在美國,“學院”(Colleges)主要有三種。一是指隸屬於大學的本科教育機構(如:哈佛學院Harvard College 及耶魯學院Yale College);第二類為只重視本科教育的文理學院;而第三類則為社區學院。在上述學院中,大學本科學院與文理學院的課程主要為四年制,畢業生亦會獲賦予學士學位證明(Bachelor's degree),而社區學院的課程卻主要(但非一定)為兩年制,修讀的學生最終會獲副學士證明(Associate's degree)。這些都是美國主要的本科教育,惟副學士的學歷要比學士的低。[6] 另外在少數情況下,“College”一字亦指大學裡的學術學院(如普渡大學的農業學院 College of Agriculture)。
美國的綜合型大學(Universities)則是泛指那些擁有本科生與研究生學院的研究型高校。不過,因歷史因素,某些美國“大學”仍保留了“學院”一詞作為其名字(如威廉與瑪麗學院);另一些採用了歐洲理工大學辦學模式的美國技術性大學則稱為“Institute”,在中文翻譯上也是“學院”(如麻省理工學院 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 和 加州理工學院California Institute of Technology)。剩餘的大多都已經稱之為“大學”。它們除了學士課程,還會提供碩士及博士研究生課程。卡內基高等教育組織分類系統(英语:Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education)將碩士課程的提供列作“大學”的基本準則。[7] 大學的本科教育與文理院所提供的課程一樣,大致上都停留在文學及理學層面,這是因為美國很多專業學科(如大部分醫學院的課程)均只接受本科畢業生報讀。
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^ 42.042.142.2Rowan-Kenyon, H. T. (2007). "Predictors of Delayed College Enrollment and the Impact of Socioeconomic Status". Journal Of Higher Education, 78(2), 188-214.
^ 43.043.143.2Aud, S., Hussar, W., Kena, G., Bianco, K., Frohlich, L., Kemp, J., Tahan, K. (2011). The Condition of Education 2011 (NCES 2011-033). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
^Walpole, M. (2008). Emerging from the Pipeline: African American Students, Socioeconomic Status, and College Experiences and Outcomes. Research In Higher Education, 49(3), 237-255. doi:10.1007/s11162-007-9079-y
^Rubin, M. (2012). Social class differences in social integration among students in higher education: A meta-analysis and recommendations for future research. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 5, 22-38. doi:10.1037/a0026162
^ 47.047.1Harmon, C., Carne, G., Lizardy-Hajbi, K., & Wilkerson, E. (2010, April 1). 'Access to higher education for undocumented students: "Outlaws" of social justice, equity, and equality'. Journal of Praxis in Multicultural Education, 5(1), 67-82. Retrieved from 存档副本. [2011-12-05]. (原始内容存档于2012-04-25).
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