International Guide for the Assessment of E of Assessment the for duc a ST UNITED the from tion

International Education Guide A A OF TES FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MERIC A

International Education Guide FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .ii INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .iii INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Welcome to the Alberta Government’s International Education Guides The International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) developed the International Education Guides for educational institutions, employers and professional licensing bodies to help facilitate and streamline their decisions regarding the recognition of international credentials.

These guides compare educational systems from around the world to educational standards in Canada. The assessment recommendations contained in the guides are based on extensive research and well-documented standards and criteria. This research project, a first in Canada, is based on a broad range of international resources and considerable expertise within the IQAS program.

Organizations can use these guides to make accurate and efficient decisions regarding the recognition of international credentials. The International Education Guides serve as a resource comparing Alberta standards with those of other countries and will assist all those who need to make informed decisions, including:

• employers who need to know whether an applicant with international credentials meets the educational requirements for a job, and how to obtain information comparing the applicant’s credentials to educational standards in Alberta and Canada • educational institutions that need to make a decision about whether a prospective meets the education requirements for admission, and that need to find accurate and reliable information about the educational system of another country • professional licensing bodies that need to know whether an applicant meets the educational standards for licensing bodies

The guides include: • a country overview • a historical education overview • descriptions of education; ; professional, technical and ; and education • grading scales • documentation for educational credentials • a bibliography

The guides also include placement recommendations for comparison and application in Alberta, Canada.

Prepared by International Qualifications Assessment Service Government of Alberta 9th Floor, 108 Street Building, 9942 – 108 Street NW Edmonton, AB, Canada T5K 2J5 T: 780-427-2655 F: 780-422-9734 eae.alberta.ca/labour-and-immigration/overview-of-immigration/international-qualifications-assessment-service.aspx

©2013 the Crown in right of the Province of Alberta, Government of Alberta International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) ISBN: 978-1-4601-1377-6 .iv INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .v INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Contents List of Figures vii List of Tables viii Country Overview 1 Land 1 People and Language 1 History 2 Administration 4

Historical Education Overview 7 Outline of Education System 7 Administration and financing 8 Language of instruction 9 School or academic year 9 Colonial Period (1600s–1775) 9 Independence to the Second World War (1776–1945) 11 Post-Second World War (1945–Present) 13 School education 13 Higher education 15

School Education 17 Over view 17 standards and student assessment 18 Language of instruction 18 Grading scale 19 School year 19 Types of 19 Teacher qualification 20 Early Childhood Education (Ages 3–5) 20 Elementary Education (Grades 1–8) 21 (Grades 9–12) 21 High school 22 General Educational Development (GED) 24 Advanced Placement (AP) 25 International Baccalaureate (IB) 26 Dual credit 26

Higher Education 27 Overview 27 Administration and financing 27 Program structure 28 Language of instruction 28 Grading scale 28 Academic year and credit system 28 Institutions 29 Accreditation 30 Diploma Mills 32 Admissions 32 Programs and Credentials: General Education 33 Certificates and 33 33 Bachelor’s degree 34 .vi INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Master’s degree 35 Graduate certificates and diplomas 36 Doctor of Philosophy degree 36 Programs and Credentials: Specialized and Professional Education 36 Architecture 36 Business 37 Dentistry 38 Education 39 Engineering and technology 39 Law 39 Medicine 40 Nursing 42 Pharmacy 42 Physical therapy 43 Veterinary medicine 44

Teacher Education 45 Overview 45 Teacher Preparation and Certification 45 Traditional certification 45 Alternative certification 46 Grade levels and fields of certification 46 Certification renewal and upgrade 47 Waivers 47 Reciprocal certification 47 Teacher Preparation Programs 48 Associate degree 48 Bachelor’s degree 48 Post-baccalaureate certificate and bachelor’s degree 48 Master’s and doctoral degrees 48 Graduate certificates and diplomas 48 Low performing programs 49

Technical and Vocational Education 50 Overview 50 Administration 50 Federal legislation 50 National Career Clusters Framework 51 High School Programs 52 Vocational courses in high school curricula 52 Career 52 Secondary–Post-Secondary Linkage Programs 53 CTE dual credit courses 53 Tech Prep 53 Registered Apprenticeship 53 Post-Secondary Programs 54 Certificates and diplomas 54 Associate degrees 55

Grading Scales 58 Norm-Referenced and Criterion-Referenced Grading Systems 58 Secondary Education 58 Higher Education 59 .vii INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Documentation 61 Secondary Education 61 Document format 61 Higher Education and Technical and Vocational Education 62 Document format 62

References 63 Electronic and Print Resources 63 Internet Resources 63

Appendix A—Placement Recommendations 65 Appendix B—Nationally Recognized Accrediting Organizations 66 Appendix C—Degree Titles 68 Appendix D—Sample Program Structures 71 Appendix D1. Undergraduate Certificate 71 Appendix D2. Associate of Science (AS) 72 Appendix D3. Bachelor of Arts (BA) 73 Appendix D4. Master of Arts (MA) 74 Appendix D5. Graduate Certificate and Certificate of Advanced Study 75 Appendix D6. Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) 76 Appendix D7. Master of Business Administration (MBA) 78 Appendix D8. Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) 79 Appendix D9. Bachelor’s Degrees in Engineering and Engineering Technology 82 Appendix D10. Doctor of Medicine (MD) 85 Appendix D11. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) 86 Appendix D12. Bachelor of Science (BS) in Pharmacy Studies and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) 89 Appendix D13. Nursing Certificate and Diploma 91 Appendix D14. Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene 93 Appendix D15. Associate of Applied Science 94 Appendix D16. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) 95 Appendix D17. Associate of Applied Science in Education and Associate of Arts in Teaching 96 Appendix D18. Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAEd) 98 Appendix D19. Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Education 101 Appendix D20. (MEd) and Master in Teaching (MIT) 102 Appendix D21. Sixth Year Graduate Certificate in Education 105

Appendix E—Sample Documents 106 Appendix E1. High School Diploma 106 Appendix E2. Associate of Science 107 Appendix E3. Bachelor of Arts 109 Appendix E4. Master of Accountancy 111 Appendix E5. Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Science in Education 113 Appendix E6. Graduate Certificate 117 Appendix E7. Master of Business Administration 120

List of Figures Figure 1. Geographic Map of the United States 1 Figure 2. Administrative Map of the United States 5 Figure 3. US National Flag 6 .viii INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Figure 4. US Great Seal 6 Figure 5. Outline of US Education System 7 Figure 6. School Education System 17 List of Tables Table 1. US States, Their Capitals and State Populations (2010 Census) 5 Table 2. Secondary Grading Scale 19 Table 3. Average Carnegie Units Earned by High School Graduates in Various Subject Fields 22 Table 4. Percentage of High School Graduates Earning Minimum Credits in Selected Combinations of Academic Courses 22 Table 5. Minimum Credit and Exit Exam Requirements for High School Diploma by State 23 Table 6. AP Grading Scale 25 Table 7. Number of Degree-Granting Institutions, 2008–09 27 Table 8. Number of Degrees Awarded, 1998–99 and 2008–09 27 Table 9. Higher Education Grading Scale 28 Table 10. Regional Accrediting Bodies 31 Table 11. Number of School , 2007–08 45 Table 12. Percentage of School Teachers by Highest Degree Earned, 2007–08 45 Table 13. Number of States That Have Set Teacher Standards in Specific Fields, by Grade Level, 2010 47 Table 14. National Career Clusters Framework 51 Table 15. Example of a Norm-Referenced Grading Scale 58 Table 16. Example of a Criterion-Referenced Grading Scale 58 Table 17. Secondary Grading Scale 58 Table 18. Secondary Plus/Minus Grading Scale 58 Table 19. Alternative Secondary Grading Scales 59 Table 20. Secondary Grading Scale, AP Class 59 Table 21. Higher Education Grading Scale 59 Table 22. Higher Education Plus/Minus Grading Scale 59 Table 23. Examples of Honour Notations 60 Table 24. Major Types of Secondary Credentials 61 Table 25. Major Types of Higher Education and Career and Technical Education Credentials 62 Table 26. Accrediting Organizations Recognized by CHEA and the US Department of Education (as of April 2013) 66 Table 27. Examples of Degree Titles Awarded in the US 68 Table 28. Environmental Studies Certificate, of Wisconsin–Madison 71 Table 29. Post-Baccalaureate Undergraduate Certificate in Pre-Medical Basic Sciences, Pennsylvania State University 71 Table 30. Associate of Science with an emphasis in engineering, Mt. Hood Community 72 Table 31. Curriculum Requirements for Bachelor of Arts (BA), English, Daemen College 73 Table 32. Curriculum Requirements for Master of Arts (MA) in Economics, New York University 74 Table 33. Curriculum Requirements for Master of Arts (MA) in Liberal Studies, School of Continuing Studies, Georgetown University 74 Table 34. Graduate Certificate in Accounting, University of Maryland University College 75 Table 35. Certificate of Advanced Study, School of Information, University of Texas at Austin 75 .ix INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 36. Recommended Sequence of Courses for Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), California College of the Arts 76 Table 37. Fulltime Master of Business Administration (MBA), McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin 78 Table 38. Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), University of Minnesota 79 Table 39. Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering Technology), Pennsylvania College of Technology 82 Table 40. Suggested Schedule for Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE), 2011–2012, Georgia 83 Table 41. Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2009 Entering Class, University of Washington 85 Table 42. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), California State University Long Beach 86 Table 43. Entry-Level Bachelor of Nursing (BSN)/Master of Nursing (MSN), Fall 2011, California State University Long Beach 87 Table 44. Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies/Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut 89 Table 45. Certificate in Practical Nursing, Penn State Berks 91 Table 46. Diploma in Nursing, Watts School of Nursing 91 Table 47. Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Dental Hygiene, Fall 2011, Pennsylvania College of Technology 93 Table 48. Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET), Catalogue Year 2011–12, Mt. Hood 94 Table 49. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Napa Valley College 95 Table 50. Associate of Applied Science, Early Childhood Education, Prince George’s Community College 96 Table 51. Associate of Arts in Teaching, Secondary Education–English, Prince George’s Community College 96 Table 52. Bachelor of Arts in Education: Elementary Education, City University of Seattle 98 Table 53. Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in , University of Hawaii at Manoa 101 Table 54. Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, with Emphasis, City University of Seattle 102 Table 55. Master in Teaching (MIT): Elementary Education, City University of Seattle 103 Table 56. Sixth Year Graduate Certificate in Educational Administration and Leadership, St. Cloud State University 105 .x INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .1 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Country Overview came to America. The longest river, the Missouri, starts in Montana and flows into the Mississippi. Other major rivers Land include the Yukon, Rio Grande, St. Lawrence, Arkansas, Colorado and Tennessee. The largest lakes in the US are The United States of America is situated in North America. the Great Lakes on the US–Canada border: Lake Superior, Its total area of 9.8 million square kilometres makes it the Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. world’s third largest country, after Russia and Canada. The contiguous US, consisting of 48 states, borders Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, with the North Pacific Ocean The US and Canada share the Great Lakes with the to the west and the North Atlantic Ocean to the east. exception of Lake Michigan.

At 8,891 kilometres, the US–Canada border is the The climate is varied—from tropical in Hawaii and longest in the world. southern Florida to arctic in Alaska—but is mostly temperate, with a favourable mix of rain and sun and a long growing season that has enabled the US to be one of the The US also has two non-contiguous states: Alaska in world’s leading agricultural countries. the extreme northwest of North America and bordering Figure 1. Geographic Map of the United States Canada on the east, and the islands of Hawaii in the East Central Pacific Ocean. In addition, it has a federal district, the District of Columbia, location of the national capital of Washington. There are five major US territories: Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea, and Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean. A US territory is a partially self-governing piece of land under the authority of the US government.

The contiguous US crosses four time zones: Pacific, Mountain, Central and Eastern. While most states belong to a single time zone, a few span two time zones.

Seven states share the Mountain Time Zone Honolulu (UTC –7) with Alberta: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. People and Languages The US is a diverse country inhabited by people of different The US has a vast lowland known as the Great Plains ethnicities, languages and cultural traditions. The major stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border ethnic groups are Caucasian, African American and Asian. and then on to Alaska. Major mountains include the Alaska Range in the northeast of Alaska, the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevadas in the west, and the Appalachians in The population of 309 million (2010 census) makes the east. The Alaska Range contains the highest point of the US the world’s third most populous country, after North America, Mount McKinley (also called Denali), China and India. which stands 6,194 metres above sea level.

The US has an extensive water system. The largest river, the Mississippi, runs through 10 states and was used by Native Americans for food, water and trade before Europeans .2 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

US Population by Race (2010) Languages Spoken at Home and Languages Other Than English Race Population (million) Languages Population Age Five and White 223.5 Spoken at Home Older (per cent) Black or African American 39 Only English 80.3 American Indian and Alaska native 3 A language other than English 19.7 Asian 15 Languages Other than English Population Age Five and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.5 Spoken at Home Older (per cent) Other Races 19 Spanish or Spanish Creole 62.3 Mixed Races 9 Other Indo-European languages 18.6 Total 309 Asian and Pacific Islander languages 15.0 Source: US Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/ productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_NSRD_P1&prodType=table Other languages 4.1 Source: US Census Bureau. Retrieved from www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/index.html A significant number of people identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino. This category refers to those History of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of The land of the present-day US has known human settlement race. Their numbers increased from 35 million in 2000 to for more than twelve thousand years. The early Americans 50 million in 2010. are believed to have come from Asia by crossing the land bridge that existed between Asia and North America. They Although the US Constitution upholds the separation of foraged, hunted, built villages, grew crops and engaged in church and state, religion plays a vital role in American trade. Over time some early groups disappeared and were politics and everyday life as well as in education. replaced by other tribes of Native Americans.

US Population by Religion When Europeans, probably Norse people travelling west from Greenland, first arrived in North America in the 11th Religion Adult Population (per cent) century, at least two million native people were estimated Protestant 51.3 to be living in what is now the US. It took another five Roman Catholic 23.9 hundred years before other European explorers, notably Mormon 1.7 the British, Dutch, French and Spanish, came to what they Jewish 1.7 called the New World. Other Christian 1.6 In 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean, Buddhist 0.7 but he did not set foot on the mainland on this voyage. Five Muslim 0.6 years later John Cabot of Venice arrived in Newfoundland Other or unspecified 2.5 on a mission for the king of England, providing the basis Unaffiliated 12.1 for British claims to North America. The first British settlement to take hold, Jamestown of Virginia, was not None 4 established until over two hundred years later, in 1709. Source: The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: US Religious Landscape Survey (2008) While the US does not have an official language, English is By the late 17th century, a quarter of a million people, the predominant language for government, business, society mostly from England, had settled on the eastern coast of and education. Over half of the states have designated America. Some colonists came to the New World to escape English as their official language. About 80 per cent of the religious restrictions or persecution; many came for political population over the age of five speak only English at home. freedom and economic opportunity. Thirteen distinct colonies evolved: the New England colonies of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, the middle colonies of Delaware, New Jersey, New York .3 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

and Pennsylvania, and the southern colonies of Georgia, two million square kilometres of land stretching from the Maryland, North and South Carolina and Virginia. Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. As the settlements expanded, the Native Americans, who were called Indians, were forced to move, often after being In 1845 the Republic of Texas, a former Mexican territory, defeated in battle. joined the US. The Mexican-American War of 1846–48 ended with US victory and acquisition of the northern part As the colonies grew, assemblies were set up to serve as of Mexico encompassing the present-day states of New local parliaments, which often got into dispute with the Mexico, Nevada, California, Utah, and parts of Arizona, British-appointed royal governors. At the First Continental Colorado and Wyoming. The US evolved into a huge Congress in 1774, representatives from each colony except nation stretching between two oceans, with wide regional Georgia gathered to assert colonial rights and call on the differences in politics, culture, economy and resources. British to change their policy. However, Britain retaliated by introducing more oppressive measures. In April 1861 a civil war broke out when 11 slave-keeping southern states formed the Confederacy and seceded The first shots of the American Revolution were fired at from the Union under Abraham Lincoln, who had won Lexington, Massachusetts, on 13 April 1775. Colonial his presidency on an anti-slave platform. In 1863, in the representatives meeting in Philadelphia for the Second middle of the Civil War, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Continental Congress voted to go to war with Britain and Proclamation, which freed all slaves in the southern states. appointed George Washington of Virginia the commander- The war ended with Union victory in April 1865. More in-chief of the continental army. On 4 July 1776 they than three million Americans fought in the war, and approved the Declaration of Independence, drafted by more than 600,000 people died. Although slavery was Thomas Jefferson. The date is officially recognized as the abolished, African Americans did not gain full citizenship, birth of the United States of America, although it was not and racial segregation in the south continued for the next until 3 September 1783 that the British signed the Treaty hundred years. of Paris, conceding American independence. In the decades after the Civil War, the US saw rapid The constitution, signed on 17 September 1787, provided industrialization, urban growth, technological innovation the framework for the US government structure. The federal and corporate consolidation. Most states provided free government would have three equal branches—legislative, public education. Great numbers of people continued executive and judicial—with balanced powers and checks to arrive, mainly from Europe, to settle in the new land. against each other’s actions. It would have full power to issue Immigration quotas were set up for the first time in the currency, levy taxes, grant patents, conduct foreign policy, 1920s amid fears that the newcomers threatened American maintain an army, establish post offices and wage war. Other jobs and culture. areas, such as education, were state responsibilities. Four years later, 10 amendments, collectively known as the Bill The purchase of Alaska in 1867 and the annexation of of Rights, became part of the constitution. The constitution Hawaii in 1898 gave the US a northern territory with rich currently has 27 amendments. natural resources, and its only tropical state. After a brief war with Spain in 1898, the US secured the independence George Washington was sworn in as the first US President of Cuba and took control of several Spanish overseas on 30 April 1789. The new nation enjoyed relative peace possessions: Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. for about 20 years. In 1803 the US doubled its size by purchasing from France the Louisiana Territory, more than The First World War broke out in 1914, with the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey fighting the Allied Powers of Britain, France, Russia and, later, Italy. In 1812 the US fought with Britain over the British After German submarines attacked American ships, the colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. The British US entered the war in April 1917 and played a decisive role colonies remained independent of the US and became in defeating the Central Powers. the new nation of Canada half a century later, in 1867. .4 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

After the war ended in 1918, the US entered a period of Nevertheless, the US got involved in some regional conflicts, steady growth as the standard of living continued to rise. notably the Korean War (1950–53) and the Vietnam War In 1920 the 19th Amendment to the Constitution gave (1968–72), as it fought to contain what it considered to be American women the right to vote. Soviet expansion and the spread of communism. The Cold War ended and the US became the world’s only superpower In 1929 a stock market crash heralded the three-year Great when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Depression, with bank failures, business shutdowns and massive unemployment sweeping across the country. The The US suffered the most devastating foreign attack on its so-called New Deal, introduced by President Franklin D. own soil on 11 September 2001, when Islamic terrorists Roosevelt to lift the US out of the Depression, included hijacked four passenger airplanes and crashed two of measures that have profoundly changed American society: a them into the World Trade Centre in New York, one into federal corporation to insure bank deposits, regulations on the Defence Department’s Pentagon headquarters near the sale of stocks, massive spending on public works and the Washington DC, and one in rural Pennsylvania. President establishment of the social security system as a safety net George W. Bush declared global war on terrorism. The for the underprivileged. actions taken by the US to combat terrorism, from the passage of the Patriot Act to the ousting of the pro-Taliban The US declared neutrality when the Second World War Afghan government and the invasion and occupation of broke out in September 1939 with the German invasion Iraq, met with mixed results and further divided the nation of Poland, but entered the war after the Japanese launched along political, social and cultural lines. a deadly attack on the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941. The war ended in August 1945, The US today faces many challenges: the situation in with the defeat of Germany and Italy in Europe and the Iraq and Afghanistan, crippling national debt and budget Japanese surrender after the US dropped atomic bombs on deficits that have worsened in the aftermath of the 2008 Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The US emerged from the war global financial meltdown, the impending bankruptcy of the as a superpower, to play a major role in global affairs. The social security system, and an educational system that many US and the Soviet Union entered the Cold War, which was believe is losing its competitive advantage. Whether the to last for over 40 years and have a profound effect on US nation will thrive and prosper in these crises, as it has done foreign policy and domestic affairs. many times before, remains to be seen.

The postwar US enjoyed phenomenal growth and prosperity along with an unprecedented baby boom. The Administration Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, also called the The US is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and the GI Bill, provided free college or vocational education for District of Columbia, which is home to the national capital returning veterans. African Americans proceeded to win of Washington, as well as several territories under US equal civil and voting rights and the desegregation of public jurisdiction. schools, with many joining the ranks of the middle class. In The 50 states vary greatly in size and population. Each state the feminist movement of the 1960s and ’70s, women made is subdivided into counties, with the exception of Louisiana, progress in gaining the same opportunities as men. A major where comparable political units are called parishes. The demographic shift was the rising population and political five largest cities by population are New York (8.2 million), influence of Hispanic Americans. Los Angeles (3.8 million), Chicago (2.7 million), Houston During the Cold War the US and Soviet Union both (2.1 million) and Philadelphia (1.5 million). undertook massive military build-ups, especially in nuclear weaponry, with the result that direct, full-scale warfare would have led to assured mutual destruction. .5 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 1. US States, Their Capitals and State Populations (2010 Census) Postal Population State Abbreviation Capital (thousands) Postal Population Oregon OR Salem 3,831 State Abbreviation Capital (thousands) Pennsylvania PA Harrisburg 12,702 Alabama AL Montgomery 4,780 Rhode Island RI Providence 1,053 Alaska AK Juneau 710 South Carolina SC Columbia 4,625 Arizona AZ Phoenix 6,392 South Dakota SD Pierre 814 Arkansas AR Little Rock 2,916 Tennessee TN Nashville 6,346 California CA Sacramento 37,254 Texas TX Austin 25,146 Colorado CO Denver 5,029 Utah UT Salt Lake City 2,764 Connecticut CT Hartford 3,574 Vermont VT Montpelier 626 Delaware DE Dover 898 Virginia VA Richmond 8,001 District of Columbia DC N/A 602 Washington WA Olympia 6,725 Florida FL Tallahassee 18,801 West Virginia WV Charleston 1,853 Georgia GA Atlanta 9,688 Wisconsin WI Madison 5,687 Hawaii HA Honolulu 1,360 Wyoming WY Cheyenne 564 Idaho ID Boise 1,568 Figure 2. Administrative Map of the United States Illinois IL Springfield 12,831 Indiana IN Indianapolis 6,484 Iowa IA Des Moines 3,046 Kansas KS Topeka 2,853 Kentucky KY Frankfort 4,339 Louisiana LA Baton Rouge 4,533 Maine ME Augusta 1,328 Maryland MD Annapolis 5,774 Massachusetts MA Boston 6,548 Michigan MI Lansing 9,884 Minnesota MN St. Paul 5,304 Mississippi MS Jackson 2,967 Missouri MO Jefferson City 5,989 Source: US Geological Survey. Retrieved from www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/ Montana MT Helena 989 outline/states_capitals.pdf Nebraska NE Lincoln 1,826 The president is the chief of state and head of government. Nevada NV Carson City 2,701 The president and vice-president are elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly New Hampshire NH Concord 1,316 from each state. The president and vice-president serve New Jersey NJ Trenton 8,792 four-year terms and may be re-elected for a second term. New Mexico NM Santa Fe 2,059 The president’s cabinet consists of the vice-president and the New York NY Albany 19,378 heads of 15 executive departments, called secretaries except North Carolina NC Raleigh 9,535 for the attorney general. The current and 44th president, North Dakota ND Bismarck 673 Barack Obama, was inaugurated on 20 January 2009 and Ohio OH Columbus 11,537 re-elected on 6 November 2012. He is scheduled to serve until 20 January 2017. Oklahoma OK Oklahoma City 3,751 .6 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The bicameral Congress consists of the Senate and the The US government has a coat of arms, called the Great House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 seats, with Seal, created by an Act of Congress in 1782. The front two members elected from each state by popular vote to of the seal features the American bald eagle supporting serve six-year terms. Senate elections take place on even- the shield, which is composed of 13 red and white stripes, numbered years with one-third of the senators being up for representing the original 13 states, and a blue top, which election every two years. The House of Representatives has unites the shield and represents Congress. The motto, E 435 seats, with members elected by popular vote to serve Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one), alludes to this union. two-year terms. The number of representatives from each An olive branch and 13 arrows denote the power of peace state depends on state population. There is no limit on the and war, which is exclusively vested in Congress. The reverse number of terms a senator or representative may serve. side shows a pyramid, which signifies strength and duration. The eye and the motto Annuit Coeptis (He has favoured our The judicial system consists of the Supreme Court, Courts undertakings) allude to the many interventions of Providence of Appeal, District Courts, State Courts and County in favour of the American cause. The date underneath is that Courts. The president nominates the Supreme Court of the Declaration of Independence, and the words under it, justices. The federal and all but one (Louisiana) state court Novus Ordo Seclorum (A new order of the ages), signify the systems are based on English common law. Louisiana, a beginning of the new American era in 1776. former French territory, has a civil code closely connected to the Napoleonic Code. Figure 4. US Great Seal

Similar to the federal government, most states have three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. The governor is the chief executive of the state. In the majority of states, governors are elected to serve four-year terms.

The American flag, nicknamed Old Glory, features 13 equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white; a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bears 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal The US and Canada have strong political, economic and rows. The 50 stars represent the 50 states, and the 13 cultural ties. The US is Canada’s largest trading partner, stripes the 13 original colonies. The blue stands for loyalty, with some C$1.6 billion worth of goods and services devotion, truth, justice and friendship; red symbolizes crossing the Canada–US border every day. The US is the courage, zeal and fervency, while white denotes purity and foreign country most visited by Canadians every year. rectitude of conduct.

Figure 3. US National Flag

In 2010 the US ranked fifth among the source countries of immigrants to Canada, with 9,243 people obtaining permanent residence status in that year. .7 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Historical Education Policies, standards and practices, therefore, vary greatly by state, school district and institution. Overview Outline of Education System The general structure of education in the US is similar The US operates one of the largest education systems to that of Canada. in the world, with more than 75 million children and adults enrolled in nearly 140,000 educational institutions (including about 7,000 post-secondary institutions), School education lasts 12 years and follows various and 12 million people employed as teachers, education patterns, such as 8+4 or 6+3+3, depending on the state administrators and supporting staff. and school district. High school graduates may enter two-year programs leading to an associate degree or four- It is a highly decentralized system, with no national year programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s school system or overarching national laws that prescribe degree gives access to master’s degree programs, which curricula or control the various aspects of education. take one to two years to complete, and to degree programs Instead, a wide range of federal, state and local laws, of varying length in professional fields such as law and regulations and court decisions define the decentralized medicine. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and other research system in various jurisdictions. Educational organizations generally involve four or more years of full-time and institutions also adopt policies and regulations that study following the completion of a master’s degree in a have legal status on matters within their competence. related field.

Figure 5. Outline of US Education System

4-Year and → Doctor of Philosophy (≥4 years)

4-Year Colleges and Universities→ Professional Schools (Medicine, Law, etc.)→ Master’s Degree (1-2 years) (3-4 years)

Vocational and Technical Institutions → 4-Year Colleges and Universities 2- and 4-Year Colleges and Universities Certificates and Diplomas ( 3 years) → → ≤ Bachelor’s Degree (4 years) Associate Degree (2 years) Associate Degree (2 years)

School Education (12 years)→ High School Diploma .8 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Administration and financing Cooperation and Development countries). At the post- secondary level, US expenditure per student was US$27,010 The US federal government does not have jurisdiction over (more than twice as high as the OECD average). educational matters and plays a limited role in running the education system. It exerts its influence through policy Local control and financing of public schools has guidance, research, funding and laws ensuring equity and resulted in disparities between affluent and poor school prohibiting discrimination. It offers student loan programs districts. Most states provide substantial aid to schools and assistance to from low-income families. to supplement local tax revenues and to ensure equitable funding of school districts. The federal government operates a small number of institutions including military service academies, advanced State and local governments play a primary role in service academies, Native American schools and overseas administering school education. State governments regulate public schools that serve the children of US personnel standards and perform a lot of the duties performed by the stationed abroad. national education ministries in many other countries, so long as state policy does not violate the provisions of the The federal government began collecting education data US Constitution or federal law. In most states, the state from the states after the establishment in 1867 of the Office legislature exercises the ultimate authority over education of Education, which eventually evolved into the cabinet-level matters, such as enacting education-related legislation and Department of Education in 1980. The US Department appropriating state funds for education. of Education has the mission of fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access, and it engages in four State legislatures generally delegate a significant amount of major activity areas. policy-making authority to the state boards of education, • The USDE establishes policies related to federal which are bodies of citizens either popularly elected or education funding, administers distribution of funds appointed by the legislature or governor, depending on the and monitors their use. state. The state board is responsible for approving statewide • It collects data and oversees research on US schools. educational policies and determining budget priorities. It • It identifies major issues in education and focuses oversees local education districts, sets student and teacher national attention on them. standards, approves classroom curriculum and reviews selections. The state board focuses on education • It enforces federal laws prohibiting discrimination in at the elementary and secondary levels; in some states it is programs that receive federal funds. responsible for all levels of education, including vocational Non-governmental associations provide much of the and post-secondary education. leadership and activity on issues of nationwide importance Most states have a state department of education that serves in education. They also function as representatives of as the executive agency for education. A chief various constituencies and stakeholders, ranging from officer is responsible for overseeing the state department of citizens’ groups to professional and technical organizations. education and reporting periodically to the state board of The USDE website provides an annotated directory of some education, the legislature and the governor. The chief state of the national associations (www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/ school officer is appointed by the state board of education or gen/othersites/associations.html). the governor in some states and popularly elected in others. Education remains primarily a state and local responsibility, The state department of education and associated boards with about 90 per cent of annual expenditures for education and agencies are generally responsible for: at all levels coming from state, local and private sources. Education is the largest budget item for all the state, • developing curriculum guidelines and performance territorial and commonwealth governments within the standards US. In 2007 the US spent US$10,768 per student on • providing technical assistance to school districts elementary and secondary education (45 per cent more than and schools the average amount spent by Organization for Economic • licensing private elementary and secondary schools to operate within their jurisdictions .9 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

• licensing or certifying school teachers Special education is guaranteed by law and significantly and administrators supported by federal funds. The common practice is to • licensing or regulating parents providing home schooling “mainstream” students with disabilities, placing them in • administering state-wide student achievement tests regular schools and classrooms. In 2008–09, 6.5 million students aged 3 to 21, accounting for 13 per cent of public • developing accountability plans and reporting on school enrolment, received special education services. student performance to the federal department of education Language of instruction • defining minimum requirements for high English is the language of instruction in both school and school graduation higher education. Some elementary schools may provide • distributing state and federal funding to school districts content instruction in other languages to students with Most states delegate some decision-making powers and limited English proficiency (LEP). A number of universities the operation of public elementary and secondary schools offer certain degree programs taught in Spanish. to local education agencies or school districts. There are approximately 15,000 school districts in the US, each School or academic year overseeing its jurisdiction’s public schools. In some states The school year is about 180 days, lasting from late August the districts follow county, township or city boundaries; in or early September to June, with a two-week break at the others they are independent of municipal boundaries. The end of December and a one-week break in March or April. amount of control exercised by local school districts varies Colleges and universities usually follow either the semester by state. Most states give districts considerable authority or the quarter calendar system. In the semester system, the to determine school budgets and implement curriculum. academic year consists of two semesters, fall and spring, Many school districts further delegate decision-making and each lasting about 15 to 17 weeks. There is also an optional budgetary authority to individual schools. The National summer session. In the quarter system, the academic year School Boards Association provides information, resources consists of three quarters: fall, winter and spring, each and databases related to the work of the 15,000 local school lasting about 10 to 12 weeks, also with an optional summer boards across the country. quarter. Most college students start their academic year in the fall semester or quarter in September. A local school board, whose policies must generally conform to the regulations of the state board and the statutes of the state legislature, governs each school district. School board Colonial Period (1600s–1775) members are commonly elected but may also be appointed The formal educational system in the US is largely based by other government officials. The school board selects on the culture, traditions and belief systems of European and hires the district superintendent, who is responsible settlers. As the British were the predominant group among for implementing policy and managing the day-to-day settlers, the US education system shows strong British operations of the school district. influence. In colonial days it developed as a two-track system. Children from lower-class families received minimal Although states exercise some control over higher education instruction, only the basics of reading, writing institutions through specialized boards or commissions, and arithmetic along with religious inculcation. Those the autonomy of such institutions is recognized in law and from upper-class families pursued an education beyond the policy. Technical and vocational education, offered at both basics and studied the classics in preparation for a college secondary and post-secondary levels, may be administered education, usually in Europe. Education stratification based by specialized state agencies. State agencies or licensing on social status was most pronounced in the southern boards have the responsibility of overseeing professional colonies, where it could be a crime to teach slaves to read education and training for licensed occupations such as and write. doctors, teachers and nurses. The indigenous population of Native Americans, who lived on the North American continent long before the arrival of European settlers, have had little influence on .10 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

the development of formal education in the US. In the taught religion, Latin and Greek to prepare boys for British colonies, limited resources were used to educate higher learning. One year later, in 1636, the first higher Native Americans. Missionaries and church schools aimed education institution in North America, Harvard College to instill Christian religion and morals into the indigenous (present-day Harvard University), was officially founded in population rather than teach basic skills and . Newtowne (present-day Cambridge), Massachusetts.

