Higher education is given in colleges and universities. The average course is four years. Students choose their "major" and a number of "electives". Typically, an undergraduate student has to earn a number of "credits", about 120, to receive the Bachelor's degree at the end of four years' study. One credit usually equals one hour of class per week in a single course which lasts 10 to 16 weeks-the length of a "semester". About half of the students are awarded the Bachelor's degree when they leave university. Then the students may go on to graduate school and with a year or two of further study get a master's degree. After another year or two of study and research, they may get a still higher degree as doctor of philosophy. Higher education trains people to become teachers, nurses, engineers, dentists or do other professional work. Lawyers and doctors must go to school longer than four years. Most states have universities that do not charge much money to residents of that state because public taxes help pay the cost of the university. Other universities do not have public money to help them and must charge their students much more to attend. It is common for students to earn money by doing odd jobs during vacations and term-time. Even students from well-off families do part-time jobs in restaurants or supermarkets. Americans do not look down upon anyone engaged in honest work to make money. Part-time jobs can cultivate self-reliance. Most cities have colleges or universities that hold classes at night as well as in the daytime. In this way people who have to work may attend school at night and work for a degree or just take a course in a subject that interests them. Community groups often give courses and lectures, usually about leisure time activities. In many cities, the secondary schools offer classes in adult education.
单选题
The passage is a general introduction of educational system in the United States.