USA - The Education System

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE Education in the United States of America is different in form and content from what we have in India.

School education
School education in USA is for 12 years. American children begin schooling at the age of three or four years and till the age of five years most children attend kindergarten. Elementary school begins at the age of 6 years. Schools follow two patterns : (a) elementary grades go upto class four followed by middle school for 3 years and then comes senior school from grade 9 to 12, (b) in another system elementary grades extend upto grade 6 followed by a combined Junior and Senior High School, i.e., from grade 7 to grade 12. With a secondary school (`high school') diploma or certificate, a student can enter college, university, vocational (job training) school, secretarial school and other professional schools. Some secondary level programs of other countries are recognized as being higher than USA secondary program.
Schools in USA are managed both privately and by the State; in fact the public school system is run by the State Government which controls almost 80% of the country's elementary and high schools. The rest are private schools run by religious organizations or private groups. Public schools in USA are supported mainly by taxation. Private schools get their operating funds chiefly from tuition and contribution of private citizens.

Higher education
Undergraduate Education - Bachelor's degree in USA usually takes 4 years of study. There are Community/junior colleges or technical/vocational training institutions that grant a diploma or certificate which can not be equated with college degrees. Community and junior colleges offer academic and non academic subjects in 2-year programs granting associate degrees in Science or Art. The non academic associate degrees are for immediate employment and can not be transferred as a credit for a 4-year college degree course, where as academic transfer associate degree programs do allow students to transfer to degree courses at a university.

Graduate Education takes 2 years and requires 16 years of education for entry.

University and colleges - University education begins at 18 years after secondary education for undergraduate study. In higher education universities have autonomy to design their programs, curriculum and standards for admission. There is no `national university' or federal education ministry. Legal authority for the governance of most USA higher educational institutions rests with a Board of trustees who are honorary appointees. They generally delegate the day-to-day management to the administrative staff and faculty particularly for curriculum development, instruction and research. Every college or university - whether in a large city or in a smaller community - has a campus on a land which it owns. On this campus are located libraries, classrooms, laboratories, administrative and service buildings, hostels with dormitories, apartments, canteens and staff quarters. Facilities for sports and games, entertainment, e.g., club houses, theatre, student centre, etc. There is generally also an infirmary or hospital and a bookstore along with other special facilities a campus may provide.
A unique characteristic of a USA university campus is that it is a physically and socially unified community within a larger community. This has had a profound influence on the development of an individual's personality. Campus living encourages a close association among the students and the faculty. Many students find this association informal, friendly and supportive.
Generally the administrative organization of any university depends upon the number and size of schools or colleges on a campus. Many universities offer programs of professional preparation and hence have separate schools or colleges such as college of engineering, school of law, school of medicine. Each school has a chief executive officer known as `Dean'. Schools have departments and administrative sub-divisions, e.g., department of computer engineering, department of mathematics, economics and the like. Many universities have a general program called `liberal' program which is a separate school and has departments of subjects such as philosophy, mathematics, history, psychology, etc. The executive officer of each department is addressed as `chairperson' or `head'.

Objectives of higher education - The special objectives which higher education institutions hope to achieve are theoretically and even practically similar to ours in India. They aim to equip students with the necessary skills to take their places in a highly demanding, complex and multifaceted society. The courses have been designed for developing critical and practical skills for being useful contributors to society. They believe in placing greater emphasis on experiential learning through observation and measurement. Hence any student who plans to study in USA must be sure not to expect a directive `spoon feeding' approach in teaching but an approach which demands active participation and a self-steering attitude.

Academic year - The academic year is usually divided into two semesters: Fall is the August beginning semester and spring is the January beginning semester. All universities accept students in the fall semester. Only a few admit foreign students in the spring or January session.
The academic year is roughly 32 weeks long and sessions may begin from last week of August or during September. Each session is divided into academic terms or semesters. A two semester calendar seems to be the most popular option, each semester being of 16 weeks duration. The quarter system has 3 terms in an academic year each of about 10 weeks duration. There is a rare chance for a university to offer a trimester calendar for undergraduate study. In this system the whole calendar year is divided into three equal terms of 12 weeks duration. A few holiday periods range from one week to a month. Most universities have summer programs which last for the vacation period of 6-10 weeks. Many foreign students use this vacation time for planned study to complete a four year course in 3 years.