In the 17th and early 18th centuries, what was to become The first education law enacted in the colonies was the the US began as separate colonies established by settlers Massachusetts Bay School Law of 1642. It required parents from European countries. In the 13 British colonies that and guardians, as well as masters in an apprenticeship formed the original US, colonial governments or local arrangement, to make certain that their children or communities were responsible for education. Each area apprentices could read and understand the principles of established and supported its own schools to educate its religion and the laws of the Commonwealth. While parents children according to its own values and needs. This history had the primary responsibility for educating their young, helps explain the decentralized nature of US education, the law gave government the right to take children away with state and local governments retaining primary from negligent parents or guardians and place them in responsibility for elementary and secondary education. programs of instruction until they reached adulthood. The Massachusetts Law of 1647 further required towns of fifty In early colonial days the of upper class families to hire a schoolmaster who would teach children to children included reading, writing, arithmetic, and prayers. read and write; towns of a hundred families were required Older boys went on to study more advanced subjects such to have a Latin grammar schoolmaster who could prepare as math, Greek, Latin, science, geography and history, as children to attend Harvard College. Education stopped well as social etiquette. They might have attended boarding being entirely a private matter at the sole discretion of schools in England, then come back to manage the family parents and guardians and became a social responsibility, business or plantation, or stayed to study law or medicine. supported in part by public funds. Girls learned, usually under a governess, enough reading, writing and arithmetic to read the Bible and record Economic growth and the demand for skilled workers in household expenses. They might also study art, music, commerce, agriculture and shipping led to the emergence cooking, needlework and social etiquette to better assume of English grammar schools, which provided education the duties of running the household. Higher education was beyond the basics in practical subjects such as engineering, not considered important for girls. navigation and bookkeeping. They taught English rather than Latin, and adopted a curriculum that prepared Children of poor families received very limited education in students for practical occupations and careers rather than literacy and religion, but might take on an apprenticeship for college admission. The English grammar schools were that lasted up to seven years in order to learn a skill or also the first formal institutions to accept female students, trade, such as animal husbandry, that would help them who received instruction in reading, writing, math, French make a living in the colonies. Many prominent figures, and social etiquette. including Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Johnson and Paul Revere, participated in the apprenticeship system when they Later, combined Latin and English schools, sometimes were young. called academies, gained popularity. They taught both classical subjects and science and vocational subjects, “Dame schools” were one of the early types of schools in the sometimes through separate Latin and English colonies. They were usually established by women and run departments. The of Philadelphia, which from the home of the person in charge. Tuition was modest Benjamin Franklin helped establish in 1751, offered and education rudimentary. For many girls, the dame teaching in: school provided their only education. • writing, arithmetic and mathematics (merchants’ The first Latin , Boston Latin School (now accounts, geometry, algebra, surveying, gauging, a combined middle and high school), was established in navigation, astronomy, drawing in perspective and Boston, Massachusetts, in 1635. Latin grammar schools other mathematical sciences) .11 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

• natural and mechanical philosophy constitutions contained provisions for education. Thomas • Latin, Greek, English, French, German, history, Jefferson, among others, advocated for free public education. geography, chronology, logic and rhetoric However, different interest groups, from private school owners to members of the wealthy classes, opposed that Between the founding of Harvard College in 1636 and the idea. The concept of state-funded education as a right of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, eight common people took a long time to gain wide acceptance. more higher education institutions were chartered: • College of William and Mary The Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which encompassed the present-day states of Ohio, • Collegiate School (present-day Yale University) Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, mandated • College of New Jersey (present-day Princeton that every new township set aside one parcel of land out University) of every 36 for the maintenance of public elementary • King’s College (present-day Columbia University) schools, often called “common schools.” Common schools • Academy of Philadelphia (present-day University of generally enrolled students aged six or seven to 14 or 15, Pennsylvania) corresponding to grades 1 to 8. • College of Rhode Island (present-day Brown One strong proponent for public education was University) Horace Mann, who served as the first secretary of the • Queen’s College (present-day Rutgers, the State Massachusetts State Board of Education. Mann was also University of New Jersey) among the first to see the need for professional training • Dartmouth College of teachers. The first public normal school for teacher training was established in Lexington, Massachusetts, in Although a few other institutions can trace their origin to 1839. Students studied two-year programs that included colonial days, the nine “colonial colleges,” as they are known, both and content knowledge courses and practice were all chartered as degree-awarding institutions before teaching in a school associated with the normal school. It 1776. Seven of the nine colonial colleges (the exceptions was not until the 1920s that some states began offering being William and Mary and Rutgers) belong to the Ivy four-year degree programs in . League, an athletic conference comprising eight private universities in northeastern US with an international Massachusetts developed a strong system of state-supported reputation for selectivity and academic excellence. common schools that became a model for the rest of the US. In 1852 Massachusetts became the first state to enact Small and exclusive by modern standards, colonial colleges compulsory school attendance laws, and 32 states had typically enrolled around 100 students, all of whom were passed laws by 1900. By the time white male Christians, and offered a liberal arts curriculum Alaska passed the law in 1929, every state in the country designed to train Christian ministers. Colonial college had ratified compulsory attendance. graduates included many influential political and military leaders who played a decisive role in forging the new nation. In the period from 1830 to the end of the 19th century, Over the years, practical education that emphasized science sometimes called the common school era, education became and vocational training gradually took over to meet the increasingly available to the masses through publicly needs of the growing economy for a skilled workforce. operated common schools. It is believed that by the mid- 19th century, the US population (excluding slaves in the Independence to the Second southern states) enjoyed the best schooling rates among the World War (1776–1945) rich nations and almost universal literacy. For many decades after the signing of the Declaration of The US experienced rapid growth between 1865 and 1920. Independence, school education remained largely private Waves of immigrants were making their way to what and out of reach for ordinary people. The US Constitution they viewed as the land of opportunity. At the same time, did not give the federal government jurisdiction over westward expansion and the settlement of the western educational matters, and only half of the first 14 state territories increased the need for a common system of .12 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

education to join together and educate an increasingly the workforce. As junior high schools included grades 7 to diverse population. Compulsory attendance laws helped 9, elementary schools were shortened to grades 1 to 6, and accelerate this process and provided the means of delivering the remaining high school grades (10 to 12) became senior a common school curriculum. high grades. Later in the 20th century, some school districts reverted to the 8+4 pattern, while others introduced middle Compared with the rapid growth of elementary education, schools (grades 5 to 8) and eliminated junior high schools. secondary education remained small scale until the The first half of the 20th century could be called the high 20th century. In 1821, almost two centuries after the school era, as the high school graduation rate rose from 10 first American high school, the Boston Latin School, per cent in 1910 to well over 50 per cent in 1950. opened its doors in 1635, the first public high school, English Classical School, was established, also in Boston. The settlement of the west encouraged the development Its curriculum provided subjects that would “aid its of higher education to better meet the needs of a growing graduates in achieving success in the world of commerce and more diverse population. In the 19th and early 20th and industry.” By 1870, the US had about 500 public high centuries, the US continued to rely heavily on educational schools with 50,000 students. resources in Europe, importing faculty and exporting students, many of whom returned as academics. In the first The growing high school enrolment meant not all graduates half of the 19th century more than two hundred degree- were headed for college. High schools stopped being simply granting colleges were created in the US, but a lot of them college preparatory institutions, but had also to provide struggled financially and some were later closed down. training for a skilled workforce. While many students and parents viewed the practical curriculum as a shortcut to jobs Colleges in the 19th century attached great importance in factories and agricultural enterprises, some educational to classical languages and liberal studies and required leaders were worried about the uneven quality of high prospective students to have an understanding of Greek schools. To address the issue, the National Education and Latin and some knowledge of mathematics. Many of Association appointed a Committee of Ten in 1892 to work the institutions were specialized, for example, in liberal out a standard curriculum. arts, agriculture, engineering, medicine or law. While the early liberal arts colleges tended to be church-related, some The Committee of Ten recommended eight years of science and engineering institutions were able to attract elementary education and four years of secondary generous private donors. education. Though it defined four different curricula as appropriate for high school (two classical and two modern), The federal government had so far played a limited role in it believed that any curriculum should include academic the development of higher education. Although many early subjects such as English, foreign languages, natural history, US presidents supported the idea of a national university, physical science, geography, history, civil government the concept never received the approval of Congress. In and political economy, regardless of what the students 1862 the federal government got directly involved in higher wanted to do after graduation. This view, that a liberal arts education by enacting the Morrill Land-Grant Act (named curriculum trains the and benefits all students, was after Vermont Senator Justin Morrill), which provided to be challenged repeatedly despite the generally egalitarian for the sale of public lands to fund institutions of higher tradition of American education. learning to teach agricultural, mechanical and military sciences along with liberal arts. As education remained a local responsibility, the 8+4 pattern of school education as recommended by the In 1890 a second Morrill Act provided further Committee of Ten was not uniformly adopted. In some funding, including funds for creating colleges for areas, high schools only had two or three grades. In the early African Americans in the southern states, now known 20th century, junior high schools were introduced to cater as “historically black” higher education institutions. to students who would otherwise not attend high school Since then more than 100 land-grant schools have been at all. Junior high schools provided practical training and established over the years. They include some of the awarded a diploma to better prepare students for entering largest and most influential state universities, such as .13 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Oregon State University, Washington State University Chicago, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and the University of and Arizona State University, and offer a full range of California. AAU membership is by invitation only and has programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. grown to 61, including Canada’s McGill University and the University of Toronto. For many years the AAU served In the early 1800s university education conferred some as an accrediting body by publishing the AAU accepted prestige and status, but was not considered necessary; most list, which included the names of colleges whose graduates jobs did not require a college degree, and state requirements were considered ready to undertake graduate study. The for professional practice were minimal or nonexistent. list predated the founding of regional accrediting bodies in As the century went on, higher education gradually the 1920s and was widely accepted by German and other acquired influence and support. While undergraduate European universities. study continued to enjoy growth and popularity, graduate programs, including the research-based Doctor of During the First World War many American universities Philosophy (PhD) degrees, gained prominence among participated in the war effort, offering special training well-established universities. Professional degree programs programs for military personnel and conducting research developed as educational and licensing requirements for the on inventions and innovations for military use. College various professions became standardized. enrolments surged after the war and continued to grow, even during the Great Depression. During the Second Medicine was among the first professions that required World War, cooperation between universities and the state licensing. Founded in 1847, the American Medical federal government became even more prominent as more Association adopted the code of medical ethics and the first institutions got involved in the war effort. In 1944 Congress nationwide standards for preliminary passed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, popularly and the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD). However, known as the GI Bill. (GI, which stands for “government many medical schools in the 19th century provided issue,” became a casual term for any Army soldier in the education of questionable quality. In addition to university- Second World War.) This financial aid program run by the affiliated medical schools, many “proprietary medical federal government enabled millions of veterans to attend colleges,” which were affiliated with medical societies, universities, colleges and other post-secondary institutions. offered a fast-track medical program without the general education requirement. Post-Second World War The Flexner Report of 1910, a highly critical study of (1945–Present) American medical schools, prompted the closure of medical diploma mills and the establishment of higher standards for School education medical education. By 1930 most medical schools required Following the Second World War, the US population a liberal arts degree for admission and provided a three- to increased dramatically with a postwar baby boom. More four-year curriculum in medicine and surgery. Many states school children meant increased demand for facilities also required medical licence candidates to complete a one- and teachers, and the number of public schools grew year internship in a hospital setting in addition to holding dramatically. Teacher certification requirements had to be a medical degree. The one-year internship requirement has lowered and in some cases almost eliminated. As the teacher evolved into today’s residency program, which takes three to shortage became less acute and eventually turned into a eight years to complete. teacher surplus in the late 1960s to early 1970s, teacher As the higher education system remained decentralized and certification requirements were once again raised. largely deregulated, quality was uneven and diploma mills Another postwar development that had a profound impact on abounded. The lack of common standards and consistency education was the civil rights movement. African Americans was hurting the reputation of the leading American largely attended segregated schools after the Civil War. A universities. In 1900 the Association of American Supreme Court decision in 1896 upheld segregation under Universities was founded at a conference held by 14 of the the doctrine of “separate but equal.” Segregation was official PhD-awarding American universities, including Harvard, policy in the southern states, and de facto segregation existed .14 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

in other parts of the country due to residential patterns. This law required that handicapped children be educated to In the 1950s school integration became one of the central the best of their ability with an individualized educational themes of the civil rights movement. plan suited to their specific needs.

In 1954 the Supreme Court heard the case of Brown v. The direction and quality of the educational system has the Board of Education of Topeka and ruled that it was always been a subject of debate. From time to time, reports illegal to deny entry to a facility based on race, declaring, of the serious academic deficiency of American students “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” attract national attention. In 1955 a book called Why Strong opposition to the ruling arose in many school Johnny Can’t Read highlighted the failure of some schools to districts throughout the country and schools were often teach students basic language skills. The 1957 launch of the the scene of violent confrontations when integration was Soviet satellite Sputnik triggered concerns that Americans initiated. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made segregation in were lagging behind in science and engineering in an era of public facilities and racial discrimination in education and the Cold War and space race. employment illegal. However, racial segregation in schools remains a serious issue in several states with high minority A 1983 federal report entitled A Nation at Risk claimed populations, affecting Hispanic as well as African American the public school system had failed miserably in students from poorer families. educating American students, who were outperformed on international academic tests by students from other The civil rights movement also sparked the Indian rights industrial countries. Declining academic standards, the movement, which affected federal government policy report indicated, were threatening the US position in an toward Native American education. The Bureau of Indian increasingly competitive world. It recommended that all Affairs, established in 1824, had operated schools for high school graduates complete what it called “the Five New Native Americans, which, like the church schools before Basics:” a minimum of four years of English, three years them, aimed to assimilate students into mainstream each of mathematics, science and social studies, and a half- culture and society. Students were forced to speak English year of computer science. It also recommended two years of and prohibited from speaking their native language and foreign language study for college-bound students. Though practising their tribal customs and religions. Exposure its conclusions were vigorously debated, the report had a of the failures and abuses of Native American education far-reaching influence on school reforms. The states took led to reform in the 1930s as part of the so-called Indian up more responsibility and involvement in raising education New Deal. The Indian rights movement prompted the standards. Most states implemented reforms to emphasize federal government to gradually reverse policy. Today the more frequent and more effective testing, as well as more Bureau of Indian Education administers 183 elementary state-mandated curriculum requirements. Education and secondary schools and 28 tribal colleges, which aim became a prominent national issue rather than just a state to provide modern knowledge and skills while preserving and local issue. Native American culture. The No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001 in a Equally important to the cause of integration was the first time of stagnant test scores and achievement gaps between significant infusion of federal funds into public education rich and poor. It was the biggest change of federal role through Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education in education since the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, which has since provided billions of dollars Education Act. NCLB requires states to set educational in aid to school districts with poor and disadvantaged standards for achievement at different grade levels and to children. To be eligible for Title I funding, schools have to take steps to improve the performance of those who do not demonstrate that they do not practise racial discrimination. meet the standards. NCLB mandates state goals for what children should know in reading and mathematics in grades In 1972 Title IX was enacted as part of the Education 3 through 8 as measured on standardized tests. Although Amendments Act, requiring that no person be denied state and local school systems have considerable flexibility in access to federally funded education programs and activities upgrading performance levels, NCLB provides for eventual (such as sports) on the basis of gender. In 1975 Congress removal of students and funding from failing schools. passed the Education of All Handicapped Children Act. .15 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Parents with children in failing schools can transfer their The first two-year college, Joliet , was children to other public schools. Children in failing schools founded in 1901 to provide high school graduates with are also eligible for tutoring and other special services. the opportunity to complete the first two foundation years of a baccalaureate degree within their local community. Higher education Early junior colleges were small and focused on liberal Prior to the Second World War, only a small minority arts studies. They proved highly adaptable through war, of the American population, most of them white males, economic depression and the industrial and technological had the chance to obtain a post-secondary education. transformation of the American society, offering That pattern began to change with the IG Bill, which occupational programs as well as low-cost academic provided subsidies for veterans to attend virtually any programs for university transfer. They made higher recognized institution of higher learning, as well as education more accessible to female students, many of payments for vocational training and subsidies to encourage whom completed two-year training programs to become home ownership. Millions of Second World War and elementary school teachers. Korean War veterans took advantage of this opportunity, During and after the Second World War, junior college dramatically increasing the number of people who enrolments surged thanks to the opportunities afforded completed college. by the GI Bill and by the demand for skilled labour in The 1950s also saw an expansion of the middle class, who the postwar economic boom. In 1947 the President’s regarded college education as a ticket to social and economic Commission on Higher Education (the Truman advancement. Higher education continued to grow rapidly Commission) recommended expanding the role of two- as veterans were followed by their children—the baby year colleges. Many states proceeded to set up a network of boom generation that began entering college in the 1960s. public, community-based colleges. The Truman Commission Social and political changes such as the civil rights and popularized the term “community college” over “junior women’s rights movements helped increase access to higher college” to emphasize the fact that those institutions offer education for underrepresented populations including adult terminal occupational programs and that they are locally and part-time learners as well as women and minorities. controlled and serve the interests of their communities. From 1960 to 1975 the number of two-year institutions more The federal government expanded access to higher than doubled. Enrolment at two-year institutions, which education with student financial aid programs, including are predominantly public, reached one million in 1964, four direct grants for students from low-income families and million in 1975 and seven million in 2008. grant funds given to institutions for redistribution to students. Federally subsidized low-interest student loans Also during the 1960s, colleges and universities began also proved attractive to students, as the borrowing cost was opening their doors wider to minorities and women. Today, low compared to wage increases and other benefits a college more women than men have been attending colleges and education would bring. universities and earning more bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Female enrolment in undergraduate programs was Various factors resulted in what came to be known as the 2.5 million in 1967, 4.4 million in 1975 and 9.3 million in massification of American higher education. From 1951 2008, compared with 3.5, 5.3 and 7 million respectively to 1975, total enrolment at degree-awarding institutions for male students. In 2007–08, women received about half increased from two million to over 11 million. Growing of the professional medical degrees (Doctor of Medicine) enrolment led to expanded capacity at existing institutions, and more than half of the professional law degrees (Juris the establishment of new institutions and changes in Doctor). Of college enrolment by recent high school institutional and programmatic structure to meet the graduates, minority students accounted for about five per diverse needs of the student population. Public institutions cent in 1960, 15 per cent in 1975, and 31 per cent in 2008. gained prominence, accounting for 80 per cent of total In the past two decades, much of the increase in minority enrolment in 1975, compared to 50 per cent in 1950. As students attending college can be attributed to growing well, the rapid growth of two-year colleges changed the numbers of Hispanic and Asian students. landscape of US higher education. .16 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Although -granting institutions increased continuously throughout the 20th century, the greatest growth took place in the 1960s and 1970s, partly supported by generous federal funding for research projects during the Cold War era, especially following the Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957.

Doctorate-granting institutions grew from 44 in 1920 to 115 in 1950, 165 in 1960, 240 in 1970, and 320 in 1980.

According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 295 research-based universities awarded at least 20 doctorates per year in 2009.

Even as the rate of growth of doctorate-granting institutions slowed down, the number of doctoral degrees awarded has continued to rise, from 32,107 in 1971 to 44,808 in 2000 and 63,712 in 2008. Between 1901 and 1999, 162 Americans with doctorates from US universities received 164 Nobel Prizes. Universities that conduct research and train doctoral students are not only a major sector of the higher education system but also an integral part of the social and economic structure, helping the US achieve growth, innovation and global leadership in science and engineering. .17 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

School Education by state and school district, students spend between five and eight years in elementary education, followed by four Overview to seven years of secondary education. The designation high school generally refers to the last four years, when students The US has a large and diversified school education system. select courses based on whether they plan to go to college Education is compulsory until age 16, 17 or 18, depending or enter the workforce after graduation. Most students on the state. Most students attend public schools, which are complete high school by age 17 or 18. tax-supported and tuition-free. In 2007 total enrolment was 49.3 million in public elementary and secondary schools and Common patterns include: 5.9 million in private schools. In addition, about one million • 8 years of elementary school + 4 years of high school students were homeschooled by their parents, adhering to • 5 years of elementary school + 3 years of state-approved guidelines. + 4 years of high school School education spans 12 academic years, or grades. As the • 6 years of elementary school + 3 years of junior high organization of elementary and secondary education varies school + 3 years of senior high school

Figure 6. School Education System

Senior High School (3 Years) High School (4 Years) Combined Junior and Senior High School (6 Years) Junior High School (3 Years)

Middle School Middle (3 Years) School (4 Years)

Elementary School (8 Years) Elementary School Elementary (6 Years) School Elementary (5 Years) School (4 Years)

Kindergarten (1-2 Years)

Special services, usually in regular school settings, are Most students with disabilities attend regular schools that often provided for students who are specially gifted or offer aids and supports, such as the assistance of a special talented. About six per cent of US students benefit from education teacher. such programs. .18 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Curriculum standards and The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires student assessment states to test all students in reading and math in grades 3 to 8, and at least once in high school. Science assessments While there is no national curriculum, the states set broad are required at least once during grades 3 to 5, 6 to 9 and curriculum guidelines describing what students should 10 to 12. In 2002 NCLB added a requirement for state- know and be able to do in subject areas such as math, level NAEP testing as a benchmark for the rigour of state language arts, science and social studies. Most states have: assessment systems. • content standards that describe the body of knowledge students should know US schools also participate in international assessments, • achievement standards that describe what level of such as OECD’s Programme for International Student performance is considered basic, proficient and advanced Assessment, to measure how well US students perform in comparison to students in other countries. In 2009 the Curriculum standards by subject area for average US combined reading literacy score for 15-year-old through Grade 12 can usually be found on state department students (500) was higher than the average score (493) of 34 of education websites. OECD countries, while the average US math literacy score (487) was lower than the OECD average (496). In the same States usually issue a list of approved for each year Canada’s average scores were 524 and 527 for reading grade level from which schools or school districts may literacy and math literacy respectively. select. Within state guidelines, schools and individual teachers may determine content details and the pace of instruction suited to their students. 2009 SCORES reading literacy math literacy In 2010 the National Governors Association Center for for 15-yr-olds for 15-yr-olds Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School US 500 487 Officers developed the K–12 Common Core State Canada 524 527 Standards. This is a state-led effort to establish a shared set of clear educational standards for English language arts OECD avg 493 496 and math that states can voluntarily adopt. The standards are designed to ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to go to college or enter the workforce. Language of instruction Appendices have been developed that provide resources for English is the language of instruction. The student designing English language arts and math courses based on population in US schools is ethnically diverse, and new the standards. As of 2012 the majority (45) of the states and immigrants, with the largest numbers coming from the District of Columbia have adopted the Common Core Asia and Latin America, continue to change the ethnic State Standards. composition of the student population. In 2009 some 11.2 million children aged 5 to 17, or 21 per cent of the National-level student assessment takes place through age group, spoke a language other than English at home, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which including five per cent who spoke English with difficulty. Of includes a random sample of US schools and reports on those who spoke English with difficulty, 73 per cent spoke the nation’s progress in a number of subjects including Spanish. Hispanic enrolment in pre-kindergarten through math, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, Grade 12 increased from 4.8 million in 1989 to 11.4 million geography and American history. NAEP does not provide in 2009. The four states with the largest enrolment of scores for individual students or schools, but offers results Hispanic students in public schools are Arizona, California, regarding subject-matter achievement, instructional New Mexico and Texas. and school environment for populations of students (for example, fourth graders) and subgroups of For students with limited English proficiency (LEP), those populations (for example, Hispanic students). NAEP a typical approach is to place them in regular classes, results are based on representative samples of students at supported by English as a second language courses. Some grades 4, 8 and 12 for the main assessments. schools provide content instruction in other languages to .19 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ESL students, usually at the elementary level. About eight Charter schools are publicly funded schools that are per cent of students receive English language support. typically governed by a group or organization under a legislative contract or charter with the state. They serve Grading scale special populations or adhere to special curricula or Students receive classroom grades to describe their instructional practices. The charter exempts them from academic performance in each subject area. The grading select state or local statutory and regulatory requirements. system is generally on a letter scale, which can be converted They may enrol students from across a school district. into numeric grade points and grade point averages (GPAs) In exchange for increased autonomy, they must meet the to describe a student’s overall performance. accountability standards articulated in their charter, such as improving student academic achievement. Charters Table 2. secondary Grading Scale usually have a term of three to five years and are renewable. Letter Grade Grade Point Descriptor As of November 2010, charter schools operated in 40 states A 4 Excellent and the District of Columbia. In 2008–09 charter schools accounted for about five per cent of public schools and B 3 Good enrolled 1.4 million students. C 2 Average D 1 Pass Magnet schools are public schools that have a special F 0 Fail educational theme, mode of instruction, subject emphasis or other characteristic. Like charter schools, they are See the chapter “Grading Scales” for more information. permitted to enrol students from across the entire school district rather than being confined by normal school School year attendance boundaries. Magnet programs have similar The school year lasts 180 days in most states. A typical features but are located within regular public schools rather school year begins in late August or early September and than being separate schools. ends in June, with a two-week break at the end of December Magnet schools and programs promote equal access to and a one-week break in March or April. The school day unique educational opportunities for minority students who runs from about 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., although daily schedules would otherwise be confined to regular schools based on vary from school to school. residence. Examples of magnet schools and programs are Classroom sizes are usually in the 20s, although the frequently found in: student–teacher ratio is lower (20.1 for grades 1 to 8 and • curricular areas such as science and technology, the arts 11.9 for grades 9 to 12 in 2007–08), reflecting teachers for or career education students with special needs and for teaching ESL. • modes of instruction such as experimental, traditional, Montessori or others Types of schools In 2008–09 about three per cent of public schools were The vast majority of students attendpublic schools. School magnet schools or had magnet programs. districts usually assign students to a particular school based on their place of residence. Under NCLB, if a public Private schools are a well-established phenomenon in the school is identified as being in need of improvement, a US. As the constitution calls for a separation between student attending that school has the option of transferring government and religion, public schools are not allowed to to another public school in the same district. Some states have a religious affiliation or teach religious doctrine. In operate scholarship programs, usually called “vouchers,” contrast, the majority of private schools are founded and which give direct funding to parents in order to pay all or run by churches and other religious organizations. Catholic part of their child’s tuition at a school of their choice, which schools account for about half of private school enrolment. can be either public or private. In 2008–09 the percentage of public schools where Hispanic students accounted for Private elementary and secondary schools are governed more than 50 per cent of enrolment was 13; the same by their own self-appointed boards of trustees and raise percentage for black students was 11. their own operating incomes without state or local .20 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

government support. Private schools make their own Early Childhood Education hiring and admissions policies and determine their own curricula and other academic policies. They pay close (Ages 3–5) attention to local and state school curricula and graduation Early childhood education comes in a variety of forms requirements in order to facilitate the transfer of students such as nursery schools, , daycare centres, to and from public schools and to ensure that students who pre- and kindergartens. Pre-kindergarten graduate from secondary programs have met or exceeded and kindergarten programs are offered both in separate the expectations for state graduation requirements and for and elementary schools. Attendance at kindergarten is admission to higher education. compulsory in some states. Licensing standards for daycare facilities vary greatly by state. In 2009, 64 per cent of 3- to In 2009–10 about 10 per cent of all elementary and 5-year-olds were enrolled in early childhood education and students, or 5.5 million, attended private 61 per cent of these children attended full-day programs. schools. The average tuition cost at private elementary and secondary schools was US $8,549 in 2007–08. Traditionally, childcare and early childhood education is considered an individual and family responsibility subject Home schooling is legally recognized and regulated in to minimum government intervention. Great variety exists all US states. Parents usually do the teaching, although in curricula and practices, even in state-funded programs. professional tutors are also available who offer services At public school kindergartens, teachers read stories and ranging from coaching in specific subjects to the full range arrange for the children to engage in free play, dramatic of school instruction. These tutors are licensed by states and play, arts and crafts, music and activities for enhancing are often certified by professional associations. Qualified motor skills and language development. home school graduates are recognized as school graduates by the states and may be admitted to American higher The Good Start, Grow Smart initiative, launched by the education institutions. Over one million students receive federal government in 2002, encourages states to develop home schooling annually. early learning guidelines aligned with state curriculum standards. All the states have developed or are developing The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the guidelines for children from birth to age five. While enacted in 1975, mandates that children and youth ages 3 the guidelines are generally advisory, many states have to 21 with disabilities be provided a free and appropriate made them mandatory for publicly funded programs. public school education. In fall 2007 some 95 per cent of The US Department of Health and Human Services 6- to 21-year-old students with disabilities were served provides a directory of state early learning guidelines on in regular schools, three per cent in separate schools for its website (http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/resource/state-early- students with disabilities, and the remaining two per cent in learning-guidelines). regular private schools, other facilities or at home. About 21 per cent of children in the US live in families Teacher qualification that have incomes below the federal poverty level. While all states offer free half-day kindergarten and many states To be qualified to teach in elementary or secondary also have publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs for schools, individuals must complete a bachelor’s degree and 4-year-olds, parents have to assume the costs of most other pass one or more examinations in order to be licensed by childcare services. The federal government funds services the teacher certification authority of the state in which for children who are deemed to be disadvantaged or at risk. they want to teach. Most states and school districts Head Start, the child development program that primarily have developed alternative certification programs for serves 3- and 4-year-olds from low-income families, enrols prospective teachers. More than half of public school over a million children. teachers hold master’s degrees, and complete additional training during their careers. See the chapter “Teacher Lead kindergarten staff must be certified teachers with a Education” for more information. four-year bachelor’s degree. In pre-kindergarten programs, including Head Start, the common entry-level credential .21 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

is Child Development Associate (CDA), which may be Middle schools have grown greatly in number and earned by meeting the requirements of work , enrolment in the past 30 years to cater for the special needs 120 hours of instruction and a performance review. of adolescents, mostly those in the range of grades 6 to 8. Increasingly, states are requiring an associate degree for They emphasize team teaching, flexible block scheduling pre-kindergarten teachers. Most states have no or minimal and interdisciplinary approaches to subject matter. education requirements for workers at private childcare facilities, which supply the majority of services for Elementary school teachers must hold a bachelor’s degree children under three. and meet other state requirements for teacher licensing.

Elementary Education Secondary Education (Grades 1–8) (Grades 9–12) Elementary schools generally serve students from Grade Secondary or high schools enrol students in the upper 1 to Grade 5, 6, 7 or 8, depending on the state and school grades, generally grades 9 to 12 with variations. These tend district. The term primary education is sometimes used to be comprehensive schools enrolling students of widely to refer to the early years of elementary education (that is, differing interests and capabilities who follow different grades 1 to 3). educational tracks within the same school.

