1. AMERICAN EDUCATION 1 Long V Nguyen, PhD nvlong@cfl.udn.vn University of Danang College of Foreign Languages

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4. Overview  Because of the country’s history and cultural values, no national education system or national curriculum exists in the United States.  The federal government does not operate schools.  Each of the 50 states has its own Department of Education, which sets guidelines for the schools of that state.  Most of the control of American schools is in the hands of each local school district.  Each school district is governed by a school board, a small committee of people elected by the local community.  The school board sets general policies for the school district. Students do not pay tuition in grades 1-12. 4 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

5. Schools  Generally, school districts are divided into elementary schools, middle schools or junior high schools, and high schools. Elementary schools contain students in kindergarten and 1st through 5th or 6th grades.Elementary schools  Depending on the school district, students follow elementary school with either middle school or junior high school.  Middle school contains grades 6-8. Junior high school contains grades 7-9. Middle school  Following that, students go to high school. High school contains grades 9- 12 or 10-12. In the United States, education is compulsory for all children until age 16 or 17.High school  Although there is no national curriculum in the United States, certain subjects are taught in virtually all elementary and secondary schools throughout the country.  Almost every elementary school, for example, teaches mathematics; language arts (including reading, grammar, writing, and literature); penmanship; science; social studies (including history, geography, citizenship, and economics); and physical education. 5 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

6. College  A college is a four-year institution of higher learning that offers courses in related subjects. Americans often use the word "college" as shorthand for either a college or a university.  Every state has its own university, and some states operate large networks of colleges and universities.  Unlike public elementary and secondary schools, public colleges and universities usually charge tuition.  There is no clear distinction between the quality of education provided at public and private colleges or institutions.  A college student takes courses in his or her "major" field (the area of study in which he or she chooses to specialize), along with "electives" (courses that are not required but chosen by the student). It has been estimated that American colleges and universities offer more than 1,000 majors.college student 6 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

7. Higher education: A snapshot  The United States leads the industrial nations in the proportion of its young people who receive higher education.higher education  For some careers - law, medicine, education, and engineering - a college education is a necessary first step.  The widespread availability of a college education in America dates back to 1944, when Congress passed a law popularly known as the GI Bill.  By 1955 more than 2 million veterans of World War II and the Korean War had used the GI Bill to go to college.  About the same time, the percentage of women in American colleges began to grow steadily.women 7 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

8. College, universities, institutes  Degree-granting institutions in the United States can be called by any of these terms, and colleges and institutes are in no way inferior to universities.  As a general rule, colleges tend to be smaller and usually offer only undergraduate degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees.  The words "school," "college," and "university" will be used interchangeably.university  An institute usually specializes in degree programs in a group of closely related subject areas, so you will also come across degree programs offered at institutes of technology, institutes of fashion, institutes of art and design, and so on.  Within each college or university you will find schools, such as the school of arts and sciences or the school of business.  Each school is responsible for the degree programs offered by the college or university in that area of study. 8 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

9. University types  State Universities: founded and subsidized by U.S. state governments (for example, California, Michigan, or Texas) to provide low-cost education to residents of that state.  They may also be called public universities to distinguish them from private institutions.  Some include the words "state university" in their title or include a regional element such as "eastern" or "northern."  State universities tend to be very large, with enrollments of 20,000 or more students, and generally admit a wider range of students than private universities.  Also, in-state residents (those who live and pay taxes in that particular state) pay much lower tuition than out-of-state residents.  International students, as well as those from other states, are considered out- of-state residents and therefore do not benefit from reduced tuition at state institutions. 9 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

10. University types (Cont’d)  Private Universities: funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and gifts from their alumni.  Tuition fees tend to be higher at private universities than at state universities, but there is no distinction made between state and non-state residents.  Colleges with a religious affiliation and single-sex colleges are private. In general, private universities have enrollments of fewer than 20,000 students, and private colleges may have 2,000 or fewer students on their campuses. 10 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

11. University types (Cont’d)  Community Colleges: provide two-year associate degree programs, usually called the associate of arts (A.A.) or associate of science (A.S.) degrees, as well as excellent technical and vocational programs.  As the name suggests, community colleges are community-based institutions with close links to secondary schools, community groups, and employers, and many U.S. students live close to campus with their families.  Community colleges can be public or private institutions and are sometimes called junior colleges or two-year colleges.  A growing number of international students are choosing to study at community colleges.  Tuition costs are often lower at two-year than at four-year institutions, and many have agreements to allow students on transfer programs to move easily into the third year of a bachelor's degree at the local state university. 11 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

12. University types (Cont’d)  Technical and Vocational Colleges: specialize in preparing students for entry into, or promotion within, the world of work.  They offer certificate and other short-term programs that train students in the theory behind a specific vocation or technology, as well as in how to work with the technology.  Programs usually last two years or less.  There are several thousand technical and vocational colleges across the United States, and they may be private or public institutions. 12 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

