Studying in the USA is flexible and allows you to broaden your general knowledge and understanding of the world before you choose your degree courses and specializations. When you apply to study in the USA, you apply to a university, rather than for a place on a specific course, or undergraduate degree. Your first year will be an exploratory one. For example, in your first year you might decide to take courses in Greek mythology and physics, along with Italian, archaeology and political science.
It is only during your second year of studying in the USA that you finally commit to an academic path and choose your major subject and your minor. US study programmes offer flexible combinations, which might appear strange to European eyes, since they often span totally unrelated fields. However, by this point you will have sampled the courses and have a far better idea of what you are ultimately interested in studying.
Certain universities offer students a Common Curriculum, with plenty of options within each broad category, while others essentially allow you to create your own course – timetables permitting. If you want to get a clearer picture of what the Common Curriculum looks like, read our blog on the University of Chicago which has one of the best introductory programs in the country.
The most popular courses in the USA
Undergraduate level:
The most popular courses for international students studying for a bachelor’s degree in the USA are:
- Engineering
- Business Administration
- Computer Science and IT
- Business Analytics and Data Science
- International Business
- Physical and Life sciences
- Mathematics
- Social Sciences
Studying for a Master’s:
The majority of Master’s courses to study in the USA take two or more years and lead to gaining an MA, MSc, or a speciality degree. When you study in the USA, you will not find pure research programs, since all Masters are based on a combination of research and teaching.
There are also a number of courses to study in the USA which take one year to complete, for example:
- Master’s in Business Administration (MBA); Master’s in Education (M.Ed.);
- Master’s of Science (MSc);
- One Year Master of Engineering (M.Eng);
- One Year Master of Arts (MA).
You can study for a Master’s at over 1800 universities, which offer two types of graduate degree: academic/research degrees or professional degrees. Contact Elab for help with choosing the right Master’s course.
Specialist postgraduate paths:
Studying law in the USA and Canada
Studying to be a lawyer in the USA requires students to complete a bachelor’s degree first, then carry on studying law at postgraduate level and do a JD (Juris Doctor) course, or an LLM.
If you have set your heart on studying law in the US or Canada, the best way forward is to choose a European university which works with an American law school, so that you can get an LLB and JD in five years.
There are options to complete undergraduate studies in your home country first, then transfer for postgrad studies in the USA.
Contact Elab for further information, guidance, and suggestions.
Studying medicine in the USA
Studying medicine in the US is extremely challenging, but if you have the passion and are willing to put in the effort required, it is worth the hard work.
There are 172 medical schools in the USA – 50 of which accept international students – but they only offer postgraduate courses. There are a limited number of places for international students to study at US medical schools and current admission rates vary wildly, from Stanford’s acceptance rate of 1.4 per cent, to the University of Tennessee’s 9.1 per cent, with average medical school acceptance rates of 5.6 per cent.
If you wish to study medicine in the USA, you will need to complete a four-year first degree – preferably in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry or neuroscience, or a similar field. A good MCAT score is essential, so make sure you register and practise for the exam, a year in advance. Contact Elab for further information.