The main subject areas in elementary schools include: The school day consists of five to six instructional periods, with short breaks between periods. With the help of • arts parents and school counsellors, each student chooses a • English language arts schedule of classes based on local graduation requirements • and health and the student’s interests, career goals and academic • information technology ability. Student coursework is therefore composed of both • mathematics required courses, which are determined by the state and • science school district, and elective courses. High school teachers remain in their own classrooms throughout the day and • social studies teach specialized subjects rather than the whole curriculum. Some students may also study English as a Second The students move from one classroom to another, taking Language or languages other than English. different subjects in each room.

Most elementary school students study in the same High school teachers must have a bachelor’s degree in classroom all day with one teacher who teaches all subjects. a content area and meet other state teacher licensing The class may visit the and once or requirements. More than half of high school teachers hold a twice a week. Most school days have one or two recesses or master’s degree. playground breaks. At the elementary stage, instructional time is usually not divided into periods; instead, teachers decide how much time to spend teaching particular subjects based on their own expertise and on students’ learning needs. They may set up achievement groups (for example, in reading or math) within classes based on student interest and performance. Students in such groups may receive differentiated assignments so they can master class curriculum at an appropriate pace. .22 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 4. Percentage of High School Graduates High school diploma Earning Minimum Credits in Selected Combinations of Academic Courses The Carnegie unit is a commonly used time-based reference for measuring educational attainment. The unit was Course Combination Percentage developed in 1906 as a measure of the number of contact Year of Graduation 1982 1990 1998 2005 hours a student has spent on a subject. One unit of high 4 Eng, 3 SS, 3 Sci, 3 Math, .5 Comp 2.0 18.0 28.6 36.2 school credit may be earned by having a total of 120 contact & 2 FL1 hours in one subject—meeting four or five times a week for 4 Eng, 3 SS, 3 Sci, 3 Math & 2 FL 9.5 29.9 44.2 52.1 40 to 60 minutes each time, for 36 to 40 weeks in a school 4 Eng, 3 SS, 3 Sci & 3 Math 14.3 38.2 55.0 64.7 year. The following table shows the statistical average of 4 Eng, 3 SS, 2 Sci & 2 Math 31.5 65.5 74.5 81.8 Carnegie units earned by high school graduates.

1 Table 3. Average Carnegie Units Earned by High Eng: English; SS: Social Studies; Sci: Science; Comp: Computer Science; FL: Foreign Language School Graduates in Various Subject Fields Source: National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), Digest of 2009 Statistics, Table 153

Subject Area Carnegie Units High schools typically use a tracking or labelling system Year of Graduation 1982 1990 1998 2005 that identifies students, depending on their course-taking patterns, as college prep, general, vocational and special English 3.93 4.19 4.25 4.42 education. History/Social Studies 3.16 3.47 3.74 3.98 Mathematics Total 2.63 3.15 3.40 3.67 Most students graduate from high school at the age of 17 Less Than Algebra 0.90 0.90 0.67 0.49 or 18. Some students graduate later because they have been retained in a grade. Others drop out and return to school Algebra and Higher 1.74 2.25 2.73 3.19 a year or two later or drop out and decide to complete Science Total 2.20 2.75 3.12 3.34 the General Educational Development (GED) certificate General Science 0.73 0.85 0.89 0.95 program, which is recognized in all states as the equivalent Biology 0.94 1.14 1.26 1.28 of a high school diploma. In 2007–08 over 75 per cent Chemistry 0.34 0.53 0.66 0.74 of public high school students graduated on time with a Physics 0.17 0.23 0.31 0.35 regular diploma. Foreign Languages 0.99 1.54 1.85 1.97 Some states require students to pass an examination in order Arts 1.47 1.55 1.90 2.05 to graduate from secondary school. These examinations Career/Technical Education 4.62 4.19 3.99 4.01 vary in content, format and rigour. Some school districts Personal Use 2.58 2.68 2.89 3.23 also require prospective graduates to perform a prescribed number of hours of community service. Computer Related 0.12 0.54 0.74 0.93 Total 21.58 23.53 25.14 26.68

Source: National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), Digest of 2009 Statistics, Table 149 .23 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 5. Minimum Credit and Exit Exam Requirements for High School Diploma by State

Required Credits (Carnegie Units) for Selected Subject Areas, 2008 High School Exit Exams, 2009 English/ Language Social Exit Exam Subjects State Total Arts Studies Science Math Others Required Tested1 Alabama 24.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 8.0 Yes EMSH Alaska 21.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 10.0 Yes EM Arizona 20.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 8.0 Yes EM Arkansas 22.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 8.0 No2 N/A California 13.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 Yes EM Colorado L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 No N/A Connecticut 20.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 8.0 No N/A Delaware 22.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 9.0 No N/A District of Columbia 24.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 8.0 No N/A Florida 24.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 10.0 Yes EM or 18.0 4 or 3.0 4 or 5.04 Georgia 23.0 4.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 8.0 Yes EMSH Hawaii 22.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 8.0 No N/A Idaho 42.05 9.0 5.0 4.0 4.0 20.0 Yes EM Illinois 18.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 3.0 9.0 No N/A Indiana 40.05 8.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 14.0 Yes EM Iowa L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 No N/A Kansas 21.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 8.0 No N/A Kentucky 22.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 9.0 No N/A Louisiana 23.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 10.0 Yes EMSH Maine 16.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 6.0 No N/A Maryland 21.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 8.0 Yes EMSH Massachusetts L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 Yes EM Michigan L3 4.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 L3 No N/A Minnesota 21.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.0 8.0 Yes EM Mississippi 20.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 7.0 Yes EMSH Missouri 22.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 12.0 No N/A Montana 20.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 10.0 No N/A Nebraska 200.0 6 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 No N/A Nevada 22.5 4.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 11.5 Yes EMS New Hampshire 20.0 4.0 2.5 2.0 3.0 8.5 No N/A New Jersey 22.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 9.0 Yes EM

1 E: English (including writing); M: Mathematics; S: Science; H: History/Social Studies; T: Technology. 2 Requirements take effect for class of 2010 in Arkansas and class of 2012 in Oklahoma. 3 L: Graduation requirements are determined locally. 4 Florida requires 24 total credits for four-year programs and 18 credits for three-year programs. 5 Semester credits rather than Carnegie units are used. 6 Credit hours rather than Carnegie units are used. 10 credit hours = 1 Carnegie unit. .24 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Required Credits (Carnegie Units) for Selected Subject Areas, 2008 High School Exit Exams, 2009 English/ Language Social Exit Exam Subjects State Total Arts Studies Science Math Others Required Tested1 New Mexico 24.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 10.0 Yes EMSH New York 22.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 8.0 Yes EMSH North Carolina 20.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 6.0 Yes EMT North Dakota 21.0 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 No N/A Ohio 20.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 7.0 Yes EMSH Oklahoma 23.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 10.0 No2 N/A Oregon 22.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 12.0 No N/A Pennsylvania L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 No N/A Rhode Island 20.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 6.0 No N/A South Carolina 24.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 10.0 Yes EM South Dakota 22.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 9.0 No N/A Tennessee 20.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 7.0 Yes EMS Texas 24.0 4.0 5.0 3.0 3.0 9.0 Yes EMSH Utah 24.0 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.0 14.5 No N/A Vermont 20.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 7.0 No N/A Virginia 22.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 9.0 Yes EMSH Washington 19.0 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.0 9.5 Yes E West Virginia 24.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 4.0 9.0 No N/A Wisconsin 21.5 4.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 10.5 No N/A Wyoming 13.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 0.0 No N/A

1 E: English (including writing); M: Mathematics; S: Science; H: History/Social Studies; T: Technology. 2 Requirements take effect for class of 2010 in Arkansas and class of 2012 in Oklahoma. 3 L: Graduation requirements are determined locally. 4 Florida requires 24 total credits for four-year programs and 18 credits for three-year programs. 5 Semester credits rather than Carnegie units are used. 6 Credit hours rather than Carnegie units are used. 10 credit hours = 1 Carnegie unit. Source: NCES. Digest of 2009 Statistics, Table 168

A high school diploma gives access to The tests measure the academic skills and knowledge in four-year colleges and universities as well as two-year typically developed in a four-year program of high school community or junior colleges and technical or vocational education. Individuals who did not complete high school may institutions. The immediate college enrolment rate—that earn the equivalent of a high school diploma by taking the is, the percentage of high school graduates who immediately GED tests. According to GED Testing Service, 98 enrol in a two- or four-year college—was 70 per cent in 2009, per cent of US colleges and universities that require a high compared with 67 per cent in 1997 and 51 per cent in 1975. school diploma accept the GED credential.

General Educational Development The EDG test comprises five content areas: (GED) • language arts, reading GED Testing Service, a program of the American Council on • language arts, writing Education, delivers the General Educational Development. • mathematics .25 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

• science • Italian language and culture • social studies • Japanese language and culture • Latin Students who take the test must earn a minimum total standard score of 2250 and a minimum standard score of • macroeconomics 410 in each content area in order to pass the tests. GED • microeconomics Testing Service claims that only 60 per cent of graduating • music theory high school seniors would pass the GED tests on their first • physics B attempt. In 2009, 683,519 candidates took all five tests • physics C: electricity and magnetism and the pass rate was 69 per cent. The credential issued • physics C: mechanics for passing the GED tests is usually called a diploma or certificate but may also be issued under other names. • psychology • Spanish language GED tests are available at officialED G Testing Centres in • Spanish literature and culture the US and Canada; they cannot be taken online. Testing • statistics centres in Canada offer the tests in the Canadian English- language version, which is similar to the US version but • studio art: 2-D design with Canadian-specific social studies content, and in the • studio art: 3-D design French-language version, which is largely a translation of • studio art: drawing the Canadian English-language version. • United States history • world history Advanced Placement (AP) Advanced Placement, founded in 1955, is run by the High school students, usually in Grade 11 and Grade 12, College Board, a non-profit membership organization with may register for AP exams, regardless of whether they are the mission to “connect students to college success and enrolled in AP courses. AP exams consist of both multiple- opportunity.” AP provides the opportunity for high school choice and free-response questions. Tests are conducted students to study and learn at the college level in a wide range in May and score reports released in July. The raw scores of subject areas. The College Board website lists 34 year-long obtained are converted to a score on a five-point scale. Most AP courses along with detailed course descriptions. US colleges and universities give students college credit or placement into advanced courses or both on the basis of AP • art history exam scores of 3 or above. • biology • calculus AB Table 6. AP Grading Scale • calculus BC AP Corresponding College Score Descriptor Letter Grade • chemistry 5 Extremely well qualified A • Chinese language and culture 4 Well qualified A-, B+ or B • computer science A 3 Qualified B-, C+ or C • English language and composition 2 Possibly qualified • English literature and composition 1 No recommendation • environmental science • European history • French language and culture • German language and culture • government and politics: comparative • government and politics: United States • human geography .26 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In 2010, 16,699 high schools in the US offered AP courses and the extended essay. Therefore, the highest total that and over three million students took AP exams. The most can be awarded is 45 points. A student must score at frequently taken tests were US history, English language least 24 points in order to receive the diploma. A score and English literature. of 30 or above may be considered “good” and 35 or above is “excellent.” Less than one per cent of diploma program students receive 45 points. About 80 per cent As of 2011 there were 573 AP participating schools in of participating students are awarded the diploma each Canada, including 68 in Alberta. examination session. Just over 1,600 universities and colleges in the US and 176 in Canada have formally notified IB of their IB International Baccalaureate (IB) recognition policy. Recognition policy differs greatly by The International Baccalaureate is a non-profit foundation institution. While some institutions award college credits or based in Switzerland. It offers three levels of programs, advanced placement on a course-by-course basis, a number the primary years (for students aged 3 to 12), the middle of institutions award 30 semester credits, equivalent to years (for students aged 11 to 16) and the diploma approximately one academic year of study, to students who program (for students aged 16 to 19). More than one receive the full IB diploma with grades of 5 or better in their million students participate in the IB program at 3,476 three higher level subjects. schools in 143 countries.

As of 2012 the two-year IB diploma program is available at Dual credit 2,374 IB schools, including 778 schools in the US and 147 Dual credit or dual enrolment is an arrangement whereby in Canada. Over the course of two years, students must: high school students can earn both high school and post- secondary credits for the same course. Dual credit courses • study six subjects (one subject each from groups 1 to 5 can be taught at a high school, at a post-secondary institution and one subject chosen from any group) or through . They include academic • complete an extended essay (EE) courses such as English, history or foreign languages and • follow a theory of knowledge course (TOK) technical–vocational courses such as computer maintenance • participate in creativity, action and service (CAS) technology and automotive technology.

The six subject groups include: The dual credit options must be either legislated by the state 1. language and literature studies or have an articulated or other formal written agreement 2. language acquisition between the high school and the post-secondary institution. 3. individuals and societies In 2008–09 about 70 per cent of public secondary 4. experimental sciences schools and 53 per cent of public combined elementary 5. mathematics and computer science and secondary schools offered dual credit programs. The 6. the arts post-secondary credit is usually awarded immediately upon completion of the dual credit course, although in some cases Students normally study three of the subjects at a higher it is held until the student has graduated from high school level (each course representing 240 instructional hours) and enrols in a specific post-secondary institution that and three of the subjects at a standard level (each course accepts the credit. representing 150 instructional hours). At the end of the program, they take external examinations in each course. Examinations are given twice a year, in May and November, with results issued in July and January respectively.

The grades awarded range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest) for each subject. Up to three additional points can also be awarded for combined results on theory of knowledge .27 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Higher Education The US is a world leader in attracting international students to its colleges and universities. In 2010–11, Overview 723,277 international students were enrolled at American higher education institutions, accounting for 3.5 per cent of The US has one of the largest higher education systems the total student population. in the world, with more than 4,000 degree-granting institutions awarding over three million degrees of various levels each year. In 2008, 32 per cent of the adult population In 2011, the top five places of student origin, which (aged 25 to 64) possessed a bachelor’s degree or higher. made up 53.5 per cent of all international students, Table 7. Number of Degree-Granting Institutions, were China, India, South Korea, Canada and Taiwan 2008–09 (Institute of International Education, Open Doors 2011 Type of Institution 4-Year 2-Year Total Fast Facts. Retrieved from www.iie.org/en/Research- Public 652 1,024 1,676 and-Publications/~/media/Files/Corporate/Open- Private Not-for-profit 1,537 92 1,629 Doors/Fast-Facts/Fast Facts 2011.ashx). For-profit 530 574 1,104 Total 2,719 1,690 4,409

Source: NCES. Digest of 2009 Statistics, Table 265 Administration and financing Table 8. Number of Degrees Awarded, 1998–99 The US has no centralized authority exercising national and 2008–09 control over higher education. State governments:

Degree Private • exercise oversight and coordinating authority over and higher education within their jurisdictions Academic Not-for- For- Year Total Public Total profit profit • issue corporate charters to institutions Associate’s • regulate standards and quality to varying degrees 1998–99 559,954 448,334 111,620 47,611 64,009 • may have regulatory authority over various aspects of 2008–09 787,325 596,098 191,227 46,929 144,298 the operation of public institutions % change 40.6 33.0 71.3 -1.4 125.4 Institutions of higher education generally operate with Bachelor’s considerable independence and autonomy. State-appointed 1998–99 1,200,303 790,287 410,016 393,680 16,336 boards or commissions may govern public institutions, 2008–09 1,601,368 1,020,435 580,933 496,260 84,673 while self-perpetuating boards govern private institutions. % change 33.4 29.1 41.7 26.1 418.3 The governing board of higher education institutions, Master’s called the board of trustees or board of regents, is the 1998–99 439,986 238,501 201,485 192,152 9,333 highest authority for institutional policy and is responsible 2008–09 656,784 308,206 348,578 285,098 63,480 for hiring the chief executive, usually called president. All private and most public institutions at the post-secondary % change 49.3 29.2 73.0 48.4 580.2 level are chartered or licensed as corporations under US First professional law and are legally independent and self-governing in terms 1998–99 78,439 31,693 46,746 46,315 431 of academic affairs, administration, fund-raising, resource 2008–09 92,004 37,357 54,647 53,572 1,075 allocation and public relations. % change 17.3 17.9 16.9 15.7 149.4 Degree-granting institutions generally derive their income Doctoral from student tuition and fees, government funding, 1998–99 44,077 28,134 15,943 15,501 442 institutional investments and holdings, private gifts and 2008–09 67,716 39,911 27,805 25,169 2,636 grants, and auxiliary enterprises. Research institutions % change 53.6 41.9 74.4 62.4 496.4 receive money from grants and contracts with government

Source: NCES. Conditions of Education 2011, Table CL-1 .28 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

and the private sector. Teaching institutions may earn years of full-time study, with entry based on completion of a money from providing instructional services to employers. bachelor’s degree or undergraduate study in required subjects. Almost all institutions, public or private, charge tuition, with tuition being relatively lower at public institutions Master’s degrees such as Master of Arts and Master than at private institutions. In 2008–09 tuition and of Science programs are completed in one to two years, fees accounted for 19 per cent of total revenue at public with entry based on a bachelor’s degree. They may lead institutions, 78 per cent at private not-for-profit institutions, to further study in doctoral programs, although some and 86 per cent at private for-profit institutions. professional degrees such as Master of Fine Arts are considered terminal degrees. Grants and loans are the major forms of federal financial support for post-secondary students. Federal grants, which TheDoctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an advanced research do not have to be repaid, are available to undergraduate degree that usually involves four or more years of full-time students who qualify because of economic need. Low- study following the completion of a master’ s degree in a interest loans are available to all students. Grants and related field, or five or more years following the completion loans are also available from state and local governments, of a bachelor’s degree. institutions and other sources. In 2008–09, among first- time, full-time students attending four-year institutions, 56 Language of instruction per cent had student loans. In comparison, some 21 per cent The language of instruction is English. of first-time, full-time students attending public two-year institutions had student loans. Grading scale Most institutions describe a student’s overall performance Program structure using a letter scale, which can be converted into numeric The basic educational requirement for admission into higher grade points and grade point averages (GPAs). Transcripts education institutions is the high school diploma. Major usually list grade points for each subject, a GPA for each types of higher education programs include the following. semester or quarter and a cumulative GPA for the entire program. Institutions may also adopt designations of high Associate degrees such as Associate of Arts and Associate achievement for students with high cumulative GPAs. of Science, which are two-year programs taken following a high school diploma. Graduates may seek employment or Table 9. higher Education Grading Scale advanced placement in bachelor’s degree programs. Letter Grade Grade Point Descriptor A bachelor’s degree, also called a baccalaureate degree, A 4 Excellent usually involves four years of full-time study after high B 3 Good school. A bachelor’s degree gives access to employment and C 2 Average to further education in master’s, doctoral and professional D 1 Pass degree programs. The term post-baccalaureate credential F 0 Fail is sometimes used to describe programs completed after earning a bachelor’s degree. See the chapter “Grading Scales” for more information.

First professional degrees are first degrees in professional Academic year and credit system fields such as law, medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. Although most first professional degrees use the term The academic year usually starts in late August or “doctor” in the title, such as Juris Doctor, Doctor of September and ends in May or June. Most institutions Medicine, Doctor of Dental Surgery and Doctor of follow the semester system, with the academic year Pharmacy, they are not advanced doctoral degrees but consisting of fall and spring semesters, each lasting about 15 entry-level qualifications for obtaining licensure in certain to 17 weeks. There is also an optional summer session that professions. First professional degrees involve at least three lasts about 10 to 12 weeks. .29 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Some institutions adopt the quarter system, with the to characterize and control for differences in academic academic year consisting of fall, winter and spring quarters, institutions. The 2010 version of the basic classification each lasting about 10 to 12 weeks, and a fourth, optional scheme puts 4,634 institutions in six basic categories based quarter in the summer. Most college students start their on data from 2008–2010. academic year in the fall semester or quarter in September. • Associate’s colleges (1,920) are institutions in which the highest degree conferred is the associate degree or The trimester system divides the academic year into three in which bachelor’s degrees account for less than 10 per terms. The length of each term ranges from 10 to 14 weeks, cent of all undergraduate degrees. depending on the institution. While a trimester system with 10-week terms resembles the quarter system without • Doctorate-granting universities (295) are institutions the summer quarter, a trimester system with 14-week terms that award at least 20 research doctoral degrees per year. resembles a semester system with three instead of two • Master’s colleges and universities (728) are institutions semesters a year. that award at least 50 master’s degrees and fewer than 20 doctoral degrees per year. Credit hours, credit units or credit points, also called • Baccalaureate colleges (808) are institutions in which credits, hours, points or units, are widely used by baccalaureate degrees represent at least 10 per cent of all institutions to represent a mathematical summation of all undergraduate degrees and where fewer than 50 master’s work completed for academic purposes. Credits may be degrees or 20 doctoral degrees are awarded per year. awarded for lectures or seminars, laboratory work, practice, • Special focus institutions (851) are those awarding internship, and independent study and research. For baccalaureate or higher-level degrees where a high example, one lecture credit represents one hour per week of concentration (above 75 per cent) of degrees are in a scheduled class time and two hours of student preparation. single field or set of related fields such as art and music, In a semester system, a typical three-credit course business and management, engineering, law or medicine. represents at least 45 hours of class time and 90 hours of preparation, and in a quarter system it represents at least • Tribal colleges (32) are institutions that are members 30 hours of class time and 60 hours of student preparation. of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. One quarter credit is therefore worth about two-thirds of a Higher education institutions in the US are licensed or semester credit in terms of the amount of academic work it chartered as either not-for-profit or for-profit corporations, represents. The conversion of trimester credits depends on regardless of whether they are public or private. the length of the trimester term. Institutions that offer bachelor’s and higher degrees Institutions are sometimes called senior colleges or universities to distinguish them from junior colleges and other US institutions vary widely by type, ownership and institutions offering an associate degree as their highest governance arrangements. The name of an institution qualification. However, many institutions offer programs at provides little information about its type, structure or all degree levels, from associate to doctorate. legitimacy, as the terms “university” and “college” are not legally protected. An institution may use whatever Public universities, also called state universities, are title is approved in its state charter or licence to operate. publicly funded universities operated by state governments. Institutions are generally classified according to: They typically enrol tens of thousands of students and offer • the highest degree they award a wide range of academic programs at both undergraduate • whether they specialize in a few subjects or offer a and graduate levels. They include some of the major comprehensive range of programs research universities in the US. State universities usually • whether they serve special populations have a mandate to provide outreach and community engagement in the state in which they are located and The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher charge lower tuition to in-state students. Some large state Education is widely used in higher education research universities have multiple campuses. .30 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Approximately one-third of US colleges and universities such as evening and weekend classes and instruction are private institutions. They are independent of state through distance education. A growing number of for-profit control even though they are licensed or authorized by state institutions are accredited to offer bachelor’s, master’s and governments. They may be non-profit or for-profit, secular doctoral degrees. The areas of study tend to be dramatically or affiliated with a religious community. Some private different from those offered at public or private non-profit institutions may be authorized by state governments to institutions, as students are focused on acquiring skills that receive state operating funds and to provide some public will directly increase their in labour markets. services. Tuition costs at private institutions are often substantially higher than those at public institutions. Students attending for-profit colleges and universities accounted for about nine per cent of total student Community colleges are comprehensive public institutions enrolment in higher education in 2008–09, compared that provide a wide variety of educational services including with two per cent in 1986–87. The proprietary schools adult and community education, post-secondary career and have achieved high growth partly by providing educational technical education, and academic and professional studies opportunities to people historically underserved by at the undergraduate level leading to an associate degree. traditional institutions, such as older students and those A number of community colleges have begun to offer from ethnic minorities. accredited bachelor’s degree programs. Distance education courses and programs offer flexible While some students attend community colleges to acquire educational opportunities at both undergraduate and or update job skills and pursue personal interests, others graduate levels. They may be delivered through live audio complete one or two years of study before transferring to a or video conferencing, pre-recorded videos, webcasts or four-year college or university to complete the remainder of online computer-based systems. In 2007–08 about 4.3 a bachelor’s degree program. Community colleges usually million undergraduate students, or 20 per cent of all have articulation agreements with local public and private undergraduates, took at least one distance education course. institutions that allow students who have completed About 0.8 million, or four per cent of all undergraduates, approved courses of study to transfer to bachelor’s degree took their entire program through distance education. programs at another institution with up to two years of academic credit. Students who choose to complete part of Accreditation their bachelor’s degree program at community colleges are US institutions vary greatly in their missions and in the often attracted by the college’s vicinity, lower fees and lower quality of their programs. Accreditation is a voluntary admission requirements. process of external review of higher education institutions Although the first college for African Americans—present- and programs to ensure their quality, accountability day Cheney University of Pennsylvania—was established and improvement. It is carried out by private, non-profit in 1837, many of today’s prestigious black universities were organizations rather than by federal or state governments. established immediately after the Civil War. A historically There are two basic types of accreditation. black college or university (HBCU) is defined as an accredited institution established prior to 1964, whose • Institutional accreditation applies to an entire principal mission is the education of black Americans. institution. Today the White House Initiative on HBCUs counts 101 • Programmatic accreditation, also called specialized colleges and universities. accreditation, applies to a specific program of study.

Private for-profit institutions, often referred to as There are four types of accrediting organizations. proprietary schools, offer non-degree, career-focused • Regional accreditors accredit public and private, programs and academic degrees. They tend to be market- mainly non-profit and degree-granting, two- and four- driven and highly adaptable to the changing needs of year institutions. students. Many institutions have flexible modes of study • National faith-related accreditors accredit religiously affiliated and doctrinally-based institutions. .31 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

• National career-related accreditors accredit mainly Regional accreditation is the most widely accepted type of for-profit, career-based, single-purpose institutions, accreditation of higher education institutions in the US. both degree and non-degree. It is carried out by six organizations that cover different The above three types of accreditors mainly perform geographic regions. There are about 2,700 regionally institutional accreditation. accredited institutions nationwide. Regionally accredited institutions recognize coursework and degrees completed at • Programmatic accreditors accredit specific programs, other regionally accredited institutions. professions and freestanding schools, for example, law, medicine, engineering and health professions.

Table 10. Regional Accrediting Bodies

Name States and Territories Website Middle States Association of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, www.msche.org Colleges and Schools: Middle States Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands Commission on Higher Education New England Association of Schools Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island www.neasc.org and Colleges: Commission on and Vermont Institutions of Higher Education North Central Association of Colleges Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org and Schools: Higher Learning Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Commission Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming Northwest Commission on Colleges Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington www.nwccu.org and Universities Southern Association of Colleges and Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North www.sacscoc.org Schools: Commission on Colleges Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia Western Association of Schools and California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and www.wascweb.org Colleges: Accrediting Commission American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of for Community and Junior Colleges, Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Accrediting Commission for Senior the Republic of the Marshall Islands Colleges and Universities

In addition to the regional accreditors, many national decisions regarding the accredited institutions and faith-related accreditors, career-related accreditors and programs and the credentials they issue. programmatic accreditors have recognition status in the US. To be considered “nationally recognized,” an accreditor • Institutions must be accredited to apply for funds from must be recognized by either the USDE or the Council for federal and state governments. Higher Education Accreditation. Both USDE and CHEA • Students must be enrolled at accredited institutions or conduct periodic reviews and publish updated lists of in accredited programs to apply for financial assistance accrediting agencies they recognize. See Appendix A for a from federal and state governments. For example, list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies. accreditation enables an institution to establish its eligibility to participate in the federal student financial Bogus accrediting agencies exist whose accreditation does assistance programs administered by the USDE under not reflect any assessment concerning academic quality. Title IV of the Higher Education Act. Some diploma mills create their own “accrediting agency” to • Students must be enrolled at accredited institutions give the impression that they are legitimate institutions. or programs to be academically eligible for further Accreditation by nationally recognized accrediting agencies education and transfer of credit. Accreditation, plays a vital role in the US and is used by governments, however, does not provide automatic acceptance by institutions, professional bodies and employers to make one institution of the credits and credentials earned at another institution. .32 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

• Students must graduate from accredited institutions Admissions or programs in order to obtain licensure in various Each institution establishes its own recruitment or professions. Many employment positions also require admission policies and procedures. Institutions range from applicants to hold a credential issued by an accredited highly selective and competitive to less selective to having institution or program. open admission. While students compete for admission into prestigious colleges and universities, institutions also Diploma Mills compete with one another for top students. The Higher Education Act defines a diploma mill as an entity that offers, for a fee, degrees, diplomas or certificates Selective institutions consider a number of factors to make that may be used to represent to the general public that their admission decisions. Generally speaking, selective the individual possessing such a credential has completed institutions have higher graduation rates than institutions a program of post-secondary education or training, while with open admission. At public four-year institutions requiring such individual to complete little or no education with open admission policies, 27 per cent of males and 34 or coursework. Accredited institutions or professional per cent of females completed a bachelor’s degree or its bodies do not accept credentials issued by diploma equivalent within six years. At public four-year institutions mills. Many employers are also requiring credentials where the acceptance rate was less than 25 per cent of from accredited institutions. For example, the federal applicants, the six-year graduation rate was 73 per cent for government’s Office of Personnel Management directs all males and 72 per cent for females. federal agencies to verify the legitimacy of an applicant’s Some important academic criteria for undergraduate degree. In some states it is illegal to use a degree from admissions include: an institution not accredited by a nationally recognized • high school grades in college preparation courses accrediting agency. • cumulative high school grades Diploma mills may: • standardized test scores such as SAT or ACT • award credentials that can be earned in much less time • high school class rank than those earned at an accredited institution • extracurricular activities • put unrealistic emphasis on awarding college credits for lifetime or real world experience SAT began in 1926 as the Scholastic Aptitude Test and is • charge tuition on a per-degree basis or offer discounts administered by the College Board. The test is now simply for enrolling in multiple degree programs called SAT as a proper name, not an acronym. It has evolved from an all-essay exam to multiple-choice questions. The • offer little or no interaction with general SAT, or SAT I, measures critical reading, writing • use addresses that are box numbers or suites and math abilities, with scores reported on a scale from 200 • claim to be accredited, but the accrediting agencies are to 800. In 2011 the national percentiles for a 500 score were recognized by neither USDE or CHEA 51, 54 and 46 for reading, writing and math, respectively. Students may also choose to sit SAT subject tests, called Current requirements set by the US Department of SAT II. These are hour-long, content-based tests available Commerce only allow colleges and institutions accredited by in 20 specific subject areas such as math, physics, chemistry, an agency recognized by the USDE to use the .edu Internet biology, literature and various foreign languages. address. However, some illegitimate institutions were approved to use an .edu before the current requirements ACT began in 1959 as American College Testing. Like were put in place, and they may still be using it. Diploma SAT, the test is now simply called ACT as a proper name, mills in the US typically use .com or .org domains. not an acronym. It covers four sections: English, math, reading and science. Scores range from 1 to 36 for each section. The composite score is the average of four test scores rounded to the nearest whole number. In the 2011– 12 score reports, achieving a composite score of 21 places a student in the 55 percentile in the national ranking. .33 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Some important academic criteria for graduate Programs and Credentials: admissions include: General Education • undergraduate major and course selection The academic titles awarded by US institutions, including • cumulative grade point average, especially in the final undergraduate and graduate degrees, are not governed by two years of undergraduate study federal or state laws, although accrediting agencies may • standardized test scores such as the Graduate Record exert some influence on program requirements that lead Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management to such titles. Universities and colleges therefore exercise Admission Test (GMAT) wide discretion in the nomenclature they use for degrees. • recommendation letters and personal essays For this reason, the discussion of program structure and • relevant leadership, employment and volunteer requirements based on degree titles is a generalization that experience may not fit all programs offered at all institutions.

