Question about academic "degree"

[The_Fire]

Recently I discovered that one of my diplomas said something about "undergraduate courses".
I was wondering if one of the Americans on this board would mind explaining about this as I have some doubts about the "University level" my English-Danish dictionary claims........

Exactly WHERE on the educational ladder is "Undergraduate Level Classes" placed and are they to be taken seriously?

ETA: Taken seriously as in "I've got bragging rights!"

 

[fuelair]

Normally they are the courses you take to get your Bachelors degree. Once you get your Bachelors. you have graduated and you normally then would take graduate courses in preparation for your Masters degree (pre-Doctoral if you are in a field where a Masters is essentially useless). After your Doctorate you would take Post- Doctoral courses.

Since they are mostly required (some are electives) I would say they are, by default, to be taken seriously - until you have all your degrees/diplomas.

But, normally you would be more likely to brag about beating the really difficult Professor on a point in your dissertation.

 

[drkitten]

Exactly WHERE on the educational ladder is "Undergraduate Level Classes" placed and are they to be taken seriously?

ETA: Taken seriously as in "I've got bragging rights!"

Undergraduate = post-secondary, pre-baccalaureate education. Also known as "Tertiary education."

Post-bacalaureat education is usually known as "graduate," "post-graduate," or rarely "postbac."

Post-doctoral education is usually referred to as "post-doc."

And, of course, secondary education is A-level, O-level, "high school, " et ceter

As to how seriously to take it, that depends upon the context and the school. If someone claimed to have undergraduate classes in mathematics from Oxford, MIT, or Harvard, I would be inclined to believe that they knew how to do algebra and calculus properly. I wouldn't believe them to be research-quality mathematicians. An "undergraduate class" from the "Community College of Former Poly" doesn't mean nearly as much.

 

[The_Fire]

Thanks.
I guess I now have to figure out what the ranking of the European Film College is as I never got a Bachelors........

 

[Sir Robin Goodfellow]

Just had to comment on the tags. Is that Gaelic?

 

[Beady]

Thanks.
I guess I now have to figure out what the ranking of the European Film College is as I never got a Bachelors........

There are professional outfits who analyze transcripts, job experience and such, and come up with a degree equivalency. Or, if you enroll at another college, they will automatically analyze your completed coursework to see how far you are towards graduating from their own institution.

 

[Jimbo07]

There was some discussion when Prince Willie got his 'Masters' degree.

CBC said it's about equivalent to a Bachelor's, here.

We likes our Princes edumacated.

I do know that when degreed professionals come to Canada, they're usually required to jump through more hoops to demonstrate their competence. Whether this is appropriate or not, I don't know.

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

Post-bacalaureat education is usually known as "graduate," "post-graduate," or rarely "postbac."

At least so far as Financial Aid offices are concerned, "postbac" refers exclusively to classes taken after attaining a Bachelor's degree that do not apply towards a post-graduate degree. The distinction is necessary because Uncle Sam will not (typically) pay for you to take undergraduate courses once you have your degree.

 

[Beady]

The distinction is necessary because Uncle Sam will not (typically) pay for you to take undergraduate courses once you have your degree.

However, colleges usually allow their alumni to take, say, one free undergrad course per semester.

 

[Beady]

I do know that when degreed professionals come to Canada, they're usually required to jump through more hoops to demonstrate their competence. Whether this is appropriate or not, I don't know.

Depends on the country; India has the most complicated educational setup I've run across. There, you can get either a three- or four-year bachelors; a three-year bachelors in one specialty plus a one-year masters in another can equal an American bachelors in the second. However, India also has an extensive system of commercial institutions that give their own degrees and certificates, but the quality of the courses is almost completely unregulated.

 

[Spindrift]

However, colleges usually allow their alumni to take, say, one free undergrad course per semester.

In America? What schools do that?

 

[Beady]

In America? What schools do that?

The two I graduated from do that (Associate and Bachelor).

 

[Michael Redman]

To convert European degrees to American degrees, multiply by 1.8, then add 32.

 

[alock]

Undergraduate = post-secondary, pre-baccalaureate education. Also known as "Tertiary education."
...
And, of course, secondary education is A-level, O-level, "high school, " et ceter

I think this is true for the more traditional schools where A-level's are done at the same school as O-level's. I would say more like this:

Secondary education (pupil): Compulsory GCSE's at 16

Further education (???student): A levels, BTEC type certificates at 18 either in a high-school extension to the secondary school or in a separate tertiary college.

Higher education (undergraduate student): Bachelors degree normally at 21 taken at a university. Composed of many undergraduate courses.

Masters education (post-graduate student): Masters degree normally taken at 22. Composed of several post-graduate courses.

Doctorate (post-graduate student): PHD normally takes about 3-5 years with or without masters degree. Might consist of post-graduate courses but will mainly envolve a thesis or similar.