Undergraduate Studies at US Colleges and Universities
Entering into college can be an exciting and scary endeavor for any student, but travelling around the globe to study in a foreign country adds a whole layer of adventure and experiential learning. Understanding how the first four years of postsecondary education is structured in the US can make this process less intimidating.
A Liberal Arts Education
Many college-level programs in the US focus on liberal arts education, providing general schooling in math, literature, languages, history, philosophy and science. The purpose is to provide broad exposure to key academic areas, so majors in specialized subjects like engineering will still require that at least 25% of classes be in the humanities and social sciences.
The US Academic Calendar
Each individual college or university will have their own academic calendar, but consider the school year to begin in late August / early September, and end in late May / early June. The year is either divided into two semesters, three trimesters or four quarters, and includes a winter and spring break. Summer terms are common, allowing students the opportunity to complete the required number of credits for their degree faster or spread out their course load so that it's lighter in the regular terms.
Types of Undergraduate Degrees in the US
- Bachelor's Degree - The most common undergraduate degree, the bachelor's degree is awarded by most, if not all, traditional colleges and universities (also called four-year schools). Although bachelor's degrees are commonly referred to as four-year degrees because of the number of semesters required to meet the minimum number of credits, many undergraduate students take longer than four years to complete their program because they change majors or take fewer than the maximum number of credits per semester. About 30% of all international students who come to the US pursue four-year degrees. A Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree is often a minimum requirement for full-time jobs in the US.
Most international students seeking a four-year degree live on the college or university campus. (Some schools require that all freshmen live in on-campus housing.) Campuses typically offer all the conveniences of meals, housing, libraries, computer labs, medical care, entertainment, athletic complexes and cultural experiences. Living on campus also provides the opportunity to meet and interact with students from many countries as well as those from the US.
A beginning student selects a major, or specific field of study, which has a required number of credits or "semester hours" for completion (most courses award 2 or 3 credits). The majority of these courses (about 50%-75% of all required credits) are taken during the first two (freshman and sophomore) years. Students then complete required courses specific to their major in their junior and senior years. They may also choose one or more minors (secondary areas of study), and elective courses from any field. All in all, bachelor's students complete around 130-180 credits. - Associate's Degree - Offered primarily by two-year community colleges and vocational schools, associate's degrees are offered by some four-year schools as well. Programs are either "terminal", meaning that upon graduation students are prepared to begin specific careers, or "transfer", which offer liberal arts-based curricula so that students can transfer to a four-year college or university to finish earning their bachelor's degree.
Approximately 10% of international students who come to the US for postsecondary education pursue two-year associate's degrees. In addition to being more affordable than most four-year schools, vocational schools / community colleges offer intensive hands-on training, smaller classes and flexible schedules. Most do not offer on-campus housing, so students live within the nearby community, which provides the opportunity for a more immersive experience. And the ability to easily transfer earned credits to a four-year school allows visiting students to study in one area of the country for two years, and then move to another geographic location for their remaining schooling.
US College Grading System
Academic success in an individual undergraduate-level course is based on continual assessment. Written papers, tests and quizzes, projects and lab work, and class participation are all taken into consideration when determining a final grade for a class. Each grade is worth a point value; typically 4 points for an "A" grade, 3 points for a "B", etc.
The general percentage / letter grade scale for undergraduate classes is:
- 100 - 90% = A
- 89 - 80% = B
- 79 - 70% = C
- 69 - 65% = D
- Below 65% = F
Overall academic success is measured by according to grade point average (GPA). A cumulative average is taken for all courses completed, and compared against either a 4.0 or 5.0 scale. The GPA is calculated by multiplying the number of points for a grade (e.g. 4 points for an "A") times the course's credits. This calculation is done for every course completed, and divided by the total number of completed credits.
Honors are awarded for high grades in all courses for a semester within an academic department, such as Social Sciences, and high GPA upon graduation (summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude in descending order). Most universities also offer some sort of honors degree, and there are distinguished honor societies for which students with a high level of academic achievement may qualify.
Highlights
- Bachelor's degrees in the US are built for flexibility --the variety of
courses from which students can craft a unique program of study is extensive,
and basic requirements are consistent throughout postsecondary schools,
making transfers to other locations or programs relatively easy. This convenience
gives international students the opportunity travel and experience different
geographical and cultural perspectives during their time in the US.
- The following estimated budgets (including tuition, fees, meals, housing,
transportation and personal expenses) were suggested by College
Board for undergraduate students in 2006-2007: $12,294 if attending
a two-year public community college living off campus, $26,304 if attending
a four-year public institution and living on campus, and $33,301 if attending
a four-year private institution living on campus.
- Most international students (approximately a quarter of a million of them,
according to the Institute
of International Education (IIE)'s Open Doors report come to the US
from India, China, South Korea, Japan and Canada. California, New York and
Texas, in that order, recently hosted the highest number of international
students. For seven years, the University of Southern California has had
the highest number of foreign nationals enrolled.
Online Course Finder
Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.