The REG is designed to test the academic knowledge and See Appendix C for non-exhaustive lists of degree titles skills that are considered essential for successful graduate awarded by US institutions. study. Most graduate schools in the US require applicants to take the GRE, and a growing number of business Certificates and diplomas schools accept GRE in lieu of GMAT. The REG General Programs that allow a student to earn a certificate or Test measures abilities in verbal reasoning, quantitative diploma are available from many universities and colleges. reasoning and analytical writing. The REG Revised General They vary greatly in length, structure and admission Test, launched in August 2011, adopts new questions and requirements. While some admit applicants with a high a different scoring scheme. Scores reported range from 130 school diploma, others cater to students who are pursuing to 170 for the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning or who already hold a bachelor’s degree. The certificates sections, and from 0 to 6 for the analytical writing section. and diplomas may indicate the mastery of knowledge and skills such as foreign languages or computer software, the The MG AT exam is a computer adaptive test that measures completion of additional requirements giving access to analytical and reasoning abilities in writing, reading and professional licensure as in accounting, nursing and teacher quantitative areas in order to assess academic potential education, or to professional degree programs such as for graduate business study, such as a Master of Business medicine and dentistry. Administration (MBA). It consists of three sections: the analytical writing assessment (two essays), the quantitative See the chapter “Technical and Vocational Education” section (37 multiple-choice questions) and the verbal section for examples of certificates and diplomas in technical and (41 multiple-choice questions). Total GMAT scores range vocational fields. from 200 to 800. Two thirds of test takers score between 400 and 600. See Appendix D1 for sample program structures of undergraduate certificates. Professional programs may use other tests for admission and placement. See the next section, “Programs and Credentials: Associate degree Specialized and Profession Education,” for information about An associate degree generally requires 60 semester credits some of these tests, such as the Medical College Admission or 90 quarter credits of study, which can be completed in Test (MCAT), Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) two years on a full-time basis. Programs are available from and Law School Admission Test (LSAT). two-year colleges, four-year universities and colleges and post-secondary technical institutions. Entry is based on a high school diploma; some institutions may require SAT or other standardized test scores. Successful completion of the program leads to the awarding of an associate degree. Students in some programs may receive a certificate after completing one year of study. .34 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Students at two-year institutions typically take much longer Bachelor’s degree than two years to complete an associate degree. About The most common general bachelor’s degrees awarded are 27 per cent of first-time, full-time students at two-year the Bachelor of Science (BS or SB) and Bachelor of Arts institutions complete a certificate or an associate degree (BA or AB). A general bachelor’s degree usually requires 120 within 150 per cent of the normal time required. semester credits or 180 quarter credits of study, which can be Associate degrees are either academic degrees that may completed in four years on a full-time basis. The basic entry serve as the foundation for a bachelor’s degree or degrees requirement is a high school diploma. Some institutions and in vocational–technical fields that may be terminal in programs may require specific high school subjects and/or nature. An academic associate degree may be considered standardized test scores such as SAT or ACT. comparable to the first two years of a four-year bachelor’s More than half of first-time students in four-year degree program. Many associate degree holders intend to institutions complete their bachelor’s degrees within transfer to a bachelor’s degree program. This process is six years. Highly qualified and motivated students may made possible through articulation agreements between complete their degree in less than four years. Some institutions so that courses taken at a specific accredited institutions offer accelerated programs that allow students two-year institution will transfer into credits at a particular to complete a bachelor’s degree in three years; students in four-year college or university. such programs follow an accelerated academic calendar The most common academic associate degrees are the but have to meet the same degree requirements as those in Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS). traditional four-year programs. The traditional designations The AA degree usually comprises many general courses of the first, second, third and fourth year students in a four- and a small component of major courses. It is suitable for year bachelor’s degree program are freshman, sophomore, students who want to pursue a general BA degree or who junior and senior. have not yet chosen a major field of study. The AS can be a Some institutions offer five-year cooperative (work-study) general degree comprising math, basic science and general bachelor’s degree programs. A cooperative or co-op plan education courses, or it can have a major field of study, often allows students to combine actual work experience with called a concentration or emphasis. Through articulation their college studies. Thus a bachelor’s degree that normally agreements, graduates of an AS with an emphasis in a requires four years of full-time study may become a five-year science and technological field can transfer into a Bachelor program by incorporating two six-month co-ops. There are of Science degree program in the same field. also four-year co-op programs where students take shorter An associate degree in technical and vocational fields, summer vacations. such as the Associate of Applied Science (AAS), provides In most bachelor’s degree programs, students must training for entrance into certain occupations such as fulfill general education requirements for introductory nursing, allied health professions and some business and knowledge in arts and humanities, social sciences, technology areas. While many associate degrees in technical science and technology and, increasingly, diversity and and vocational fields give access to both employment and multiculturalism. The regional accreditors recognize further education in bachelor’s degree programs, some are the central role of general education in undergraduate terminal credentials, as no bachelor’s degree programs are programs, with semester credit requirements for general available in those specific areas of study. See the chapter education ranging from 30 (Southern Association, Middle “Technical and Vocational Education” for more information States Association) to 40 (New England Association) on applied associate degrees. to 45 (Western Association). Students having advanced See Appendix D2 for a sample program structure of secondary qualifications such as Advanced Placement or the Associate of Science (AS). International Baccalaureate Diploma may be exempt from some of the general education requirements.

In addition to general education requirements, students also concentrate on one or more fields of study called a major. .35 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In 2008–09 more than half of the 1.6 million bachelor’s based on a bachelor’s degree with required undergraduate degrees awarded in the US were in five fields: subjects. Many institutions and programs also require standard test scores such as GRE or GMAT. Percentage of Field of study degrees awarded Master’s degrees in academic fields are often research Business 22 degrees that require the completion of graduate-level Social sciences and history 11 coursework, the passing of comprehensive examinations in Health professions and related clinical sciences 8 the chosen field or fields of research and the preparation and defence of a master’s thesis. Coursework may consist Education 6 of lectures as well as seminars, which involve small groups Psychology 6 of students participating in discussions and making presentations under faculty guidance. Some master’s A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 is usually programs have a non-thesis option, also called master’s required for graduation. degrees by coursework, which require students to complete The minimum credit requirement for bachelor’s degree more coursework or a major project in lieu of the thesis. A programs may be more than 120. A 1999 NCES study minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is usually found that on average, students who earned a bachelor’s required for graduation. degree completed 133 credits. Students who attended Master’s degrees in professional fields may be research- only four-year institutions averaged 131 credits, while based programs or they may be structured specifically to those who combined attendance at four-year and less- prepare students to work in an applied professional field than-four-year institutions averaged 140 credits. Students at an advanced level. Professional internships may also be who majored in the humanities, social sciences, business required in supervised work settings. and mathematics and computer science completed fewer credits than average (125–130 credits). Those who Master’s degree programs in some specialized and majored in engineering and architecture and those who professional fields are described in the “Programs and majored in health sciences and services completed more Credentials: Specialized and Professional Education” section. credits than average (145 and 142, respectively). Some institutions offer combined bachelor and master’s Some institutions award honours bachelor’s degrees or degree programs for their outstanding undergraduate bachelor’s degrees with honours, which usually involve more students. The duration of such programs is typically independent study and require upper level coursework and shorter than the time it takes to complete the two degrees a thesis or special project. Honours programs may also separately; for example, a combined BS/MS may be have special admissions requirements. Honours program completed in five years. Students may take some graduate- students may have exclusive access to certain lectures, level courses in their fourth year of study that count toward seminars, projects and grants. Honours degrees are usually both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. designated on the transcript and sometimes on the degree certificate, and the title of the honours thesis or project may Of the 656,800 master’s degrees awarded in 2008–09, 27 per be provided. cent were in the field of education, 26 per cent in business and 10 per cent in health professions and related clinical sciences. See Appendix D3 for a sample of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Females earned 60 per cent of the master’s degrees. program structure. Master’s degrees are second degrees that may lead to further Master’s degree studies at the doctoral level. Certain professional master’s degrees, such as a Master of Fine Arts (MFA), may be The most common master’s degrees awarded are theMaster considered terminal degrees if no doctoral level programs of Arts (MA or AM) and Master of Science (MS or SM). A are offered in these fields. master’s degree generally requires at least 30 semester credits or 45 quarter credits of graduate-level study, which can be See Appendix D4 for sample program structures of a completed in one to two years on a full-time basis. Entry is Master of Arts (MA). .36 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Graduate certificates and diplomas degree to be awarded as an intermediate qualification for employment purposes. Many universities and colleges offer a variety of graduate- level certificate and diploma programs that give students PhD programs require the successful completion of the opportunity to pursue further studies in a specialization coursework, comprehensive exams and a dissertation. without getting a degree. The title of the credential, the Students first have to complete coursework such as admission requirements and the level of courses offered research seminars and colloquia at a satisfactory level and depend on the program. pass written comprehensive examinations in their chosen specialization and some related fields before advancing Examples of some common programs include: to candidacy on the recommendation of doctoral faculty. • a program admitting applicants with bachelor’s They conduct independent research based on a research degrees; credits earned may count toward a master’s proposal approved by the dissertation advisor and doctoral degree program committee and must succeed at the oral defence of the • a program admitting applicants with master’s dissertation in order to receive the doctoral degree. degrees or those who are concurrently enrolled in a master’s program; the certificate or diploma is used In addition to the PhD, universities in the US offer many for career advancement other research doctorate programs. See Appendix C for a • a program admitting master’s degree holders; credits list of frequently awarded research doctorate degrees. earned may count toward a doctoral degree program Of the 67,700 doctoral degrees awarded in 2008–09, over Examples of some common titles awarded include: 50 per cent were in four fields: • Advanced Certificate (AC) • health professions and related clinical sciences (18 per cent) • Advanced Graduate Certificate (AGC) • education (13 per cent) • Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) • engineering and engineering technologies (12 per cent) • Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) • biological and biomedical sciences (10 per cent) • Graduate Diploma • Professional Diploma Females earned 52 per cent of all doctoral degrees awarded.

See Appendix D5 for sample program structures of a There is no research degree following the PhD or Graduate Certificate and a Certificate of Advanced Study. equivalent doctoral degree. New PhD holders, especially in natural and applied science disciplines, may choose Doctor of Philosophy degree to further their research credentials by pursuing post- The most common research doctorate is the Doctor of doctoral research studies. Philosophy (PhD), which represents the highest academic qualification in the US education system. A PhD program Programs and Credentials: usually involves four or more years of full-time study Specialized and Professional following a master’s degree or five or more years of study following a bachelor’s degree. Education

Entry is based on a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related Architecture field, letters of recommendation, satisfactory performance Founded in 1940, the National Architectural Accrediting on standard tests such as GRE, a personal statement, Board (NAAB) is the sole agency authorized to accredit US research and work experience, and so on. In some areas it is professional degree programs in architecture. As of January common for students to proceed directly from the bachelor’s 2012, 154 NAAB-accredited professional programs in degree to enrolment in PhD studies. Students admitted architecture were housed in 123 institutions offering the based on their bachelor’s degrees may request a master’s Doctor of Architecture (1), Master of Architecture (95) or Bachelor of Architecture (58) degrees. An institution .37 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

must be regionally accredited in order to apply for NAAB In recent years a number of institutions have begun offering accreditation of its architectural programs. combined bachelor’s/master’s programs in architecture that can be completed in a minimum of five years. Upon In most states, to become licensed to practise architecture, graduation, students will hold both a bachelor’s degree candidates must earn a professional degree in architecture and a professional MArch degree that allows them to seek from an NAAB-accredited program. Since each state licensure as architects. architectural registration board sets its own standards, graduation from a non-NAAB-accredited program may According to NAAB guidelines, a Doctor of Architecture meet the educational requirements for licensing in a (DArch) program requires a bachelor’s degree or a minimum few states. After completing their professional degree, of 120 semester credit hours of undergraduate study plus students must fulfill internship requirements and pass the a minimum of 90 semester credit hours of graduate-level Architect Registration Examination in order to register coursework in professional studies and electives. with a state board. See Appendix D6 for a sample program structure of an NAAB requires that an architectural program must have NAAB-accredited Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) degree. three types of courses: general studies, professional studies, and electives. A Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) program Business must require a minimum of 150 semester credit hours or Business study, the most popular major for bachelor’s the quarter system’s hour-equivalent, including at least 45 degrees, is offered at all levels. For example, one credit hours of general studies and electives with non- can study business administration in Associate of architectural content. A typical BArch program involves five Business Administration (ABA), Bachelor of Business years of full-time study Administration (BBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Some institutions offer bachelor’s programs in architecture, programs. Common fields of specialization in business such as the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, that require study include accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, a minimum of 120 credit hours, which can be completed international business, management, management in four years on a full-time basis. Such programs are information systems, marketing, operations management considered preprofessional degrees and do not meet the and supply chain management. educational requirements for licensure in most states; they give access to further education in professional master’s TheMaster of Business Administration (MBA) provides degree programs in architecture. theoretical and practical training to help graduates gain a better understanding of general business management According to NAAB guidelines, a Master of Architecture functions. Admission is based on a bachelor’s degree in (MArch) program requires a minimum of 168 semester any major. Some programs look for students with strong credit hours or the quarter system’s hour-equivalent, backgrounds in quantitative courses such as accounting, including at least 30 credit hours of graduate-level calculus, microeconomics and statistics. Applicants usually coursework in professional studies and electives. Length have to take the GMAT or GRE and submit personal essays. of the MArch program depends on the candidate’s undergraduate major. For example, the University of An MBA program involves one to two years of full-time California, Berkeley, offers the MArch degree, an NAAB- study. In a typical two-year program, students fulfill core accredited program, which has three curriculum options requirements in the first year of study and take elective and depending on undergraduate major: specialized coursework in the second year. An internship is typically sought in the interim summer. Undergraduate Major Program Option Bachelor of Architecture (five-year one-year post-professional Many MBA programs are available as evening or weekend professional) degree program classes to accommodate working professionals who want to Four-year non-professional degree two-year professional program pursue a without career interruption. with a major in architecture Depending on the class schedule, an evening or weekend BA or BS in any field three-year professional program program may be of the same duration as a daytime .38 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

program or may take significantly longer to complete. The first two years of the DDS or DMD programs focus on TheExecutive MBA (EMBA) programs, geared toward biomedical sciences, in particular the basic principles of oral mid-career professionals seeking progression to senior-level diagnosis and treatment. Subjects covered usually include management, are usually offered on a part-time basis. anatomy, biochemistry, embryology, histology, pharmacology and physiology. The last two years consist of hands-on clinical Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs are available study involving treatment of patients through rotation in various business-related fields. These research-based under the supervision of licensed dentists. Other topics programs provide students with a thorough grounding in covered include practice management, patient management, research skills and the fundamental concepts of business, professional ethics and the use of allied dental personnel. economics and management as well as with original knowledge in a specific area of research. A PhD in business The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of prepares students for research and leadership in business, ADA is the nationally recognized accrediting agency for industry and higher education. dental and dental-related education programs at the post- secondary level. The ADA website (www.ada.org) provides TheDoctor of Business Administration (DBA) is designed lists of accredited DDS, DMD and other dental-related for experienced business professionals who want to advance programs. By reciprocal agreement, programs that are into leadership positions within their organizations. While accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the program structure may mirror that of an academic Canada (CDAC) are recognized by CODA and vice versa. doctorate, requiring the completion of doctoral level coursework, comprehensive examination and the submission Some universities offer joint degree programs that allow and oral defence of a doctoral dissertation, the focus is on the students to complete an undergraduate degree and a dental application of theory to field-based research. The dissertation degree in seven years. Students spend the first three years in is not required to make an original contribution to the body undergraduate study and must meet performance criteria of knowledge in business administration but must address a in order to move on into the dental program. There are also practical problem of an organization. joint degree programs that allow students to complete a graduate degree in combination with the professional DDS See Appendix D7 for a sample program structure of a or DMD degree. Master of Business Administration (MBA). Applicants with previous dental education, including dental Dentistry degrees from non-ADA accredited schools, may be granted The first professional degree in dentistry isDoctor of advanced standing. Some dental schools offer accelerated Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine programs for foreign-trained dental graduates; these lead to (DMD), both of which involve four years of full-time study. the DDS or DMD degree after two or three years of study. Admission to dental schools is highly competitive. Pre- To obtain licensure, dental school graduates must meet dental undergraduate course requirements include subjects requirements of the state in which they plan to practise. in humanities and behavioural and social sciences as well as They must pass the National Board Dental Examination biological sciences, math, chemistry and physics, and can be and a state clinical examination. While a few states fulfilled in about three years of study, but most applicants administer their own clinical examination, most accept tests will have completed a bachelor’s degree at their entry into given by one of the regional dental testing boards. dental school. Approximately 20 per cent of practising dentists are dental All dental school applicants must also take the Dental specialists. Two to four additional years of specialty dental Admission Test (DAT) prepared by the American Dental education is required to get certified in one of the nine Association (ADA). The standardized test measures ADA-recognized dental specialties: knowledge of natural sciences (biology and general and organic chemistry), reading comprehension (natural and basic • dental public health sciences), quantitative reasoning and perceptual ability. The • endodontics DAT is offered as a computer-adaptive test at testing centres • oral and maxillofacial pathology throughout the US and a few other countries. .39 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

• oral and maxillofacial radiology profession contain exemptions allowing persons to practise • oral and maxillofacial surgery engineering without a licence. Only about one quarter • orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics of practising engineers hold licences or certifications. Among the engineering occupations, civil and architectural • pediatric dentistry engineers have the highest percentage of licensed and • periodontics certified practitioners. • prosthodontics For licensing purposes, most states require applicants to DDS and DMD holders may also pursue further education have graduated from an ABET-accredited program to in master’s and doctoral programs. validate their educational experience. In states where non- ABET graduates are permitted to be licensed, an additional See Appendix D8 for a sample program structure of a four to eight years of work experience may be required. Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree. According to ABET accreditation guidelines, a bachelor’s Education degree in engineering must include one year of college-level Programs in teacher education are available at all levels, math and basic sciences (biology, chemistry and physics), ranging from Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) to one and a half years of engineering topics consisting of PhD in education and (EdD). See engineering sciences and engineering design appropriate to the chapter “Teacher Education” for information on some the student’s field of study (such as chemical, civil, electrical, of the programs. environmental, industrial and mechanical engineering) and a general education component. The curriculum must Engineering and technology also include a major design based on the knowledge and ABET is a nationally recognized programmatic accrediting skills acquired in earlier coursework and incorporating body for engineering and technology degree programs. It appropriate engineering standards and multiple realistic originally stood for Accreditation Board for Engineering constraints. ABET does not prescribe specific subjects and Technology but changed its name to simply ABET in or the total credit requirements. Bachelor’s degrees in 2005. It undertakes specialized accreditation for programs engineering typically require more than 120 semester at various levels through its four accreditation commissions: credits for graduation and may be structured as four-year or five-year programs. • Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC), which accredits applied science programs at the Many institutions offer graduate programs such as Master associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree levels. of Science, Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science • Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC), which in engineering disciplines and in engineering policy and accredits computing programs at the bachelor’s degree management. Joint degree programs are also available, level only. such as Master of Science in Engineering/Master of • Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC), which Architecture and Master of Science in Engineering/ accredits engineering programs at the bachelor’s or Master of Public Policy. master’s degree levels. See Appendix D9 for sample program structures of bachelor’s • Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC), degrees in engineering and engineering technology. which accredits technology programs at the associate or bachelor’s degree levels. Law All US states and territories have laws that regulate The first professional degree in law is theJuris Doctor or engineering practice. These regulations are meant to protect Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD). Admission is based on a the public from those not properly equipped by virtue of bachelor’s degree in any field and the Law School Admission education and experience to make the judgments necessary Test (LSAT), a half-day standardized test administered by for the construction of products and useful facilities. the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) four times each Unlike medicine and law, regulations about the engineering year. Canadian law schools also require applicants to take .40 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

the LSAT as part of their admission process. Law school for eligibility to sit for the bar examination. A number admission is highly competitive and is based on a number of states, such as California, accept other forms of legal of factors, such as quality of undergraduate work, LSAT education as sufficient. scores, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, extracurricular activities and employment history. About 74 per cent of American lawyers work in private practice, eight per cent for government agencies and The Council and Accreditation Committee of the nine per cent for private industries and associations. Section of and Admissions to the Bar While some lawyers maintain general practices, others of the American Bar Association (ABA) is the nationally concentrate on specific fields of law. Some common fields recognized accrediting body of legal education in the US. of specialization include: The ABA website (www.americanbar.org) lists 201 ABA- • civil rights law approved law schools in the US. About 90 per cent of ABA- • corporate and securities law approved law schools are part of a larger university. There • criminal law are about 37 non-ABA-approved law schools in the US. • education law Students in the JD program must complete a minimum • employment and labour law of 90 semester credits, comparable to about three years • environmental and natural resources law of full-time study. The first year usually covers a general • family and juvenile law background in law with courses such as civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedures, • health law legal methods, torts and legal research and writing. In the • immigration law next two years students may select from a broad range of • intellectual property law courses based on their intended area or specialization of • international law practice. In addition to academic study, the curriculum incorporates practical education components such as moot Many institutions offer graduate programs in law. court exercises in the first year and clinical programs, which Examples include: allow second- and third-year students to render counselling, • academic master’s degrees for non-lawyers in various undertake legislative drafting, participate in court trials and aspects of law such as health law, employment law, legal appeals and do other legal work for academic credit. administration and legal studies • professional master’s degrees such as a Master of Laws ABA-approved law schools cannot offer a JD degree (LLM) and Juris Master (JM) catering to practising program through distance education. They may grant no lawyers and foreign lawyers seeking to practise in the US more than four credit hours of distance education courses in any term and no more than 12 credit hours of distance • research-based doctoral degrees such as a PhD in Law education courses toward the JD degree. and Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD) Many law schools offer joint degree programs, such as JD/ Medicine MBA and JD/MA, which allow students to pursue their law It usually takes 11 to 16 years of education and training, degree and a graduate degree at the same time. The duration depending on the area of specialization, to become a doctor of joint degree programs is generally shorter than the time it licensed to practise medicine in the US. The process takes to complete the two degrees separately. consists of three stages:

In order to obtain a licence to practise law, JD holders • undergraduate education (four years) must apply for bar admission through a state board of bar • medical school (four years) examiners. Each state sets its own criteria for eligibility to take the bar examination or to otherwise qualify for bar • clinical residency (three to eight years) admission. All states accept graduation from an ABA- Admission to medical schools is highly competitive. approved law school as meeting the education requirement Pre-medical undergraduate course requirements include subjects in humanities and social sciences as well as math, .41 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

chemistry, biology and physics and can be fulfilled in about data-based model of generalist medical practice in the US, three years of study, but virtually all applicants will have is usually completed in the first year of residency. completed a bachelor’s degree at entry to medical school. Some universities offer a pre-medical track or program MD graduates apply for residency programs of their choice that students can complete in conjunction with their through a national matching program. Residency programs undergraduate major. Students in pre-medical programs may consist of three to eight years of professional training under be guaranteed admission to medical school if they follow the supervision of senior physician educators. Residency a specific curriculum and meet performance criteria. All programs are also called graduate medical education; the candidates to medical school must pass the Medical College American Medical Association does not use the term Admission Test (MCAT), an eight-hour comprehensive “post-graduate medical education.” Residents treat patients, examination that tests verbal reasoning, writing ability and prescribe medications and work in different areas of the knowledge of physical and biological sciences. hospital. The length of residency depends on the chosen medical specialty. Family practice, internal medicine and The first professional degree in medicine is the Doctor pediatrics require three years of training; general surgery of Medicine (MD), which usually takes four years to requires five years; neurosurgery requires seven to eight complete. The curriculum is generally divided into two years. For historical reasons, the first year of residency is parts. The first two years (preclinical section) consist of sometimes called internship. classroom and laboratory study in the health sciences such as anatomy, biochemistry, medical law and ethics, Doctors who want to sub-specialize may also complete microbiology, pathology, physiology and pharmacology. The fellowship programs after residency. Fellowships are similar last two years (clinical section) consist of clinical rotations to residencies but are even more focused and often contain a or clerkships in different medical departments under the research component. They typically take from one to three supervision of licensed doctors. Clinical rotations typically years. Examples of specialty areas for fellowships include: last four to twelve weeks and are completed in hospitals and • cardiology health clinics, where students are exposed to different areas • endocrinology of medical practice such as pediatrics, internal medicine, • oncology after internal medicine general practice, osteopathy, psychiatry and surgery. • cardiothoracic anesthesiology The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) is • cardiothoracic surgery the nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical • pediatric surgery education programs leading to the MD degree in the US. • surgical oncology after general surgery The CMEL also engages in accreditation of Canadian • reproductive endocrinology/infertility medical schools in collaboration with the Committee on • maternal–fetal medicine Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS). The Association of American Medical Colleges and the • gynecologic oncology after obstetrics/gynecology American Medical Association sponsor the LCME. Its Those who have successfully completed undergraduate study, website (www.lcme.org/directry.htm) provides lists of medical school and residency may obtain a licence from the accredited medical schools in the US and Canada. state or jurisdiction of the US in which they want to practise. Graduates from LCME-accredited medical schools must Doctors who are licensed can legally work in the US. take the United States Medical Licensing Examination The majority of doctors also choose to become board (USMLE) consisting of three steps. While Step 1 and Step certified, which is an optional, voluntary process. 2 exams are administered at test centres in many parts of Certification indicates that the doctor has been assessed the world, Step 3 exam must be taken in the US. Medical and deemed qualified to provide quality patient care in a students are usually ready to take the Step 1 exam (basic medical specialty. Two levels of certification are available sciences) after the first two years of study and the Step 2– through 24 specialty medical boards. Doctors can be clinical knowledge and Step 2–clinical skills exams after certified in 36 general medical specialties and an additional the third year. Step 3, a two-day final exam that reflects a 88 sub-specialty fields. .42 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Some institutions offer joint degree programs that allow includes both the theory and practice of nursing and general students to complete a graduate degree in combination with education in the humanities and in behavioural, biological the professional MD degree. Examples include MD/MA, and physical sciences. BSN holders may take the NCLEX- MD/PhD, MD/MBA, MD/JD, and MD/MPH (Master RN and meet other state licensing requirements to become of Public Health). The duration of joint degree programs a Registered Nurse. is generally shorter than the time it takes to complete two degrees separately. MD holders may also pursue further Registered Nurses with an ADN or nursing diploma education in master’s and doctoral programs. who want to upgrade to a bachelor’s degree for career advancement may enrol in an RN-to-BSN program, which In addition to physicians who receive an MD, there are also typically takes at least two years to complete. Individuals physicians who receive a Doctor of Osteopathy or Doctor who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field may of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. DO programs are enrol in an accelerated BSN program, which typically lasts similar in structure to MD programs, with four years of 12 to 18 months. They may also choose an accelerated osteopathic medical school followed by specialty training bachelor’s/master’s combined program, which takes at least and board certification. two years to complete and awards both the BSN and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). See Appendix D10 for a sample program structure of a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. Some Registered Nurses choose to become advanced practice nurses, who work independently or in collaboration Nursing with physicians and may focus on providing primary care Multiple educational paths lead to the nursing profession services. RNs must hold a master’s degree and meet other in the US. A certified nursing assistant CN( A) only needs state-prescribed requirements to become advanced practice a short period of training (for example, 150 hours) at an nurses. Advanced practice nurses may prescribe medicine, approved program to meet educational requirements for but the authority to prescribe varies by state. The four types certification in many states. To become a Licensed Practical of advanced practice nurses are: Nurse (LPN), one must complete a state-approved program • clinical nurse specialists involving one to one and a half years of full-time study and • nurse anesthetists pass state nursing board exams. • nurse midwives To become a Registered Nurse (RN), one may choose • nurse practitioners from a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), an associate See Appendix D11 for sample program structures of degree in nursing (ADN) or a three-year nursing diploma. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and combined After completing an accredited nursing program, students Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)/Master of Science in must pass the National Council Licensure Examination Nursing (MSN) degrees. (NCLEX-RN) in order to obtain a nursing licence. Pre- baccalaureate nursing programs are discussed in the next Pharmacy chapter, “Technical and Vocational Education.” The first professional degree in pharmacy is theDoctor The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission of Pharmacy (PharmD), which involves four years of (NLNAC) is the nationally recognized accrediting body full-time study with entry based on at least two years of for nursing programs at all levels, including practical nurse, preprofessional undergraduate study. The preprofessional nursing diploma, and associate, bachelor’s, master’s and requirement includes courses in math, information and doctoral degrees in nursing. communication technologies, physics, chemistry and biology A bachelor’s degree in nursing, typically a Bachelor of (with a focus on human processes and diseases), as well as Science in Nursing (BSN), prepares graduates to function courses in the humanities and social sciences. Applicants as professional nurses in a variety of settings. It involves are usually required to sit the Pharmacy College Admission four years of full-time study for students with no prior Test (PCAT). Consisting of 240 multiple-choice items and experience or training in nursing. The BSN curriculum two writing topics, the PCAT is designed to measure general .43 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

academic ability and the scientific knowledge necessary for states and territories that do not require the MPJE have the commencement of pharmaceutical education. their own pharmacy law exams.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education A four-year bachelor’s degree in pharmacy such as a Bachelor (ACPE), formerly called the American Council on of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences or a Bachelor Pharmaceutical Education, is the nationally recognized of Science in Pharmacy prepares students for technical accrediting agency for professional degree programs in positions in the production, control and development sectors pharmacy and providers of continuing pharmacy education. of the pharmaceutical industry or for graduate studies in ACPE only accredits pharmacy programs in a college or pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy or school that is regionally accredited or part of a regionally analytical chemistry. Graduates of this program are not accredited institution. eligible for licensure as pharmacists. Holders of a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy may be considered for admission to PharmD programs are designed to teach students about all PharmD programs at advanced levels. aspects of drug therapy. In addition, students learn how to communicate with patients and other healthcare providers PharmD holders may also pursue further education in about drug information and patient care. Students also learn master’s and doctoral programs. professional ethics, business management and concepts of public health. In addition to receiving classroom instruction, See Appendix D12 for a sample program structure of a students in PharmD programs spend time working with combined Bachelor of Science (BS)/Doctor of Pharmacy licensed pharmacists in a variety of practice settings. (PharmD) program.

According to ACPE accreditation guidelines (updated Physical therapy in 2011), the PharmD program must include courses in The first professional degree in physical therapy that may biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, clinical lead to licensure as a physical therapist is the Doctor sciences and social, behavioural and administrative sciences. of Physical Therapy (DPT). Admission is based on a It must also include introductory pharmacy practice (no bachelor’s degree with required courses as prescribed by the less than five per cent of the curriculum or 300 hours) and institution, such as math, biology, chemistry, anatomy and advanced pharmacy practice (no less than 25 per cent of the physiology. The DPT program usually involves three years curriculum or 1440 hours or 36 weeks). of full-time study. The curriculum consists of about 80 per cent classroom instruction and lab study and 20 per cent Some PharmD graduates obtain further training through clinical education, with students spending, on average, 27.5 one-year or two-year residency programs or fellowships. weeks in their final clinical experience. Pharmacy residencies are post-graduate training programs in pharmacy practice and usually require the completion Some institutions offer an accelerated 3+3 DPT program of a research project. The programs are often mandatory that allows students to complete a bachelor’s degree and the for pharmacists who wish to work in a clinical setting. DPT degree in six years. Students must meet performance Fellowships are highly individualized programs that prepare requirements in order to advance into the professional participants to work in a specialized area of pharmacy, such portion of the program. as clinical practice or research laboratories. The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy In order to practise pharmacy, a PharmD degree holder Education is the nationally recognized accrediting agency must pass a series of examinations. All states and territories for physical therapy and physical therapy assistant require the North American Pharmacist Licensure programs. A few CAPTE-accredited programs currently Examination (NAPLEX), which tests pharmacy skills offer the degree ofMaster of Physical Therapy (MPT) or and knowledge. The District of Columbia and 44 states Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MSPT), which also require the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence may also lead to licensure as a physical therapist. CAPTE Examination (MPJE), which tests applicants’ knowledge requires all programs to offer the DPT degree effective 31 of pharmacy law. The National Association of Boards of December 2015. Pharmacy (NABP) administers both exams. The eight .44 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Graduates of CAPTE-accredited DPT programs are DVM graduates must take the North American Veterinary eligible to sit licensing exams to become licensed physical Licensing Examination, an eight-hour exam comprising 360 therapists. Licensed physical therapists may choose to multiple-choice questions. Most states also require licensure pursue a residency or fellowship program to enhance their applicants to pass an examination covering veterinary laws knowledge and practice. They may also seek optional and regulations. specialty certification through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Veterinarians who want to concentrate in a specialty of veterinary medicine may enrol in residency programs to Veterinary medicine earn specialty certification from the AVMA’s American Board of Veterinary Specialties. The AVMA recognizes The first professional degree in veterinary medicine is the 40 different specialties such as cardiology, dairy practice, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD), which dentistry, internal medicine, pathology and surgery. involves four years of full-time study, with entry based on at Residency training lasts three to four years and involves a least 60 semester credits of required undergraduate courses. combination of academic and clinical experience. Most applicants will have completed a bachelor’s degree at entry into the professional program.

