Higher education
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The University of Cambridge is an institute of higher learning. |
Higher education is
education provided by
universities,
vocational universities (
community colleges,
liberal arts colleges, and
technical colleges, etc.) and other collegial institutions that award
academic degrees, such as
career colleges.
Post-secondary or
tertiary education, also referred to as
third-stage,
third level education, or
higher education, is the non-compulsory educational level following the completion of a school providing a
secondary education, such as a
high school,
secondary school, or
gymnasium. Tertiary education is normally taken to include
undergraduate and
postgraduate education, as well as
vocational education and training.
Colleges and
universities are the main institutions that provide tertiary education (sometimes known collectively as tertiary institutions). Examples of institutions that provide post-secondary education are vocational schools,
community colleges and
universities in the
United States, the
TAFEs in
Australia,
CEGEPs in
Quebec (Canada) and the
IEKs in
Greece. They are sometimes known collectively as tertiary institutions. Tertiary education generally results in the receipt of
certificates,
diplomas,or
academic degrees.
Higher education includes teaching, research and social services activities of universities, and within the realm of teaching, it includes both the
undergraduate level (sometimes referred to as
tertiary education) and the
graduate (or
postgraduate) level (sometimes referred to as
graduate school). In the
United Kingdom post-secondary education below the level of higher education is referred to as
further education. Higher education in that country generally involves work towards a degree-level or
foundation degree qualification.
In most developed countries a high proportion of the population (up to 50%) now enter higher education at some time in their lives. Higher education is therefore very important to national
economies, both as a significant industry in its own right, and as a source of trained and educated personnel for the rest of the economy.
There can be disagreement about what precisely constitutes post-secondary or tertiary education: "It is not always clear, though, what tertiary education includes. Is it only that which results in a formal qualification or might it include leisure classes? In the UK, are A-levels tertiary education as they are post-compulsory but taught in school settings as well as colleges? Is professional updating or on-the-job training part of tertiary education, even if it does not follow successful completion of secondary education?"
[Analytic Quality Glossary]There are two types of higher education, the higher general education and the higher vocational education.
=
Higher general education =
Higher general education and training generally takes place in a
university. Such education is based on theoretical expertise. Higher general education might be contrasted with higher vocational education, which concentrate on both
practice and
theory. A
university is an institution of
higher education and
research, which grants
degrees like
Bachelor's degree,
Master's degree and
doctorates) in a variety of subjects. However, most
professional education is included within higher education, and many
postgraduate qualifications are strongly vocationally or professionally oriented, for example in
disciplines such as
law and
medicine.
Academic disciplines that may be considered to be sciences include:
*
Mathematics*
Physics*
Natural science*
Music (Theory)
Academic disciplines that may be considered to be arts include:
*
theology*
Humanities*
social science*
Law*
Economics=
Higher vocational education =
Higher vocational education and training takes place at the non-university tertiary level. Such education combines teaching of both practical skills and theoretical expertise. Higher education differs from other forms of post-secondary education such as that offered by institutions of
vocational education, which are more colloquially known as
trade schools. Higher vocational education might be contrasted with education in a usually broader
scientific field, which might concentrate on
theory and abstract
conceptual knowledge. A
Vocational university is an institution of
higher education and sometime
research, which grants
Professional degrees like
Professional Bachelor's degree,
Professional Master's degree and
Professional doctorates) in a variety of subjects.
There is vocational universities in
Applied sciences and
Applied artsApplied science is the exact science of applying knowledge from one or more natural scientific fields to practical problems. Many applied sciences can be considered forms of engineering.
Academic disciplines that may be considered to be applied sciences include:
*
agriculture*
architecture*
education*
engineering*family and consumer science
*
forestry*forensics
*
health sciences*
library and information science*
medicine*
pharmaceuticals*
military science There are also applied branches of most other sciences.
Performing arts
The
performing arts differ from the
plastic arts or visual arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some
art object.
Performing arts include:
*
Music (Performance) See
Higher education in music.
*
Opera*
Theatre See
Higher education in theatre.
*
Film *
Dance*
Circus artsPlastic or visual arts
The
plastic arts or
visual arts are a class of
art forms, that involve the use of materials that can be moulded or modulated in some way, often in three dimensions. Examples are clay, paint and plaster. Arts that can be said to be Plastic Arts are therefore Painting, Sculpture, Drawing, etc.
