/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.12280508]

Why do Americans spend 4 years doing an undergraduate while people in countries like the UK finish in 3. What the hell are Americans doing for an extra year?

[Anonymous No.12280529]

>>12280508
From what I've gathered, American degrees require more courses outside of what's necessary to just get your major. I had to take six courses in liberal arts related disciplines, even though I majored in physics.

[Anonymous No.12280551]

British students specialise more in their last two years of school. Americans are often shocked when I tell them the norm to only do 3 subjects, but in more detail

[Anonymous No.12280561]

>>12280508
gen eds. more and more of them are being piled on top every year. people literally take an entire year to just get them out of the way.
no standardization. you take like 1 mandatory class a year and whatever electives show up usually

[Anonymous No.12280563]

>>12280551
>tell them the norm to only do 3 subjects, but in more detail
Who the hell told you that? I'm third year and I'm doing the following.
>Manufacturing
>project management
>Industrial management
>Group design
>fluid mechanics
>thermodynamics
>Structural mechanics
>Finite element analysis
>Control engineering
>Dynamics
>Final year project
AND I'M WISHING TO DIE, AAARGGGHHHHHHBHB

[Anonymous No.12280836]

>>12280508
In the UK system the 4th year is mostly optional, and in general the degree is more focused

[Anonymous No.12280880]

>>12280836
Nobody does a 4th year in the UK, unless it's an integrated masters or they do a workplacement.

[Anonymous No.12282123]

A better question is, why do Americans do PhDs for 5-6 years, while Europeans can manage do complete theirs PhDs in just 3 years?

[Anonymous No.12282247]

>>12280508
if you kickass in highschool/summers, you can finish an american uni in 3yrs

[Anonymous No.12282274]

>>12280508
>Why do Americans
Stopped reading

[Anonymous No.12282730]

>>12280563
In sixth form, he means.