Admission to veterinary schools is highly competitive. The preprofessional requirement includes courses in biological and physical sciences such as chemistry, genetics, microbiology and physiology as well as courses in math, humanities and social sciences. Applicants usually have to take a standardized test such as the Graduate Record Examination, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT).

The DVM curriculum is usually divided into two parts. The first two years (preclinical section) consist of classroom and laboratory study in basic and health sciences. The last two years (clinical section) consist of clinical instruction that gives students hands-on experience diagnosing and treating animal diseases under the supervision of licensed veterinarians. The fourth year is typically spent on clinical rotations in animal hospitals and private practices.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) is the nationally recognized accrediting body for DVM and equivalent programs. Its website (www.avma.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/ Education/Accreditation/Colleges/Pages/colleges- accredited.aspx) provides a list of accredited veterinary schools in the US, Canada and a few other countries. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association defers to the AVMA with regard to accreditation of veterinary colleges in Canada.

With the exception of certain federal and state government employees, veterinarians have to obtain state licensure in order to practise. To obtain licensure from the state board, .45 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Teacher Education Table 11. Number of School Teachers, 2007–08 Overview Bureau School of Indian Teachers must acquire certification or licensure in the state, Type Total Public Private Education (BIE) territory or outlying area where they want to teach. All 50 Elementary 2,361,750 2,147,890 211,630 2,240 states and the District of Columbia require a person to have Secondary 1,178,490 1,099,770 78,150 580 at least a bachelor’s degree for initial teacher certification. The school system employs close to four million teachers; almost Combined 358,180 156,870 199,770 1,540 all of them hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and about half of Total 3,898,420 3,404,520 489,550 4,360 them hold a master’s degree or higher credential. Source: NCES

Table 12 Percentage of School Teachers by Highest Degree Earned, 2007–08

Less than a Higher than a School Type bachelor’s degree Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree master’s degree Public 0.8 47.4 44.5 7.3 Private 8.1 53.9 32.8 5.2 Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) 3.5 54.2 36.7 5.6 Total 1.7 48.2 43.1 7.0

Source: NCES Due to teacher retirements, attrition, increased student to teach in the state’s elementary, middle or secondary enrolments and other factors, teacher recruitment and schools. A teacher preparation program may be either a teacher quality are important issues in the US. The No traditional program or an alternative route to certification. Child Left Behind Act requires all teachers of core academic subjects to be highly qualified. To be deemed highly In 2008–09, 48 states (not including Iowa and Montana) and qualified, teachers must have a bachelor’s degree and full the District of Columbia assessed initial teacher candidates state certification or licensure and prove that they know through state testing, and 97 per cent of graduates of each subject they teach. teacher preparation programs passed their certification or licensure assessments. Most states adopt the Praxis series of The Higher Education Act, as amended in 1998 and 2008, assessment tests designed by the Educational Testing Service requires state governments to report on teacher education (ETS) to test the content area knowledge, pedagogy and programs and requirements for initial teacher certification, performance skills of new teachers. kindergarten through Grade 12. Since 2001 USDE has used a web-based state reporting system to collect data Traditional certification on prospective teachers, teacher education programs and Traditional teacher preparation programs primarily serve certification requirements from across the country. It also undergraduate students who are without prior teaching or publishes a summary report called the Secretary’s Annual work experience and lead to at least a bachelor’s degree. The Report on Teacher Quality. The federal and state reports on majority of new teachers are prepared through traditional teacher education can be found on the department website route programs. at https://title2.ed.gov. The most common traditional route program is a bachelor’s Teacher Preparation and degree in education. The first two years of the bachelor’s Certification degree may be completed through a transfer associate degree. Teacher preparation programs are defined as state-approved Individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree in a non- courses of study whose graduates meet all the state’s education major may enrol in a master’s degree program or a educational requirements for initial certification or licensure non-degree teacher certification program such as a post- .46 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

baccalaureate certificate. Some universities offer a graduate reported by all states and territories, 71 per cent were teacher certification plan that students can incorporate into classified as traditional and 29 per cent as alternative their master’s degree programs in various fields. However, (including 21 per cent that were based in higher education many bachelor’s degree holders choose to enrol in an institutions and 8 per cent that were not). alternative route program so they can teach while working to get certified. In 2008–09 traditional teacher preparation programs produced 186,488 graduates, while alternative programs Alternative certification produced 21,766 graduates from higher education institutions and 26,884 graduates from other program Alternative route teacher preparation programs serve providers. The top five teacher-producing states—Texas, candidates that are the teacher of record in a classroom New York, Illinois, California and Pennsylvania— while participating in the route. In other words, the accounted for 44 per cent of all graduates. individuals are working as teachers on the basis of possessing a temporary, provisional or emergency teaching Grade levels and fields certificate while enrolled in teacher preparation programs to of certification get their initial teacher certification or licensure. Initial teacher certification specifies grade levels depending Alternative routes to teacher certification first emerged on the school education structure of the state, for example, in the mid-1980s because traditional teacher preparation elementary (K to 8) and secondary (9 to 12). It may also programs were not providing enough teachers in some identify specific fields and content areas, especially for the school subjects, and because there were too few new higher grades. minority and male teachers. States developed a way to bring into the classroom individuals who already held a bachelor’s Most states have implemented teacher standards for degree and had expertise in a subject area and enrolled them specific fields. In developing their teacher standards, many in programs that focused on student learning and effective states have referenced standards of national organizations teaching methods. Alternative route programs adhere to the such as the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support same state standards as do traditional programs. Successful Consortium and the National Council for Accreditation of completion of alternative programs leads to full state Teacher Education. certification or licensure.

Alternative teacher preparation programs offered by higher education institutions are similar to traditional programs catering for bachelor’s degree holders. Examples include a post-baccalaureate certificate, a master’s degree or a graduate teacher certification plan that may be incorporated into master’s degree programs in various fields. The same program may accept both traditional and alternative route students, although adjustments have to be made as alternative route students need a more flexible class schedule while working as teachers. They may use their teaching position to fulfill practical experience requirements.

In 2010, 45 states (not including North Dakota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and Wyoming) and the District of Columbia reported having approved alternative routes to certification. Of the 2,054 teacher preparation programs .47 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 13. Number of States That Have Set Teacher Standards in Specific Fields, by Grade Level, 2010

Grade Level and Number of States/Territories/Outlying Areas Early Grades Grades Middle Secondary Field All levels childhood K–3 4–6 grades grades Across all fields 54 40 37 30 35 44 Arts 42 20 27 27 27 28 , ESL 41 20 27 27 27 28 Civics and government 11 7 11 15 25 31 Economics 10 5 10 14 23 30 English or language arts 28 21 29 30 36 41 Foreign languages 37 15 24 24 26 30 Geography 12 8 15 18 25 30 History 15 10 17 20 29 34 Mathematics 24 21 29 30 38 43 Science 23 20 27 30 38 43 Social studies 21 19 27 30 39 44 Special education 47 33 30 30 31 31 Technology in teaching 34 20 24 25 29 30 Vocational or technical education 10 5 6 12 31 41

Source: USDE. The Secretary’s Eighth Report on Teacher Quality Certification renewal and upgrade Reciprocal certification Teachers have to meet requirements Each state determines its own teacher certification as prescribed by the states in order to renew or upgrade requirements. Teachers certified in one state are not their certificates. Some states require teachers to obtain a certified to teach in another state unless a reciprocity master’s degree within a certain period of time after initial agreement exists between the states. Teachers moving certification in order to receive a professional teaching to another state may be required to complete additional certificate. Teachers may take additional training to extend coursework and take another exam. On the other hand, the grade level and add content areas to their certification. degree programs in teacher preparation offered by They can also choose to be certified by the National Board accredited institutions are generally accepted in all states. In for Professional Teaching Standards for career advancement 2007–08, 21 per cent of teachers receiving initial teaching and portability, as many states recognize national board licences or certificates had been trained in another state. certification as sufficient proof for state licensure. The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Waivers Education and Certification Interstate Agreement serves to facilitate the movement of educators between the A small number of teachers in the US work with a waiver, states that are NASDTEC members and have signed which is defined as any temporary, provisional or emergency the agreement. The agreement, consisting of a collection permit, licence or other authorization that permits an of over 50 individual agreements, makes it possible for a individual to teach in a public school classroom without teacher who has completed an approved program and/ having received an initial certificate or licence from that or who holds a certificate or licence in one jurisdiction to state, unless the teacher is a substitute or is participating in earn a certificate or licence in another state or jurisdiction. an alternative route program. In 2007–08, 1.4 per cent of Specifically the agreement outlines which particular types teachers worked with waivers. of educator certificates (teacher, administrator, service .48 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

personnel or career/technical) and which particular styles areas. In 2008–09 the most common initial certification of certifications (titles, fields, and so on) will be accepted. or licensure areas of traditional programs were elementary Signees to the agreement, as of 29 February 2012, include education, early childhood education, special education, 36 states, the US Department of Defense and the Canadian English language arts and social studies. province of British Columbia. See Appendix D18 for a sample program structure of a Reciprocal certification is not automatic. Receiving states or Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAEd). jurisdictions may impose certain special requirements that must be met within a reasonable period of time. Post-baccalaureate certificate and bachelor’s degree Teacher Preparation Programs The post-baccalaureate certificate in education and post- baccalaureate bachelor’s degree in education are offered as Associate degree initial teacher certification programs for individuals holding Associate degrees in teacher education such as the a bachelor’s degree in a non-education major. They include Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) involve two years of coursework and supervised practical experience and may full-time study, with entry based on a high school diploma be offered both as traditional programs and as alternative or equivalent. Since the associate degree does not lead route programs. to teacher certification, graduates transfer to bachelor’s degree programs for teacher preparation. Applied associate See Appendix D19 for a sample program structure of a degrees in education are also available for those who want Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Education. to advance their career as a or daycare teacher, supervisor or director. Master’s and doctoral degrees Master’s degrees in education, such as Master of Education See Appendix D17 for sample program structures of an (MEd), Master in Teaching (MIT), Master of Arts in Associate of Arts in Teaching degree and an Associate of Education (MAEd) and Master of Science in Education Applied Science in Education degree. (MSEd), generally involve one to two years of full-time study, with entry based on a bachelor’s degree. Some Bachelor’s degree programs are meant for individuals holding a bachelor’s Bachelor’s degree programs for teacher preparation, such as degree in a non-education major who want to pursue initial Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAEd), Bachelor of Science teacher certification. Other programs are designed for in Education (BSEd) and (BEd), certified teachers or non-teachers who want to pursue their involve four years of full-time study, including supervised research interests and advance their careers. practical experience. Individuals who have master’s degrees in education may Supervised practical experience is defined as a series of pursue further study in doctoral programs such as Doctor supervised field experiences (including student teaching) of Education (EdD) and a PhD in Education. The EdD and with pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 students that occur as a PhD in Education usually have similar program structure sequenced, integral part of the preparation program prior to and requirements, although the PhD tends to be more the candidate becoming the teacher of record. In 2008–09, research-oriented while the EdD focuses more on educational among the teacher preparation programs that reported practice and the application of theory and research. data on supervised practical experience requirements, the average number of supervised practical experience hours See Appendix D20 for sample program structures of Master required prior to student teaching was 172. The average of Education (MEd) and Master in Teaching (MIT) degrees. number of student teaching hours required was 577. Graduate certificates and diplomas Bachelor’s degree programs for teacher preparation are Certified teachers with master’s degrees who want to designed to allow students to obtain state certification advance their careers may pursue further graduate study or licensure in certain grade levels and fields or content such as a Professional Diploma in Education, a Certificate .49 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

of Advanced Graduate Studies in Education, a Sixth Year Graduate Certificate in Education or a in Education. These programs require a master’s degree for admission and allow students to pursue advanced professional interests to assume specialized and leadership roles in education such as classroom specialists, counsellors, program administrators and school principals.

See Appendix D21 for a sample program structure of a Sixth Year Graduate Certificate in Education.

Low performing programs Under the Higher Education Act, states identify low performing teacher preparation programs and those at risk of being considered low performing on the basis of established criteria. The criteria usually include a program’s approval or accreditation status, its completion rate and the pass rate of the program’s students on state certification assessments.

In 2010, 10 states and Puerto Rico reported 38 low performing teacher preparation programs and those at risk of receiving this designation. The federal report on teacher quality contains a list of those programs. Programs considered low performing must include that designation in their catalogues and promotional materials. .50 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Technical and Vocational education and applied education. The current preferred term is career and technical education (CTE). Education Administration Overview The Office of Vocational and , under the Technical and vocational education generally refers to USDE, administers and coordinates programs related to programs that prepare students for entry-level jobs in adult education and literacy, community colleges and career occupations requiring less than a bachelor’s degree. Today, and technical education. Directors and supervisors within legislation, policy and programs in technical and vocational state departments of education are usually responsible for education emphasize the implementation of academic program and curriculum development, teaching and learning, performance measures and the integration of academic and youth clubs, research and assessment in vocational education. vocational instruction. Many programs are designed to not only enhance students’ employment-related skills but also Founded in 1926 as the American Vocational Association, prepare them for higher education and . the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) adopted its current name in 1998. It is the Thousands of high schools, career academies, secondary largest national professional association dedicated to and post-secondary technical and vocational schools, CTE. Its members include more than 27,000 career and community colleges and four-year colleges and universities technical educators, administrators, researchers, guidance in the US offer education programs to prepare people counsellors, and others involved in planning and conducting of all ages for various careers. The private, for-profit career and technical education programs at secondary and sector plays a major role in post-secondary technical and post-secondary levels. vocational education. In 2008–09, 2,223 non-degree accredited American institutions participated in federal The National Association of State Directors of Career student financial assistance programs administered by the Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) was USDE under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. These established in 1920 to represent the state and territory heads included 321 public institutions, 180 private not-for-profit of secondary, post-secondary and adult career and technical institutions and 1,722 private for-profit institutions. education across the nation. As an association of the state leaders of CTE, it advocates for policies and legislation that Until the mid-20th century there was little government enhance and sustain high-quality CTE programs throughout oversight of educational quality and practices at private the nation, and provides tools, resources and information to for-profit institutions. Then the federal government got its members and the CTE community. involved in providing financial aid for college students, beginning with the GI Bill of 1944 and expanding with the Federal legislation Higher Education Act of 1965, which created the Title IV Federal legislation has played a significant role in career funding programs. Accreditation by a federally approved and technical education by providing substantial public accrediting agency stopped being just a voluntary process funding in return for accountability and standards in CTE whereby institutions could distinguish themselves but programs. The beginning of major federal influences in became a prerequisite to gaining access to federal funds. shaping secondary and post-secondary CTE began with About half of the non-degree private for-profit institutions the Smith Hughes Act of 1917, which provided continuing today are accredited by a national accrediting agency funding for secondary programs in agriculture, home recognized by the USDE, and they typically receive more economics, trades and industry, and for teacher training than half of their revenue from federal student aid. in these fields. The Smith Hughes Act, in effect, provided The nomenclature adopted for technical and vocational for a separate vocational education curriculum under the education varies by state and time period. Examples include 50–25–25 rule, which mandated students’ time be devoted: vocational education, technical education, career education, • 50 per cent to shop work career and professional education, career and technical • 25 per cent to closely related subjects education, work force education, applied technology • 25 per cent to academic courses .51 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In the 1920s to 1940s a series of acts were enacted that National Career Clusters Framework provided more federal funding and extended the provisions Sponsored by USDE and the NASDCTEc, the National of the Smith Hughes Act. Career Clusters Framework provides a structure for The Vocational Education Act of 1963, amended in 1968 organizing and delivering CTE programs. It includes and 1976, aimed to provide access to everyone while 16 career clusters representing 80 career pathways, with addressing the nation’s economic and social demands. sample programs of study and requisite knowledge and Federal funds were made available to high school and post- skills at both secondary and post-secondary levels for the secondary students, high school graduates and dropouts, various career pathways. It may be used as an organizing and individuals disabled or having academic, socioeconomic tool for curriculum design and instruction and as a guide or other obstacles. Funds were also allocated for facilities to help students choose their educational path leading to and programs such as building area vocational education success in high school, college and career. centres and establishing cooperative vocational education Table 14. National Career Clusters Framework programs (co-ops). Career Clusters Career Pathways

The Carl Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984 Agriculture, Food • Food Products and Processing Systems (Perkins I) signified a major development in CTE, with and Natural • Plant Systems emphasis switching from expanding programs to reforming Resources • Animal Systems • Power, Structural and Technical Systems and improving quality at existing programs. The Carl • Natural Resources Systems Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990 • Environmental Service Systems (Perkins II) marked a dramatic policy shift as it emphasized • Agribusiness Systems academic performance as well as occupational skill Architecture and • Design/Pre-Construction Construction • Construction development and advocated the integration of academic and • Maintenance/Operations vocational education. Arts, Audio/Video • Audio and Video Technology and Film Technology and • Printing Technology The current legislation, the Carl Perkins Career and Communications • Visual Arts Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins • Performing Arts IV), strengthens the accountability provisions for the • Journalism and Broadcasting • Telecommunications integration of academics and technical standards and the linkage between secondary and post-secondary education, Business • General Management Management and • Business Information Management with a view to preparing students for high skill, high wage, Administration • Human Resources Management or high demand occupations. Perkins IV is also the first • Operations Management federal legislation to adopt the term career and technical • Administrative Support education. It defines CTE as: Education and • Administration and Administrative Support Training • Professional Support Services Organized educational activities that offer a sequence of courses • Teaching/Training that provides individuals with coherent and rigorous content Finance • Securities and Investments aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant • Business Finance • Accounting technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further • Insurance education and careers in current or emerging professions; • Banking Services provides technical skills proficiency, an industry-recognized Government • Governance credential, a certificate, or an associate degree; and may and Public • National Security include prerequisite courses that meet the requirements of this Administration • Foreign Service subparagraph; and include competency-based applied learning • Planning • Revenue and Taxation that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order • Regulation reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general • Public Management and Administration employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of an industry, including entrepreneurship, of an individual. .52 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Career Clusters Career Pathways typically start enrolling in career-related courses in Grade 10.

Health Science • Therapeutic Services Almost all public high schools offer one or more courses • Diagnostic Services identified with career and technical education. These include: • Health Informatics • Support Services • general labour market preparation • Biotechnology Research and Development • consumer and homemaking education Hospitality and • Restaurants and Food/Beverage Services • specialized education in agriculture, business, marketing, Tourism • Lodging health, occupational home economics, technical and • Travel and Tourism • Recreation, Amusements and Attractions trade and industry courses

Human Services • Early Childhood Development and Services In 2005 public high school graduates earned, on average, 4.01 • Counselling and Mental Health Services • Family and Community Services Carnegie units of CTE courses—2.92 for the academic track • Personal Care Services (those completing at least 12 units in academic courses and • Consumer Services less than three units in CTE courses) and 8.16 for the career Information • Network Systems and technical track (those completing less than 12 units in Technology • Information Support and Services • Web and Digital Communications academic courses and at least three units in CTE courses). • Programming and Software Development In some occupational areas, especially trade and industry, Law, Public Safety, • Correction Services programs tend to be concentrated in area vocational Corrections and • Emergency and Fire Management Services Security • Security and Protective Services centres to better accommodate the facilities, workshops, • Law Enforcement Services laboratories and equipment needed to offer greater depth • Legal Services and breadth of training. Over one thousand area vocational Manufacturing • Production centres operate nationwide, where high school students • Manufacturing Production Process Development • Maintenance, Installation and Repair attend specialized vocational programs part of the day or • Quality Assurance evening and attend their regular high schools for academic • Logistics and Inventory Control or general courses during the rest of the day. A small • Health, Safety and Environmental Assurance number of vocational high schools focus on preparing Marketing • Marketing Management students for work in a particular occupation or industry, but • Professional Sales • Merchandising offer academic and general courses at the school as well. • Marketing Communications • Marketing Research High school CTE courses may include work-based learning

Science, Technology, • Engineering and Technology opportunities such as internships, clinical experiences, Engineering and • Science and Math apprenticeships or industry-mentored projects. Completion Mathematics of some CTE programs may lead to industry-recognized Transportation, • Transportation Operations credentials. As US child labour laws limit the level and Distribution and • Logistics Planning and Management Services intensity of vocational instruction for students under 18, Logistics • Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations • Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance most programs for licensed occupations are offered only at • Transportation Systems/Infrastructure the post-secondary level. • Planning, Management and Regulation • Health, Safety and Environmental Management • Sales and Service Career academies

Source: National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium. Retrieved from Career academies are a type of school-within-a-school or www.careertech.org/career-clusters/glance/clusters-occupations.html small learning community that provides a college-preparatory curriculum with a career-related theme. First originating in High School Programs 1969, they have grown rapidly in the last two decades and Vocational courses in high school have reached about 7,000 nationwide, enrolling one million curricula high school students, mainly in grades 10 through 12. They have been found to be effective in improving outcomes for While students may engage in career awareness activities students during and after high school. such as field trips and job shadowing in middle school, they .53 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Although they are usually not defined in state legislation, driven high school improvement strategy and has evolved most career academies share three basic features. into a national strategy for improving students’ academic knowledge and technical skills. Research on Tech Prep • They are small learning communities, comprising programs is inconclusive. According to a 1998 report, a cluster of students who have some of the same an estimated eight per cent of students were involved in teachers for at least two years and who share several Tech Prep activities nationally, and only one per cent was classes each year. A group of teachers from academic enrolled in structured study programs. and technical disciplines are scheduled to have only or mostly academy students in their classes. Registered Apprenticeship • They combine a college-preparatory curriculum with a career theme such as health care, business and finance, Apprenticeship involves a formal agreement that binds communications media or transportation technology. an employer to provide training in return for the work Academic courses that meet high school graduation and of an apprentice. It is the oldest type of vocational college entrance requirements are linked with technical education in the US. In colonial times and the early courses that focus on the academy’s field of work. years of independence, apprenticeship not only provided training for industrial employment but also offered the • They form partnerships with employers and post- only opportunity for children from poor families to secondary institutions. An advisory group for the secure an education. The overall importance of traditional academy includes representatives from the local apprenticeship declined as free public elementary education employer community and local colleges or universities, developed in the form of common schools and industry as well as academy faculty and administrators from became centralized in the factory system. the school and district. Advisory group members give curriculum advice, appear as guest speakers in classes, The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 authorizes the host field trips, supervise student internships, provide federal government to oversee the apprenticeship system in financial or in-kind support and may serve as mentors cooperation with the states. State apprenticeship agencies and for individual students. the Office of Apprenticeship Training of the US Department of Labor are responsible for registering apprenticeship Secondary–Post-Secondary programs that meet federal and state standards. Linkage Programs Registered apprenticeship combines on-the-job training CTE dual credit courses with theoretical and practical classroom instruction. Dual credit or dual enrolment programs allow high school On-the-job apprentice training takes place under close students, usually in grades 11 and 12, to enrol in college supervision of a skilled and experienced craft worker, courses and earn college credit. They cater traditionally to enabling apprentices to learn the practical skills they academically focused, high-achieving students. Increasingly, will need to become skilled craft workers themselves. policy-makers and teachers see dual credit as a means by Apprentices learn the theoretical side of their jobs in which to support college preparation for average-achieving technical classes that they usually attend after work. students. A growing number of dual credit courses in CTE Related training may cover such subjects as math, blueprint are made available to high school students who want to reading and applied English, as well as more technical pursue careers that require some post-secondary education. courses required for specific occupations. The length of apprenticeship depends on the occupation and related Tech Prep industry standards. The minimum term of apprenticeship About half of US high schools offer Tech Prep, a sequenced is one year. program of study that combines at least two years of secondary and two years of post-secondary education, leading to an associate degree or certificate in a specific career field. Tech Prep began in the early 1980s as a locally .54 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Thirty-seven thousand program sponsors offer registered • post-secondary award, certificate, or diploma below the apprenticeship training to about 440,000 apprentices in bachelor’s degree level involving at least two but less over 850 occupations. The top occupations include: than four academic years of full-time study or its part- • able seaman time equivalent • carpenter • short programs of less than one year providing training • chef or refresher courses in specific subjects that lead to a certificate, diploma or certification by industry or a • childcare development specialist professional association and do not carry academic credit • construction craft labourer • dental assistant A CTE certificate or diploma from an accredited institution • electrician or program has the advantage of being widely accepted by employers and state licensing authorities, both within and • elevator constructor outside the state. • fire medic • law enforcement agent Certificate in practical nursing • over-the-road truck driver Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or licensed vocational • pipefitter nurses (LVNs) care for people who are sick, injured, convalescent or disabled, under the direction of physicians Post-Secondary Programs and registered nurses. The nature of the direction and supervision required varies by state and job setting. Thousands of post-secondary institutions and other providers offer associate degree and non-degree CTE To become a licensed practical nurse, one must complete programs. These include four-year universities and colleges, a training program in practical nursing approved by the community colleges and public and private technical state nursing board. Training programs are available and vocational institutes, as well as employers, unions, from technical and vocational institutes and community professional associations and independent training services. colleges as well as high schools, hospitals and four-year colleges and universities. Certificates and diplomas Both non-degree post-secondary technical and vocational Admission to practical nursing programs is usually based schools and degree-granting institutions provide education on a high school diploma or its equivalent. Some programs and training leading to certificates and diplomas below the accept candidates who do not have a high school diploma, degree level. No commonly adopted criterion is in place and some high schools incorporate the training program to differentiate between certificates and diplomas, except into their curriculum. that diploma programs tend to be longer in duration while Practical nursing programs generally last a year or longer, certificates can be issued following short-term training. depending on the class schedule. Curriculum includes both When an institution offers both certificate and diploma classroom instruction and supervised clinical practice, programs in the same field of study, the diploma program is usually in a hospital setting. Upon graduation, students usually of a higher level. may take the National Council Licensure Examination for For purposes of research and policy-making, the National Practical Nurses, or NCLEX-PN, to become a licensed Center for Education Statistics classifies non-degree practical nurse. certificates and diplomas into the following groups: For career advancement, practical nurses may pursue • post-secondary award, certificate, or diploma below further education through bridging programs such as the associate degree level involving at least one but less LPN-RN (associate degree in nursing) or LPN-BSN. The than two academic years of full-time study or its part- number of advanced placement credits awarded to LPN time equivalent students varies by institution and program. Some bridging .55 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA programs may grant advanced standing only to candidates Associate degrees who have earned their LPN certificates recently (for Community colleges offer both short-term courses for job example, within the last five years), or may award credits skills training and two-year associate degrees that enable only through testing. graduates to enter a variety of occupations. Some associate See Appendix D13 for a sample program structure of a degrees are terminal in nature because no programs in those Certificate in Practical Nursing. areas are available at the bachelor’s degree or higher level; associate degrees in many other career areas such as nursing Diploma in nursing and engineering technology can articulate into a bachelor’s degree program. To become a registered nurse (RN), one may choose from a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing Associate degrees in career and technical education fields (ADN) or a diploma in nursing. are available from community colleges, accredited degree- granting technical and vocational institutes and some Nursing diplomas are the oldest form of nursing education four-year colleges and universities. They are known as in the US, having begun in the 1870s as hospital-based occupational degrees as they offer courses specific to an short-term training programs. They evolved into two- occupational major to prepare students for employment, as to three-year programs and were the major source of opposed to academic associate degrees or transfer degrees, registered nurse graduates in the 1950s and 1960s. The which lay the foundation for upper division study at a number of programs declined as nursing education shifted bachelor’s degree program. Examples of occupational degree from hospitals to universities and colleges. Today nursing titles include: diploma programs supply less than 10 per cent of registered nurse graduates. • Associate of Applied Arts (AAA) • Associate of Applied Business (AAB) Admission to nursing diploma programs is based on a high • Associate of Applied Science (AAS) school diploma or equivalent and the Test of Essential • Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) Academic Skills, a multiple-choice exam that measures the entry level skills and abilities of nursing program applicants. • Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) The traditional hospital-based curriculum has a strong • Associate of Specialized Business (ASB) emphasis on clinical experiences in direct patient care. • Associate of Specialized Technology (AST) Many current programs are affiliated with universities or colleges that grant academic credits for certain courses. In The use of degree titles varies by state and institution. In some cases, a hospital-based nursing school and a college some states, associate degree programs in both academic or university jointly operate a program that issues both a and applied fields use the same titles. The general education nursing diploma and an associate degree in nursing. content of occupational degree programs varies greatly. While some programs in certain states may contain no Graduates from a diploma program approved by the state general education component, most programs require some nursing board are eligible to sit the national licensure foundation courses in math, science and communications. examination (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse. For career advancement, registered nurses with a nursing Courses in an occupational degree program tend to focus diploma may upgrade to a bachelor’s degree by enrolling in on applying theoretical principles to the workplace, with an RN-to-BSN bridging program, which typically takes at lots of practical exercises. Students usually get the chance to least two years to complete. spend time at facilities that mirror the work environment. Some programs have co-op or internship opportunities that See Appendix D13 for a sample program structure of a let students work full-time or part-time at a job related to Diploma in Nursing. their studies. After one year of study students may receive a certificate, a credential that they can use to enhance their career while continuing their studies. .56 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Occupational associate degrees are offered in a great variety For career advancement, holders of an associate degree in of career areas. Some examples include: dental hygiene may upgrade to a bachelor’s degree. Those • agriculture and landscaping (farm management assistants) who have completed a three-year associate degree may be • business administration (accounting clerks, human able to complete the bachelor’s degree program in one year. resources assistants, medical record technicians) See Appendix D14 for a sample program structure of an • computer technology (computer technicians) Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene. • construction and metal works (construction tradesmen, electricians, metal workers) Engineering technology • drafting (drafters) Engineering technicians use the principles and theories of • education (teacher aids, preschool teachers, science, engineering and mathematics to solve technical childcare supervisors) problems in research and development, manufacturing, • engineering technology (engineering technicians) sales, construction, inspection and maintenance. Their work is more narrowly focused and application-oriented than that • health care (clinical laboratory technicians, dental of scientists and engineers. hygienists, nurses, physical therapy assistants, radiation therapists) Most engineering technicians specialize in the same • law (paralegals, legal assistants) disciplines as do engineers. There are, for example, • library science (library technicians) civil engineering technicians, electrical and electronic • social work (child abuse case aids, youth counsellors) engineering technicians, industrial engineering technicians and mechanical engineering technicians. Although it may Dental hygiene be possible to qualify for certain engineering technician jobs without formal training, most employers prefer to An associate degree in dental hygiene involves two to three hire someone who has an associate degree or other post- years of full-time study. Admission is competitive and often secondary training in engineering technology. requires special criteria and procedures such as prerequisite undergraduate courses. An associate degree in engineering technology usually includes some general education courses such as college The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the algebra and trigonometry and some basic science subjects, American Dental Association is the nationally recognized but the focus is on technical training through application accrediting agency for dental and dental-related education and practice. Students, upon graduation, are ready to enter programs such as dental assistant, dental hygienist the job market as engineering technicians, but may not and dental laboratory technician. According to CODA receive credit for some of the courses they have completed if accreditation standards, a dental hygienist curriculum they want to transfer to a bachelor’s degree program. must include content in general education, biomedical sciences, dental sciences and dental hygiene science. Clinical In comparison, an academic associate degree with practice must be distributed throughout the curriculum, an emphasis on engineering, sometimes called a pre- with enough hours to ensure that students attain clinical engineering degree, prepares students to continue their competence and develop appropriate judgment. study at a bachelor’s degree program. Graduates may have difficulty finding work as an engineering technician should To obtain licensure, graduates from an accredited dental they decide not to enter a bachelor’s degree program, as the hygiene program must meet requirements of the state in transfer degree focuses less on hands-on applications and which they plan to practise. They must pass a national more on academic preparatory work. written examination administered by the ADA and a clinical examination administered by a regional dental See Appendix D15 for a sample program structure of testing board or state agency. They must also meet other an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in state licensure requirements. engineering technology. .57 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Nursing To become a registered nurse (RN), one may choose from a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a three-year diploma in nursing. Over 50 per cent of new registered nurses hold an ADN, while only about one-third hold a bachelor’s degree. A few states require registered nurses with an associate degree to earn a bachelor’s degree within five to ten years after initial licensure, but this is not standard practice.

