Module 2 education in the usa

Warm-up

Look at the picture carefully. Answer the questions after it:

1. How many students are involved into higher education?

2. How is the amount of teachers in private schools different from that of public schools?

3. Which percentage of the US students fails to graduate on time?

4. How many women engineers are there in the USA?

5. What will happen with the jobs requiring some technology skills?

Reading 1

Before reading

1. Practise the pronunciation of the following words

curriculum [kə'rɪkjələm]

university [ˌjuːnɪ'vɜːsətɪ]

undergraduate [ˌʌndə'græʤuət], [ˌʌndə'grædjuət]

trustee [trʌs'tiː]

chancellor ['ʧɑːn(t)s(ə)lə]

award [ə'wɔːd]

bachelor's ['bætʃələz]

master's ['mɑːstəz]

authority [ɔː'θɔrɪtɪ]

senior ['siːnɪə]

prerequisite [ˌpriː'rekwɪzɪt]

charter ['ʧɑːtə]

associate [ə'səuʃɪət ], [ə'səusɪət]

2. Match the terms with their definitions. Think of possible Russian equivalents for these words

a university a college a junior college/two-year college community college a professional school a graduate school an undergraduate liberal arts a graduate curriculum

a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a bachelor's or equivalent degree a college offering courses for two years beyond high school, either as a complete training or in preparation for completion at a senior college an educational institution or establishment, in particular offering a limited curriculum or teaching only to a bachelor's degree a high-level educational institution in which students study for degrees and academic research is done academic subjects such as literature, philosophy, mathematics, and social and physical sciences as distinct from professional and technical subjects the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college a person who has successfully completed a course of study or training, esp. a person who has been awarded an undergraduate academic degree a third-level educational department within a university which trains specialists in such areas as medicine, law, dentistry, etc. a nonresidential junior college offering courses to people living in a particular are a department in a university or college where postgraduate students are taught

3. Read the text. The words in brackets are to be used in the correct form the system of higher education in the usa

The structure of education in the United States (differ)¹ notably from that in most countries. While (education)² systems in many areas of the world are national in character and centralized in control, education in the United States is decentralized and diversified. Each state has developed a system of public schools and a system of chartering and regulating private schools.

(High)³ education is the term used in the States for formal education beyond the twelve years of elementary and secondary school and includes the instruction offered at colleges and universities. In everyday speech, the terms "college" and "university" are used interchangeably. However, there is a distinction. The US college (have)⁴ no exact counterpart in the educational system of any other country. There are many colleges that stay alone as undergraduate institutions. Most colleges award the bachelor's (4-year) degree, also some may award the associate's (2-year) degree. The university (be)⁵ the outgrowth and (expand)⁶ of the college. A university is made up of a group of schools that include a four-year undergraduate liberal arts college, graduate schools, and professional schools.

T he financial support for US higher education derives from a number of different sources. "Public" colleges and universities (finance)⁷ primarily by state, county, or city governments or by a combination of several levels, and they are subject to (government)authority. "Private" institutions, which number almost half of the total, (govern)⁸ by their own boards of trustees and are supported largely by private individuals or groups or religious organizations.

Institutions of higher education (control)⁹ by governing boards of trustees or regents and headed by a president or chancellor, who is assisted by deans. The dean of academic affairs in a small institution or the dean of the college or school in a multi-unit university has general authority over the curriculum and degree (require)¹⁰. Colleges and schools are organized into (differ)¹¹ departments for each field of study: an English department, a history department, and so on, and each unit is headed by a chairperson who is a senior member of the teaching staff.

In the United States, (recognize)¹² of institutions of higher education and of certain specialized programs is achieved by means of a voluntary and continuous process known as accreditation. In order to maintain accreditation, they must demonstrate (periodical)¹³ that they are continuing to meet or exceed established standards. Accreditation is granted by recognized relevant accrediting bodies that have no affiliation with the US government.

Admission to a college or university is considered a privilege and not aright. Each institution establishes (admit)¹⁴policies consistent with its level and mission. Some are (high)¹⁵competitive; others less so, but admission in all classes is based on an (appraise)¹⁶ of the applicant's past grades, completion of prerequisite courses, scores on (enter)¹⁷ exams, and other personal factors. Letters of (refer)¹⁸ from past teachers play an important role. Undergraduate admission is usually centralized, while graduate students are admitted only with the consent of the department in which they will study.

In contrast to the public education at the elementary and secondary levels, higher education is not free of charge. The student must (pay)¹⁹ tuition fees, room and board, books and materials, as well as research and thesis expenses. Computer centers and sporting grounds are free of charge in many universities.

Today, grants, loans and other financial aid are provided by the federal and state governments, as well as by other (independence)²⁰ agencies and by the colleges themselves. The majority of American students entering college make application to receive some form of financial assistance.