UK - School Education System

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE:

UK has a long and rich tradition of offering opportunity for study to International students. British education is internationally renowned for academic excellence, innovation, curriculum development and quality assurance.

UK has 2 distinct systems of courses and qualifications: One for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and one for Scotland. These are all compatible systems.

School Education:

School Education in the UK is compulsory for all between ages 5-16, and is imparted in 2 kinds of schools: State funded schools and independent (fee charging) schools.

Primary School education begins compulsorily at the age of five and continues to age eleven. It extends till age 12 in Scotland and few areas of England.

State system: Most children take their primary and secondary education entirely within the State (maintained) system. In England and Wales, the responsibility is given by the Department for Education (DFE) to about 100 Local Education Authorities (LEAs). The State education system provides compulsory schooling from age 6-16 years after which the school leaving exam is taken. State schools funded by the government offer free education. Inspection of schools is a regular feature.

Private sector: There are currently approximately 2,500 non-maintained schools in England, Scotland and Wales providing education to about 7.4 per cent of the total school population. They follow the norms laid for state run schools. The better known of the private schools are also called `public schools'. Most private schools have a selective entry based on academic ability and they conduct classes which are more traditionally organized than those in the maintained sector. The proportion of boarding schools in the private sector (40 percent of the total) is very much higher than in the maintained sector.

Pre-School Education - Preschool education is available in both private (independent) and the state run schools. Children can enter at age 3-4.

Primary School - Most children enter the state run schools at the age of 5 years and go to secondary schools at age eleven. Independent schools admit students at age five and children stay on till age thirteen- Many international students enter at age seven and then transfer to secondary schools.

Secondary Education - All U.K. secondary schools, both state and independent, teach pupils up to age 16 years and prepare them for GCSE or equivalent qualification.

School qualifying exams

GCE O level - In 1988 a major change took place in the British school education system. GCE O-level was replaced by a new examination - the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). GCSE is taken by students from a broader ability range than the GCE-O level and the examination places more emphasis on practical and oral work. Students are judged on the work they have done during the course, as well as the final examination. Although GCSE replaces O-Level in Britain, the A-level structure in British schools remains unchanged.

Post sixteen education

GCE examinations A and AS levels - Student complete compulsory education generally at 16 years and prepare for A levels or equivalent qualification in schools, sixth form colleges or colleges of further education. `A' levels prepares students for higher education.

Students can opt for Advanced Supplementary (AS) levels for higher proficiency levels. They take one or more `AS' levels subject to supplement or substitute an `A' level subject. Vocational courses are also offered at the secondary school stage.

National curriculum - The national curriculum is comprised of core subjects - English, Mathematics and Science and foundation subjects - History, Geography, Technology, Foreign language, Art, Physical Education and Music. Students have to study all these 7 foundation subjects. In Wales students also study Welsh.

In Scotland students study English, Maths, Science, a Modern European Language, Social Studies, Technological Activities, Art, Music or Drama, Religious Education, Physical Education.

In Northern Ireland, students study English, Science and Technology, Mathematics, Society and Environment, Foreign Languages and Creative Studies. The evaluation is at the age of 8, 11, 14 and 16.

Post eighteen education

Secondary education (A levels) usually gets completed by age 18. Students then go for Higher education/further education colleges (for career based courses & some degrees) or in higher education colleges for degree program.

Higher education

Britain has almost 100,000 international students entering schools and higher education institutions every year and is one of the most popular destinations for Indian students. Britain certainly has something glorious and rich about its higher education institutions which attract International students. This tradition, so to say, was set during the 13th and 15th centuries by renowned universities at Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow and Aberdeen. It was in 1960 that a very large number of universities were added to the already existing ones mainly in large cities, e.g., at London, Manchester, Leeds etc. The period between 1960 and 1993 saw no further expansion and what became popular during that time is what could be termed as a `binary' system of education. Polytechnics and universities existed side by side and degrees were granted by polytechnics as well as by universities. This seemed to be an inappropriate structure for higher education and called for reform. British higher education system has hence undergone many changes. The merger of the old universities admission system with that of the old polytechnics has created the new Universities and College Admission Systems (UCAS).

Since 1992 the Higher and Further Education Act has given the right to polytechnics to call themselves universities. In 1993 thirty universities were established. Some of these were polytechnics conducting technical and vocational courses and some non-technical courses. University status was expected to give all courses more value.

