TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Can someone give me a brief overview of the US/British education system after high-school? I only have one subject, and I'll get a master in that (I think the same degree in the US takes 3 years, not 5, which also makes little sense). While in the US you have "minors", "majors", some dish on the side of math, while mainly studying biology with a splash of musical theory or whatever. It makes me confused![]()
Can someone give me a brief overview of the US/British education system after high-school? I only have one subject, and I'll get a master in that (I think the same degree in the US takes 3 years, not 5, which also makes little sense). While in the US you have "minors", "majors", some dish on the side of math, while mainly studying biology with a splash of musical theory or whatever. It makes me confused![]()
US students who pursue education after high school generally follow one of two routes. They can go to a community (or "junior") college or a four year university.
A community college offers the ability to earn an "Associate's Degree" after two years of full time work. Some people may stop there or transfer to a four year university to earn a Bachelor's Degree. The community college is less costly, has lower standards for admission and is generally more flexible which is good for people working full time or raising a family.
It is also provides the ability for people to take classes that appeal to them with no notion of earning a degree. For instance my stepfather recently took a wine appreciation course at the local community college.
Otherwise students may enter a four year school to earn a Bachelor's (4 year) degree. Students choose a "major" which is their area of study and must complete the courses required of that major as well as "breadth" requirements which theoretically provide a more well rounded education. So physics students have to take a literature course and history students must take a life science course etc depending on the actual requirements of the university. You may also choose to "double major" fulfilling the requirements of two degrees simultaneously or "minor" in a subject which is simply a secondary course of study that requires less coursework than the major.
Everyone graduating from a four year university must choose a major. But a minor is not required and simply an option for someone who is interested in two areas of study but doesn't wish to have a double major.
My degrees (from THE University of California in Berkeley) are in Neurochemistry and Business Administration. I briefly worked towards a minor in music but quickly discovered (1) I was behind the curve with my knowledge of theory and (2) it was more work than I had time for.
...and then from earning a Bachelor's degree, people may choose to further their education either by going to a professional school or graduate school. Professional school generally refers to medical, dentistry, or law school. Graduate school generally refers to an institution that confers Master's and/or doctorates. Terminal Master's generally take 1 - 2 years to complete depending on requirements (i.e., many Master's programs have no thesis or comprehensive exam requirement). A doctorate generally takes 4 - 7 years to complete, usually depending on how complicated a candidate's dissertation gets.
In the UK, again, it's a bit different.
We don't tend to have seperate professional and graduate schools.
Most universities offer post-graduate courses of one variety of another.
Professional courses depend on the university itself, but I don't know of any which offer only professional courses, the university where I did my UG also have Medicine and Dentisry courses, for instance.
The real question is who actually does something related to their major now that they've graduated.