ADN programs involve two years of full-time study and award either an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. Admission is based on a high school diploma or equivalent and the Test of Essential Academic Skills, a multiple-choice exam that measures entry-level skills and abilities of nursing program applicants. Graduates from an ADN program approved by the state nursing board are eligible to sit the licensure examination (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse.

Registered nurses with an ADN may not be qualified for administrative or leadership roles in the nursing profession. For career advancement, they may upgrade to a bachelor’s degree by enrolling in an RN-to-BSN bridging program, which typically takes at least two years to complete.

See Appendix D16 for a sample program structure of an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). .58 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 16. Example of a Criterion-Referenced Grading Scales Grading Scale

No nationally mandated grading policy or system is in place Numeric Mark Grade Descriptor in the US. Grading scales vary by school district, school, 90–100 A Excellent institution, program, time period and individual teacher. 80–89 B Good Norm-Referenced and Criterion- 70–79 C Average Referenced Grading Systems 60–69 D Pass 0–59 F Fail Many institutions, programs and teachers adopt norm- referenced grading systems, which rank a student’s In grading practice, the two types of grading systems often performance against that of their peers in a particular overlap. For example, teachers using criterion-referenced cohort according to a pre-established formula regarding grading systems may have to monitor grade distributions to grade distribution. Such grading systems are often set or adjust performance criteria. described as “grading on a curve.” In other words, a student’s grade depends on their comparative ranking within the Secondary Education class. Some schools and institutions have developed grade Students receive classroom grades to describe their distribution tables to be used as guidelines by their teachers. academic performance in each subject area. The grading Norm-referenced grading is easy to use and works well in system may be based on a numeric scale or a letter scale, differentiating large groups of students. For example, highly which can be converted into grade points. competitive and oversubscribed programs may use norm- Table 17. Secondary Grading Scale referenced grading scale to reduce the class size allowed to enter or continue the programs. Mark Letter Grade Grade Point Descriptor 90–100 A 4 Excellent Table 15. Example of a Norm-Referenced Grading Scale 80–89 B 3 Good 70–79 C 2 Average Grade Descriptor Distribution 60–69 D 1 Pass A Excellent Top 10% 0–59 F 0 Fail B Good Next 20% C Average Next 30% Some schools adopt a plus/minus scale to allow for more D Pass Next 20% accurate grading of student performance.

F Fail Bottom 20% Table 18. Secondary Plus/Minus Grading Scale

Criterion-referenced grading systems measure the Mark Letter Grade Grade Point performance of a student against pre-set criteria, regardless 93–99 A+ 4.00/4.33 of the performance of other students in the cohort. Such 90–92 A 4.00 systems may be based on a numeric (0 to 100) scale or on 87–89 A- 3.67 letter grades. It is common to subtract points from a defined 83–86 B+ 3.33 perfect score (100) rather than add points from a defined lowest score (0). Criterion-referenced grading reduces 80–82 B 3.00 student competition and provides a consistent baseline of 77–79 B- 2.67 expected performance. 73–76 C+ 2.33 70–72 C 2.00 67–69 C- 1.67 63–66 D 1.00 60–62 D- 0.67 0–59 F 0.00 .59 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Variations exist in how numeric marks are converted to Table 21. Higher Education Grading Scale letter grade and grade points. For example, some schools Descriptor have 65 or 70 instead of 60 as the minimum pass mark. Letter Grade Grade Point Undergraduate Graduate Table 19. Alternative Secondary Grading Scales A 4.0 Excellent Excellent Mark B 3.0 Good Good 70% 65% Letter Grade C 2.0 Average Pass Pass Pass Grade Point Descriptor D 1.0 Pass No Credit 93–100 95–100 A 4 Excellent F 0.0 Fail Fail 85–92 85–94 B 3 Good Some institutions and programs adopt a plus/minus scale to 78–84 75–84 C 2 Average allow for more accurate grading of student performance. 70–77 65–74 D 1 Below Average 0–69 0–64 F 0 Fail Table 22. Higher Education Plus/Minus Grading Scale

The conversion from letter grades to grade points tends to Letter Grade Grade Point be consistent. However, grade ranges may be adjusted for A+ 4.0/4.3 4.00/4.33 specific student groups; for example, schools may add 0.5 point to the grade range of an AP class. A 4.0 4.00 A- 3.7 3.67 Table 20. Secondary Grading Scale, AP Class B+ 3.3 3.33 Letter Grade Grade Point Descriptor B 3.0 3.00 A 4.5 Excellent B- 2.7 2.67 B 3.5 Good C+ 2.3 2.33 C 2.5 Average C 2.0 2.00 D 1.5 Pass C- 1.7 1.67 F 0.0 Fail D+ 1.3 1.33 Grading practice may differ even among teachers using the D 1.0 1.00 same grading scale. Teachers may assign different weights D- 0.7 0.67 to various aspects of student performance such as exams, F 0.0 0.00 quizzes, assignments, in-class participation, group projects and attendance. The numeric (0 to 100) scale is also used and can be converted to letter grades and grade points. Some courses are graded as pass–fail or satisfactory–unsatisfactory. Higher Education Students who receive the “pass” or “satisfactory” grade will Most institutions use a letter scale, which can be converted earn credits or hours for the course completed, but the into grade points. Transcripts usually list grade points grade is not used for computing their GPA. for each subject and a grade point average (GPA) for each semester or quarter and a cumulative grade point average Institutions may adopt designations of high achievement (CGPA) for the entire program. Undergraduate students or honour notations, usually based on CGPA. Notations are expected to complete their program with a C (2.0) may be awarded for a period of study such as one semester, average or better while graduate students must have at least or for the entire program. Notations may appear on a a B (3.0) average. student’s transcript and sometimes also on the diploma. Examples include: • Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude • Distinction, High Distinction, Highest Distinction • Honours, High Honours, Highest Honours .60 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Students must complete a certain number of credits in the institution in order to receive the notation. The required CGPAs for awarding such notations vary by institution. The same institution may adjust the cut-off points each year based on overall GPA of its students. Many institutions award notations based on both CGPA and class rank.

Table 23. Examples of Honour Notations

Institution Summa Cum Magna Cum Requirements Laude Laude Cum Laude University of CGPA 3.80–4.00 3.60–3.79 3.40–3.59 Pennsylvania Class ------Rank University of CGPA 3.900–4.000 3.800–3.899 3.700–3.799 Colorado at Class ------Boulder Rank University of CGPA 3.7–4.0 3.4–3.6 3.0–3.3 Connecticut Class 95th 85th 75th percentile Rank percentile percentile .61 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Documentation Document format The format of the high school diploma varies by Secondary Education jurisdiction, school and time period. States or school Table 24. Major Types of Secondary Credentials districts may prescribe standards for public secondary school documents such as the high school diploma and the Years of certificate of completion. Credential Study Issuing Body A high school diploma usually contains the following High School Diploma 12 Boards of education, school districts or high schools information: General Education N/A GED Testing Service • name of the credential Development (GED) • name of the school attended Advanced Placement (AP) N/A College Board • name of the student International 2 International Baccalaureate • date issued Baccalaureate (IB) Organization Diploma • official seals (for example, state, school board) • official signatures of administrators (for example, School education lasts 12 years, with no intermediate district superintendent, school principal, chairman of award prior to the completion of Grade 12. Students at the school board) some schools or school districts may receive certificates • designation of high achievement, if any upon completion of a stage of school education such as kindergarten, elementary school or middle school, but these Students may request official high school transcripts are not recognized education credentials. Students who do from the school or have them sent directly to the higher not complete Grade 12 are often referred to as dropouts. education institutions to which they are applying. Transcripts issued by public schools tend to follow the same Public school graduates get their high school diploma from standards set by the state or school district. the state or school district, while private school graduates receive theirs from the school from which they graduate. A high school transcript usually contains the following The high school diploma may also be called secondary information: diploma or certificate or simply a diploma. International • student information (for example, name, birth date, students enrolled in public secondary schools are not student ID) allowed to receive high school diplomas but receive a certificate of completion instead. • school information (for example, schools attended, their names, addresses, school districts, entry and The EDG program allows people who did not complete exit dates) secondary school to earn the equivalent of a high school • date issued diploma by passing a battery of tests. GED certificates are • academic record (for example, grade level, courses accepted at most US higher education institutions. completed, course codes and descriptions, credits, AP and IB are secondary programs that offer college- grades earned, grade points, grade point averages, level courses. They are widely accepted among US higher cumulative summaries, class rank) education institutions and may lead to advanced standing • designation of high achievement, if any (for example, in admission. Certificate of Academic Achievement) • AP and IB courses completed, if any • official seal (for example, school district, school) .62 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Higher Education and Technical • name of the degree and Vocational Education • area of study Table 25. Major Types of Higher Education and • date issued Career and Technical Education • signatures of officials (for example, president Credentials and secretary) Years • designation of high achievement, if any (for example, of Credential Study Issuing Body Honour Graduate) Certificates and Diplomas ≤3 2-year and 4-year Degrees may be verified by contacting the issuing colleges and Associate Degree 2 institution. Increasingly, US colleges and universities are universities, career and technical outsourcing their degree verification service. More than institutes 3,000 institutions participate in DegreeVerify, a paid General Bachelor’s Degree 4 4-year colleges and service for online degree verification offered by the National universities Bachelor of Architecture 5 Student Clearinghouse (www.studentclearinghouse.org). Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering 4–5 Students may request that transcripts be sent directly from Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), 4 the issuing institution to another institution, professional Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) body or evaluation service. Some institutions may be able to Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), Juris 3 send transcripts in electronic form, which are digitally signed Doctor (JD) and certified and are therefore considered official copies. Doctor of Medicine (MD) 4 Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), Doctor of 4 The transcript may be called an academic record, a Osteopathic Medicine (DO) transcript of academic record, an official academic Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) 4 record, or simply a transcript. It usually contains the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) 3 following information: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) 4 • institution information (for example, name, address, contact number) (Post) Graduate Certificates and ≤2 Diplomas • student information (for example, name, birth date, Master’s Degree 1–2 ID number) Doctoral Degree ≥4 • program information • date issued Federal and state governments do not determine the • academic record (for example, courses completed by recognition status of higher education institutions. semester or quarter, course codes, descriptions and Whether credentials issued by an institution are accepted departments, credits, grades earned, grade points, by other institutions, professional bodies or employers grade points averages, cumulative summaries) depends on accreditation, a voluntary process of external review of educational institutions and programs. An • designation of high achievement, if any (for example, institution usually states its accreditation status on its summa cum laude) website or in its catalogues or other promotional materials. • official seal (for example, university or college) The USDE maintains the Database of Accredited • signature (for example, registrar) Postsecondary Institutions and Programs at • transcript guide (for example, explanation of academic http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation. standing, credits, grading scales, honour notations, institution’s accreditation status, security features of Document format the transcript) A degree or diploma usually contains the following See Appendix E for sample documents. information: • name and seal of the institution • name of the recipient .63 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

References Electronic and Print Resources Abt Associates Inc. (2004). Engineers in the United States: An overview of the profession. Cambridge, MA: National Science Foundation.

Angus, D. L. (2001). Professionalism and the public good: A brief history of teacher certification. New York, NY: Thomas B. Fordham Foundation.

Boyer, E. L. (1983). High school: A report on secondary education in America. New York, NY: Harper and Row.

Lee, V. E., & Ready, D. D. (2009). US high school curriculum: Three phases of contemporary research and reform.America’s High Schools, 19(1), 135–56.

National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for educational reform. Washington, DC: United States Department of Education.

National Education Association. (1894). Report of the Committee of Ten on secondary school studies. New York: American Book Company.

Stern, D., Dayton, C., & Raby, M. (2010). Career academies: A proven strategy to prepare high school students for college and careers. Berkeley, CA: College and Career Academy Support Network, University of California, Berkeley.

US Department of Education. (2008). Career and technical education in the United States: 1990 to 2005. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of Education. (2010). Digest of education statistics 2009. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of Education. (2005). Education in the United States: A brief overview. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of Education. (2011). Preparing and credentialing the nation’s teachers: The Secretary’s eighth report on teacher quality based on data provided for 2008, 2009, 2010. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of Education. (2011). The condition of education 2011. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of Education. (2000). Vocational education in the United States: Toward the year 2000. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of State. (2010). Business education in the USA. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of State. (2005). College and university education in the United States. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of State. (2008). Medical education in the USA. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of State. (2005). Outline of US history. Washington, DC: Author.

US Department of State. (2008). USA education in brief. Washington, DC: Author. Internet Resources ABET www.abet.org

Achieve www.achieve.org

American Bar Association (ABA) www.americanbar.org .64 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

American Dental Association (ADA) www.ada.org

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) www.aihec.org

American Medical Association (AMA) www.ama-assn.org

American Nurses Association (ANA) www.nursingworld.org

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) www.apta.org

Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) www.aacu.org

Association of American Universities (AAU) www.aau.edu

Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) www.acteonline.org

Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org

College Board www.collegeboard.org

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) www.chea.org

Education USA www.educationusa.info

Law School Admission Council (LSAC) www.lsac.org

Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) www.lcme.org

National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) http://nces.ed.gov

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) www.ncate.org

National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) www.ncarb.org

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) www.nlnac.org

National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) http://136.165.122.102/mambo

National School Boards Association (NSBA) www.nsba.org

Nation’s Report Card http://nationsreportcard.gov

Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/index.html

US Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) www.bls.gov

US Census Bureau (USCB) www.census.gov

US Department of Education (USDE) www.ed.gov

US Department of State www.state.gov

US Network for Education Information (USNEI) www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/edlite-index.html .65 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix A—Placement Recommendations

Placement recommendations provide guidelines for Canadian credentials is not possible. For this reason IQAS comparing international and Canadian educational placement recommendations are made in terms of “generally credentials and standards. These recommendations are compares to” and not “equivalent to.” advisory in nature and indicate the general level of a credential in Canadian terms. When evaluating international credentials, IQAS considers the following: Placement recommendations represent benchmark • the education system of the country concerned assessments and do not cover all credentials. However, the • the recognition of the awarding institution fact that a credential is not mentioned in the placement • the level, length and structure of the program recommendations does not mean it cannot be assessed by IQAS. International credentials not specifically covered When appropriate, IQAS may: should be referred to IQAS for individual evaluation. • consider that comparison to a different level of Given the different educational philosophies, objectives education may more accurately reflect the level of the and program structures in educational systems around the international credential in Canadian terms world, evaluation in terms of direct equivalence to specific • combine two or more credentials

Credential Name IQAS Recommendations High School Diploma Generally compares to the completion of Grade 12. Associate Degree Generally compares to the completion of a post-secondary diploma. Bachelor’s Degree Generally compares to the completion of a four-year bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s Degree in Education Generally compares to the completion of a four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree. Juris Doctor Generally compares to the completion of a first professional university degree in law (as practised in the United States of America). First Degrees: Doctor of Medicine (MD): Generally compares to the completion of a first professional university degree in medicine. • Medicine Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)/Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD): Generally compares to the completion of a first • Dentistry professional university degree in dentistry. • Veterinary Medicine Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM/VMD): Generally compares to the completion of a first professional university degree in veterinary medicine. Master’s Degree Generally compares to the completion of a master’s degree. Doctor of Philosophy Generally compares to the completion of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. .66 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix B—Nationally Recognized Accrediting Organizations Table 26. Accrediting Organizations Recognized by CHEA and the US Department of Education (as of April 2013)

Recognition Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental — • Medicine Accreditor CHEA USDE Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education • — Regional Accrediting Organizations Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs • * Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, • • Middle States Commission on Higher Education Accreditation Council for Midwifery Education — •

New England Association of Schools and Colleges • • Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education • • Commission on Institutions of Higher Education Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the • — New England Association of Schools and Colleges * * Physician Assistant, Inc. Commission on Technical and Career Institutions Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass • * North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, • • Communications The Higher Learning Commission American Academy of Forensic Sciences Forensic Science • — Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities * • Education Programs Accreditation Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission • • American Academy for Liberal Education — * on Colleges American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy • * Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting • • – Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Therapy Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting • • American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences • — Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities Council for Accreditation National Faith-Related Accrediting Organizations American Bar Association Council of the Section of Legal — • Association for Biblical Higher Education Commission on • • Education and Admissions to the Bar Accreditation American Board of Funeral Service Education Committee on • • Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools • • Accreditation Accreditation Commission American Council for Construction Education • * Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological • • American Culinary Federation Education Foundation • * Schools in the United States and Canada Accrediting Commission Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools • • American Dental Association Commission on Dental — • Accreditation Commission Accreditation National Career-Related Accrediting Organizations American Dietetic Association Accreditation Council for * • Accrediting Bureau of Schools — • Education in Nutrition and Dietetics/Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges — • American Library Association Committee on Accreditation • * Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training — • American Occupational Therapy Association Accreditation • • Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools • • Council for Occupational Therapy Education

Council on Occupational Education — • American Optometric Association Accreditation Council on • • Optometric Education Distance Education and Training Council Accrediting • • American Osteopathic Association Commission on * • Commission Osteopathic College Accreditation National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and — • American Physical Therapy Association Commission on • • Sciences, Inc. Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education Programmatic Accrediting Organizations American Podiatric Medical Association Council on Podiatric • • AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate • * Medical Education Schools of Business Note: Organizations identified by (•) are recognized; (–) indicates those not ABET, Inc. • * currently recognized. An asterisk (*) identifies accrediting organizations that were formerly recognized. .67 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Recognition International Fire Service Accreditation Congress Degree • — Assembly Accreditor CHEA USDE Joint Review Committee on Education Programs in • • American Psychological Association Commission on • • Radiologic Technology Accreditation Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear • * American Society for Microbiology American College of — * Medicine Technology Microbiology Liaison Committee on Medical Education — • American Society of Landscape Architects Landscape • * Architectural Accreditation Board Midwifery Education Accreditation Council — • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Council on • • Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education — • Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences • * American Veterinary Medical Association Council on • • National Architectural Accrediting Board, Inc. — * Education National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s — * Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation — • Health Council on Accreditation Commission National Association of Schools of Art and Design * • Association of Technology, Management, and Applied • * Commission on Accreditation Engineering National Association of Schools of Dance Commission on * • Aviation Accreditation Board International • — Accreditation Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and • — National Association of Schools of Music Commission on * • Information Management Education Accreditation and Commission on Community/Junior College Accreditation Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care • — National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and • — Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education • * Administration Commission on Peer Review and Programs Accreditation Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management • • National Association of Schools of Theatre Commission on * • Education Accreditation Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education * • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education • •

Commission on English Language Program Accreditation — • National Environmental Health Science and Protection — * Accreditation Council Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation — • National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc. • • Commission on Opticianry Accreditation • * National Recreation and Park Association Council on • — Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related • — Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Educational Programs Professions Council for Interior Design Accreditation • * Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and • — Administration Commission on Peer Review and Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational • • Accreditation Programs Planning Accreditation Board • — Council on Chiropractic Education • • Psychological Clinical Sciences Accrediting System • — Council on Education for Public Health — • Society of American Foresters • * Council on Naturopathic Medical Education — • Teacher Education Accreditation Council Accreditation • • Council on Rehabilitation Education Commission on • * Committee Standards and Accreditation United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission — * Council on Social Work Education Office of Social Work • * on Certification and Accreditation Accreditation International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education • — Note: Organizations identified by (•) are recognized; (–) indicates those not currently recognized. An asterisk (*) identifies accrediting organizations that were formerly recognized. Source: CHEA. Retrieved from www.chea.org/pdf/CHEA_USDE_AllAccred.pdf .68 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix C—Degree Titles Bachelor • Bachelor of Science in Civil and Infrastructure continued Engineering (BS-CIE) Table 27. Examples of Degree Titles Awarded in the US • Bachelor of Computer Engineering (BCompE) or Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BSCE/ Degree BSCoE/BSCpE/BSCmpE/BSCP) Level Degree Title • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering (BSCSE) Associate • Associate of Applied Business (AAB) • Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer • Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Engineering (BSECE) • Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) • Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (BEE)/Bachelor of • Associate of Arts (AA) Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) • Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) • Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management • Associate of Business Administration (ABA) (BSEMgt) • Associate of Electrical Engineering Technology (AEET) • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering • Associate of Electronics (AE) (BSEnE/BSEnvE) • Associate of Engineering (AE/AEng) • Bachelor of Fiber Engineering (BFE) • Associate of Engineering Technology (AET/AEngT) • Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BSIE) • Associate of Forestry (AF) • Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering • Associate of General Studies (AGS) (BSMfgE) • Associate of Industrial Technology (AIT) • Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Systems • Associate of Nursing (AN)/Associate Degree Engineering (BSMSE) Nurse/Nursing (ADN) • Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and • Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) Engineering (BSMSE) • Associate of Science (AS) • Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering • Associate of Science in Computer (BSMAE) Assisted Design (AS-CAD) • Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (BME)/Bachelor • Associate of Technology (AT) of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) Bachelor • Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) • Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering • Bachelor of Arts/Artium Baccalaureus (BA, AB) (BSMtE) • Bachelor of Business (BB)/Bachelor of • Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering (BSMIE) Business Administration (BBA) • Bachelor of Science in Systems (BS-SYST) • Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB) • Bachelor of Software Engineering (BSWE)/Bachelor of • Bachelor of Canon Law (BCL) Science in Software Engineering (BSSE) • Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS)/Bachelor of • Bachelor of Systems Engineering (BSE)/Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) Science in Systems Engineering (BSSE) • Bachelor of Criminal Justice (BCJ)/Bachelor of Science • Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BET)/Bachelor of in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) Science in Engineering Technology (BSET) • Bachelor of Divinity (BD) • Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology • Bachelor of Education (BEd)/Bachelor of Science (BSCET/BSCivET) in Education (BSEd) • Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering • Bachelor of Engineering (BE/BEng)/Bachelor of Science Technology (BSCET) in Engineering (BSE/BSEN) • Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering (BSAE) Technology (BSConET) • Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Drafting Design Technology (BSAE) (BSDDT) • Bachelor of Science in Biological Systems (BSBS) • Bachelor of Science in Electrical/Electronics • Bachelor of Science in Biosystems and Agricultural Technology (BSET) Engineering (BSBAE) • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering (BSBE) Technology (BSEET) • Bachelor of Wireless Engineering (BWE) • Bachelor of Science in Electro-Mechanical • Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering (BBmE)/Bachelor Engineering Technology (BSEMET) of Science in Biomedical Engineering (BSBE/BSBME) • Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (BSChE) Technology (BSMET) • Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular • Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Engineering (BSChBE) • Bachelor of Forestry (BF) • Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Materials • Bachelor of Science in Forest Research (BSForRes) Engineering (BSCME) • Bachelor of Hebrew Letters (BHL) • Bachelor of Civil Engineering (BCE)/Bachelor of • Bachelor of Journalism (BJ) Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) • Bachelor of Laws (LLB) • Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) • Bachelor of Literature (BLit) .69 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Degree Master • Master of Civil Engineering (MCE/MSCE) Level Degree Title continued • Master of Computer Engineering (MCE/MSCE) • Master of Electrical and Computer Engineering (MECE) Bachelor • Bachelor of Marine Science (BMS) • Master of Electrical Engineering (MEE/MSEE) continued • Bachelor of Music (BM) • Master of Engineering Management (MEM/MSEMgt) • Bachelor of Nursing (BN)/Bachelor of Science • Master of Engineering Science (MES) in Nursing (BSN) • Master of Science in Environmental Engineering • Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) (MSEnvE) • Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) • Master of Geological Engineering (MGE) • Bachelor of (BRE) • Master of Industrial Engineering (MIE/MSIE) • Bachelor of Science/Scientiae Baccalaureus (BS, SB) • Master of Manufacturing Engineering (MME) • Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (BSCh) • Master of Materials Science (MMS)/Master of Materials • Bachelor of Technology (BT/BTech) Science and Engineering (MMSE)(MSMatSE) Master • Master of Accounting (MAcc) • Master of Mechanical Engineering (MME/MSME) • Master of Agricultural Economics (MAE) • Master of Science in Metallurgical Engineering • Master of Agricultural Extension (MAExt) (MSMetE) • Master of Agriculture (MAg/MAgr) • Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering (MSNE) • Master of Applied Anthropology (MAA) • Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering • Master of Architecture (MArch)/Master of Science (MSPetE/MSPNGE) in Architecture (MSArch) • Master of Engineering Technology (MET/MSET) • Master of Arts (MA/AM) • Master of Environmental Design (MED)/Master of • Master of Arts in Art Education (MAAE/MAAEd) Environmental Design Studies (MEDS) • Master of Arts in Art Therapy (MAAT) • Master of Environmental Planning (MEP) • Master of Arts in Arts Administration (MAAA) • Master of Environmental Science/Studies (MES) • Master of Arts in Behavioral Science (MABS) • Master of Family Therapy (MFT)/Master of Marriage and • Master of Arts in College Teaching (MACT) Family Therapy (MMFT) • Master of Arts in Communications (MAC) • Master of Fine Arts (MFA) • Master of Arts in Community Psychology (MACP) • Master of Forestry (MF)/Master of Science in Forestry (MSF) • Master of Arts in Computer Education (MACE) • Master of Forest Engineering (MFE) • Master of Arts/Science in Counseling (MAC/MSC) • Master of Forest Resources (MFR) • Master of Arts/Science in Counseling Psychology • Master of Health Administration (MHA)/Master of (MACP/MSCP) Health Care Administration (MHCA)/Master of Health • Master of Arts in Cross- (MACCS) Care Management (MHCM)/Master of Health Services • Master of Arts/Science in Education (MAEd/MSEd) Administration (MHSA)/Master of Science in Health • Master of Arts in Family Counseling (MAFC) Administration (MSHA)/Master of Science in Health Care • Master of Arts in the Humanities (MAH) Administration (MSHCA) • Master of Arts/Science in Teaching (MAT/MST) • Master of Hebrew Letters (MHL) • Master of Bioinformatics (MB) • Master of Heritage/Historical Preservation (MHP) • Master of Business Administration (MBA)/Master of Science • Master of Home Economics (MHE) in Business Administration (MSBA)/Executive Master of • Master of Hospitality Management (MHM) Business Administration (EMBA) • Master of Human Resources (MHR)/Master of Human • Master of City Planning (MCP)/Master of City and Resource Development (MHRD)/ Master of Science in Regional Planning (MCRP/MRCP)/Master of Regional Human Resources (MSHR) Planning (MRP) • Master of Individualized/Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS) • Master of Clinical Medical Science (MCMS) • Master of Information Resources Management (MIRM) • Master of Community Health (MCH) • Master of Information Technology (MIT) • Master of Computer Science (MCS) • Master of International Affairs (MIA) • Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ)/Master of • Master of International Business/Business Administration Arts/Science in Criminal Justice (MACJ/MSCJ) (MIB/MIBA) • Master of Design (MDes) • Master of Industrial Design (MID) • Master of Divinity (MDiv) • Master of Journalism (MJ)/Master of Arts/Science in • Master of Education (MEd) Journalism (MAJ/MSJ) • Master of Engineering (ME/MEng)/Master of Science • Master of Justice Administration (MJA) in Engineering (MSE) • Master of Landscape Architecture (MLArch/MLA) • Master of Science in Aeronautics and • Master of Laws (LLM) Astronautics (MSAA) • Master of Comparative Law (MCL/LLCM) • Master of Aerospace Engineering (MAE/MSAE) • Master of Liberal Studies (MLS)/Master of Arts in Liberal • Master of Architectural Engineering (MAE/MSAE) Studies (MALS) • Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) • Master of Library Science (MLS)/Master of Science • Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (MSBE) in Library Science (MSLS)/Master of Library and • Master of Science in Ceramic Engineering (MSCerE) Information Science (MLIS) • Master of Chemical Engineering (MCE/MSChE) • Master of Law Librarianship (MLL) .70 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Degree Master • Master of Urban Studies (MUS) Level Degree Title continued • Master of Veterinary Science (MVetSc/MVS) • Master of Women’s Studies (MWS) Master • Master of Management (MM) continued • Master of Manufacturing Management (MMM) Professional • Doctor of Chiropractic (DC or DCM) • Master of Marine Affairs (MMA) • Doctor of Dental Science (DDS) or Doctor of Dental • Master of Mass Communications (MMC) Medicine (DMD) • Master of Music (MM/MMus) • Doctor of Jurisprudence or Juris Doctor (JD) • Master of (MMEd) • Doctor of Medicine (MD) • Master of Music Therapy (MMT) • Doctor of Optometry (OD) • Master of Nursing (MN)/Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy (DO) • Master of Nursing Administration (MNA/MSNA) • Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) • Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT/MSOT) • Doctor of Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry (DPM/DP/PodD) • Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) • Master of Philosophy (MPhil) • Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Hebrew Letters • Master of Physical Education (MPE/MPEd) (MHL) or Rabbinical Ordination (Rav) • Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)/Master of Arts/Science Research • Doctor of Arts (DA) in Physical Therapy (MAPT/MSPT) Doctorate • Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) • Master of Planning (MP) • Doctor of Church Music (DCM) • Master of Professional Accounting (MPA/MProfAcc) • Doctor of Canon Law (JCD/DCL) • Master of Public Administration (MPA)/Master of Science • Doctor of Design (DDes) in Public Administration (MSPA) • Doctor of Education (EdD) • Master of Public Health (MPH)/Master of Science in • Doctor of Engineering (DEng/DESc/DES) Public Health (MSPH) • Doctor of Fine Arts (DFA) • Master of Public Health Education (MPHE) • Doctor of Hebrew Letters (DHL) • Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) • Doctor of Industrial Technology (DIT) • Master of Public Management (MPM) • Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD/SJD) • Master of Public Policy (MPP) • Doctor of Music (DM) • Master of Recreation Administration (MRA) • Doctor of Musical/Music Arts (DMA) • Master of Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC) • Doctor of Music Education (DME) • Master of Real Estate Development (MRED/MSRED) • Doctor of Modern Languages (DML) • Master of Recreation and Parks Administration (MRPA) • Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc) • Master of Rehabilitation Medicine (MRM) • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) • Master of Religious Education (MRE/MRelEd) • Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) • Master of Sacred Music (MSM)/Master of Liturgical • Doctor of Physical Education (DPE) Music (MLitM) • Doctor of Public Health (DPH) • Master of Sacred Theology (STM) • Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD) • Master of Science (MS) • Doctor of Science (DSc/ScD) • Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD/MScD) • Doctor of Social Work (DSW) • Master of Science in Economics (MSE) • Doctor of Theology (ThD) • Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Studies (MSESS) • Master of Science in Finance (MSF) Source: US Department of Education. Retrieved from www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/ • Master of Science in Forensic Science (MSFS) us/edlite-structure-us.html • Master of Science in Genetic Counseling (MSGC) • Master of Science in Gerontology (MSG) • Master of Science in Information Science/Systems (MSIS) • Master of Science in Management (MSM/MSMgt) • Master of Science in Mass Communications (MSMC) • Master of Science in Medical Illustration (MSMI) • Master of Science in Medical Technology (MSMT) • Master of Science in Natural Science (MSNS) • Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia (MSNA) • Master of Science in Orthodontics (MSO) • Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) • Master of Social Work (MSW) • Master of Taxation (MT) • Master of Technology (MTech) • Master of Science in Textiles (MSText) • Master of Theology (ThM) • Master of Tourism Management (MTM/MTHM) • Master of Urban Planning (MUP)/Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP)/Master of Urban Design (MUD)/Master of Urban Planning and Policy (MUPP) .71 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D—Sample Program Structures

Appendix D1. Undergraduate Certificate

Table 28. Environmental Studies Certificate, Table 29. Post-Baccalaureate Undergraduate University of Wisconsin–Madison Certificate in Pre-Medical Basic Sciences, Pennsylvania State University Any undergraduate student enrolled at the University of Wisconsin– Madison is eligible to participate in the Environmental Studies Certificate This is a non-degree program designed for college graduates who do not Program. Completion of the 15-credit certificate program is noted on have a science background. In 15 to 24 months, students can complete student transcripts. The program offers an opportunity for undergraduate the science course work required to apply for admission to medical, students to broaden their studies through interdisciplinary course work dental, optometry, veterinary science, podiatry, physical therapy, physician related to the environment. Earning a certificate can make a graduate assistant, nursing or other allied health schools. more marketable. The program consists of 38 credits of prerequisite science courses in Courses Credits general biology, general and organic chemistry, and physics, all including Foundation Courses 6 labs. These courses can be completed in four semesters or two semesters and two summer sessions. Choose one from eight courses in Environmental Humanities or Environmental such as Course No. Course Credits • Environmental Studies: The Social Perspective CHEM 110 Chemical Principles I 3 • Environmental Studies: The Humanistic Perspective • Resources and People CHEM 112 Chemical Principles II 3 • Introduction to Community and Environmental Sociology CHEM 111 Experimental Chemistry I 1 Choose one from 19 courses in Physical Science or Ecological Science CHEM 113 Experimental Chemistry II 1 such as • Weather and Climate CHEM 210 Organic Chemistry I 3 • Environmental Geology CHEM 212 Organic Chemistry II 3 • Evolution and Extinction • Energy CHEM 213 Organic Chemistry Lab 2 Environmental Theme Courses 9 BIOL 110 Basic Concepts and Biodiversity 4 Students are required to take three courses (nine credits) from the BIOL 230W Molecules and Cells 4 thematic areas listed below. Courses may be concentrated in one area or BIOL 141 Introductory Physiology 3 taken from multiple areas. Courses used in the thematic areas cannot be used in the foundation section. BIOL 142 Physiology Lab 1 • Biodiversity PHYS 250 Introductory Physics I 4 • Climate • Energy PHYS 250P Physics Lab I 0 • Food and Agriculture • Health PHYS 251 Introductory Physics II 4 • History/Culture PHYS 251P Physics Lab II 0 • Land Use • Policy SC 201 Medical Professions Seminar 1 • Water SC 401 Basic Science and Disease Seminar 1 Students must obtain a 2.00 GPA in the certificate. Courses taken on a Subtotal 38 pass/fail basis will not count toward the certificate.