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE IN SCOTLAND

Scotland has 2,293 publicly funded primary schools, 389 publicly funded secondary schools in membership of the Scottish Independent Schools Council, 47 further education colleges, 21 institutes of higher education in membership of Universities Scotland and 80 independent schools, numerous training providers and private language schools. Scottish education offers flexibility and breadth of study, and there is a wide range of qualifications at different levels and many different subject from which to choose.

The main organizations involved in Scottish education and training are: the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive which has advisory responsibilities.

After seven years of primary education and four years of compulsory secondary education, students aged 15 to 16 may take the Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE). The Scottish Certificate of Education is recognized throughout Britain as the equivalent to GCE A-levels and is usually the entry qualification for university

Scottish enterprise and Highlands and Islands enterprise:

These statutory organizations are responsible for safeguarding employment, enhancing the skills of the work force, promoting Scotland's industrial efficiency and international competitiveness, and improving the environment.

A regional network of local enterprise companies is responsible for business development, administering government-funded training programs, and attracting investment to Scotland. Local enterprise companies work with colleges and higher education institutes to deliver the training and retaining schemes which are part of their economic strategies.

Local government

There are thirty-two local authorities in Scotland and they are responsible for funding and implementing nursery, primary and secondary schooling within their areas. In Scotland, all schools are subject to regular inspection.

The Scottish qualifications authority (SQA)

The SQA is the single national body in Scotland responsible for development, accreditation, assessment, and certification of qualifications other than degrees and professional qualifications. It is also responsible for providing advice as required to the Scottish Executive on Scottish qualifications, and the education, training and assessment which contributes to the achievement of qualifications.

Full information on all the SQA qualifications can be obtained via the SQA web site at www.sqa.org.uk or by contacting: The Scottish Qualifications Authority, Help desk, Hanover House, 24 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 7NQ, e-mail: helpdesk@sqa.org.uk

The Scottish council of independent schools (SCIS)

The SCIS represents over ninety-six percent of independent schools in Scotland. Among its key functions are negotiations with the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Executive and Members of the Scottish Parliament on behalf of the independent sector.

The SCIS represents around eighty member schools all of which are registered with the Scottish Executive Education Department and are subject to inspection by HM Inspectorate of Education and by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care. Most SCIS schools follow the Scottish examination system, and some also present pupils for GCSE, AS - and A-level examinations.

Address for contact:

Scottish Council of Independent Schools, 21 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7PE, e-mail: admin@scis.org.uk, website: www.scis.org.uk

Qualifications in Scotland

The Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) - All mainstream Scottish qualifications are being incorporated into a single unified framework - HE qualification including Higher national certificates (HNCs) and Higher national Diplomas (HNDs), National Qualifications such as Higher and Advanced Highers and SVQs. The SCQF covers all levels from Access 1 (National Qualification) to HE doctorate.

The aims and benefits of the SCQF include:

• Increasing understanding of the qualifications system
• Showing the relationship of qualifications to one another
• Assisting learners to plan their progress from one qualification to the next.
• Facilitating transfers of relevant credit gained from one qualification towards another
• Helping employers plan training for employee's
• Stabilizing links with other framework developments across the UK and also in Europe to facilitate cross - border credit transfer.

SCQF levels are not directly related to years of study. All qualifications awarded by Scottish degree-awarding institutions and those awarded are accredited by the SQA. SCQF credit points are used to quantify learning and give it a value or credit. In common with other credit systems; the SCQF works on the basis that 120 general credit points are awarded for a full year's learning. The SCQF is intended to show the relative size and level of qualifications in the Scottish education and training system in a way which allows a wide range of users to understand the system better, and to track progression routes through the system.

Canada - The Education System

EDUCATION SYSTEM

The Canadian education system encompasses publicly-funded and private schools, from kindergarten through to pre-university. Education is a provincial responsibility under the Canadian constitution, which means there are significant differences between the education systems of the different provinces. However, standards across the country are uniformly high.

In general, Canadian children attend kindergarten for one or two years at the age of four or five on a voluntary basis. All children begin Grade one at about six years of age. The school year normally runs from September through to the following June but in some instances, January intake dates are possible. Secondary schools go up to Grade 11, 12 or 13, depending on the province. From here, students may attend university, college or Cegep studies. Cegep is a French acronym for College of General and Vocational Education, and is two years of general or three years of technical education between high school and university.

