Beginning your U. S. Education

The first few days at your U.S. college or university can be a truly exciting time. There will be many new students on campus like you, all dealing with feelings of anticipation mixed with a certain amount of worry regarding how the first few months of study will go. During those first days, you may find yourself very busy getting organized and settling in. Your priorities may include letting your family at home know that you have arrived safely, becoming familiar with the college campus, meeting new people, deciding on your academic program, and completing all administrative requirements so that your registration and enrollment are in order.

New student orientation programs offer a perfect opportunity to accomplish all of these tasks, to attend campus social events planned especially for new students, and to help ease the transition to a new place.

Despite the excitement, it is not at all unusual for students to feel a certain degree of loneliness, homesickness, or anxiety during their first year. U.S. universities offer many sources of help and counsel, but the responsibility for seeking assistance lies with you, the student. In other words, if you need help, it is up to you to seek it out among the many resources the educational institution offers.

For most colleges and universities, the academic year begins in late August or early September and ends in May or June. The “semester” system divides the academic year into two equal terms of approximately 16 weeks each. For schools on a “quarter” system, the academic year is divided into three equal terms of approximately 11 weeks each. Usually, there is also a fourth summer quarter. The “trimester” system has equal terms of approximately 16 weeks each, including a summer term.

Most students take the summer off, and international students are generally not required to study during the summer. Some students, however, choose to go to summer school and earn credits, which may help them complete their degree work more quickly than is normally required.

Undergraduate programs in U.S. colleges or universities are designed to give students a fairly broad educational background, with an emphasis called a “major.” A major is the subject in which you will concentrate your studies for a degree. You will take many classes in your major, especially in your junior (third) and senior (fourth) years. In some cases, you may also be allowed to take a “minor,” which is a secondary field in which you want to concentrate.

Although you may find it unusual, it is quite normal in the United States for undergraduate students to begin studying for the bachelor's degree without knowing what subject they will choose for a major. During the first two years, undergraduates usually take a variety of courses from different academic departments to fulfill what are often termed “general education requirements.” As a result, even those students who do “declare” or choose a major when they first enroll often decide later to change to another major that seems more interesting or is more suitable to their career goals. Most, if not all, coursework taken during this general education period will count toward graduation requirements. Usually, a student must select a major by the end of the sophomore (second) year.

At the graduate level, study is specialized. You will spend most of your time in the department in which you are doing your degree work, although there may be some flexibility for taking courses in other areas of interest.

Registration procedures are different at each educational institution. Exact procedures will be outlined in orientation sessions or in orientation materials given to you. If you do not understand these procedures, ask your academic department or program for clarification and help. Actual course registration may be managed on-line via computer, by phone, or by visiting an office or general registration area.

Plan your schedule early. It may take a great deal of thinking, consulting, arranging, and rearranging. It is a good idea to have two or three possible schedules written out by registration day. Having more than one schedule is helpful if some courses you want are “closed,” that is, filled by the maximum number of students.

During the registration period, you will probably need to complete payment arrangements for the semester, obtain your university identification (ID) card, and submit any health or medical forms. Some schools will require that all tuition and fees be paid at the beginning of each semester, others may let you pay in installments. Contact the college or university bursar's office for information on these procedures.

Orientation programs for new students are offered at virtually every college and university throughout the United States. The program itself may take on many forms and cover different topics, but the purpose is the same: to ease your transition to a new place. Sometimes there will be a campus or department orientation program and a separate program especially designed for international students, scheduled so as not to be in conflict with each other. At some schools these programs may be mandatory, but whether mandatory or optional, they are important and valuable opportunities for you, even if this is not your first visit to the United States. Frequently, orientation programs provide information that won't be as easily obtained later on.

Some campus-based orientation programs may require that you pay a fee. In general, the fee covers the costs of program materials, refreshments, staff support, and other expenses. You may be asked to pay the fee ahead of time or find it included as part of your total student bill.

You may have the opportunity to participate in an orientation program about U.S. colleges and universities while you are still in your home country. If such a program is available to you, by all means participate. These programs frequently have specific relevance for students from your country. Campus-based orientation programs, even when not mandatory, provide the best possible introduction to your U.S. institution and can help relieve much of the anxiety you may have about being in a new place.

