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American College And University System
from: Kyle BesserThe American college and university system is not centralized as in many other countries. American colleges and universities have developed independent accreditation organizations to vouch for the quality of the degrees they offer. The accreditation agencies rate universities and colleges on criteria such as academic quality, the quality of their libraries, the publishing records of their faculty and the degrees their faculty hold. Nonaccredited institutions are perceived as lower in quality.
Colleges and universities in the U.S. vary in their goals. Some colleges and universities emphasize a vocational, business, engineering or technical curriculum. Other colleges and universities emphasize a liberal arts curriculum. Many colleges and universities combine some or all types of curriculum.
Colleges
Two-year colleges, which are often but not always community colleges, usually offer the associate's degree such as an Associate of Arts (A.A.). Community colleges are often open admissions with low tuition. Four-year colleges, which usually have a larger number of students and offer a greater range of studies than two-year colleges, offer the bachelor's degree, such as the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.). These are usually primarily undergraduate institutions, although some might have limited programs at the graduate level. Many students earn an associate's degree at a two-year institution and transfer to a four-year institution for another two years to earn a bachelor's degree.
Four-year colleges in the U.S. which emphasize the liberal arts are liberal arts colleges. These colleges traditionally emphasize interactive instruction, although research is still a component of these institutions. They are usually residential, although some students who live nearby will commute. Colleges usually have smaller enrollment, class size and teacher-student ratios than universities. Colleges also encourage a high level of teacher-student interaction and classes are taught by full-time faculty rather than graduate student teaching assistants (TAs). Most colleges are private, although there are some public liberal arts colleges.
Universities
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education distinguishes among institutions on the basis of the prevalence of degrees they grant and considers the granting of master's degrees necessary, though not sufficient, for an institution to be classified as a university. Some universities began as colleges and grew into universities. Some universities, such as Boston College, Dartmouth College and the College of William & Mary, have retained the term "college," while some institutions granting few graduate degrees, such as Wesleyan University, use the term "university."
Universities are research oriented institutions which provide both undergraduate and graduate education. Graduate programs grant a variety of master's degrees, such as the Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) and Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), in addition to doctorates such as the Ph.D.
Some universities have professional schools, which are attended primarily by those who plan to be practitioners instead of academics (scholars/researchers). Examples include journalism school, business school, medical schools (which usually award the M.D.), law schools (J.D.), veterinary schools (D.V.M.) and dental schools.
It is common practice to refer to different units within universities as colleges or schools (what is referred to in other countries as faculties). Some schools may be divided into departments, such as an anthropology department within a college of liberal arts and sciences within a larger university.
Education In The News
Smart Horizons Career Online Education Hires National Board Certified Teacher For The Position Of Lead Academic Coach
Smart Horizons Career Online Education Has Hired Susan McLeod, An Award Winning Educator, As Their Lead Academic Coach. McLeod Functions As The Primary Contact Person For Students Set To Earn Their High School Diploma Online.
Read more...Midday Glance: Education companies
NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of some top education companies are up at 1 p.m.: Apollo Group rose $.84 or 1.9 percent, to $46.01. Career Education rose $.12 or .7 percent, to $18.01. DeVry rose $.92 or 2.3 percent, to $40.98. Strayer Education rose $4.17 or 2.9 percent, to $148.45.
Read more...Early Glance: Education companies
NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of some top education companies are up at 10 a.m.: Apollo Group rose $.62 or 1.4 percent, to $45.79. Career Education rose $.28 or 1.6 percent, to $18.17. DeVry rose $.51 or 1.3 percent, to $40.57. Strayer Education rose $3.72 or 2.6 percent, to $148.00.
Read more...