THE EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE

Canada is divided into six regions which has ten provinces and two territories. By the British North American Act of 1867 education became the responsibility of the provincial governments in Canada. Each province today has its own school system which is administered and monitored by its Ministry of Education. This ministry is headed by a Cabinet Minister. Language of instruction is English in all schools and colleges, except in Quebec, which is dominated by French speaking people and hence the medium of instruction is French.

Preschool (P) & Kindergarten (K) are not compulsory in Canada.

Grade 1 begins when children reach the age of 6 or 7 depending on the province.

A student must have completed high school before they can enter a post-secondary institution.

School education

There are both public and private schools.

Public Schools - Canadian public schools are managed at the local level by elected school boards. Almost all public schools are co-educational and offer day programs only. Many school boards offer secular or non-religious education while others have religious affiliations but this varies from province to province. Policies on accepting international students and the fees charged vary from district to district.

Private Schools - Private schools exist in every province and are registered with the Ministry of Education in their province or territory and meet the curriculum and other standards set by their respective ministries. There are boys-only, girls-only or co-educational schools full boarding programs schools and both. Private schools may adhere to a particular religious faith.

Students can seek entry into university courses on successfully completing 12 years of school in all provinces except Quebec. The grade system is slightly different in the province of Quebec. Schooling ends at grade 11. Then students go to a 2-year preparatory college. These are called `colleges d'enseignment general et professional' which implies colleges of general and professional instruction. These colleges offer 2-year college entry programs or 3 year technical and commercial courses. These are like community colleges and are briefly called CEGEP.

Ontario has a large number of institutions which follow a system which was introduced in 1986. In this system, earlier Grade 9 onwards was part of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). By Grade 12 students were expected to accumulate 30 credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma which made them eligible for colleges of applied arts and technology. University entry prescribes six Ontario Academic Courses (OAC's), i.e., those who plan to go to the university must take these new prescriptive, provincially designed university entrance courses which have replaced the former Grade 13 program in schools. Students tend to complete the secondary program including OAC's in 4 to 5 years.

Higher education

Canada has 73 universities and almost 180 community colleges. While universities conduct degree courses, community colleges are post-secondary institutions granting diplomas of 2 to 3 years duration. From community colleges students can transfer to universities very often with an advanced standing in the second year.

The higher education sector has a blend of academic and professional programs. Universities offer academic courses while University College, Community Colleges and Career Colleges offer professional training with varying degree of emphasis on academic work.

Australia - The Education System

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

Australia is another popular destination; a few hours away in terms of flight time from the Indian subcontinent. It has attracted the attention of students seeking post-graduate, graduate as well as technical education. The demand for educational opportunity in Australia has grown as the number of overseas students studying in Australia had increased from around 4000 in 1996 to 95,000 in 2000. Australia's higher education sector has recorded a growth of 7.6%. India is ranked in the top ten source countries for overseas students.

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE

School education

Each Australian State operates its own public school system which depends largely on funding by the Federal Government. Private schools are run with or without religious affiliation and are more expensive than the public schools. Elementary education begins at the age of 6 years and continues for six to eight years. The number of years varies from one state to another. Secondary schools offer 5-6 years of education and after junior and secondary school students opt for vocational education. Higher education is only available to students who have completed 12 years of school. Students can select from a number of options for further study or vocational training. They can go to University, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions or business colleges or for vocational training. At school, in accordance with the National Curriculum Framework the following subjects are taught: English, Maths, Science, Technology, Society and Environment Education, Health and Physical Education, Arts and Language.

On successful completion of the final two years of schooling, the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education is issued. Each State and Territory in Australia has its own Certificate. While these certificates have different names, they all require an equivalent standard of education and are recognized by all Australian universities.

Note: Vocational education training institutions and universities can issue Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. Most Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas are issued in the vocational education and training sector.

Vocational education

In Australia government has worked together with the industry to build an effective national vocational education and training (VET) system. Business and industry design courses provide ample employment opportunities while vocational institutes specialize in training students for the workforce.

VET is delivered by government-funded Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and by a growing network of private training organizations, including private colleges and industry training centres, all registered with the State or Territory Government in order to issue national qualifications under the AQF.

VET institutions offer training programs, ranging from preparatory and entry level, through to operator, technician and professional levels and also accredited English language training and Foundation Studies.

Australian VET qualifications are based on the attainment of industry competency standards rather than how long they have spent in training. There is considerable flexibility in delivery methods, which may include various combinations of formal, informal and on-the-job training and generally include a high degree of work-related learning and assessment. The qualification is awarded only when an individual is assessed as having met the industry competency standards.