At an orientation program for international students, you might:

meet other students from your own country and from around the world;

receive information about important U.S. Immigration regulations with which you must comply;

obtain a U.S. Social Security Number (needed for U.S. bank accounts and for employment, including on-campus employment);

have your passport and visa documents copied; have your visa documents signed;

learn about the U.S. system of higher education and how to be successful in that system;

obtain advice on personal safety, health and accident insurance, and wellness;

take a guided tour of the local area and open a bank account;

sit for an English proficiency examination;

learn about U.S. culture and social and personal relationships in the United States;

receive information on services and programs provided by the school for international students.

The social code of behavior between students and professors is not as precisely defined in the United States as it might be in other countries. While some professors adhere to more traditional methods, others will come to class wearing jeans and sports shirts and insist that you call them by their first names. Here are a few pointers to help you deal with professors:

Always address teachers as “Professor” or “Doctor” unless instructed otherwise. Do not be shocked to hear students calling professors by their first names. This is especially common among graduate students, since they develop a closer professional relationship with their teachers than undergraduate students do.

Professors in the United States hold office hours, usually several times a week, when they are available for consultation. It is an opportunity used by many students to discuss projects, to review material covered in class, or simply to exchange ideas on a given topic. Most professors are willing to meet students for these purposes, and they can be very helpful. Take advantage of the availability of office hours. These informal meetings could prove to be a turning point in your understanding of a subject and in your relationship with a professor. Professors usually take notice of students who show interest by participating in class and by visiting during office hours. If you cannot be available during a certain professor's office hours, he or she will generally give you the chance to schedule meetings at other times.

Much of the professor's impression of you will be based on your level of class participation. Be prepared for each class. Demonstrate interest in class, speak up, ask questions, and respond to others' comments. However, make sure your participation is not simply to be noticed, but that it contributes constructively and positively to the class.

At the undergraduate level, many Teaching Assistants (TAs) work with professors and often teach partial or full courses. These TAs are usually graduate students from the department.

It is common for students to think that they already know how to be a successful student, that if they do the readings and study hard, they'll get good grades. But different teaching methods – in some cases a different language, different academic backgrounds, and a different campus culture – can reshape your ability to be successful.

Most colleges and universities will offer a variety of free, short-term classes that will help you be a successful student. Topics may include utilizing your school's library resources to write a research paper, navigating the Internet for academic purposes, developing good study skills, and practicing effective time management. If English is not your first language, your grades may be improved by a visit to the university writing center, by taking an ESL course, or by joining an informal English conversation group. There are also excellent study-skills websites on the Internet. Most colleges and universities in the United States have established honor codes or statements of rules students are expected to follow in their academic work. These rules relate primarily to academic honesty and originality as they are defined by U.S. educational institutions. Many international students have discovered that U.S. academic rules are much different from the ones they followed at home.

U.S. educational institutions take these rules very seriously, and ignorance of the rules usually is not accepted as an excuse for breaking them. Even if a particular academic practice is accepted in your country or is part of your culture, it will not be an acceptable explanation for violating the rules at a U.S. college or university.

The university honor code, or the university code of conduct, is usually distributed to new students at the very beginning of the semester and is frequently a topic for discussion during new student orientation.

Cheating

Cheating is considered to be a failure of honesty in U.S. colleges and universities. It means getting unauthorized help on an assignment, quiz, or examination. You must not receive from anyone, nor give to anyone, any information, answers, or help during an examination or any kind of test. You must not take notes or books to the examination if this is forbidden, and you must not refer to any books or notes while you are taking the test unless you are instructed otherwise. Sometimes students who speak a foreign language during an examination are perceived by others to be cheating, even though they may simply be asking a fellow student in their native language for a piece of paper or an eraser. You should be aware of this and try to avoid suspicion.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is another kind of cheating. It is the failure to do your own original work in written assignments. Instead, you use someone else's words or ideas as though they were your own, without crediting the source. Plagiarism is considered literary and intellectual theft and is vigorously condemned in academic work. When quoting words or ideas from books, magazines, websites, recordings, films, or other sources of information, always make sure you give appropriate credit to the author in your text. Many U.S. universities have specific guidelines to follow when quoting an author and some of them publish guides for papers. Make sure you are aware of the university policies on quoting words and ideas to avoid being accused of plagiarism.