The plastic arts may refer to:
*
Fine arts (
painting,
sculpture,
photography)
*
Architecture*
Ceramics*
Land art*
Metalworking*
Paper art*
Textile art*
Woodworking*
film=Working in higher education=
Universities are fairly large employers. Depending on the funding, a university typically has a teacher per 3-20 students. According to the ideal of research-university, the university teaching staff is actively involved in the research of the institution. In addition, the university usually also has dedicated research staff and a considerable support staff. Typically to work in higher education as a member of the academic
faculty, one must first obtain a doctorate in an academic field, although some lower teaching positions require only master's degree. Member of the staff or
administration usually have education that is necessary for the fulfilment of their duties. Depending on the university, the main administration is more or less centralized. Typically most of the administrative staff works in different administrative sections, such as
Student Affairs. In addition, there may be central support units, such as a university
library which have a dedicated staff.
The professional field involving the collection, analysis, and reporting of higher education data is called
institutional research. Professionals in this field can be found, in addition to universities, in e.g. state educational departments.
*
Higher Education in Bangladesh*
Universities and colleges in India *
British universities*
Dutch universities*
French universities*
Italian universities*
Spanish universitiesOn September 15, 2005 the
Federal Bureau of Investigation created the National Security Higher Education Advisory Board. The board will "provide advice on the culture of higher education." The details of how involved the FBI will be involved on campus is left ambiguous. The board will help develop research, degree programs, course work, internships, opportunities for graduates, and consulting opportunities for faculty relating to national security. Graham Spanier, President of Pennsylvania State University, will chair the Board. Universities involved: Johns Hopkins University, University of California Los Angeles, Carnegie Mellon University, University of California, San Diego, Texas A&M University, Iowa State University, University of Pennsylvania, West Virginia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University, University of Florida, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin, and University of Washington. Source: http://www.researchfor.com
=Notes=
=See also=
United Kingdom: further education,
foundation degree*
Adult education*
Community college*
Education by country*
Further education*
Lifelong learningFor the examination in Scotland, see
Higher (Scottish)Art schoolNational Association of Schools of Art and DesignEducational policies of the European UnionLiberal artsList of academic disciplinesList of education topicsGlossary of education-related terms= Further reading =
;Higher education in the United States
* Davies, Antony and Thomas W. Cline (2005).
The ROI on the MBA, BizEd.
* El-Khawas, E. (1996).
Campus trends. Washington, DC.: American Council on Education.
* Ewell, P.T. (1999). Assessment of higher education and quality: Promise and politics. In S.J. Messick (Ed.),
Assessment in higher education: Issues of access, quality, student development, and public policy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
* Finn, C. E. (1988, Jul.-Aug.). Judgment time for higher education: In the court of public opinion.
Change, 20(4), 34-39.
* Green, Madeleine, F., ed. 1988.
Leaders for a New Era: Strategies for Higher Education. New York: Macmillan.
* Snyder, Benson R. (1970).
The Hidden Curriculum. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
* Veblen, Thorstein (1918).
The Higher Learning in America: A Memorandum on the Conduct of Universities by Businessmen. New York: Huebsch
* Forest, James and Kevin Kinser (2002). Higher Education in the United States: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.
* Douglass, John A. and Todd Greenspan, eds.
History of the California Master Plan for Higher Education.";Higher education in Canada and other Countries
* Bakvis, Herman and
David M. Cameron (2000),
"Post-secondary education and the SUFA". IRPP.
*
A higher education discussion forum *
Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges in Europe*
VidyaSoochika - Higher Education Opportunities *
Higher Education Resource Hub*
Encyclopedia of Higher Education in the United States*
How Minority Students Finance Their Higher Education*
Ensuring Quality and Productivity in Higher Education*
Writings on Higher Education Practice from the National University of Singapore*
Reform Initiatives in Higher Education*
Budgeting for Higher Education at the State Level: Enigma, Paradox, and Ritual*
Blue Ribbon Commissions and Higher Education*
Part Time MBA - Balancing Life, Work and School - Article *
American Council on Education*
Higher Education Research Institute*
Association for the Study of Higher Education*
Information about Erasmus/Internship in Europe
