中国大学MOOC: Task: Read the passage organized in the point-by-point format and answer the questions.UK vs. USA Education SystemAccording to the world university rankings compiled by the Times Higher Education, more than half of the world’s top 200 universities are located in either the US or the UK. Both countries share a rich tradition of quality higher education, excellent research facilities, and a culture that promotes intellectualism as well as academic freedom. However, while both certainly provide an excellent environment for learning, there are many differences between the two countries regarding the structure of the university as well as student life. In this article, we will explore the primary differences between the American and British systems of education.Length of TimePerhaps the most important difference between the education system in the US, and the UK, is the amount of time it takes to finish your degree (except in Scotland, where a bachelor’s degree also lasts four years). In general, degree programs in the US take about one year longer than programs in the UK, although this varies depending upon whether you receive a Master’s degree prior to a PhD. In both systems, you can go directly to a PhD program out of your undergraduate program, but in the UK it is more common to complete a Master’s degree program before moving on to a PhD. Courses of study are shorter in the UK because the course programs are generally much more focused than in the US.Academic TermMost universities in the US begin their terms in mid to late August, although smaller liberal arts colleges may start later. Most take a rather lengthy break beginning in mid-December and begin the second semester in early to mid-January. However, universities that are on different calendars, such as a trimester or quarter-based system, may begin their winter break at the Thanksgiving holiday, which falls at the end of November. The academic term in the UK is a bit more varied. While most also use the semester system, the trimester and quarter systems are used in some universities. Many schools start in September or October and end in May or June, making for a slightly longer academic year. However, the academic term is less standardized throughout the United Kingdom; if you choose to study there, your university might use a much different calendar.University OrganizationMany universities in the UK are made up of “colleges” which are dedicated to a specific subject matter. While the colleges are still governed by the university, each college has quite a lot of autonomy from each other as well as the university itself. You live with others in your college, eat with others from your college, and generally stay within your college for the duration of your studies. Rather than applying to the central university admissions department, like you do in the US, you either apply directly to the college of the subject you want to study, or in the case of undergraduate programs, you apply through a centralized system which allows you to apply to several colleges at once. This system is called the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, or UCAS. This means that you have to know what you want to study before you even apply.By contrast, in the US, you apply to the larger university and for the first year or more, you take courses from a variety of fields and only declare a major at the end of the first year or perhaps even during the second year. American universities have different “schools,” or departments, such as the School of Arts and Sciences, which houses a number of related majors. However, even after you declare a major at an American university, you are still expected to take classes outside of that field, known as “electives.” For this reason, we can say that the general emphasis of higher education in the US is breadth, or getting a range of knowledge from a variety of different subjects. In the UK, the emphasis is more on depth; getting a very thorough understanding of your chosen subject.Homework and GradesBecause the US system emphasizes breadth, courses require weekly or even biweekly readings as well as other assignments such as small writing projects, major research papers, and oral presentations throughout the course. In the UK, most schools are much more lecture-based, with only occasional assignments throughout the semester. In some cases, there may be no actual required assignments and instead your entire grade may be based on one final exam. In the US, your grade will be based on your performance on the variety of assignments, with a final exam making up only a percentage of your total grade.CostThe cost of education in both countries is far from cheap, but the cost of an education in the United States is generally higher. According to a law passed in 2012, universities in England may charge up to £9000 (approximately $14,300) per year. Of course, this applies only to citizens of the UK and the EU, not international students. Fees for international students can be significantly higher. The government sets the limits for tuition fees, and each individual school sets its own fee up to that limit.By contrast, the government has very little control over what universities charge in the United States. The US differentiates between in-state tuition fees and out-of-state tuition fees, as well as between private and public universities. These distinctions determine the tuition fee. The average tuition fee for public two-year institutions is around $3000 per year, while the average fee for private four-year institutions is around $29,000 per year. Finally, some private four-year institutions can cost up to $50,000 per year. In order to help students cover the cost of tuition in both countries, loans are available through the government with favorable terms and interest rates. AccommodationBoth countries provide students with residence halls in which to live. They are roughly equivalent, although in the UK it is more normal to have a bedroom by yourself, whereas in the US, you may very well share a bedroom with at least one other person. However, after the first year, students in the US may have additional housing options available to them, such as private housing or off-campus housing. It is also more common for dormitories to be self-catered in the UK, while the US normally provides a range of full dining options for its students. One potentially significant difference is that maid service is common in the residence halls in the UK, although students pay a nominal fee for this service.ConclusionWhile both countries provide a great education, each system approaches education slightly differently, and there are advantages and disadvantages to each. If you are considering getting your education in either the US or the UK, you should take into consideration the various differences mentioned in this article, especially the amount of time it takes to finish the degree, the tuition fees and whether you prefer more depth or more breadth in your degree program.Questions:1. In general, how is the length of time of degree programs in the US different from that in the UK?
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- American higher education has four major features, which make it attractive to both ________ and foreign students. These features are size, ________, __________, and accessibility. Today, there are _____________________ institutions of higher education in the US, some of which have dozens of ____________ and hundreds of thousands of _____________. Higher education has become one of the biggest ______________ in the US, employing _________________ people. American higher education is diverse in several ways. The system consists of both prestigious private universities (e.g. ____________________ and publicly funded _________________, both huge ___________________ and small private institutions. They are highly diverse in the number of foreign students, faculties, visiting scholars, female students, and students and faculty from ______________. American higher education is also unique in offering a wide variety of ___________________________. It is ____________-centered and consumer-oriented. The variety of programs and courses contributes to the _______________ of the American system. Undergraduates usually do not have to ____________ in the first year of their study. Most academic programs include ___________________, which students can take outside their main field of study. American higher education is also characterized by its accessibility. Americans believe everybody should have a right to ___________________. A large portion of young people can pursue _______________ studies. Moreover, an increasing number of older people are attending colleges and universities for additional training or for preparing for ___________________. Even a large number of ______________ enroll in noncredit college courses.
