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Structure
of
USA
Educational System
Mr. / Girgis
Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 6
Age of exit: 16
Structure of school system:
Pre-Primary
Type of school providing this education:
A) Kindergarten
B) Nursery Schools
C) Preschool programs;
D) Child/day Care Centers
Length of program in years: 2
Age level from: 3 to: 6
Certificate/diploma
awarded: Practice varies.
Certificates may be given, especially if needed, to
prove attendance or entry into Elementary School.
Primary
Type of school providing this education:
Elementary School (Grades 1-4 on average,
but state and local practice may
vary).
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 6 to: 10
Primary
Type of school providing this education:
Elementary Schools (Grades 1-6 or 7)
Age level from: 6 to: 14
Certificate/diploma
awarded.
Middle
Type of school providing this education:
Middle
Schools
(Grades 4-6, 5-7 or 6-8)
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 10 to: 14
Secondary
Type of school providing this education:
High
Schools (Grades 7-12 or 8-12)
Length of program in years: 6
Age level from: 13 to: 18
Certificate/diploma
awarded
Junior Secondary
Type of school providing this education:
Junior
High Schools (Grades 7-8, 7-9 or 8-9)
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 13 to: 15
Certificate/diploma
awarded
Upper Secondary
Type of school providing this education:
High
Schools,
Senior High Schools (Grades 9-12 or 10-12)
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 15 to: 18
Certificate/diploma awarded)
School education:
The age of entry to compulsory education in the
U.S. varies, according to the state, between 5
and 7 years of age, 6 being the most common.
The age at which compulsory schooling ends
varies between 16 and
18 years of age, the
most common being 16. School education does
not end until
age 18, or completion of the 12th
year of school and those who leave school at
the end of compulsory education without
earning a secondary (high school)
diploma do
not receive any certificate or recognition - they
are considered to be secondary school drop-
outs.
Secondary education
Secondary
education takes place in grades 7-12,
depending upon the laws and policies of
states
and local school districts.
Vocational
Vocational and academic/college preparatory or
honors/Regents diplomas usually have additional
set curricular requirements and/or standards
which aspiring graduates must meet or exceed.
International Baccalaureate
A growing number of public and private secondary
schools also offer the International Baccalaureate
(IB) as an optional track; completion of IB
requirements usually requires an additional
summer or semester of study beyond
the 12th
year.
Higher education:
Post secondary education is broadly divided into
two
different sectors:
1-post secondary vocational education and training,which is
non-degree but can produce some transferable credits under certain
circumstances;
2- higher education, which includes studies undertaken in degree-granting institutions for academic credit.
Non-university level:
Educational programs corresponding to "non-university level
technical/vocational post-secondary studies" would include all technical
and occupational programs that lead to a degree,
diploma or certificate below
the Bachelor's degree.
Education at this level would include:
(1) all
institutions that only award qualifications under the Bachelor's degree;
(2)
programs leading to awards under the Bachelor's degree offered at
institutions that also award higher degrees.
Associate degree
The Associate degree is
the first academic or professional degree that can be awarded in U.S.
post-secondary education.
Holders of this degree may apply to enter higher
degree programs at the Bachelor's level, but are not qualified to apply
directly for advanced (graduate) studies program.
Programs of study for
this degree are usually designed to take 2 years of full-time study, but some
take longer to complete.
Bachelor's degree
The Bachelor's degree is
the second academic degree that can be awarded in U.S. post-secondary education,
and is one of two undergraduate (first) degrees that qualify a student
to apply
to programs of advanced (graduate) study (the other such degree is the
first-professional degree).
Programs of study for this degree are designed to
take between 4 and 5 years, depending on the field of study.
Honors programs
Honors programs are
offered by many institutions that award the Bachelor's degree. These generally
require the completion of additional requirements such as preparation of an
undergraduate thesis, honors paper or project, advanced coursework, or special
examinations. .
Master's degree
The Master's degree
represents the second stage of higher education and is the first advanced
(graduate) degree. U.S. Master's degrees may be taught (without thesis) or research (with thesis) and may be awarded in academic or professional fields.
Most Master's degrees are designed to take 2 years of full-time study
Research
Doctorate:
The Research Doctorate represents the third and
highest stage of higher education in the United States and may be awarded in
academic disciplines and some professional fields
of study. This degree is not
awarded by examination or coursework only, but requires demonstrated mastery of
the chosen subject and the ability to conduct independent, original research
Teacher education:
Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school
teachers. Requirements for
education and certification (license) of early childhood (nursery, kindergarten,
preschool) and elementary (primary) teachers are set by state governments which
require multiple exams (subject matter, etc.)
Training of secondary school teachers
The basic
pre-certification requirements for secondary teachers are the same as for
elementary school teachers. A major difference is that secondary school
teachers are certified as competent in one or more academic or
vocational
subjects and spend their careers concentrating on these subjects.
Lifelong higher education
Frequently called
continuing education. Institutions operate specific continuing education
programs, some very extensive and parallel to regular institutional degree
offerings, whilst others are short or specialized programs. Continuing
education may be structured to lead to Certificates, Diplomas or Degrees, or
unstructured and used to provide general and leisure study opportunities.
Distance learning
Some
continuing education is offered through distance learning methods while other
programs are offered at an institution or provided at a branch site. When
offered in order to provide further education and training for professionals who already hold basic qualifications, it is usually called continuing
professional education.
Teaching Forum 2006, Volume
44, Number 2
