Misplaced Pages

#596403

64-658: The Air Force Institute of Technology ( AFIT ) is a postgraduate institution and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force . It is in Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , near Dayton . AFIT is a component of the Air University and Air Education and Training Command . Founded in 1919 and granting degrees since 1956,

128-453: A Bachelor of Arts degree had been obtained, the student could choose one of three faculties— law , medicine , or theology —in which to pursue master's or doctor's degrees. The degrees of master (from Latin magister ) and doctor (from Latin doctor ) were for some time equivalent, "the former being more in favour at Paris and the universities modeled after it, and the latter at Bologna and its derivative universities. At Oxford and Cambridge

192-562: A Doctor of Science degree (from Latin Doctor scientiae ; D.Sc.). The Doctor of Science degree can also be awarded in specific fields, such as a Doctor of Science in Mathematics degree (from Latin Doctor scientiarum mathematic arum ; D.Sc.Math.), a Doctor of Agricultural Science degree (from Latin Doctor scientiarum agrariarum ; D.Sc.Agr.), a Doctor of Business Administration degree (D.B.A.), etc. In some parts of Europe, doctorates are divided into

256-404: A Bachelor's, Licenciate or Technologist degree is required in order to enter a graduate program, called pós-graduação . Generally, in order to be accepted, the candidate must have above average grades and it is highly recommended to be initiated on scientific research through government programs on undergraduate areas, as a complement to usual coursework. The competition for public universities

320-449: A Ph.D. program without the requirement to first complete a master's. Many Canadian graduate programs allow students who start in a master's to "reclassify" into a Ph.D. program after satisfactory performance in the first year, bypassing the master's degree. Students must usually declare their research goal or submit a research proposal upon entering graduate school; in the case of master's degrees, there will be some flexibility (that is, one

384-424: A bachelor's degree in a related field, with sufficiently high grades usually ranging from B+ and higher (different schools have different letter grade conventions, and this requirement may be significantly higher in some faculties), and recommendations from professors. Admission to a high-quality thesis-type master's program generally requires an honours bachelor or Canadian bachelor with honours , samples of

448-571: A completed undergraduate (pass) degree with a high grade-point average ). In scientific research, it is commonly accepted that an Australian postgraduate honours is equivalent to a British master's degree (in research). There has been some debate over the acceptance of a three-year honours degree (as in the case of graduates from British universities) as the equivalent entry requirement to graduate research programmes (M.Phil., Ph.D.) in Australian universities. The letters of honours programmes also added to

512-415: A dissertation or thesis prepared under the supervision of a tutor or director, and reviewed by a postgraduate committee. This committee should be composed of examiners external to the program, and at least one of them should also be external to the institution. Programmes are divided into coursework-based and research-based degrees. Coursework programs typically include qualifications such as: Generally,

576-523: A distinction came to be drawn between the Faculties of Law, Medicine, and Theology and the Faculty of Arts in this respect, the title of Doctor being used for the former, and that of Master for the latter." Because theology was thought to be the highest of the subjects, the doctorate came to be thought of as higher than the master's. The main significance of the higher, postgraduate degrees was that they licensed

640-430: A doctoral program typically requires a master's degree in a related field, sufficiently high grades, recommendations, samples of writing, a research proposal, and an interview with a prospective supervisor. Requirements are often set higher than those for a master's program. In exceptional cases, a student holding an honours BA with sufficiently high grades and proven writing and research abilities may be admitted directly to

704-429: A graduate certificate program requires a university degree (or in some cases, a diploma with years of related experience). English speaking colleges require proof of English language proficiency such as IELTS. Some colleges may provide English language upgrading to students prior to the start of their graduate certificate program. Admission to a master's (course-based, also called "non-thesis") program generally requires

SECTION 10

#1733085061597

768-422: A master's degree by research, or a master's with a significant research component. Entry requirements depend on the subject studied and the individual university. The minimum duration of a Ph.D. programme is two years, but completing within this time span is unusual, with Ph.D.s usually taking an average of three to four years to be completed. Most of the confusion with Australian postgraduate programmes occurs with

832-478: A minimum of two years but frequently take much longer, although not usually exceeding six years. Graduate students may take out student loans , but instead they often work as teaching or research assistants . Students often agree, as a condition of acceptance to a programme, not to devote more than twelve hours per week to work or outside interests. Funding is available to first-year masters students whose transcripts reflect exceptionally high grades; this funding