Source: University of Wisconsin–Madison. Retrieved from www.nelson.wisc.edu/undergraduate_certificate/ Source: Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved from http://science.psu.edu/premedcert/postbacccurriculum.html curriculum.php .72 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D2. Associate of Science (AS) Table 30. Associate of Science with an emphasis in engineering, Catalog 2011–12, Mt. Hood Community College

This program is designed for transfer to a four-year institution to major in civil and mechanical engineering. The college also offers an Associate of Applied Science program intended for direct entry to the engineering technician job market. To receive the AS degree, students must complete a minimum of 90 applicable credit hours, including at least nine credit hours in one of the three areas below and at least six credit hours in each of the two remaining areas: • Humanities • Social Sciences • Science, Math, Computer Science Course No. Course Credits Course No. Course Credits First Quarter Second Quarter CH221 General Chemistry I 5 CH222 General Chemistry II 5 GE101 Engineering Orientation 4 GE115 Engineering Graphics or 3 ENGR248 Engineering Graphics: Solidworks MTH251 Calculus I: Differential Calculus 4 MTH252 Calculus II: Integral Calculus 4 WR121 English Composition 4 SP111 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 4 Social Science requirement 3–4 Subtotal 17 Subtotal 19–20 Third Quarter Fourth Quarter GE102 Engineering Computations1 3 ENGR211 Statics 4 MTH253 Calculus III 4 MTH254 Calculus IV: Vector Calculus 5 WR227 Technical Report Writing 4 PH211 General Physics with Calculus I 5 Humanities requirement 3–4 Health and Physical Education requirement 3 Social Science requirement 3–4 Subtotal 17–19 Subtotal 17 Fifth Quarter Sixth Quarter ENGR212 Dynamics 4 ENGR201 Electrical Fundamentals I 5 MTH256 Differential Equations 5 ENGR213 Strength of Materials 4 PH212 General Physics with Calculus II 5 MTH261 Linear Algebra 4 Humanities requirement 3–4 PH213 General Physics with Calculus III 5 Subtotal 17–18 Subtotal 18

Source: Mt. Hood Community College. Retrieved from www.mhcc.edu/engineering.aspx?id=2004 .73 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D3. Bachelor of Arts (BA) Table 31. Curriculum Requirements for Bachelor of Arts (BA), English, Daemen College

Admission is based on a high school diploma or equivalent, taking into consideration high school GPA, transcripts, extracurricular activities, class rank and counsellor or teacher recommendations. Standardized test scores (SAT, ACT) are optional. Course No. Course Credits Required Courses of all English Programs Major: 33 credits CMP311 Advanced English Composition 3 LIT112 Approaches to Literature 3 LIT203 Readings in British Literature I 3 LIT204 Readings in British Literature II 3 LIT410 Shakespeare 3 American Literature 3 Literature Electives 12 Choose one of the following: LNG307 The English Language: Its Evolution & Structure 3 LNG309 Sociolinguistics 3 Core: 6 credits CMP101 English Composition 3 IND101 Sustainable & Critical Relationships 3 Additional Requirements for BA, English Major: 6 credits LIT420 Seminar for English Majors 3 LIT443 Senior Seminar 3 Core: 39 credits History and/or Philosophy and/or Religious Studies 6 Foreign Language and Core Electives 33 Free Electives 39 Total Program Requirements 123

Source: Daemen College. Retrieved from www.daemen.edu/academics/divisionofartssciences/english/undergraduateprograms/BachelorofArtsEnglish/Pages/default.aspx .74 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D4. Master of Arts (MA) Table 32. Curriculum Requirements for Master of Arts (MA) in Economics, New York University

Admission is based on a bachelor’s degree with overall GPA at 3.5 or above and excellent training in economics and quantitative methods. The following courses are required: • Two undergraduate calculus courses (or one calculus & one linear algebra course) • One statistics course & one course in econometrics • Intermediate Microeconomics and Intermediate Macroeconomics, plus four other undergraduate economics courses Applicants must achieve the following GRE scores: • Quantitative reasoning score > 80th percentile (= 160 on new scale; 750 on old scale) • Analytical writing score > 80th percentile (= 5.0) • Verbal reasoning score > 50th percentile (= 150 on new scale; 500 on old scale) The MA in economics requires the satisfactory completion of graduate studies totalling at least 32 points, involving a minimum of three semesters of full-time study. The time limit for completion of the degree is five years. Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (B) with 18 points of B (3.0) or better. Five core courses (3 points each) • Mathematics for Economists • Microeconomic Theory • Macroeconomic Theory I • Applied Statistics and Econometrics I • Applied Statistics and Econometrics II Five Electives (3 points each) Special Project in Economic Research (2 points)

Source: New York University. Retrieved from http://econ.as.nyu.edu/page/ma

Table 33. Curriculum Requirements for Master of Arts (MA) in Liberal Studies, School of Continuing Studies, Georgetown University

Admission is based on a bachelor’s degree. Applicants must submit official transcripts, two essays and two letters of recommendation. To earn the master’s degree students must complete 30 credits. Students study on a part-time basis and may be able to complete the program in two years. 18 credits from one of the following curricular fields: • American Studies • Catholic Studies • Classical Civilizations • Ethics and the Professions • Humanities • Individualized Study • International Affairs • Islam and Muslim–Christian Relations • Literature and Society • Medieval and Early Modern European Studies • Religious Studies • Social and Public Policy • The Theory and Practice of American Democracy • Visual Culture 9 credits from elective courses from the liberal arts program 3 credits from the required thesis writing course

Source: Georgetown University. Retrieved from http://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/9/master-of-arts-in-liberal-studies/about-the-program/curriculum#curriculum .75 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D5. Graduate Certificate and Certificate of Advanced Study Table 34. Graduate Certificate in Accounting, University of Maryland University College

Graduate certificates are designed for individuals who do not wish to pursue a master’s degree or for those who already have one or more advanced degrees and wish to add to their credentials in their field. All of the courses in each certificate program earn graduate credits that can be applied toward the parallel master’s degree program. To enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Accounting program, students must have an undergraduate minor in accounting (or 15 credits in undergraduate accounting) with a minimum grade of C in each course. Course No. Course Credits UCSP 611 Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills (Must complete within first six credits of study.) 0 ACCT 610 Financial Accounting 3 ACCT 611 Management Accounting 3 ACCT 612 Auditing Process 3 ACCT 614 Accounting Information Systems 3 Total 12

Source: University of Maryland University College. Retrieved from www.umuc.edu/grad/gradcertificates/accounting.cfm

Table 35. Certificate of Advanced Study, School of Information, University of Texas at Austin

Program Description The CAS program is designed for: (1) Master of Science in Information Studies students who want to extend their study beyond the required 40 semester credit hours, and (2) those who already hold a master’s degree in library and information studies or cognate fields and who wish to pursue further study to expand their skills and develop proficiencies in preparation for specialized positions and activities. Admissions Applicants must hold a master’s degree in a related field or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution or have concurrent registration in the School of Information’s master’s program. They must also provide evidence of successful professional-level experience in librarianship or other information-related work. Program Requirements Students may take courses from various departments and schools of the university as part of the program. A minimum of 12 semester hours is required for the CAS; more semester hours may be necessary depending on the student’s academic background and professional goals. Ordinarily, more than half of the course hours will be taken in the School of Information. A student may include no more than six semester hours of upper-division undergraduate courses. The student’s program must include an Individual Studies course or an exit or experience course, which usually involves a paper or project designed to integrate the total CAS experience.

Example Areas of Study • Academic Librarianship • and Records Enterprise • Digital • Global Media and Research Analysis • Information Architecture and Design • Legal Information Services • Preservation Studies

Source: University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved from www.ischool.utexas.edu/programs/specializations/cas.php .76 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D6. Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) Table 36. Recommended Sequence of Courses for Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), California College of the Arts

Candidates for the Bachelor of Architecture should have completed three years of high school math (including algebra and trigonometry) and one year of science (preferably physics). Studio drawing or other courses that develop the student’s visual and design skills are recommended. Core Requirements + Architecture Humanities & Sciences Year Studios Major Requirements Requirements Units Freshman: First First Semester Core Studios Elective Introduction to the Arts 15 Year 1–2 (Recommended: Intro to Architecture) (3 units) (6 units) (3 units) English 1 (3 units) Second Core Studios Elective Introduction to the Modern Arts 15 Semester 3–4 (Recommended: Studio 0) (3 units) (6 units) (3 units) Foundations in Critical Studies (3 units)

Sophomore: First Semester Architecture Studio 1 Visual/Digital Media 1 Physics for Architecture 18 Second Year (6 units) (3 units) (3 units) Materials and Methods (3 units) History of Architecture 1 (3 units)

Second Architecture Studio 2 Visual/Digital Media 2 English 2 18 Semester (6 units) (3 units) (3 units) Structures (3 units) History of Architecture 2 (3 units) Junior: Third Year First Semester Architecture Studio 3 Visual/Digital Media 3 Cultural History 15 (6 units) (3 units) (3 units) Building Energy (3 units) Second Architecture Studio 4 Advanced Tech Systems Social Science/ 18 Semester (6 units) (3 units) Philosophy Architecture Analysis (3 units) (3 units) Diversity Studies Studio (3 units) Senior: Fourth First Semester Advanced Studio or Internship Advanced Geometry 18 Year Comprehensive Building (0 units) (3 units) Design Architectural Theory (6 units) (3 units) Architectural Elective (3 units) Open Elective Any Discipline (3 units) Second Advanced Studio or History/Theory Elective Diversity Studies Seminar 15 Semester Comprehensive Building (3 units) (3 units) Design Upper Division Interdisciplinary Studio (6 units) (3 units) .77 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Core Requirements + Architecture Humanities & Sciences Year Studios Major Requirements Requirements Units Fifth Year First Semester Advanced Studio Professional Practice Visual Studies Elective 18 (6 units) (3 units) (3 units) Architecture Elective Literature Seminar (3 units) (3 units) Second Advanced Studio Building Technology Elective Methods Seminar 15 Semester (6 units) (3 units) (3 units) Open Elective Any Discipline (3 units) Total Units 165

Source: California College of the Arts. Retrieved from www.cca.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/08/barch.pdf .78 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D7. Master of Business Administration (MBA) Table 37. Fulltime Master of Business Administration (MBA), McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin

Admission decision is based on a variety of factors such as undergraduate performance, work history, recommendation letters, personal essays and GMAT test scores. Applicants typically have two to 10 years of work experience. First Year, Fall Semester First Half of Semester Second Half of Semester Financial Accounting (2 hours) Marketing Management (2 hours) Financial Management (2 hours) Operations Management (2 hours) Statistics (2 hours) Analyzing the Business (2 hours) Managerial Economics (3 hours) (full semester course) Career Management (1 hour) (full semester course) First Year, Spring Semester First Half of Semester Second Half of Semester Strategic Management (3 hours) (full semester course) Analyzing the Business or Leading People (2 hours) Analyzing the Business or Leading People (2 hours) 3 Electives (3 hours each) (full semester courses) About half of the students choose from optional concentrations such as accounting, finance, interdisciplinary, information management, risk management, supply chain and operations management, marketing and policy. Second Year, Fall and Spring Semesters 5 Electives (3 hours each) (full semester courses) Students are encouraged to choose up to six hours of graduate-level elective coursework from outside the McCombs School of Business. Some of the most popular electives include courses in communications, community and regional planning, public affairs, engineering and law.

Source: University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved from www.mccombs.utexas.edu/MBA/Full-Time/Program-Information/Curriculum.aspx .79 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D8. Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) Table 38. Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), University of Minnesota

Entrants must have at least 87 semester credits or 130 quarter credits of liberal arts courses from an accredited US or Canadian institution. A maximum of 64 semester credits will be accepted from community or junior colleges. The majority of first-year dental students have completed a bachelor’s degree. Course No. Course Credits Course No. Course Credits First Year Fall Semester Spring Semester BioC6011 Biochemistry for Dental Students 3 Dent5121 Physical Evaluation I 3 Dent5401 Dental Care Delivery and Oral Epidemiology 3 Dent5301 Introduction to Oral Biology 2 Dent5411 Professional Problem Solving 0 Dent5302 Topics in Dental Biochemistry 2 Dent5901 Oral Anatomy I Lecture 2 Dent5315 Oral Histology and Embryology and Medical Genetics 3 Dent5902 Oral Anatomy I Lab 2 Dent5321 Introduction to Dental Biomaterials 2 GCD6103 Human Histology 5 Dent5402 Prevention and Oral Health Promotion 2 InMd6150 Gross Anatomy for Dental Students 8 Dent5412 Professional Problem Solving 1 Subtotal 23 Dent5903 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lecture II 2 Dent5904 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lab II 2 Nsci6110 Neuroscience for Dentistry Students 2 Phsl6051 System Physiology 4 Subtotal 25 Second Year Summer Session Spring Semester Dent5801 Operative Dentistry I 2 Dent5102 Patient Management and Radiographic 2 Interpretation Dent5802 Operative Dentistry Lab I 3 Dent5103 Oral Radiology Preclinical Lab 1 Dent5905 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lecture 2 Dent5441 Patient Management II 3 III Dent5906 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lab III 2 Dent5612 Periodontology Technique 2 Dent5050 Summer Student Selectives 1–2 Dent5805 Operative Dentistry III 3 Dent6330 Summer Research 2 Dent5909 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lecture V 3 Subtotal 12–13 Dent5910 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lab V 3 Fall Semester Dent6316 Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology 4 Dent5101 Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology 3 Phcl5103 Pharmacology 3 Dent5303 Microbiology for Dental Students 6 Subtotal 24 Dent5611 Periodontology I Lecture 1 Dent5803 Operative Dentistry II 2 Dent5804 Operative Dentistry Lab II 3 Dent5907 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lecture 3 IV Dent5908 Preclinical Prosthodontics Technique Lab IV 3 Lamp5100 General and Systemic Pathology 4 Subtotal 25 .80 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Course No. Course Credits Course No. Course Credits Third Year Summer Session Spring Semester Dent5201 Pain and Anxiety Control 2 Dent6112 Oral Radiology Clinic 0 Dent5322 Applied Dental Biomaterials 2 Dent6132 Oral Medicine/ 1 Diagnosis Clinic II Dent5501 Pediatric Dentistry Pre-clinic 2 Dent6203 Oral Surgery II 1 Dent5701 Introduction to Endodontics Lecture and Lab 4 Dent6414 Professional Problem Solving 0 Dent5911 Introduction to Clinical Implant Dentistry 2 Dent6421 Management and Supervision of a Dental Practice 3 Lecture Dent5912 Introduction to Clinical Implant Dentistry Lab 2 Dent6432 Patient Management III 1 Dent6441 Treatment Planning and Patient Care Clinic 1 or 5 Dent6443 Treatment Planning Clinic II 1 Dent6330 Summer Research (Elective) 2 Dent6451 Dental Auxiliary Utilization Clinic 0 Subtotal 17 or 21 Dent6510 Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 5 Fall Semester Dent6522 Orthodontics II 2 Dent6111 Oral Radiology Clinic 0 Dent6613 Periodontology III Lecture 1 Dent6122 Physical Evaluation II 3 Dent6622 Periodontology Clinic 2 Dent6131 Oral Medicine/ 1 Dent6812 Operative Dentistry Clinic 4 Diagnosis Clinic I Dent6202 Oral Surgery I 1 Dent6911 Prosthodontics I 2 Dent6413 Professional Problem Solving 0 Dent6913 Fixed Prosthodontics Clinic II 5 Dent6431 Patient Management III 1 Dent6922 Removable Prosthodontics Clinic II 5 Dent6442 Treatment Planning Clinic 1 Subtotal 33 Dent6510 Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 5 Dent6521 Orthodontics I 2 Dent6621 Periodontology Clinic 2 Dent6806 Operative Dentistry IV 2 Dent6811 Operative Dentistry Clinic 4 Dent6912 Fixed Prosthodontics Clinic I 5 Dent6921 Removable Prosthodontics Clinic I 5 Subtotal 32 Fourth Year Summer Session Spring Semester Dent6113 Oral Radiology Clinic 2 Dent6052 Comprehensive Care Clinic II 2 Dent6133 Oral Medicine/ 1 Dent6223 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinical Rotation 1 Diagnosis Clinic III Dent6205 Role of Dentistry in the Hospital Setting 1 Dent6416 Professional Problem Solving 1 Dent6221 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic Rotation 2 Dent6435 Patient Management V 1 Dent6401 Patient Care: Special Issues 2 Dent6454 Dental Auxiliary Utilization Clinic 2 Dent6422 Current Legal Issues for the New Dentist 2 Dent6465 Emergency Clinic 2 Dent6444 Treatment Planning Clinic 1 Dent6515 Pediatric Dentistry Clinic 5 .81 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Course No. Course Credits Course No. Course Credits Dent6452 Dental Auxiliary Utilization Clinic 0 Dent6524 Orthodontic Clinic Rotation 1 Dent6463 Emergency Clinic 0 Dent6625 Periodontology Clinic 2 Dent6510 Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 5 Dent6712 Endodontics Clinic 2 Dent6623 Periodontology Clinic 2 Dent6815 Operative Dentistry Clinic 4 Dent6813 Operative Dentistry Clinic 3 Dent6915 Fixed Prosthodontics Clinic IV 5 Dent6919 TMJ Disorders 1 Dent6924 Removable Prosthodontics Clinic IV 3 Subtotal 22 Subtotal 31 Fall Semester Dent6051 Comprehensive Care Clinic I 2 Dent6222 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic Rotation 1 Dent6415 Professional Problem Solving 0 Dent6434 Patient Management IV 1 Dent6445 Treatment Planning Clinic 1 Dent6453 Dental Auxiliary Utilization Clinic 0 Dent6464 Emergency Clinic 0 Dent6523 Orthodontic Clinic Rotation 0 Dent6624 Periodontology Clinic 2 Dent6711 Endodontics Clinic 2 Dent6814 Operative Dentistry Clinic 4 Dent6914 Fixed Prosthodontics Clinic III 5 Dent6923 Removable Prosthodontics Clinic III 3 Subtotal 21

Source: University of Minnesota School of Dentistry 2006–08 Catalogue .82 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D9. Bachelor’s Degrees in Engineering and Engineering Technology Table 39. Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering Technology), Pennsylvania College of Technology

Admission is based on a high school diploma or equivalent with strong preparation in mathematics, sciences and communication skills. Coursework in computer usage, drafting and surveying would be helpful but not necessary. Students with associate degrees in surveying or civil engineering technology can also enter the BCT curriculum as juniors. The program is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET. Course No. Course Credits Course No. Course Credits First Semester Second Semester FYE101 First Year Experience 1 CET124 Surveying II 3 CET115 Surveying I 3 CET127 Topographic Surveys and Mapping 3 CET150 Computer Applications for Civil Engineering and 3 ENL201 Technical and Professional Communication 3 Surveying ENL111 English Composition I 3 MTH242 Calculus II 4 MTH240 Calculus I 4 PHS115 College Physics I 4 CSC124 Information, Technology, and Society 3 or FIT Fitness and Lifetime Sports Elective 1 PHS201 General Physics I 4 Subtotal 18 Subtotal 17 Third Semester Fourth Semester CET230 Statics 3 CET242 Fluid Mechanics 3 CET238 Origin, Distribution and Behavior of Soils 3 CET243 Strength of Materials 3 CET234 Highway Engineering 3 CET312 Hydraulics and Hydrology 3 ECO111 Principles of Macroeconomics 3 CET246 Materials of Construction 3 MTH160 Elementary Statistics with Computer 4 PHS125 or College Physics II or 4 Applications PHS202 General Physics II Subtotal 16 Subtotal 16 Fifth Semester Sixth Semester CET320 Land Development for Civil Engineers 3 CET321 Structural Steel Design 3 CET311 Structural Analysis 3 CET323 Water and Wastewater Systems 3 SPC101 Fundamentals of Speech 3 CET325 Dynamics 3 CHM111 General Chemistry I 4 MET315 Engineering Economics 3 OEA Open Elective 3 OEA Open Elective 3 HSC Cultural Diversity Elective: Humanities/ 3 Social Science Subtotal 16 Subtotal 18 .83 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Seventh Semester Eighth Semester CET411 Geotechnical Engineering Technology 3 CET496 Design for Capstone Project 2 CET412 Reinforced Concrete Design 3 MET321 Engineering Ethics and Legal Issues 3 CET413 Civil Engineering Estimating and Scheduling 3 ART Art Elective 3 CET495 Senior Capstone Design Planning 2 HUM Humanities Elective 3 HUM or Humanities Elective or 3 FIT Fitness and Lifetime Sports Elective 1 SSE Social Science Elective Subtotal 14 Subtotal 12 Total Credits 127

Source: Pennsylvania College of Technology. Retrieved from www.pct.edu/catalog/majors/BCT.shtml#catalog_Curriculum

Table 40. Suggested Schedule for Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE), 2011–2012, Georgia Institute of Technology

Freshman admission is based on a high school diploma, taking into consideration factors such as GPA, rigor of curriculum, standardized test scores (SAT or ACT), extracurricular activities and personal essays. The institute does not admit students based on major. All entering students must meet minimum course requirements including four units each of English, math and science, three units of social science and two units of foreign language. This program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Course No. Course Hours Course No. Course Hours First Year Fall Semester Spring Semester MATH 1501 Calculus I 4 MATH 1502 Calculus II 4 CHEM 1310 General Chemistry 4 PHYS 2211 Introductory Physics I 4 ENGL 1101 English Composition I 3 ENGL 1102 English Composition II 3 CS 1371 Computing for Engineers 3 CEE 1770 Engineering Graphics & Visualization 3 Social Sciences Elective 3 Humanities Elective 3 Subtotal 17 Subtotal 17 Second Year Fall Semester Spring Semester MATH 2401 Calculus III 4 MATH 2403 Differential Equations 4 PHYS 2212 Introductory Physics III 4 BIOL 1510 or Biological Principles or 3 BIOL1520 or Introduction to Organismal Biology or EAS 2600 Earth Processes CEE 2300 Environmental Engineering Principles 3 CEE 2040 Dynamics 2 Economics Elective 3 CEE 3000 Civil Engineering Systems 3 COE 2001 Statics 2 Ethics Elective 3 Subtotal 16 Subtotal 15 .84 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Course No. Course Hours Course No. Course Hours Third Year Fall Semester Spring Semester CEE 3040 Fluid Mechanics 3 Choose four of the following Breadth electives CEE 3020 Civil Engineering Materials 3 CEE 3055 Structural Analysis 3 COE 3001 Mechanics of Deformable Bodies 3 CEE 4100 Construction Engineering and Management 3 MSE 3000 or Chemical Thermodynamics of Materials 3 CEE 4200 Hydraulic Engineering 3 ME 3322 or Thermodynamics CEE 4300 Environmental Engineering Systems 3 CHBE 2110 Chemical Process Principles CEE 4405 Geotechnical Engineering 3 Social Science Elective 3 CEE 4600 Transportation Planning, Operations and Design 3 Wellness 2 CEE/MATH/ Statistics & Applications 3 ISYE 3770 Subtotal 17 Subtotal 15 Fourth Year Fall Semester Spring Semester CEE Technical Electives 12 CEE Technical Electives 6 Approved Elective 3 Social Science Elective 3 Subtotal 15 CEE 4090 CEE Capstone Design 3 Approved Elective 3 Subtotal 15 Total: 126 semester hours + wellness (2 hours)

Source: Georgia Institute of Technology. Retrieved from www.catalog.gatech.edu/colleges/coe/ce/ugrad/bsce/bsce.php .85 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D10. Doctor of Medicine (MD) Table 41. Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2009 Entering Class, University of Washington

All entrants in recent years have fulfilled requirements for a bachelor’s degree. No specific major is advised. A broad background in humanities and liberal arts is encouraged. Pre-med course requirements include four semesters or six quarters of social science and humanities, six semesters or nine quarters of chemistry and biology, and two semesters or three quarters of physics. Quarter Quarter Course Credits Course Credits First Year Basic Sciences Curriculum Second Year Basic Sciences Curriculum Anatomy and Embryology 13 Brain and Behavior 3 Biochemistry 8 Cardiovascular System 8 Introduction to Clinical Medicine I 11 Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine 2 Introduction to Immunology 2 Gastrointestinal System 4 Mechanisms in Cell Physiology 5 Genetics 2 Medical Information for Decision Making 1 Hematology 3 Microbiology and Infectious Disease 9 Hormones and Nutrients 4 Microscopic Anatomy (Histology) 6 Introduction to Clinical Medicine 13 Musculoskeletal System 4 Medicine, Health and Society 3 Nervous System 8 Pathology II A, B, C 10 Systems of Human Behavior 5 Principles of Pharmacology I 5 Principles of Pharmacology II 3 Problem-Based Learning 3 Respiratory System 4 Reproduction 4 Skin System 2 Urinary System 4 Third and Fourth Years Clinical Curriculum Family Medicine (6 weeks) 12 Emergency Medicine (4 weeks) 8 Internal Medicine (12 weeks) 24 Rehabilitation Medicine/Chronic Care (4 weeks) 8 Obstetrics/Gynecology (6 weeks) 12 Neurology (4 weeks) 8 Pediatrics (6 weeks) 12 Surgery (4 weeks) 8 Psychiatry (6 weeks) 12 Required Clinical Electives (16 weeks) 32 Surgery (6 weeks) 12 Independent Investigative Inquiry 8 Non-Clinical Electives 4 Capstone: Transition to Residency 2 Total minimum credits for MD degree 313

Source: University of Washington. Retrieved from http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-Students/Curriculum/Pages/default.aspx .86 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D11. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Table 42. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), California State University Long Beach

Students enter the BSN program with approximately 37 units of prerequisite natural and social sciences and general education courses completed during the freshman year. The semester program takes three years (six semesters) to complete. The trimester option is also available, which takes two years (four semesters and two summers) to complete. Course No. Course Units Course No. Course Units First Semester Second Semester N200 Intro. to Nursing Health Care 3 N250 Intermediate Nursing Health Care 3 N200L Intro. to Nursing Health Care Lab 3 N250L Intermediate Nursing Health Care Lab 3 N202 Health Care Communication 2 N312 Physical Assessment 2 Biology305 Pharmacology 2 N312L Physical Assessment Lab 1 Nutr339 Metabolic Functions of Nutrients 1 N260 Older Adult Health Care 2 Biology304 Pathophysiology 3 N260L Older Adult Health Care Clinical Studies 2 SOC100 General Sociology 3 PSY100 General Psychology 3 Subtotal 17 Subtotal 16 Third Semester Fourth Semester N331 Critical Care Nursing 2 N353 Legal Aspects of Health Care 2 N331L Critical Care Nursing Clinical Studies 3 N372 Women’s Health Care 3 N341 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing 3 N372L Women’s Health Care Clinical Studies 3 N341L Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Clinical 3 N361 Child Health Care 4 Studies General Education 3 N361L Child Health Care Clinical Studies 3 Subtotal 14 Subtotal 15 Fifth Semester Sixth Semester N400 Health Care Delivery Systems 3 N450 Nursing Research & Administration 3 N402 Community Health Nursing 3 N451 Nursing Leadership & Management 2 N402L Community Health Nursing Clinical Studies 4 Choose one of the following four groups: General Education 7 N452A Advanced Nursing in Critical Care 2 Subtotal 17 N453L Advanced Nursing in Critical Care Clinical Studies 4 Or N452B Advanced Nursing in Maternal Child Health 2 N454L Advanced Nursing in Maternal Child Health Clinical 4 Studies Or N452C Advanced Nursing in Primary/Community Health Care 2 N455L Advanced Nursing in Primary/Community Health Care 4 Clinical Studies .87 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Course No. Course Units Course No. Course Units Or N452D Advanced Nursing in Community/Mental Health 2 N456L Advanced Nursing in Community/Mental Health Clinical 4 Studies N458 NCLEX Review 1 General Education 3 Subtotal 15 BSN Degree Total Units 135

Source: California State University Long Beach. Retrieved from www.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/departments/nursing/programs/NursingBachelorProgram.htm

Table 43. Entry-Level Bachelor of Nursing (BSN)/Master of Nursing (MSN), Fall 2011, California State University Long Beach

The program caters for students who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and who do not have RN license. Students enter with approximately 18 units of prerequisite natural sciences completed within the last 5 years, and approximately 12 general education units usually completed during their first BA/BS degree. The program takes about four semesters to complete. Course No. Course Units Course No. Course Units BSN Courses Fall Semester (1) Fall Semester (2) Weeks 1-4 Weeks 1-8 Nutr339 Metabolic Functions of Nutrients 1 N458 NCLEX Review 1 Biology305 Pharmacology 2 N402 Community Health Nursing Clinical Studies 7 Weeks 5-10 Weeks 9-16 N200 Intro to Nursing Health Care 6 N450 Nursing Research & Administration 3 N202 Health Care Communication 2 N452 Advanced Nursing in Critical Care 6 Weeks 11-16 BSN Degree Total Weeks 65 N260 Older Adult Health Care 4 BSN Degree Total Units 75 Biology304 Pathophysiology 3 MSN Courses Winter Sessions Weeks 1-3 Core Courses N312 Physical Assessment 3 N511 Adv. Pathophys for CNS 2 Spring Semester N521 Adv. Pharmacology for CNS 3 Weeks 1-6 N530 Adv. Physical Assessment 2 N250 Intermediate Nursing Health Care Lab 6 N540 Healthcare Econ. and Policy 2 Weeks 7-12 (Spring Break not a counted week) N550 Human Diversity 2 N331 Critical Care Nursing 5 N560 Nursing Theory and Roles 2 Weeks 13-18 N596 Research Methodology 3 N372 Women’s Health Care Clinical Studies 6 Clinical Courses N353 Legal Aspects of Health Care 2 N673 Theories of Extended Nursing Practice 3 Summer Semester N673L Clinical Studies in Nursing 3 Weeks 1-6 N674 Theories of Extended Nursing Practice 3 N361 Child Health Care Clinical Studies 7 N674L Clinical Studies in Nursing 3 N451 Nursing Leadership & Management 2 N675 Theories of Extended Nursing Practice 3 .88 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Course No. Course Units Course No. Course Units Weeks 7-12 N675L Clinical Studies in Nursing 3 N341L Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Clinical 6 Other Courses Studies N400 Health Care Delivery Systems 3 N556A Conditions of Learning and Instruction 3 N556B Curriculum Development in Nursing 3 N556L (I) Microteaching – Teaching 2 N556L (II) Practice Teaching 2 N695 or Professional Literature Review (for 3 comprehensive exam class) N698 Thesis Research 4 MSN Degree Total Units 47-48