 

ADULT EDUCATION

Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. This often happens in the workplace, through “extension” or “continuing education” courses at secondary schools, at a college or university. Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers. The practice is also often referred to as “Training and Development”. It has also been referred to as andragogy (to distinguish it from pedagogy). A difference is made between vocational education, mostly undertaken in workplaces and frequently related to upskilling, and non-formal adult education including learning skills or learning for personal development.

Educating adults differs from educating children in several ways. One of the most important differences is that adults have accumulated knowledge and experience that can add to or hinder the learning experience. Another difference is that most adult education is voluntary, therefore, the participants are generally better motivated.

Adults frequently apply their knowledge in a practical fashion to learn effectively. They must have a reasonable expectation that the knowledge recently gained will help them further their goals. One example, common in the 1990s, was the proliferation of computer training courses in which adults (not children or adolescents), most of whom were office workers, could enroll. These courses would teach basic use of the operating system or specific application software. Because the abstractions governing the user's interactions with a PC were so new, many people who had been working white-collar jobs for ten years or more eventually took such training courses, either at their own whim (to gain computer skills and thus earn higher pay) or at the behest of their managers.

In the United States, a more general example is that of the high-school dropout who returns to school to complete general education requirements. Most upwardly-mobile positions require at the very least a high school diploma or equivalent. A working adult is unlikely to have the freedom to simply quit his or her job and go “back to school” full time. Public school systems and community colleges usually offer evening or weekend classes for this reason. In Europe this is often referred to as “second-chance”, and many schools offer tailor-made courses and learning programs for these returning learners.

Those adults who read at the very lowest level get help from volunteer literacy programs. These national organization which provides training, tutor certification and accreditation for local volunteer programs. States often have state organizations such as Literacy Florida!Inc.which provide field services for volunteer literacy programs.

In the U.S.A., the equivalent of the high school diploma earned by an adult through these programs is to pass the General Education Development (GED) test.

Another fast-growing sector of adult education is English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), also referred to as English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learners (ELL). These courses are key in assisting immigrants with not only the acquisition of the English language, but the acclimation process to the culture of the United States.

 

EDUCATION IN ENGLAND

Education in England is overseen by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. At a local level the local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for public education and state schools.

The school year begins usually on the 1st of September (sometimes the 2nd or 3rd if the 1st falls on a weekend). Education is compulsory for all children from the term after their fifth birthday to the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16. This will be raised in 2013 to the year in which they turn 17 and in 2015 to the year in which they turn 18.

State-run schools and colleges are financed through national taxation, and take pupils free of charge between the ages of 3 and 18. The schools may levy charges for activities such as swimming, theatre visits and field trips, provided the charges are voluntary, thus ensuring that those who cannot afford to pay are allowed to participate in such events. Approximately 93% of English schoolchildren attend such schools.

A significant minority of state-funded schools are faith schools, which are attached to religious groups, most often the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church. There are also a small number of state-funded boarding schools, which typically charge for board but not tuition.

Nearly 90% of state-funded secondary schools are specialist schools, receiving extra funding to develop one or more subjects in which the school specialises.

In the vast majority of cases, pupils progress from primary to secondary levels at age 11; in some areas either or both of the primary and secondary levels are further subdivided. A few areas have three-tier education systems with an intermediate middle level from age 9 to 13.

State-funded nursery education is available from the age of 3, and may be full-time or part-time. If registered with a state school attendance is compulsory beginning with the term following the child's fifth birthday. Children can be enrolled in the reception year in September of that school year thus beginning school at age 4 or 4.5. Unless the student chooses to stay within the education system school attendance ends on the last Friday in June during the academic year in which a student attains the age of 16.

