U.S. Educational Structure & Culture

Most U.S. students have 12 years of elementary (primary) and secondary education before they go to college. This means that they generally start college around age 18. However, unlike many other countries, it is not unusual for students to take one or more years off between secondary school and college. Indeed, it is now extremely common for students to return to the classroom after many years of absence from school--you'll find students aged 40, 50 and older studying with you here at the University.

Another common type of student is the one who is going to college on a part-time basis while working a full-time job. The United States encourages this sort of education, and students often continue taking courses for many years, even if not earning a degree, so that they can gain knowledge they find useful for their jobs or for their own personal satisfaction.

An undergraduate education in the U.S., working toward the bachelor's degree, takes a minimum of 4 years in most cases. In the case of some subjects, such as engineering, it may take 5 or more years. The U.S. educational system prizes what are known as liberal or general studies, and you will take many different types of these general courses during your study here. You may feel that you don't need the mathematics and sciences, humanities, social sciences, etc., but this is a philosophy of American education that you must follow to get your degree.

Graduate education, working toward the master's or doctor's degree, takes 1-2 years for the masters and 3 or more years for the doctorate. These degrees are much more specialized, and students generally take only subjects which pertain directly to the degree they are seeking.

You will find that there is a lot more interaction between faculty and students in the United States than in most other countries. Professors are readily accessible outside the classroom, and you are encouraged, within limits, to challenge the professor's theories. (However, you will probably be better off not to be too bold in challenging faculty members until you are more familiar with the U.S. educational norms and expectations.) You will be expected to think for yourself, develop theories and original ideas that you can justify, and to participate as a member of the class. Students who just sit back, listen, and repeat what the professor says or what is read in a book will not earn good grades. Good grades are earned for your thoughtful responses, not a reiteration of someone else's ideas.

Foreign students generally enjoy academic success within the university. Those from abroad may be somewhat disadvantaged by not having had previous experience with the U.S. educational system, but those who understand how the system works are able to organize their work better. Some suggestions:

q      Learn the informal rules by getting to know other students. Their experiences are valuable in helping you to learn effective study methods and the ways your department functions. Get to know faculty, and do not be afraid to ask questions. Faculty members will be glad to give you guidance. Most information concerning the organization of a course and your professor's expectations is available during the first class meeting. If you miss this class, be sure to obtain all necessary information from your colleagues and from your professor.

q      Evaluate your expectations. Keep in mind that it may take some time for you to perform to the best of your ability in a new environment.

q      Don't overload your schedule. Select courses wisely. Discuss courses with your academic adviser. You may be tempted to enroll for more courses than necessary to accelerate your date of graduation, but this may result in poor grades, particularly in the first year of study. 

q      If you have not done a significant amount of your previous academic work in English, enroll in English as a Second Language courses. Ph.D. students are advised to enroll in a course in dissertation writing.

q      Be open to the values of the system. From past experience in other schools, you may have developed assumptions about the purpose of your education and about the way your area of specialization should be studied. For example, in some countries, excellence is attained by memorizing information; in contrast, many courses here stress synthesis of material from a variety of sources through brief study of works of a large number of scholars.

Academic integrity is also taken very seriously in the United States. You should never copy ideas from another source and present them as your own. If you wish to quote portions of a book or an article, or if you are using another's idea as a part of your own work, you must give proper credit to the original source. There are acceptable ways of doing this in your papers, and your professor is able to explain those to you. At Old Dominion University, all students are expected to abide by the Honor Pledge (which can be found in the Catalog and Student Handbook); a violation of the Honor Pledge may result in suspension from the University.