Source: California State University Long Beach. Retrieved from www.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/departments/nursing/programs/MasterofScienceinNursing.htm .89 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D12. Bachelor of Science (BS) in Pharmacy Studies and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Table 44. Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies/Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut

Students are admitted to the School of Pharmacy after completion of a two-year pre-pharmacy program (64 credits). Admission is competitive and based on CGPA in the math and science prerequisites, overall academic performance, PCAT score, pharmacy-related experience, recommendations and personal statement, and personal interview. Course Credits Course Credits First Professional Year First Semester Second Semester Cellular Biology 2 Nutrition 2 Immunology and Biotechnology 3 Drug Information II 2 Foundations in Bioorganic Chemistry 4 Correlated Pharmacy Problem Solving I 1 Drug Information I 1 Pharmacy Practice Experience II 2 Pharmacy Communications 3 Foundations in Pharmaceutics I 4 Pharmacy Practice Experience I 1 Dosage Forms Preparation Laboratory I 1 Pharmacokinetics/Biopharmaceutics 3 Autonomic and Neurologic Conditions Module 5 Public Health and Healthcare Policy 3 Subtotal 17 Subtotal 20 Second Professional Year First Semester Second Semester Correlated Pharmacy Problem Solving II 1 Pharmacoeconomics 1 Pharmacy Practice Experience III 1 Current Topics in Pharmacy 3 Foundations in Pharmaceutics II 3 Correlated Pharmacy Problem Solving III 1 Dosage Forms Preparation Laboratory II 1 Pharmacy Practice Experience IV 2 Psychiatry Module 5 Gastroenterology Module 2 Immunology Module 2 Endocrine Module 3 Pharmacy Practice Management 2 Dermatology Module 1 Professional Electives 3 Pharmacy Law and Ethics 2 Subtotal 18 Professional Electives 3 Subtotal 18 Total Credits for Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies 137 .90 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Course Credits Course Credits Third Professional Year First Semester Second Semester Correlated Pharmacy Problem Solving IV 1 Correlated Pharmacy Problem Solving V 1 Pharmacy Practice Experience V 1 Pharmacy Practice Experience VI 2 Cardiovascular Module 4 Infectious Disease Module 4 Renal Module 2 Hematology/Oncology Module 3 Respiratory Module 2 Special Populations 4 Clinical Toxicology 2 Patient Assessment 2 Pharmacy Practice Laboratory 3 Professional Electives 3 Professional Electives 3 Subtotal 19 Subtotal 18 Fourth Professional Year Rotating Professional Experiences (one month each) Professional Experience in Community Pharmacy 4 Professional Experience in Institutional Pharmacy I 4 Professional Experience in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy 4 Professional Experience in General Medicine 4 Subtotal 16 At least five Professional Electives (one month each) 5x4 Total Credits for Doctor of Pharmacy 210

Source: University of Connecticut. Retrieved from http://web.uconn.edu/undergradcatalog/pharm.htm .91 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D13. Nursing Certificate and Diploma Table 45. Certificate in Practical Nursing, Penn State Berks

Admission is based on a high school diploma or equivalent and the Test of Essential Academic Skills. The curriculum is divided into four levels, which will be offered consecutively over 18 months during evenings and weekends. Each level will run approximately 17 weeks with at least a one-week break between each level. There are 617 classroom hours and 958 clinical practice hours totalling 1,575 hours. Students must maintain an average of 75 per cent or higher for classroom instruction and a passing grade for clinical practice. This is an 18-month, part-time program approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. It is a non-credit, clock-hour program. Courses Hours Level I HSSCI 6000 – Structure and Function of the Human Body 96 HSSCI 6001L – Fundamentals of Practical Nursing 120 HSSCI 6001C 184 Level II HSSCI 6002L – Concepts of Basic Medical and Surgical Nursing Care 145 HSSCI 6002C 230 Level III HSSCI 6003L – Nursing Care of Adults and Children 124 HSSCI 6003C 276 Level IV HSSCI 6004L – Nursing Care of the Adult 132 HSSCI 6004C 268

Source: Penn State Berks. Retrieved from www.bk.psu.edu/Documents/CE/Course_descriptions.doc

Table 46. Diploma in Nursing, Watts School of Nursing

Admission is based on a high school diploma and a school-administered pre-admission test. Through an articulation agreement between Mount Olive College and Watts School of Nursing, a student can graduate with an Associate of Science degree in health science from Mount Olive College and complete the nursing requirements at Watts School of Nursing to apply for the NCLEX-RN for licensure as a registered nurse. The program is approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing. Prerequisite Courses Credits Anatomy and Physiology 4 Introduction to Psychology 3 Introduction to Sociology 3 Human Growth and Development 3 English 3 Math 3 Additional Courses Required for the Associate Degree in Health Science History 3 Religion 3 Subtotal 25 .92 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Nursing Courses Class Hours Clinical Hours Credits Semester One: NSG101 – Introduction to Basic Health Care Needs Across the Lifespan 150 285 13 Semester Two: NSG102 – Holistic Care of the Client and Family 150 285 13 Semester Three: NSG201 – Management of Acute and Chronic Health Issues Across the Lifespan 135 315 13 Semester Four: NSG202 – Management of Acute, Complex, and Life-Threatening Health Issues Across 120 345 13 the Lifespan Subtotal 555 1230 52

Source: Catalogue 2011–2012, Watts School of Nursing .93 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D14. Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene Table 47. Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Dental Hygiene, Fall 2011, Pennsylvania College of Technology

Admission is based on a high school diploma, with one year of high school biology and two years of high school algebra. Chemistry with a laboratory is also recommended. SAT scores are strongly advised for applicants applying within two years of high school graduation. The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Course No. Course Credits Course No. Course Credits First Semester Second Semester FYE101 First Year Experience 1 DEN123 Dental Radiology 3 DEN103 Dental Hygiene I 4 DEN126 Dental Hygiene II 5 DEN104 Preventive Dentistry 2 DEN130 Introduction to Periodontics 2 DEN107 Orofacial Anatomy 3 DEN211 Oral Health and Nutrition 2 DEN108 Oral Histology 1 BIO201 Microbiology 4 BIO115 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 BIO125 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4 ENL111 English Composition I 3 Subtotal 18 Subtotal 20 Summer Session MTE Math Elective (MTH150 or Higher) 3 Third Semester Fourth Semester DEN204 Pharmacology 2 DEN220 Community Dental Health 2 DEN215 Dental Hygiene III 6 DEN224 Dental Law and Ethics 1 DEN214 Dental Materials and Specialties 3 DEN227 Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice 5 DEN202 General and Oral Pathology 2 CSC124 Information, Technology, and Society 3 DEN212 Periodontics II 1 SPC101 Fundamentals of Speech 3 PSY111 General Psychology 3 FIT Fitness and Lifetime Sports Elective 1 SSE Social Science Elective 3 Subtotal 17 Subtotal 18 Total credits for AAS 76

Source: Pennsylvania College of Technology. Retrieved from www.pct.edu/catalog/majors/DH.shtml - catalog_Curriculum .94 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D15. Associate of Applied Science Table 48. Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET), Catalog 2011–12, Mt. Hood Community College

This program trains technicians in various engineering support activities required by industry. The courses give students experience in mechanical design at a technician level. Graduates find employment in many types of manufacturing with a variety of job possibilities such as an engineering technician, drafter and CAD technician in light to heavy product design industries. The MET program also offers a one-year certificate for those successfully completing the first three terms of the two-year AAS degree. Course No. Course Credits Course No. Course Credits First Quarter (Fall) Second Quarter (Winter) ET122 Engineering Drawing 4 ET227 Engineering Project Management 4 GE101 Engineering Orientation 4 GE115 Engineering Graphics 3 MTH065 Beginning Algebra II 4 MTH095 Intermediate Algebra with Right Triangle 5 Trigonometry WR121 English Composition 4 WR227 Technical Report Writing 4 Subtotal 16 Subtotal 16 Third Quarter (Spring) Fourth Quarter (Fall) ET221 Statics 4 ENGR248 Engineering Graphics: Solidworks 3 GE102 Engineering Computations 3 ET222 Fluid Mechanics 3 CH104 General, Organic, and 4–5 ET231 Basic Strengths of Materials 4 GS106 Biological Chemistry I or Physical Science: Geology or G201 Principles of Physical Geology or PH201 General Physics I Human Relations requirement 3 Related Elective 3 Subtotal 14–15 Subtotal 13 Fifth Quarter (Winter) Sixth Quarter (Spring) MFG212 CAM Concepts 4 ET250 Project Design II 4 ET240 Project Design I 3 HPE295 Health and Fitness for Life 3 BA285 Leadership and Human Relations 3 SP111 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 4 Related elective 7 WE280ETD Cooperative Education Internship or 3 Related elective Related Elective 3 Subtotal 17 Subtotal 17

Source: Mt. Hood Community College. Retrieved from www.mhcc.edu/Engineering.aspx?id=2002 .95 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D16. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Table 49. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Napa Valley College

Admission is based on official high school transcripts, a score of 62 per cent on the Test of Essential Academic SkillsV and completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better. Opportunities are provided for advanced placement, transfer and challenge exam credit. • Bio 218 – Human Anatomy (5 units) • Bio 219 – Human Physiology (5 units) • Bio 220 – General Microbiology (5 units) • Eng 120 – Reading & Composition (3 units) The program is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). It is designed to prepare students to practise nursing in entry-level positions. Upon completion of the program, the student receives an AS degree in nursing and is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN). The following sequence of courses is approved by the Board of Registered Nursing. Theory Lab/Clinical Total Hours Hours Hours Approved Sequence Of Courses Units /Week /Week /Week Prerequisites BIOL 218 – Human Anatomy 5 3 6 9 BIOL 219 – Human Physiology or Equivalent 5 3 6 9 BIOL 220 – General Microbiology or Equivalent 5 3 6 9 ENGL 120 – Reading and Composition I 3 3 3 Subtotal 18 First Semester NURS 141 – Introduction to Nursing (12 weeks) 7 6 14 20 NURS 142 – Nursing in Health Alterations I (6 weeks) 4 8 12 20 PSYC 125 – Human Growth & Development (Life-span) 3 3 3 Subtotal 14 Second Semester NURS 143 – Nursing in Health Alterations II (8 weeks) 5.5 6 15 21 *NURS 144 – Mental Health in the Community (8 weeks) 5.5 6 15 21 Subtotal 11 Third Semester *NURS 246 – Nursing in Health Alterations III (8 weeks) 6.5 8 15 23 NURS 247 – Maternal-Newborn Nursing (8 weeks) 4 6 12 18 *NURS 248 – Nursing in a community-based setting (4 weeks) 1 2 6 8 Social Science elective (except PSYC 125) from approved AS degree list 3 3 3 SPEE 124 – Career Communications (includes public speaking and interpersonal communications) 3 3 3 Subtotal 17.5 Fourth Semester *NURS 249 – Nursing in Health Alterations IV (13 weeks) 7 6 13.5 19.5 *NURS 250 – Nursing Preceptorship (5 weeks) 3 3 21 21 Humanities from approved AS degree list 3 3 3 Subtotal 13 *Required for Licensed Vocational Nurses – Advanced Placement – NURS 245 Transition

Source: Napa Valley College. Retrieved from www.napavalley.edu/Academics/HealthOccupations/ADN/Documents/ADN%20Info%20Sheet%20Draft%20Dec%202011.pdf .96 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D17. Associate of Applied Science in Education and Associate of Arts in Teaching Table 50. Associate of Applied Science, Early Childhood Education, Prince George’s Community College

Admission is based on a high school diploma or GED and a placement test. The program provides the educational background to teach preschool children in private early childhood centres and direct early childhood centres. Course No. Course Credits Program Concentration: 39 Credits TED 1100 Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Education 3 TED 1200 Child Growth and Development 3 TED 1300 Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education 3 TED 1400 Introduction to Multicultural Education 3 TED 2110 Infant and Toddler Curriculum and Teaching 3 TED 2100 Processes and Acquisition of Reading or 3 TED 2400 Language Arts in Early Childhood Education TED 2200 Guiding Behavior in Educational Settings 3 TED 2350 Early Childhood Special Education 3 TED 2650 Child Care Center Administration and Management 3 TED 2750 Field Work in Early Childhood Education or 3 TED 2751 Field Work in Early Childhood Special Education Early Childhood Electives 9 Required General Education Courses: 24–26 Credits English Composition I and II 6 Humanities 6 Mathematics 3–4 Science 3–4 Social Sciences 3 Computer Literacy 3 Total Required for AAS Degree: 63–65 Credits .97 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 51. Associate of Arts in Teaching, Secondary Education–English, Prince George’s Community College

Admission is based on a high school diploma or GED and a placement test. The program is designed for students planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree with the goal of teaching English at the secondary level. Course No. Course Credits Program Concentration: 18 Credits EGL 2270 Applied Grammar 3 EGL 2010 British Literature from the Anglo-Saxon Period Through the 18th Century or 3 EGL 2030 British Literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries EGL 2050 American Literature from the Beginnings to the Late 19th Century or 3 EGL 2070 American Literature from the Late 19th Century to the Present EGL 2090 World Literature from Ancient Times Through the Middle Ages or 3 EGL 2110 World Literature from the Renaissance to the Present or EGL 2410 Mythology, Legend and Folklore Choose two courses from the following that complement the literature surveys selected HST 1310 Ancient and Medieval History 3 HST 1320 Modern History 3 HST 1370 The World in the 20th Century 3 HST 1410 History of the United States I 3 HST 1430 History of the United States II 3 Preprofessional Courses: 15 Credits TED 2000 Foundations of Education 3 TED 2001 Field Experience for Foundations of Education 1 TED 2300 Introduction to Special Education 3 TED 2301 Field Experience for Special Education 1 PSY 2060 3 TED 2061 Field Experience for Educational Psychology 1 PSY 2040 Adolescent Psychology 3 Required General Education Courses: 28 Credits English 6 Humanities 6 Mathematics 3 Science 7 Social Sciences 6 Total Required for AAS Degree: 61 Credits 2.75 GPA and passing grade on PRAXIS I exam or equivalent SAT or ACT score are required.

Source: Prince George’s Community College, 2011–12 Catalogue .98 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D18. Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAEd) Table 52. Bachelor of Arts in Education: Elementary Education, City University of Seattle

Main academically-related entry requirements: • 90 quarter credits as listed in the lower division requirements, with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 • At least 80 hours of supervised work with children during the past three years (hours spent in an Introduction to Teaching course may count toward the 80 hours) • Passing scores on each section of the Washington Educators Skills Test–Basic (WEST–B) The program can be completed in about two years. Graduates will earn a Washington State Residency Teaching Certificate with an Endorsement for Elementary Education (K–8) and a BAEd degree. Those who choose dual endorsements will receive specialized training and experience in a chosen field of study such as mathematics or special education. Quarter Course No. Course Credits Lower Division Requirements 90 Transfer these credits from another college or take at CityU of Seattle. 30 credits must form an academic content area in social sciences, humanities or natural science. Humanities 25 College Writing – 10 credits Public Speaking – 3 to 5 credits Creative Arts – 2 courses Electives Social Science 15 Introduction to Psychology – 5 credits Developmental Psychology – 5 credits US History or World Civilizations – 5 credits Natural Science and Math 25 Math for Elementary Teachers – 5 credits Additional College Math – 5 credits Life Science – 5 credits Physical Science – 5 credits Science Lab (Life Science or Physical Science) Elective – 5 credits General Electives 25 It is recommended that students build their subject content knowledge in lower division courses and focus on pedagogy courses in the upper division. Core Requirements 51 EDE 307 Special Education & Special Programs 3 EDE 410A Content: Inquiry in Science & Social Studies Methods 4 EDE 403 Health & Fitness Methods 2 EDE 370A Content: Creative Arts Concepts 2 ERL 407 Literacy Instruction & Assessment 5 EDU 308 American School Law & Issues in Special Populations 3 ERL 440A Literacy Integration 5 EDE 406A Content: Mathematics Concepts 5 EDU 317 Integrated Technology 1 EDU 495 Positive Impact on Student Learning: Project 1 EDU 320A Content: Instructional Strategies P-12 5 ESP 423 Curriculum Modifications & Adaptations 2 .99 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Quarter Course No. Course Credits EDU 313 Multicultural Education 2 EDU 404A Content: Student Assessment & Evaluation 3 EDU 383A Content: Classroom Management 3 ERL 406 Language Acquisition & Literacy Development 5 Internship and Student Teaching 16 EDU 350 Introduction to Field Experience 1 EDU 351 Internship I 1 EDU 361 Seminar I 0 EDU 352 Internship II 1 EDU 362 Seminar II 0 EDU 353 Internship III 1 EDU 363 Seminar III 0 EDU 470 Internship IV 2 EDU 471 Seminar IV 0 EDU 480 Student Teaching in Elementary Education 10 EDU 481 Seminar: Student Teaching in Elementary Education 0 EDU 320B Performance: Instructional Strategies P–12 0 EDE 406B Performance: Mathematics Concepts 0 EDU 404B Performance: Student Assessment & Evaluation 0 EDU 383B Performance: Classroom Management 0 EDU 490 Performance Portfolio I 0 EDU 491 Performance Portfolio II 0 EDE 410B Performance: Inquiry in Science & Social Studies Methods 0 EDE 370B Performance: Creative Arts Concepts 0 ERL 440B Performance: Literacy Integration 0 BAEd with Elementary Education Emphasis Only 90 Take all Core Requirements and Internship and Student Teaching courses listed above, plus the following. Elementary Education EDE 400 Math Content: Making Meaning for Math Teachers 3 Undergraduate Electives 20 Must take courses from approved program list. BAEd with Elementary Education & Mathematics Emphasis 101 Take all Core Requirements and Internship and Student Teaching courses listed above, plus the following. Mathematics Core Requirements EML 410 History of Mathematics 3 EML 435 Mathematics: Number Sense & Theory 3 EML 445 Mathematics: Geometry & Measurement 3 EML 455 Mathematics: Linear Algebra 3 .100 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Quarter Course No. Course Credits EML 465 Mathematics: Calculus 3 EML 475 Mathematics: Discrete Mathematics 3 EML 485 Mathematics: Probability & Statistics 3 EML 490 Teaching Mathematics: Bringing It All Together 3 Internship and Student Teaching EDU 485 Student Teaching in Specialized Content 10 EDU 486 Seminar: Student Teaching in Specialized Content 0 BAEd with Elementary Education and Special Education 99 Take all Core Requirements and Internship and Student Teaching courses listed above, plus the following. Special Education Core Requirements ESP 370A Content: Exceptionality in Special Education 4 ESP 408 Student Assessment & Evaluation 3 ESP 409A Content: Fundamentals of the IEP Process 3 ESP 373 Special Education: Low-Incidence Students 3 ESP 376 Autism 3 ESP 405 Behavioral Analysis & Management 3 EDE 400 Math Content: Making Meaning for Math Teachers 3 Internship and Student Teaching ESP 485 Student Teaching in Special Education 9 ESP 486 Seminar: Student Teaching Special Education 0 ESP 465 Transitions, Teaming & Collaboration 1 ESP 370B Performance: Exceptionality in Special Education 0 ESP 409B Performance: Fundamentals in the IEP Process 0 CityU also offers a BAEd with Elementary Education and English Language Learners Emphasis and a BAEd with Elementary Education and Reading Emphasis. Total credits, including lower division requirements and BAEd courses, are 180–191.

Source: City University of Seattle. Retrieved from www.cityu.edu/programs/soe/ba_elementary_ed.aspx .101 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D19. Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Education Table 53. Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Special Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Admission is based on a bachelor’s degree in any field with a cumulative GPA of 2.75, and passing the Praxis Pre-Professional Skills Test (reading, writing and math) and the Praxis Pre-Professional Skills Test in Content Area (special education). This program incorporates “hybrid” classes that are taught online, in addition to condensed weekend formats. The majority of coursework is completed in one year, followed by a year-long internship or one semester of traditional student teaching. While in the program, students may be employed as a teacher in a special education setting. Upon successful completion of this program and upon meeting Praxis requirements, students receive a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Special Education from the University of Hawaii and can apply for licensure in special education. Mild/Moderate Program (Another option is Severe Disabilities/Autism Program) Course No. Course Credits Prerequisites SPED 304 Foundations of Inclusive Schooling 3 ETEC 501 Professional Development in : Technology Skills for Educators 1 Subtotal 4 Program Requirements SPED 611 Methods and Strategies for Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities 3 SPED 603 Principles of Behavior 3 SPED 526a Field Experience in Special Education – Post-Baccalaureate 2 SPED 613 Advanced Assessment and Curriculum Development 3 SPED 621 Language Arts Strategies: Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities 3 SPED 526b Field Experience in Special Education – Post-Baccalaureate 2 SPED 635 Procedures for Early Childhood Special Education or 3 SPED 652 Transition/Supported Employment SPED 620 Strategies Across Content Area 3 SPED 601 Technology for Diverse Learners: Access, Accommodations, and Universal Design 3 SPED 528 2 semesters of Internship (for students who are already employed as special education teachers) or 6 SPED 527 1 semester of Student Teaching Subtotal 31

Source: University of Hawaii at Manoa. Retrieved from www.coe.hawaii.edu/sped/postbacc .102 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D20. Master of Education (MEd) and Master in Teaching (MIT) Table 54. Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, with Professional Development Emphasis, City University of Seattle

Admission is based on a bachelor’s degree. The program is designed for certified teachers who want to advance their careers. Students choose from one of three options: 1. Professional Development Specialized Study 2. Pro Teach Support (includes courses designed to support preparation of Pro Teach Portfolio in order to gain Washington Professional Certificate) 3. National Board Support (includes courses designed to support preparation for National Board certification) Quarter Course No. Course Credits Graduate Foundation Core 20 ECU 511 Tools for Academic Inquiry 3 ECU 516 Best Practices for Personalized Learning 4 ECU 521 Academic Inquiry in the Classroom 3 ECU 526 Current Issues in Education 3 ECU 531 Professional Learning Communities 4 ECU 535 Multicultural Perspectives: Increasing Family/Community Engagement and Student Achievement (non-cert only) 3 Master of Education Project 3 ECU 600 Curriculum and Instruction Project 3 Choose one of the following three options MEd in Curriculum and Instruction with Professional Development Specialized Study: Consists of courses taken to equal 26 credits in a specific focus/content area. Coursework may be completed through independent study and/or current course offerings and may be developed for an organizational setting. MEd in Curriculum and Instruction with Pro Teach Take all Core and Project courses plus 20 credits of approved electives. EPC 510 Entry 1: Professional Growth and Contributions 2 EPC 520 Entry 2: Building a Learning Community 2 EPC 530 Entry 3: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment 2 MEd in Curriculum and Instruction with National Board Take all Core and Project courses plus 17 credits of approved electives. EPC 555 Portfolio Entry 1 2 EPC 556 Portfolio Entry 2 2 EPC 557 Portfolio Entry 3 2 EPC 558 Portfolio Entry 4 2 EPC 560 Pre-Assessment Center Seminar 1 Approved Electives ECU 500 Seminars for Increasing Capacity for Professional Development 3 ECU 540 Writing for Reflective Practice 3 ECU 545 Sustaining Student Engagement Through Effective Classroom Management 3 ECU 550 Empowering Student Voice Through Storytelling Strategies 4 ECU 555 Seminars for Increasing Cultural Competence 4 ECU 560 Professional Learning Strategies that Engage the Adult Learner 3 ECU 570 Fundamentals of E-Learning 3 Total Required Credits for MEd 46–49

Source: City University of Seattle. Retrieved from www.cityu.edu/programs/soe/med_curriculum_pro_development.aspx .103 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table 55. Master in Teaching (MIT): Elementary Education, City University of Seattle

Admission is based on a bachelor’s degree. Main academically related requirements include: • Minimum 2.75 GPA in undergraduate coursework • Five quarter credits in each of the following disciplines • English Language Literacy (e.g., Reading, Composition, Communication or Literature) • English Language Literacy (College Composition) • Math (any college-level math) • Math for Elementary Teachers or equivalent • Science (e.g., Life or Physical Science with lab) • Social Studies (e.g., US History, Geography, Economics or Civics) • Passing the Washington Educators Skills Test–Basic (WEST–B) • Successful experience (professional or volunteer) working with children within the last five years The program is designed for those who do not have a teaching certificate. Students choose from the single endorsement option or one of the dual endorsement options. Quarter Course No. Course Credits Core Requirements 39 ETC 502 Health, Fitness, and Safe Living 2 ETC 503 The Arts 2 ETC 585 Special Education and Special Programs 2 ETC 534 Public School and Special Education Law 3 ETC 578 Inquiry Methods in Science and Social Studies 4 ETC 504 Classroom Management 2 ETC 556 Introduction to Schools and Society 1 ETC 501 Human Growth and Development 3 ETC 552 Diversity in Schools and Society 2 ETC 548 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Methods 5 ESP 548 Curriculum Modifications and Adaptation 2 ETC 541 Mathematics: Concepts and Methods 5 ETC 586 Technology Integration in the Classroom 2 ETC 680 Teacher Research I 1 ETC 683 Teacher Research II 1 ETC 686 Teacher Research III 1 ETC 690 Master Project 2 Literacy Block 1 (All Students) 10 ETC 537 Literacy I: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics and Comprehension 3 ETC 547 Literacy II: Vocabulary, Fluency and Comprehension 3 ETC 549 Literacy III: Language Acquisition and Language Arts 4 Internship and Student Teaching (All Students) 13 ETC 610 Internship I 1 ETC 611 Seminar – Internship I 0 ETC 625 Internship II 1 ETC 626 Seminar – Internship II 0 ETC 630 Internship III 2 ETC 631 Seminar – Internship III 0 .104 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Quarter Course No. Course Credits ETC 645 Internship IV 2 ETC 636 Seminar – Internship IV 0 ETC 640 Student Teaching in Elementary Education 7 ETC 641 Seminar – Student Teaching in Elementary Education 0 ETC 650 Performance: Learning Community I 0 ETC 651 Performance: Learning Community II 0 ETC 652 Performance: Learning Community III 0 ETC 660 Performance: Mathematics: Concepts and Methods 0 ETC 661 Performance: Inquiry in Science and Social Studies Methods 0 ETC 662 Performance: Literacy 0 ETC 663 Performance: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Methods 0 ETC 664 Performance: Classroom Management 0 MIT with Elementary Ed Only 62 Take all Core, Literacy Block, and Internship and Student Teaching courses listed above. MIT with Elementary Ed and ELL Emphasis Only 76 Take all Core, Literacy Block, and Internship and Student Teaching courses listed above, plus the following. ESL 541 Linguistics for ELL Teachers 2 ESL 554 Learning Strategies and Assessment for Language Learners 3 ESL 525 ELL Reading Instructional Strategies 3 ESL 526 Writing Strategies for ESL Learners 3 ESL 551 Researching History of Bilingual Education and Advocacy 3 MIT with Elementary Ed and Reading Emphasis Only 68 Take all Core, Literacy Block, and Internship and Student Teaching courses listed above, plus the following. ERL 557 Content Area Literacy Instruction 3 3 ERL 558 Research in Literacy Application 3 3 MIT with Elementary Ed and Special Education Emphasis Only 87 Take all Core, Literacy Block 1 or 2, and Internship and Student Teaching courses, plus the following. ESP 525 Behavior Analysis and Management 3 ESP 529 Fundamentals of the IEP Process 3 ESP 538 Collaboration, Teaming and Transitions 3 ESP 528 Student Assessment and Evaluation 3 ESP 531 Exceptionality in Special Education 4 ESP 535 Low Incidence Disabilities 2 ESP 663 Performance: Fundamentals of the IEP Process 0 ESP 640 Student Teaching in Special Education 7 ESP 641 Seminar – Student Teaching in Special Education 0 Literacy Block 2 ESP 537 Literacy I: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics and Comprehension 3 ESP 547 Literacy II: Vocabulary, Fluency and Comprehension 3 ESP 549 Literacy III: Language Acquisition and Literacy Development 4

Source: City University of Seattle. Retrieved from www.cityu.edu/programs/soe/mit_k8.aspx .105 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix D21. Sixth Year Graduate Certificate in Education Table 56. Sixth Year Graduate Certificate in Educational Administration and Leadership, St. Cloud State University

The program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Minnesota Board of School Administrators. Admission is based on a Master of Science in Educational Administration and Leadership or an acceptable equivalent with a 3.0 or higher GPA. Applicants who have an MS in other disciplines may need to complete additional coursework before admission is granted. Students may choose from three tracks that are competency-based to meet Minnesota state requirements for licensure as: 1. K–12 school principal 2. special education director 3. superintendent of schools Course No. Course Credits Administrative Core Courses – 15 credits suggested EDAD 603 Organizational Theory 3 EDAD 609 Supervision of Special Education 3 EDAD 612 Program and Assessment/Evaluation Techniques 3 EDAD 619 Legal Financial Aspects of Special Education 3 EDAD 622 Legal Aspects of EDAD 3 EDAD 631 Advanced Supervision Techniques 3 EDAD 633 Curriculum Development for School Leaders 3 EDAD 652 Community Relations 3 EDAD 657 Educational Policy 3 Administrative Specialty Courses – 8 credits suggested EDAD 601 Introduction to EDAD 1 EDAD 605 Principal: K–12 3 EDAD 608 Superintendency 3 EDAD 611 Portfolio Review 1 EDAD 613 Administration of Special Education 3 EDAD 616 SPED Program Development for Administrators 3 EDAD 632 Assessment for School Leaders 3 EDAD 646 Auxiliary Functions for School Administrators 3 Field Experience Courses – 4 credits (320 hours) EDAD 507 Field Experience: Director of Community Education 4 EDAD 674 Field Experience: K–12 4 EDAD 676 Field Experience: Special Education Director (200 hours) 4 EDAD 678 Field Experience: Superintendency 4 Elective Courses – 3 credits Select electives in consultation with the graduate advisor Total 30

Source: St. Cloud State University. Retrieved from http://bulletin.stcloudstate.edu/gb/programs/Sixth-YearCertificateProgram-EDAD.asp .106 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix E—Sample Documents Appendix E1. High School Diploma .107 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix E2. Associate of Science Associate of Science degree .108 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Associate of Science transcript .109 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix E3. Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Arts degree .110 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Bachelor of Arts transcript .111 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix E4. Master of Accountancy Master of Accountancy degree .112 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Master of Accountancy transcript .113 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix E5. Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Science in Education Bachelor of Science in Education degree .114 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Master of Science in Education degree .115 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Bachelor of Science in Education transcript .116 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Master of Science in Education transcript .117 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix E6. Graduate Certificate Graduate Certificate .118 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Graduate Certificate transcript (page 1 of 2) .119 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Graduate Certificate transcript (page 2 of 2) .120 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Appendix E7. Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration degree .121 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Master of Business Administration transcript .122 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE for the assessment of education from THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Notes

© 2013 the Crown in right of the Province of Alberta Government of Alberta, International Qualifications Assessment Services (IQAS) ISBN: 978-0-7785-9566-3

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