UNIT 1

TEXT 1

The System of Higher Education in the usa.

There are two types of colleges and Universities in USA: state and private colleges (that are run by the church and private groups).Usually colleges receive money in three ways:

• Subsidized by the taxpayers,

• Donated by the private individuals;

• Due to the tuitions

Even at state schools the tuition requirements exist but it's much lower that at private school.

Moreover, private individuals supply the money either to private or to state colleges just to help to run it. College itself has to have its own physical facilities (buildings, computers, chalk, faculty etc.) So the tuition (being very low) is not the very thing that supports it but only helps; thus private contributions and donations are to do it.

There are also so-called Summer schools that allow students to repeat the course they failed, to improve their grades or to get some additional skills. They are very popular with the foreigners who can get certain knowledge there.

The tuition for schooling is greatly variegated according to the college or university. It may be from 10000$ per year (Faulkner University) to 50000$ per year (Harvard University). But despite this, every student gets some sort of financial aid.

All schools provide scholarships (10%-50% of the whole tuition fee), which is very competitive and is of different kinds: general abilities, music, theatre or sport abilities etc.) Apart from this, since some time federal government has been loaning money to students.

Admission is very competitive as well. The most important skill is academic ability. There are two entrance tests for most American colleges- standardized tests (SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), ACT (American College Testing Program)). Nevertheless, all colleges and Institutes acquire your being potential civil leader or your being getting well along with other people. A great importance has the financial state of the family as the credits are very expensive -300$ for each one. These are the dominant acquirements for the admission in American colleges.

Application pack of required papers:

• School tests (SAT, ACT, RYE (puzzles in Math, Geography), they are not free of charge;

• Educational record (a set of all marks and grades received during the high schooling), on special request;

• 2-3 recommendational letters from some schoolteachers to show how good you are.

There are different types of colleges in the USA. The term "college" refers to a school that specializes at only one subject area (mathematics, art...). While studying there a student may have 2-year degree - 72 credit hours per year (4 credit hours per week - 1 hour in the classroom and 3 hours for the study elsewhere). Most colleges usually have 3 credit hour courses per week. This is so-called associate degree, an introductory college degree.

Most schools have 4-year degree (132 credit hours for the whole course) and at the end of the study get a Bachelor's degree. Actually, it composes of 2 areas of study:

• General Study Courses (Core courses) gives you a background in a lot of different subjects (Grammar, Literature, History, Mathematics, Science, Bible, Music, Art, Physical Education, Computer Science, Psychology, Rhetoric etc.) At the end of it a student gets an associate degree (2 years of study = 72 hours). It's so-called Preliminary college.

• Major Field of Study (Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Education, primary and secondary education, music, art etc.)

For example, the introductory course of History - overview - is the USA History (6 hours) and Western Civilization (6hours). Introductory courses don't require deep studies. The deepest are:

* American Civil War (Reconstruction period);

* Research Methods of History;

* The History of the State (Alabama);

* Philosophy of History (Theory of History, the

changing of meaning of Historic events);

* Courses in American Government;

* Sociology and anthropology;

University is more than one college in the same campus and may include over 3000 students.

Colleges are of common structures - Arts and Sciences. Lectures are very few, the dominating is seminar (discussion on different subjects), very popular are topics for written projects.

For example, the Faulkner University includes:

Schools	Colleges
School of Arts and Sciences	Biblical studies B. degree (36 hours a week) 132 hours for year	Business (45 semester hours) M. degree	Law (90 semester hours) Dr. Of Law

Most of the Universities in USA follow the same pattern, but some of them have much more schools in their campus.

Many schools have set admission standards. First of all students have to set their Syllabus – the individual academic program (students decide what subjects they wish to study and at what time) and to register for the next semester classes, state the dates to add some more classes or to drop some classes according to their abilities. They are to pass one final exam during the week at the end of the year and two or more midterm exams during the midterm week. Not the dean's office states the deadline, but professors have some liberties in setting exams and determine the number of them. During the session all grades come together and form a final grade. Tests and Written Papers are popular.

A-student (graduates with straight A/ with credit/ honours)

More advanced courses have 20 grades and more that 3 midterm exams and 1 final exam. In mostly every subject individual research is very important and compulsory. There even special subjects are provided about how to do researching and some courses are given specifically for research subjects.

As American Schooling is very competitive, teachers are usually required with terminal degree (Dr. of Philosophy) to teach at the college level in every school. But some teachers with Master's Degree can teach at college level as well. But those with terminal degree have 20% added to their salary. So, all colleges and Universities are very competitive to attract best students and best teacher. But great majority of Americans prefers to get only Bachelor degree.

2/3 of American students are occupied with part-time jobs, especially in summer, to pay their tuition fee. The most popular jobs are salesmen, in fast-food shops, assistants in elementary schools, day-care situations (relatively low-paid jobs).