The US education system is designed to teach life skills that will serve students well, no matter which career they choose after graduation. So, students enrolled in colleges or universities will take a variety of courses in order to get a degree.
For many international students, taking courses outside their intended academic field of study is a foreign concept. But US colleges and universities value liberal arts classes in subjects like history, English literature, and foreign language as well as mathematics, social, and natural sciences. These courses are considered important foundations for critical thinking, logical thought, and communications skills.
Majors, Minors, and Concentrations
When starting college or university, international students should not expect to have more than half their total classes in their intended major. Majors represent what students are most interested in learning to prepare for a career in a related field of study or to go on to graduate school.
Minors are other academic focus areas in addition to a major, and typically require half as many classes as a major.
Concentrations are specializations within a given major that allow students to explore a more specific area of study. For example, at the University of South Carolina, the department of history offers regional concentrations (i.e., Latin America, Middle East/North Africa, etc.) as well as 13 different subject areas such as political history, history of slavery, or history of religion.
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