Education in the United States

There is no federal educational standard in the USA. Schooling and educational programmes are the responsibility of each state; this is why one can find great differences in education from state to state. No uniform demands exist on education in schools or universities through out the nation. In most states attending school is obligatory for children between six and seventeen. Secondary education institutions include elementary schools and high schools.

Higher education in the USA is not nation-wide. Colleges differ a lot from each other in scale and level of education as well as in the "quality" of diplomas given. There are private and state universities. Private education is considered more prestigious. The most famous private university is Harvard. Higher education is rather expensive in the USA.

A typical American university has two levels of education: two years of undergraduate classes and two more years of graduate classes. The undergraduate years are called the freshman and the sophomore year. During the first and the second year the students take subjects of general education: Science, Humanities, Arts. The specialization begins at the third and the fourth years, named the junior and the senior year respectively. After the fourth year at college, students get a Bachelor's degree. Graduates may specialize further and do research. They get a Master's Degree.

Exercises:

1. Give the English equivalents of the following words and word combina­tions:

федеральный стандарт образования; учебные и образовательные программы; универсальные требования; начальная школа; средняя школа; считается более престижным; самый известный; довольно дорогое; первый курс; второй курс; третий курс; четвертый курс; общеобразовательные предметы; специализация; степень бакалавра; степень магистра

2. Agree or disagree:

1. The system of education in the USA works according to the national standard.

2. Admission to elementary and high schools is free.

3. State universities are more prestigious than private ones.

4. The course in a typical American university lasts five or six years.

5. Sophomore is the second year in a university.

6. The specialization begins at the first year of studies in a university.