The USA has the world’s largest international student population, with nearly 600,000 students choosing to broaden their education and life experience in the United States. Nearly 4% of all students enrolled in higher-level education are international students, and the numbers are growing. From the mid-1950’s, when international student enrollment was only just reaching 35,000, international education in the USA has come a long way.
We look forward to helping students who, like you, are considering continuing your education in the United States. You will find all of the tools you need to compile your necessary research in deciding if the United States is the best place for you – we have gathered valuable information on educational, social, cultural and economic aspects of studying in the U.S.
For those of you who have already made the choice to study in the United States, you are now faced with the task of matching your goals and needs with the right program. Answers to your research questions can be found here, from the information we’ve collected from educators to real-life stories from other non-U.S. students like you.
Many schools and programs offer international students great opportunities for learning and enrichment in the United States, and we know that choosing one can be an extensive and exhausting process. Find out what program is right for you and make the right choice.
Under Graduate and Post Graduate Programs
UNDER GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Undergraduate education in the US is largely based on a liberal arts philosophy. This means that regardless of your study path, you’ll be exposed to a variety of courses in the social sciences, humanities, languages and physical sciences. An undergraduate degree is the US is usually called a bachelor’s degree. These are highly flexible and allow you to create your own study path. A bachelor’s degree is awarded once you receive a certain number of credits, which usually takes four years to complete. Each course is assigned a number of credit hours, usually between 3 or 4. To earn a bachelor’s degree you will need between 130 and 180 credits.
Most bachelor’s degree programmes are made up of four types of courses. Core courses are mandatory courses set by the institution and usually include a variety of humanities, social sciences and mathematics courses. Your major is the subject you choose to concentrate on and represents between 25 per cent and 50 percent of the total number of courses in your bachelor’s degree. Your minor is the second greatest concentration of courses. It will usually be half the amount of credits as your major. Elective courses can be chosen from any department and will make up any remaining credits required to graduate.
POST GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Two types of graduate qualifications are offered in the US: masters and doctoral degrees.
Academic master’s degrees
The Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MSc) is awarded usually after two years of a combination of coursework and research. The coursework required can be between 30 and 60 credits, as well as a thesis and/or oral exam. These can lead directly to doctoral-level studies.
Professional master’s degrees
These degrees usually lead to a particular profession and not doctoral studies. These include MBA (Master of Business Administration), MEd (Master of Education), MSW (Master of Social Work), MFA (Master of Fine Arts), etc. They usually require 36 to 48 credit hours of study and do not require a thesis.
QUALITY
There are many rankings of universities and colleges which qualify institutions on any range of factors from academic research, student performance, surveys of educators and current/prospective students. Other rankings and league tables qualify specific academic programmes or departments. An institution’s ranking usually figures highly in the decision-making process of prospective students, however it is important to be aware if the ranking had the input or support from the institution itself.
- Times Higher Education/QS, Top 200 World Universities
- Academic Ranking of World Universities, ( Shanghai Jiao Tong University )
- Professional Ranking of World Universities, Mines Paris Tech
- US News & World Report, America’s Best Colleges
GENERAL INFORMATION
Visit these Websites to find detailed information on What they cover and to decide which provides is right for you.
- Health care for students http://www.travelinsure.com/what/susahigh.asp