Higher education

University education was introduced in Australia in 1850 and the very first Universities of Melbourne and Sydney were designed like Oxford and Cambridge. Six metropolitan towns had each established a university by 1911 to keep pace with the developments in the country. After the 2nd World War several new universities were opened to meet the demand for higher education. New universities too followed the British system for higher education. They enjoyed public status, autonomy, government funding, central accredition and offered academic specialization and 3 or 4 years academic degrees. There are today thirty nine Australian universities maintaining a high level of excellence and located in every state and territory of the country.

Australian higher education institutions follow a unified national system after the amalgamation of former colleges of advanced education and small specialist institutions with pre-existing universities. Hence many Australian universities have a multi-campus structure with associated campuses offering specific disciplines or extension programs under the supervision of parent institutions.

AUSTRALIAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

In 1995 the Australian qualifications framework was introduced to provide a comprehensive structure of educational qualifications. It is based on a national system endorsed by the government with the objective to make the curriculum nationally consistent as well as to make them better understood and accepted internationally. It also concentrated on bringing about necessary modifications in the structure and content of vocational training and education. The Australian qualifications framework aims to encourage flexibility in educational routes for education and training. It has opened pathways between vocational education and training sectors.

Pathways through the framework

Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) provides a range of learning pathways for students between schools, vocational education and training institutions and universities. In India, a student who holds a Diploma and wishes to upgrade this qualification to Bachelor level must enroll in a Degree program at an Indian university. Under the Australian system, a student may be given credit for a Diploma in a relevant field and be granted admission to the second year of a university Bachelor Degree program. It is also possible to move from Degree-level qualifications to gain specific industry skills at Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels, as your career goals may require.

Implementation of the Australian curriculum framework (AQF)

The framework addresses itself to 12 levels of educational qualifications. Beginning with Senior Secondary Certificates (+2) through to Doctoral (PhD) degrees; the Australian qualification framework (AQF) extends across the three educational sectors.

Secondary school education sector - The Australian Curriculums Framework has been implemented by secondary schools too. Some schools give credit towards Certificates I-IV under the AQF. Many schools offer vocational courses so that students may combine their academic studies with vocational training. They get two qualifications - the Certificate of senior Secondary Education and a Certificate I or II. Such dual credentialing is becoming increasingly popular in Australia, with over 20 per cent of students achieving both a Senior Secondary Certificate and a nationally recognized vocational credential. This allows them easy entry into careers.

For more information:

Manager, Australian Education Centre, Australian High Commission, 1/50G, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021,

E-mail: aec.india@dfat.gov.au

Vocational education and training sector - The greatest impact of the AQF is in the vocational education and training sector. Under the AQF, VET qualifications can lead into university Degree courses, utilizing credit transfer and advanced standing arrangements. In the Australian education system, Colleges of Technical and Further education (TAFE) have been conceived between secondary school and university courses offering another route into higher education. TAFE colleges have a vocational focus, and have linkage with the industry. Entry requirements into TAFE courses are usually not as competitive as those required by universities making it useful to many students who have not attained the grades for direct entry into a degree course. Two years TAFE study is sufficient for entry into university.

The four Certificate levels recognize more skill levels, from basic (Certificate I) to the most advanced (Certificate IV). Certificate II is equivalent to traineeship certificates and Certificate III is about the same level as a trade certificate. A certificate IV is the same as Associate Diploma or Advanced Certificate.

Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas are similar to the existing Associate Diplomas and Diplomas.

One of the major features of the AQF is that it places emphasis on the skills and knowledge needed to gain a qualification rather than on the type and length of course. The time taken to gain a qualification under the AQF can vary, depending on the organization providing the training, the amount of recognition and credit given for previous study or experience, skills gained through on-the-job training, or work experience, or any combination of these.

Indian students apply for diploma and advanced diploma courses, Para-professional qualifications including a degree of technical & supervisory ability. The Advanced Diploma qualification signifies skills & knowledge of a greater complexity than at the Diploma level. Both the Diploma & Advanced Diploma qualifications may articulate into a relevant Bachelor Degree.

Higher education sector - There are 39 universities in Australia, two of which are private. Universities are established under legislation and set their own academic requirements within legislative guidelines. The federal Government provides the majority of funding to universities, although most are established under State Government legislation. A number of other institutions are accredited to offer Degree courses in particular fields, such as theology, dramatic arts, radio, television, maritime studies and management.