- Suppose that your tuition to attend college is $10,000 per year and you spend $4,000 per year on room and board. If you were working full time instead of attending college, you could earn $20,000 per year. What is your opportunity cost of attending college for one year?
- Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. A) In the last decade, mainland Chinese students have reshaped the international student body at US colleges and universities, notably at Ivy League institutions. In the 2009-2010 academic year, China surpassed traditional "study abroad" heavyweights like Canada, India and South Korea, to lead international enrollment across US higher education, according to the Institute of International Education. The US-based institute's most recent figures reveal that mainland Chinese students increased 23% to more than 723,000 in the 2010-2011 academic year. B) While Chinese students traditionally went abroad when they failed to secure a place at a top-tier local university, the best students are now forgoing(放弃) famous Chinese universities to study in the United States. Many of them are seeking a higher quality of education that will train them to become independent and creative. And they believe the world's top-ranked universities are in the United States. While China's economic reforms and "opening-up" that began in 1978 gave rise to the first major generation of students who were generally reliant on scholarships to study in the United States, its rapid economic growth in the mid-1990s has made a distinctive second generation of overseas Chinese students emerge. This new generation comprises much more affluent students. Many of them don't rely on scholarships anymore. This is one of the reasons why there is such a great increase in this population. C)The factors driving mainland Chinese to study in the United States come into play much earlier. Starting around 2005, an influx(流入) of foreign Chinese students came into private US secondary schools. Many Chinese parents send their children to private US high schools as a strategic decision to strengthen their candidacy for elite(精英) US universities. A growing number also want their children to lead happier lives rather than have them consumed by preparing for the "gaokao" in China---the one-time, high-stakes national university entrance examination that is the sole determinant of admission. However, while US boarding schools desire Chinese students both for their dollars and diversity, they typically admit four to five students of any foreign nationality per grade level, with international students comprising up to 20% of the overall student body. With about 100 students for each of the four grade levels, this means admitting a maximum of 20 mainland Chinese, or five percent of the student body. D) By virtue of their size, US universities can accept a much higher number of Chinese students than boarding schools. Since 1999, China was the second leading place of origin for international students at Harvard, trailing only Canada. Its student numbers steadily increased to lead Harvard's international enrollment since the last academic year, with 686 students currently enrolled (nearly 16% of the international student body). China similarly dominates international enrollment at other Ivy League schools, including Yale and Princeton. International students are seen very favorably as a whole, as a way to diversify and really become a global institution. Also economically ---it's very advantageous for elite schools to admit international students because the bulk of them can pay full tuition. As such, there is "a lot of favoritism" toward such students, as financial aid budgets have been cut over the last decade. E) But while mainland Chinese students dominate international enrollment, they comprise a small fraction of the overall student body. This is even more the case at the undergraduate level, as most international students are graduates. According to Harvard spokesperson Kevin Galvin, Harvard has "no quotas or limits for international students. All students are considered in the same pool for all places in the incoming class, regardless of citizenship or the school they attend. " While there is no evidence of undergraduate quotas for international students in Harvard, it is standard practice for top-ranked schools to assess them as a separate pool rather than with the entire pool of applicants. Some US colleges and universities, however, state clearly that they aim to recruit an undergraduate group with around 10% international students. F) As US campuses cannot fully support the demand from China, some educators have seen an opportunity in bringing international education to China, beginning at the secondary level. The trend can already be seen in US universities establishing local degree-granting branches. Next September, New York University will welcome its first undergraduate cohort(一批人) at its new Shanghai campus. Instead of sending Chinese students to secondary schools in America or other foreign countries, these people want to bring international curriculum into China so they don't need to travel outside the country. They help local high schools incorporate international systems, such as the International Baccalaureate and A-Levels, alongside Chinese curriculum. Students at these "Chinese versions of international schools" are typically Chinese nationals, who are restricted by government policy from attending full-fledged(完备的) international schools, which cater to expatriates(侨民). ______1.Some American universities have already established local degree-granting branches in China. ______2.Though Chinese students lead international enrollment in many schools, they make up a small percentage of the overall student population. ______3.Many Chinese students start their study in America early at boarding schools. ______4.The number of mainland Chinese students in American colleges and universities has increased greatly in recent years, especially at Ivy League schools. ______5.American universities recruit international students as a way to diversify and improve their financial situation. ______6.American boarding schools usually admit a very limited number of Chinese students. ______7.Since the last academic year, China has become the leading place of origin for international students at Harvard. ______8.Many top students choose to go to American universities rather than attend the famous universities in China. ______9.Since US schools cannot fully satisfy the demand from China, educators now work to bring international education to China. ______10.Unlike the first generation of Chinese students in America, the new generation includes the best students and many of them do not need to rely on scholarships.
- 中国大学MOOC: How many courses per semester a student should choose to study in an UK or an US university?
- Why a Liberal Arts Education? A liberal arts education provides with many benefits as well as a ____ education. When it comes to business, a liberal arts student should have just ____ a chance as a market-oriented student does. A liberal arts education is regarded as being a _____ education in which students study many different subjects to gain a better working knowledge, rather than focusing on one specific area. By having the chance to take ____ classes, you can definitely find a career choice that you would like to further explore. As you can obtain experience in many different areas from a liberal arts education, you will never have to be ___ one specific career that you are probably fed up with just because that was the career that you went to college for. Moreover, with a liberal arts education, you would had ____ if you had entered into a career field and found out that it wasn’t exactly what you had in mind.