Under the National Curriculum system, all pupils undergo Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) towards the ends of Key Stage 2 in core subjects, but not foundation subjects, where teacher assessment is used. They normally take GCSE exams in the last two years of Key Stage 4, but may take other Level 2 qualifications, such as GNVQ. Former tests at the end of Key Stage 3 were abandoned after the 2008 tests, when severe problems emerged concerning the marking procedures. Now at Key Stages 1 and 3, assessment is by teacher assessment against the National Curriculum Attainment Targets for all subjects. Tests results for schools are published, and are an important measure of their performance.

Years 12 and 13 are often referred to as “lower sixth form” and “upper sixth form” respectively, reflecting their distinct, voluntary nature and situation as the A level years. Curriculum

All maintained schools in England are required to follow the National Curriculum, which is made up of twelve subjects. The core subjects – English, Mathematics and Science – are compulsory for all students aged 5 to 16. The other foundation subjects are compulsory at one or more Key Stages:

Art & Design

Citizenship

Design & Technology

Geography

History

Information & Communication Technology

Modern Foreign Languages

Music

Physical Education

In addition, other statutory subjects are not covered by the National Curriculum, including Religious Education in all year groups, and Career education, Sex education and Work-related learning at secondary age.

Almost all state-funded schools in England are maintained schools, which receive their funding from LAs, and are required to follow the national curriculum. In such schools, all teachers are employed under the nationally-agreed School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.

Since 1998, there have been 4 main types of maintained school in England:

community schools (formerly county schools), in which the LA employs the schools' staff, owns the schools' lands and buildings and has primary responsibility for admissions.

voluntary controlled schools, which are almost always church schools, with the lands and buildings often owned by a charitable foundation. However, the LA employs the schools' staff and has primary responsibility for admissions.

voluntary aided schools, linked to a variety of organisations. They can be faith schools (often the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church), or non-denominational schools, such as those linked to London Livery Companies. The charitable foundation contributes towards the capital costs of the school, and appoints a majority of the school governors. The governing body employs the staff and has primary responsibility for admissions.

foundation schools, in which the governing body employs the staff and has primary responsibility for admissions. The school land and buildings are owned by the governing body or by a charitable foundation. The Foundation appoints a minority of governors. Many of these schools were formerly grant maintained schools. In 2005 the Labour government proposed allowing all schools to become Foundation schools if they wished.

There are also a smaller number of City Technology Colleges and academies, which are secondary schools funded and monitored directly by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

All state-funded schools are regularly inspected by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), which publishes reports of the quality of education at each school. Schools judged by Ofsted to be providing an inadequate standard of education may be placed in special measures, which may include replacing the governing body and senior staff.

English secondary schools are mostly comprehensive, except in a few areas that retain a form of the previous selective system (the Tripartite System), with students selected for grammar school by the Entrance Exam. There are also a number of isolated fully selective grammar schools, and a few dozen partially selective schools. Specialist schools may also select up to 10% of their intake for aptitude in the specialism, though relatively few of them have taken up this option. Also, intakes of comprehensive schools can vary widely, especially in urban areas with several schools.

Approximately 7% of English schoolchildren attend privately run independent schools. Education at independent schools is usually chargeable. Such schools, some of which are boarding schools, cover primary and secondary education and charge between £2500 to £30000 per year[citation needed]. Some schools offer scholarships for those with particular skills or aptitudes or bursaries to allow less well-off students to attend.

The Independent school system usually teaches separate sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics)and takes the highest 50% of pupils in the entrance exam (the 1st form exam) most have a prep dept or a pre prep dept of a kindergarten or a sixth form or a senior school. Some may be single sex. Usually Public schools age between 2.5/3 and 11 transferring to 11 - 18. some cover 2.5 - 16 but this is unusual. Most take 7 - 18.

The Education Act requires parents to ensure their children are educated either by attending school or otherwise. Small but increasing numbers of parents are choosing the otherwise option. This style of education is often referred to as Elective Home Education. The education can take many different forms ranging from homeschooling where a school style curriculum is followed at home to unschooling where any semblance of structure in the educational provision is abandoned. Parents do not need permission to educate their own children. There is no requirement to follow the National Curriculum or to give formal lessons. Parents do not need to be qualified teachers, or to follow school hours or terms. Parents who choose to educate their children otherwise than at school have to finance the education provision themselves.