Many Australian universities concentrate on traditional areas of learning and inquiry, while others are more vocational and applied in focus. All, to some extent combine tuition with research. Some undertake research across all disciplines, while others concentrate research on special areas.

A Career in - Information Systems

No invention has transformed our world so comprehensively as the computer. It is only fifty years since the successful running of the world’s first stored-program computer at Manchester University. From that pioneering work has flowed computer applications that touch all our lives every minute of every day. The scale of the achievement comes from the ability to integrate computer technology with communications technology which, together as Information Technology (IT), can deliver information almost instantaneously around the globe.

No other technology has advanced so fast. Every year new advances make possible information systems that were previously impractical. Building the vast systems that run on today’s computers is an engineering activity that stands comparison with the greatest achievements of the nineteenth-century engineers who transformed that society. Modern information systems are now the most complex artefacts yet made by human beings.

Information Systems professionals carry major responsibilities on their shoulders. That is why a career in information systems can be very rewarding. Information systems are at the heart of every developed society. They are essential to the standard of living we have all come to expect. Only properly trained professionals can ensure that the world has the information systems it needs to ensure the well-being of every citizen.

What is an IT professional

The term IT professional encompasses hundreds of specialisms from the design and programming of computer systems, through testing, maintenance and support, training of users; and software or hardware sales. You might choose to work exclusively with software, hardware, or applications development.

The type of company you could be employed by is as varied as business itself, but the majority of positions are with blue chip companies in the financial services, hi-tech, telecoms and retail sectors.

Key Skills

At the moment, certain skills are in particular demand in the industry. The current top five are Windows NT, Oracle, C++, Unix and Visual Basic, so if you are skilled in these areas you will be even more attractive to employers. Furthermore the demand for Internet skills including Java, HTML and C++ has increased significantly over the past six months.

Requirements for entry into IT careers

The entry level into IT careers is generally a degree, often in Business/management, any Computing discipline, Engineering, Mathematics or Sciences, but because of the severe shortage of employees a degree in any subject is frequently accepted. Although a postgraduate qualification is not necessary, an MSc or diploma in IT may be useful if you don’t have a background in computing.

Examinations

Whether you want to enjoy greater recognition in your present job, to achieve promotion, or to embark on a new career direction, you’ll find the British Computer Society professional exam is internationally recognised, flexible and suited to the needs of the IS industry.

Recognising the rapid and significant changes in computing and information systems, the BCS has created an exam that will provide the benchmark for the future. The examination consists of three levels and a project, which have been developed through consultation with employers, to reflect the demands and the evolving needs of the IS community. Each level is recognised as an international qualification and counts as academic points towards attaining professional membership of the BCS. It is an honours degree level qualification which acknowledges practical experience and academic abilities.

The BCS Examination is open to everyone, there are no restrictions or formal entry requirements. The three levels of qualification, Certificate, Diploma and Professional Graduate diploma allow you to demonstrate your expertise at your chosen level and progress at the pace that is appropriate to you. At each level the Examination syllabus reflects a practical mix of up to date theory and current working practice.

Courses are available in a variety of formats, including part-time and distance learning. There are course providers in several countries throughout the world.

Courses in higher education

If you are planning a long term career in computing, particularly in a management position, you should consider studying for a degree in a computing subject. The content and approach of the degrees on offer is very varied and you need to examine carefully the prospectuses of universities offering courses in which you are interested. If you choose a BCS accredited degree you can be confident that it has been checked by a professional body for its depth, its coherence, its engineering emphasis, the inclusion of suitable practical and project work and the availability of resources to support the programme.

However the diversity of options within a computing degree is enormous, some will have a greater emphasis on hardware issues, some on systems engineering, and some on analysis and design. Each institution will have its own specialities, based on the research strengths and interests of the department.

The British Computer Society

The British Computer Society is the leading professional and learned society for people in the computer industry. It exists to provide service and support to the IT community, including individual practitioners, employers of IT staff, and the general public. The British Computer Society represents 38,000 members worldwide.

Around the world, membership of the British Computer Society is recognised as a sign of excellence in computing and information systems. It can be a vital asset in securing a better position. The BCS is trusted for its integrity as a genuinely independent body for IS practitioners. It is the only IS organisation which can award an internationally recognised professional qualification.