Having just spent a year in the UK, I would generally concur with the
discussion on the difference in degrees. However, the problem is
partially with the fit between American lower-level training and the
European degrees rather than with the European degrees themselves. In
the European system, students at the US undergraduate-level-equivalent
are already doing exclusively coursework in their major area of study
rather than the general educations that US students are receiving at
that level. Thus they are better prepared for the research-only PhDs
(after an MA program that has additional graduate level coursework) than
an American student would be.
Also, a good guide to the different MA programs is to look at the length
of time of the program. One-year programs tend to be programs designed
to produce tuition and degrees rather than future PhD scholars; two year
programs, which often include a thesis, are better preparation for
future study and closer equivalents to the US MA degree.
Kathy
--
Kathryn Hochstetler
Political Science Department
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
970-491-3709
970-491-2490 (fax)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