Students at both state schools and independent schools take the GCSE examinations, which mark the end of compulsory education. Above school leaving age, the independent and state sectors are similarly structured. In the 16-18 age group, “sixth-form” education is not compulsory.

Students will typically study in either the Sixth Form of a School, a Sixth form college, or a further education college. These courses can also be studied by adults over 18. This sector is referred to as Further Education. All 16-18 students are encouraged (this is only mandatory in some institutions) to study Key Skills in Communication, Application of Number and Information Technology.

Students normally enter University from 18 onwards and study for an Academic Degree. Apart from a single private university, all undergraduate education is largely state financed (with tuition fees set at a maximum index-linked £3,225 per year, repayable after graduation contingent on attaining a certain level of income, and with the state paying all fees for students from the poorest backgrounds), and UK students are generally entitled to student loans for maintenance. The state does not control syllabuses, but it does influence admission procedures. Unlike most degrees, the state still has control over teacher training courses, and uses Ofsted inspectors to maintain standards.

The typical first degree offered at British universities is the Bachelor's degree (typically three years). Many institutions now offer an undergraduate Master's degree as a first degree, typically lasting four years. During a first degree students are known as undergraduates. The difference in fees between undergraduate and traditional postgraduate Master's degrees (and the possibility of securing LEA funding for the former) makes taking an undergraduate Master's degree as a first degree a more attractive option, although the novelty of undergraduate Master's degrees means that the relative educational merit of the two is currently unclear.

Some universities offer a vocationally-based Foundation degree, typically two years in length for those students who hope to continue to take a first degree but wish to remain in employment.

Students who have completed a first degree are eligible to undertake a postgraduate degree, which includes:

Master's degree (typically taken in one year)

Doctorate degree (typically taken in three years)

Postgraduate education is not automatically financed by the State, and so admission is in practice highly competitive.

In the academic year 2009/2010 undergraduates pay up to £3225 per annum (capped) in top-up fees. Postgraduate fees vary but are generally more than undergraduate fees depending on the degree and university. There are numerous bursaries (awarded to low income applicants) to offset the undergraduate fees, and for postgraduates, full scholarships are available for most subjects which are awarded competitively. Differing arrangements apply to English students studying in Scotland and Scottish / Welsh students studying in England. Students from outside of the UK or the EU attending English universities are charged differing amounts, often in the region of £5000 – £20000 per annum for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The actual amount differs by institution and subject with the lab based subjects charging a greater amount.

OPEN UNIVERSITY

Motto Learn and Live

Established 1969

Type Public

Chancellor Lord Puttnam

Vice-Chancellor Martin G. Bean

Students 168,850

Undergraduates 151,385

Postgraduates 17,465

Location Milton Keynes (main campus) & regional centres, United Kingdom

Campus Distance learning

The Open University (commonly Open University or OU, but officially “the” is part of its name) is the distance learning university founded and funded by the UK Government. It is notable for having an open entry policy, i.e. students' previous academic achievements are not taken into account for entry to most undergraduate courses. The majority of undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom, but its courses can be studied anywhere in the world. Most of the postgraduate students (higher education) are based on campus where they take courses and attend the OU facilities for research.

It was established in 1969 and the first students enrolled in January 1971. It is incorporated by Royal Charter as an exempt charity in England and Wales and a registered charity in Scotland.

The administration is based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, but has regional centres in each of its thirteen regions around the UK. It also has offices in other European countries. The University awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as non-degree qualifications such as diplomas and certificates, or continuing education units.

With more than 180,000 students enrolled, including more than 25,000 students studying overseas, it is the largest academic institution in the UK by student number, and qualifies as one of the world's largest universities. Since it was founded, more than 3 million students have studied its courses.

The OU provides university education to those wishing to pursue higher education on a part-time and/or distance learning basis, including disabled people, who are officially a priority group for the university.

The Open University was founded by the Labour government of Harold Wilson, based on the vision of Michael Young (later Lord Young of Dartington). The BBC's Assistant Director of Engineering at the time, James Redmond had obtained most of his qualifications at night school, and his natural enthusiasm for the project did much to overcome the technical difficulties of using television to broadcast teaching programmes.

