From: beng@cae.wisc.edu (Beng Ting)
Subject: Re: US vs British university degree
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Date: 15 Aug 92 16:40:58 CDT

In article <1992Aug15.070423.27185@newsroom.utas.edu.au> u925979@postoffice.utas.edu.au (Hee Poh) writes:
>In article <1992Aug14.210737.14270@eecs.nwu.edu>, yeap@alg4.eecs.nwu.edu (Kok-Hoo Yeap) writes:
>> 
>> I was recently told that a Bechlor degree from a US university
>> is considered "lower level" than a similar degree from UK,
>> Malaysia/Singapore and other British colony country's university.
>> The reason seems to be that they spend 2 more years for A level (STPM)
>> while in US you go to a univerisity after O level (SPM).
>> 
>> An example I heard is in Malaysian teacher's pay scale.
>> Bechlor degree teachers have three pay scale:
>> 1. British degree with honors 2. British degree without honors
>> 3. US degree.
>> 
>> Also US master degree is considered equivalent to British degree with
>> honors, obviously at "lower level" than British master degree.
>> 
>> Can some insider shed some light on this subject matters.
>> 
>> What is the situation like in Singapore ?
>> 

 	I think while the American and British systems have something
	in common, they do not compare. One is an arange, and the
	other is an apple. After all, who is to say that an apple tastes
	better than the orange? (well, the employer perhaps.)

	The fact the US institutions admit students with only O level
	does not in anyway imply that they are of lower academic standard
	If u can get into Harvard but not NUS with your O level, does
	that mean that Harvard sucks? You tell me.

	Law and Medicine in the US are considered graduate level work,
	i.e. one has to posses a piece of paper called a "bachelor"
	before he apply to Med/Law school. Back home in M'sia and S'pore,
	(British based system) a student can apply directly to Med/Law
	school after his/her A level. Does this fact proves that these
	majors suck compared to those from the US? NO!!

	If the US degree is worth less than that from the US, then I
	believe the officials from government agencies and other private
	company will have a hard time justifying their action for
	sending their scholars to the US. For heaven's sake, they might
	as well jam the UK with their scholars.

	As far as I am aware of, engineering majors in UK takes only
	3 years to complete, while in the US, it takes 4 years (Theoretically).
	Most students don't finish in 4 years, many of them take 5
	years, and some 6 years. (Guess what? Most American students
	work their bud to pay for their own tuition - something that
	I admire very much.) Furthermore, the near total lack of humanity
	and social science courses in the degree's curriculum back home
 	is, IMHO, something we should not be proud of. Sure we do not
	wish to produce a doctor with no medical ethnics or a lawyer
	whose only client is the money, or an engineer who is
	environmentally and socially blind. (I do not imply that the
	system back home always produces these technological junks,
	It happens too in the US, very often. I raise these questions
	just for the sake of the discussion.)

	My 2 cents.



Happy! Happy!
Ting Beng Tak
beng@cae.wisc.edu
	

From: leongaw@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Ak Wing Leong)
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 08:47:31 GMT
Subject: Re: MYA: Mahatir proposes National Service for Malaysians
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server