The academic year in the US is usually divided into two semesters. However, the trimester system has prevailed at some universities. The grading system also shows differences within the USA. For example, some universities and colleges use different methods to calculate grade point average.

In contrast, the study system in the United States is uniformly regulated. It is divided into two parts and is divided into an undergraduate and graduate section.

Bachelor: The basic

In the United States, but also in Germany and many other countries of the Bachelor is a degree from the undergraduate range. The bachelor’s degree in the USA usually takes four years to complete.

In the first two years, the students usually attend general education courses (General Studies). They can then a main compartment (Major choose).

Associate Degree: The American

According to toppharmacyschools, at a community college in the US Students one can earn Associate graduate and associate degree. As part of what are known as transfer programs, it is possible to switch to a college or university after two years and study there for a further two years up to a bachelor’s degree.

Community colleges often conclude cooperation agreements with universities that make it easier to switch to them. Thus, participating in a transfer program can be a useful way to get a bachelor’s degree even without a high school diploma. In addition, studying at a community college is usually cheaper and the admission requirements are less strict than at regular colleges.

Master: The postgraduate

The Graduate -Studies place in the US exclusively at the Universities or Institutes of Technology instead. It takes two years and leads to a master’s degree. There are academic master’s programs (Academic Master) as well as job-related master’s programs (Professional Master) such as the Master of Business Administration.

Then there are the so-called professional doctorates. These are located on the master level. It is the usual professional qualification in subjects such as law, medicine or teaching. In contrast to Germany, these doctoral degrees do not require a separate doctorate.

Doctoral Degree: The Most Renowned

The highest title that American universities have to award is the doctoral degree. Here, too, a distinction is made between academic doctoral degrees (Doctor of Philosophy) and professional doctoral degrees (Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Education).

In the first three to four semesters, the students attend seminars and courses (coursework) in which they familiarize themselves intensively with their field of research. This is followed by the writing of the dissertation, which in most cases takes at least three years.

In the meantime, some universities have special master’s programs with shorter study times. During this time, students have the opportunity to prepare for doctoral studies. You can count the study time towards the first phase of the Ph.D program.

Academic Year in the USA

Similar to the range of courses and tuition fees, there is no uniform regulation regarding the organization of the academic year in the USA.

Generally speaking, an academic year in the US is usually nine or ten months. The academic year starts in autumn (August / September) and ends in late spring (May / June)

Semester breaks in the USA

During the lecture-free period in the summer months, the so-called summer break, summer sessions take place at many universities in the USA. Many students also use this time to catch up on failed courses.

In addition to the semester break in the summer, the academic year in the USA includes holidays of up to four weeks around the turn of the year. There are also two other short breaks in the academic year: in March for the spring break and at the end of November for Thanksgiving.

Division of the academic year in the USA

There are different models for dividing the academic year in the United States. The universities are mostly based either on the semester or trimester system.

Semester system USA

The most common variant is the semester system. As in Germany, the academic year is divided into two semesters of 16-18 weeks each: the spring semester and the fall semester.

Semester	Period
Case	August – December
Jump	January – May
(Buzzer)	May – August

Trimester system USA

In contrast, the trimester system has prevailed at some universities in the USA. The academic year is thus divided into three parts:

Terms	Period
Case	September – December
Winter	January – March
Jump	March – June
(Buzzer)	June August

The summer term is not officially part of the academic year in the USA, as it falls during the lecture-free period. Due to the fact that at this time many universities still held summer sessions, speak some colleges of four quarters (Quarters). However, it is actually three trimesters.