Walter Perry (later Lord Perry) was appointed the OU's first vice-chancellor in January 1969.

People from all walks of life and all ages take advantage of the OU; for most courses there are no entry requirements other than the ability to study at an appropriate level, though most postgraduate courses require evidence of previous study or equivalent life experience.

Approximately 70 percent of students are in full-time employment, often working towards a first (or additional) degree or qualification to progress or change their career, with over 50,000 being sponsored by their employer. The University is also popular with those who cannot physically attend a traditional university because they are disabled, abroad, in prison, serving in the armed forces, or looking after family members. About 10,000 OU students have disabilities.

Unlike other universities, where students register for a programme, at the OU students register separately for individual modules (which may be 10, 15, 20, 30 or 60 CATS points, equivalent to 5, 7.5, 10, 15, or 30 ECTS credits), and are known as “courses” in the OU context. These courses may then be linked into degree programmes.

Most students came from England (148,395), while others were from Scotland, Ireland, and the rest of the European Union. The majority of students chose to undertake social studies and biological and physical sciences, as well as historical and philosophical studies; the least popular academic fields in The Open University are mass communications and documentation and creative arts and design. The most popular course for the 2006-2007 academic year was DD100 An introduction to the social sciences, followed by A103 An introduction to the humanities, K100 Understanding health and social care, M150 Data, computing and information, and DSE212 Exploring psychology.

The majority of staff are Associate Lecturers and, as of the 2006-2007 academic year, there are over eight thousand working for OU. The OU uses a variety of methods for distance learning, including written and audio materials, the Internet, disc-based software and television programmes on DVD. Course-based television broadcasts by the BBC, which started on 3 January 1971, ceased on 15 December 2006. Materials are composed of originally-authored work by in-house and external academic contributors, and from third-party materials licensed for use by OU students. For most courses, students are supported by tutors (“Associate Lecturers”) who provide feedback on their work and are generally available to them at face-to-face tutorials, by telephone, and/or on the Internet. A number of short courses worth ten points are now available that do not have an assigned tutor but offer an online conferencing service (Internet Forum) where help and advice is offered through conferencing “Moderators”.

Some courses have mandatory day schools. These are day-long sessions which a student must attend in order to pass the course. One example of such a course is the K301 – Advanced Certificate in Health Promotion – which has two mandatory day schools/workshops, focusing on communication skills, counselling and practical issues related to health promotion. Nevertheless, it is possible to seek excusal upon the basis of ill-health (or other extenuating circumstances), and many courses have no mandatory face-to-face component.

Similarly, many courses have traditionally offered week long summer schools offering an opportunity for students to remove themselves from the general distractions of their life and focus on their study for a short time.

The OU now produces mainstream television and radio programming aimed at bringing learning to a wider audience. Most of this programming, including series such as Rough Science and “Battle of the Geeks”, are broadcast at peak times, while older programming is carried in the BBC Learning Zone.

Teaching at the OU has been rated as “excellent” by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The English national survey of student satisfaction has twice put the Open University in first place.

The modern OU grants both BA and BSc undergraduate degrees.

The Open University provides the opportunity to study for a PhD on a part time distance, or a full time on site basis in a wide range of disciplines as well as an EdD for professionals in education. The University also offers a range of Master's levels courses such as the MBA and MPA, MSc, MA and MEd, and MRes, as well as the professional PGCE qualification and a number of postgraduate diplomas and certificates including innovative practice-based courses and postgraduate computing qualifications for professionals.

The University has Faculties of Arts, Education & Language Studies, Health & Social Care, Law, Mathematics, Computing and Technology, Science, Social Science, and a Business School. There is no School of Medicine. The new Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology (created from the former Faculties of Mathematics and Computing and Faculty of Technology) was formed on 1 October 2007.

The OU now employs over 500 people engaged in research in over 25 areas, and there are over 1,200 research students. It spends approximately £20 million each year on research, around £6 million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The OU's Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute has become particularly well known to the public through its involvement in space missions.

The Open University also runs the Open Research Online (ORO) website.