This is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.
This week, we start a series of reports about how people from
foreign countries can attend a college or university in the
United States. Copies of these reports can be found on the Special
English Web site at w-w-w dot voa specialenglish dot com.
Experts say you must plan early if you want to study in the
United States. They say to begin at least two years before you
want to start your studies.
The first step is to visit an American educational advising
center. There are more than four-hundred such offices around
the world. You can find the one closest to your home by using
a computer. Go to this Education Report on the Special English
Web site and click on the link to the State Department Education
Foreign Student Web page.
Or ask the Public Affairs Office at the United States Embassy
in your country to tell you where the nearest American educational
advising center is. Educational advising centers have information
about American colleges. They have computers so you can do a
search to find the best school for you.
Colleges and universities in the United States offer different
kinds of degrees that require one or more years of study. For
example, some schools offer certificate programs. These programs
offer one year of training in subjects like office work, computer
programming or car repair.
You may also choose a two-year junior college or community
college. Such programs lead to an associate degree. For example,
some two-year programs prepare students for skilled jobs in
electronics. Studying at a community college costs much less
than at a four-year college. Many colleges and universities
accept community college work as the first two years toward
a four-year bachelor¡¯s degree. To get a bachelor¡¯s
degree, you study general subjects like English, history, mathematics,
and science during the first two years. During the last two
years you take classes in your major area of study.
If you already have a college degree, you may want to get an
advanced degree at an American graduate school. A master¡¯s
degree usually takes two or three more years of full-time study
in one subject. You must attend graduate school if you want
to be a college professor, medical doctor or lawyer. These special
degree programs require between three and six years of additional
study.
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This V-O-A Special English Education Report
was written by Nancy Steinbach, courtesy of VOAnews.com
