The truth about higher education at home and abroad: Is professional background really unimportant?
Recently, Zhang Xuefeng discussed the differences between higher education at home and abroad in a live broadcast on We Media. Zhang pointed out that domestic higher education tends to focus on grades, while foreign countries pay more attention to students' comprehensive abilities, such as hands-on skills and specialties. Zhang also mentioned that the higher education system abroad is Newman-style, while China's is Humboldt-style, and the main difference between the two is the importance of undergraduate majors. He believes that in foreign countries, undergraduate majors are not particularly important, and many majors are determined and deepened at the graduate level.
So, do foreign countries really not care about professional background?
Higher education abroad: Professional background in graduate applications
First, let's look at the application for graduate school abroad. Although undergraduate education abroad does provide greater flexibility in some areas, at the graduate level, many majors still have very strict requirements for undergraduate major backgrounds. For example:
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Take the Master of Public Health (MPH) as an example. Many top universities have very high requirements for applicants' backgrounds. Harvard School of Public Health explicitly requires applicants to have at least one statistics course and a relevant biology background. Johns Hopkins University's Master of Public Health program also requires applicants to have a background in public health or related fields.
Master of Computer Science (MCS/MSc)
For computer science master's programs, most schools require applicants to have a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, as well as some programming experience and mathematical foundation. Computer science master's programs at Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) both explicitly require applicants to have a relevant undergraduate background.
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Although MBA programs generally accept applicants from a variety of backgrounds, top business schools such as Harvard Business School and Stanford Business School still prefer applicants with a background in business, economics or engineering. In addition, many MBA programs also require applicants to have a certain amount of work experience, which actually requires a professional background in related fields.
Job market: stringency of professional requirements
Not only in graduate school applications, the overseas job market also has stricter requirements for professional background and qualification certification. Here are a few specific examples:
Human Resources Management (HR)
In many countries, especially in Europe and the United States, HR positions usually require professional background and certification. In the United States, many HR positions require applicants to hold SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) or CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) certification. In China, HR positions have relatively loose requirements for professional background and certification, and rely more on actual work experience.
project management
Project management positions abroad have higher requirements for professional background and certification. For example, PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is a basic requirement for many project management positions in the United States and Europe. In addition, PRINCE2 and CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) are also common certifications. In China, although PMP certification is also recognized, many companies do not regard it as a hard requirement, and pay more attention to actual project management experience.
Professional Engineer (PE)
In many countries, engineers are required to hold professional certification. In the United States, for example, engineers usually need to pass the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) and PE exams to obtain professional engineer qualifications. This is very important for an individual's long-term career development. In China, engineers rely more on professional title assessment and work experience, and the requirements for professional certification are relatively low.
in conclusion
In summary, although the undergraduate education abroad may provide more flexibility, professional background and qualification certification are still very important when applying for graduate school and finding a job. Especially in some professional fields, strict background requirements and certification standards are the key to ensuring professional level and career development. Therefore, whether at home or abroad, students should fully consider these factors when choosing majors and planning their careers, and prepare in advance so as to stand out in the fierce professional competition.
If you have more questions or need further discussion, please leave a message to communicate with me! Let's explore how to succeed in the global education and career arena.