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| Graduate Study in the United States | Public universities are also called state universities and are normally quite large, with 20,000 or more students enrolled. Private institutions may be different and more specialised in exacting disciplines. Almost all institutions no matter is it public or private charge fees, which can be enormously expensive. Tuition at public institutions is generally considerably lower than at private institutions. A quarter of all colleges and universities are privately run by religious groups, though most of them are open to students of all faiths. There are also numerous private institutions without religious ties.
Students classically spend longer in third level education in the USA and leave the system at an older age. Undergraduate courses propose more of a general education, with specialisation at graduate level. The academic year consists of two semesters – September to December and January to May.
The USA colleges and universities work with significant independence. The US Government does not authorize qualifications and there is no one agreed nationwide standard for accreditation. This means that universities can differ widely in standard and in the worth of the qualifications that they propose – so prospective students should research their chosen institution carefully. Professional accreditation exists in fields where there are professional bodies such as Law, Medicine, Business and Engineering. Universities at which courses are professionally accredited are recommended.
MBA (Master of Business Administration) programs are the most popular graduate qualification in the US. Competition for places on the most prestigious courses is fierce. Every MBA is dissimilar but most programs propose a combination of business administration theory and practical abilities. They can also present place of work experience. It typically takes six years to reach MBA level at an American university, but international students can transfer in at a mid-level, dependent on their level of experience and qualifications.
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