Academic degrees

Although Britain has a small number of students at universities com­pared with many countries, the number of graduates is large. This is because students are carefully selected and only 10 per cent leave without getting a degree.

At most universities an honours degree is taken in one main subject and one subsidiary, or secondary, subject. A general degree is taken in a variety of subjects, but carries less weight than an honours degree. If students pass their final exam, they get a degree marked first, second or third class. Some universities divide their second class into 2(1) and 2(2). Oxford offers a fourth class.

Few students get first class degrees, so these are a valuable qualifica­tion for a job. Students with any class of degree become Bachelors of Arts or Bachelors of Science, and can put B.A. or B.Sc. after their names.

If they want to go a step further and become Master of Arts or Mas­ter of Science, they have to write an original paper, or thesis, on some subject. Oxford and Cambridge graduates have a rather unfair privilege. They can buy their M.A.s and M.Sc.s for a small sum of money. All they have to do is wait for a few years before applying!

If students wish to become academics and perhaps teach in a univer­sity, then they will work for a higher degree, a Doctor of Philosophy — a Ph.D. For this, they will have to carry out some important research work.

Higher education in the usa

The United States of America has more than 1,500 universities, colleges and other institutions of higher learning.

Almost all institutions of higher learning in the USA use the Ger­man system of designation for academic degrees. Common postgradu­ate degrees are master's degrees or Ph.D.s, or specialized professional degrees such as a J.D. for a lawyer, an MBA for a businessperson, a Pharm. D. for a pharmacist or an M.D. for a physician.

As with the lower level public education system, there is no national public university system in the United States; each state has its own public university system. There are also many privately run colleges, universities, and trade schools, some of them religiously affiliated. State university tuition ranges from nearly free on up, but is generally signifi­cantly lower than at private schools, and is often lower for state resi­dents than for out-of-state students.

The most prestigious private universities of the United States are the eight Ivy League schools. There are also a set of public schools known as the Public Ivies. All around the country, there are also many other colleges and universities, both public and private and of a variety of sizes, whose names carry prestige.

The US government provides some federal grants for higher educa­tion to many families. Most universities offer scholarships and need-based aid; however, many students assume some of the cost of their own education through work and loans.

Note: Ivy Leaque Лига унивеситетов северных штатов, основанная в 1865 г., включает Гарвардский, Ельский, Принстон-ский университеты и другие (ivy — плющ, растение увивающее здания многих университетов)