13. Admission to a college/university  Although admission policies vary from one college and university to the next, most determine admission based on several factors such as a student’s high school course of study, high school GPA, SAT scores, written essay, and possibly a personal interview.  A GPA is a quantitative figure representing a student’s accumulated grades. Each letter grade is assigned a number of points: A=4 points, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F= 0 points. A GPA is calculated by adding all of the points earned for each course grade and dividing the total points by the total number of courses taken. For example, a GPA of 3.0 means a “B” average for all of the courses taken.  Most colleges and universities set a minimum SAT score that a student must achieve in order to gain admission. The SAT is the Scholastic Aptitude Test, a standardized quantitative examination (Math, Physics, Chemistry) taken by high school students throughout the United States. Each college or university decides the minimum SAT score it will accept.MathPhysicsChemistry 13 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

14. Admission to a college/university  Colleges and universities often require applicants to write an essay. The length and content of the essay is determined by each admission office.  Depending on the college or university, applicants might also have a personal interview with a representative from the admissions office.  At the college and university level, most courses are only one semester or one term long. Each course is assigned a number of credit hours.  Credit hours are usually based on how much time is spent in class. Most courses are 3 or 4 credits. However, some courses may be 1, 2, or 5 credits.  All degree programs require students to complete a minimum number of credit hours before graduation. Most Bachelor’s degree programs in the United States don’t require students to write a final thesis. A final thesis is required for most Master’s programs and all Doctorate programs. 14 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

15. Admission to a college/university  Selection for admission to a graduate program is similar to the factors used to determine admission to an undergraduate program.  Instead of considering high school courses and GPA, an admissions office examines the student’s undergraduate courses and GPA.  Most Master’s programs require students to have a minimum score on the GRE. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is similar to the SAT.  In most Doctorate programs, students continue to take courses until they have earned enough credit hours to attempt their qualifying examinations.  After students pass the qualifying exams, they can begin to write his their final theses.  Because degree requirements can be very complex and vary from one program to another, all students should check with their departments and program advisors to make sure they are meeting the requirements of their particular program. 15 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

16. Curriculum  As mentioned above, there is no national curriculum in America. However, there are also some common characteristics.  High school students take a wide range of courses. All students are required to take English, math, science, and social studies courses.  They also might be required to take a foreign language and/or physical education.  A course can be one semester or two semesters long. Most Americans attend twelve years of primary and secondary school.  With a secondary school ("high school") diploma or certificate, a student can enter college, university, vocational (job training) school, secretarial school, and other professional schools. 16 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

17. Curriculum (Cont’d)  At the college and university level, most courses are only one semester or one term long.  Each course is assigned a number of credit hours. Credit hours are usually based on how much time is spent in class. Most courses are 3 or 4 credits. However, some courses may be 1, 2, or 5 credits.  All degree programs require students to complete a minimum number of credit hours before graduation.  Most Bachelor’s degree programs in the United States don’t require students to write a final thesis. A final thesis is required for most Master’s programs and all Doctorate programs.  Typically, colleges require that students complete a minimum number of units in order to graduate, rather than a minimum number of courses. This gives students more flexibility in what courses they decide to take to complete their graduation requirements.  In most Doctorate programs, students continue to take courses until they have earned enough credit hours to attempt their qualifying examinations. After students pass the qualifying exams, they can begin to write his their final theses. 17 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

18. Grading  Grades are given to students for each course at the end of every semester or term. A = Excellent B = Above Average C = Average D = Below Average F = Failure  A student who fails a required course must take the course again. 18 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

19. Academic year  The school calendar usually begins in August or September and continues through May or June. The academic year at many schools is composed of two terms or semesters.  Other schools use a three-term calendar known as the "trimester" system. Still others divide the year into the "quarter" system of four terms, including a summer session which is optional.  Most colleges and universities follow either a quarter-based calendar system or a semester-based calendar system.  In a quarter system, the academic year is divided into three sessions called quarters.  Each quarter lasts about 12 weeks. There is usually an additional quarter in the summer, where registration is optional. In a semester system, the academic year is divided into two sessions called semesters. Each semester lasts 16 weeks.  Again, there may be an optional session during the summer. Students who have registered for at least 12 units in a session (either a quarter or semester) are said to be “full-time” students. Students who have registered for fewer than 12 units in a session are called “part-time” students. 19 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

20. Questions  Cloze (one word is needed in each blank) American education is a complex topic because a single school can draw upon ………… from several different public and private …………. For example, a student may attend a ………… high school whose curriculum must meet ………… set by the state, some of whose science courses may be financed by federal funds, and whose sports teams may play on local, publicly owned fields. Despite this …………, however, it is possible to ………… the broad contours of American education.  Why is it said that American education is a complex topic? Comment on the idea: "The United States does not have a national school system.“  Education: Now and future Education: Now and future 20 College of Foreign Languages - UDN

21. Questions  Find out major differences between public and private educational institutions (schools, colleges, and universities).  What are the social and academic problems facing American education now?  Build up a diagram of American educational system from elementary education to higher education in comparison with that of Vietnamese.  Do you think that we should also have required courses and elective courses in Vietnam? Are you satisfied with the current curriculum you are following at the college now? Justify your opinion. 21 College of Foreign Languages - UDN