Higher Education: What does it mean?

Many people are confused about Higher Education, because there have been a lot changes recently, including institutions changing their names and titles.

Also, do you fully understand the letters that often appear alongside courses, such as BA and BSc?? And do you wonder what exams or steps you need to take to go on your education after you graduate from 4-year university?

You can find answers to all questions in this section!

To start with the definition of the term-Higher Education- In fact, There is no simple definition of higher education. The international definition of tertiary (post school) education divides it into two parts. Type A ( Higher Education) and Type B (Further Education). A higher education qualification at degree level takes a minimum of three years to complete, more typically four. It will have a theoretical underpinning, it will be at a level which would qualify someone to work in a professional field and it will usually be taught in an environment which also includes advanced research activity. Shortly, Higher education mainly and generally means university level education. It offers a number of qualifications ranging from Higher National Diplomas and Foundation Degrees to Honors Degrees and as further step, Postgraduate programmes such as Masters Degrees and Doctorates. These are recognized throughout the world as representing specialist expertise supported by a wide range of skills that employers find very useful. Further education is generally includes those post graduate studies in where you can gain your Master and Doctorate degrees..

These degrees mark the highest one can earn, though they are divided into two levels. A master’s degree, for instance, is awarded for a particular course of study beyond the baccalaureate degree. They come in various categories, such as a Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Theology. The amount of time it takes one to earn a master’s degree depends upon the program one is enrolled in, but one should usually expect to study at least for 2 years. The second type of graduate degree, and one considered higher than a master’s degree, is a doctoral degree. These are awarded for a particular course of study beyond the master’s degree. Doctoral degrees can be professional degrees, such as the Doctor of Ministry, or academic degrees, such as the Doctor of Philosophy. Those who earn doctorates often assume the title ‘Doctor.’ The amount of time one must study before earning such a degree varies greatly by field, institution.

Here are the definitions of most frequently used terms related to Higher Education:

Bachelor’s Degree: It is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts three or four years. (Note that some postgraduate degrees are entitled Bachelor of …, e.g. Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University’s Bachelor of Philosophy.

Master’s: It is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. In the UK it is sometimes awarded for an undergraduate course whose final year consists of higher-level courses and a major research project. In the recent standardized European system of higher education diplomas, it corresponds to a two-year graduate program to be entered after three years of undergraduate studies and in preparation for either high-qualification employment or for doctoral studies.

Doctorate: It is an academic degree of the highest level. Traditionally, the award of a doctorate implies recognition of the candidate as an equal by the university faculty under which he or she has studied. There are essentially three types of doctorates: research, first-professional (USA only), and honorary. Research doctorates are nearly always awarded in recognition of academic research that is of a publishable standard (even if not actually published) and represents at least a modest contribution to human knowledge. It is usually assessed by submission and defense of a doctoral thesis or dissertation, though in some cases a coherent body of published literature can be accepted instead. Honorary doctorates are awarded for a substantial contribution to a field but this need not be academic in character.