secondary schooling. It includes at least 4 years of education and earns a bachelor’s degree (Most Nepalese graduation courses are of 3 years duration). There are also two-year programs which earn an Associate degree. A student who has an associate degree has to study further for a minimum of 2 years to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Graduate Programs (Master’s & Doctorate degree) :
This is the same as post-graduate education in Nepal. It usually involves one year or more of education depending on the subject or course, and earns a master’s or doctoral degree like MBA, MS or PhD. Admission to a graduate program usually requires a minimum of 16 years of formal education. That is, 12 years of primary and secondary schooling and further 4 years of college education.
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There is no central ministry of education in the U.S. and each institution can determine its own programs and admission standards. There are private as well as state funded colleges.
Universities are academic institutions that include one or more undergraduate colleges, as well as any number of graduate and professional schools, i.e. schools offering study for a single profession such as law.
Four year colleges are undergraduate institutions offering academic programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Community colleges or junior colleges are undergraduate institutions offering upto two years of academic instruction beyond secondary school at a relatively low cost. These offer certificate programs that last for a few months to a year as well as associate degrees.
Institutes of technology or polytechnic institutes offer specialized programs in sciences and engineering, in addition to basic sciences, humanities and the social sciences, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. |
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Accreditation is a process by which universities and their programs are recognized for maintaining a certain level of performance and quality. Accreditation is usually done by non-governmental agencies called accreditation bodies. There are two types of accreditation : regional & professional.
Regional bodies ascertain whether colleges and universities as a whole meet certain standards of educational quality.
In addition, certain professional accrediting bodies evaluate the quality of education in specific fields like Business, Law etc.
Importance of Accreditation : |
- Ensures that universities meet minimum standards.
- Only national and international form of evaluation for US universities.
- Increases the recognition of degree by employers and schools.
- Helps in case the student wishes a transfer to another university.
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To check out the list of accredited US universities, go to www.chea.org
It is advisable to apply to only accredited universities. |
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