896-865: A number of scientific areas for the United States Air Force and the Department of Defense: AFIT's Graduate School of Engineering and Management is a graduate-only, research–based institution and the sole degree-granting element of AFIT. The Graduate School focuses on studies and research that are relevant to the Air and Space Force mission as well as the needs of the defense establishment as a whole. AFIT's Aeronautics & Astronautics Department has graduated nine U. S. astronauts including Guy Bluford (PhD 1978), first African-American astronaut. Since graduate degrees were first granted in 1956, AFIT has awarded more than 20,600 master's and 1,000 doctor of philosophy degrees. It

960-706: A one-and-a-half-year programme, and twelve taught modules plus a thesis or dissertation for a two-year programme. The academic year for an Australian postgraduate programme is typically two semesters (eight months of study). Requirements for research-based programmes vary among universities. Generally, however, a student is not required to take taught modules as part of their candidacy. It is now common that first-year Ph.D. candidates are not regarded as permanent Ph.D. students for fear that they may not be sufficiently prepared to undertake independent research. In such cases, an alternative degree will be awarded for their previous work, usually an M.Phil. or M.Sc. by research. In Brazil,

1024-617: A prerequisite to continuing their studies, and must defend their thesis as a final requirement. Some faculties require candidates to earn sufficient credits in a third or fourth foreign language; for example, most candidates in modern Japanese topics must demonstrate ability in English, Japanese , and Mandarin , while candidates in pre-modern Japanese topics must demonstrate ability in English, Japanese, Classical Chinese , and Classical Japanese . At English-speaking Canadian universities, both master's and Ph.D. theses may be presented in English or in

1088-671: A previous bachelors for admission and are considered graduate or Graduate Entry programs even though they culminate in a bachelor's degree. Example, the Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) or Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent) . There has also been some confusion over the conversion of the different marking schemes between British, US, and Australian systems for the purpose of assessment for entry to graduate programmes. The Australian grades are divided into four categories: High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, and Pass (though many institutions have idiosyncratic grading systems). Assessment and evaluation based on

1152-486: A requirement of taking two additional courses, at minimum, in lieu of preparing a thesis. Ph.D. candidates undertaking research must typically complete a thesis, or dissertation , consisting of original research representing a significant contribution to their field, and ranging from 200 to 500 pages. Most Ph.D. candidates will be required to sit comprehensive examinations —examinations testing general knowledge in their field of specialization—in their second or third year as

1216-502: A research project or a work placement. Both master's and doctoral programs may be done by coursework or research or a combination of the two, depending on the subject and faculty . Most faculties require both, with the emphasis on research, and with coursework being directly related to the field of research. Master's and doctoral programs may also be completed on a part-time basis. Part-time graduate programs will usually require that students take one to two courses per semester, and

1280-643: A specialization course in one area of study, mostly addressed to professional practice, and stricto sensu (Latin for "in narrow sense"), which means a master's degree or doctorate , encompassing broader and profound activities of scientific research. In Canada , the schools and faculties of graduate studies are represented by the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies (CAGS) or Association canadienne pour les études supérieures (ACES). The Association brings together 58 Canadian universities with graduate programs, two national graduate student associations, and

1344-638: A week for examinations. Typically, the Fall term begins in late September and ends in mid-December; the Winter term begins in early January and ends in mid-March; the Spring term begins in late March and ends in mid-June; and the Summer term begins in late June and ends in early-September. The educational expenses for full-time military students assigned to AFIT are paid by their respective uniformed service. For tuition-paying students,

SECTION 20

#1733085061597

1408-414: A wider range of study, for which some fixed portion of coursework, sometimes known as a residency , is typically required to be taken from outside the department and university of the degree-seeking candidate to broaden the research abilities of the student. There are two main types of degrees studied for at the postgraduate level: academic and vocational degrees. The term degree in this context means

1472-464: Is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) enrolls over 650 full-time graduate students. The student body consists primarily of Air Force and Space Force officers, but is rounded out by members of the other four U.S. Armed Services, select enlisted Airmen, international students from coalition countries, U.S. Government civilians, and civilians (U.S. citizens) not affiliated with

1536-472: Is normally given in the second year. Funding for Ph.D. students comes from a variety of sources, and many universities waive tuition fees for doctoral candidates. Funding is available in the form of scholarships , bursaries and other awards, both private and public. Graduate certificates require between eight and sixteen months of study. The length of study depends on the program. Graduate certificates primarily involve coursework. However, some may require

1600-423: Is not absolute since various professional schools offer graduate degrees and vice versa. Producing original research is a significant component of graduate studies in the humanities , natural sciences and social sciences . This research typically leads to the writing and defense of a thesis or dissertation . In graduate programs that are oriented toward professional training (e.g., MPA , MBA , JD , MD ),

1664-430: Is not always the case as the credit structure of doctoral degrees is not officially defined. In some countries such as Finland and Sweden, there is the degree of Licentiate , which is more advanced than a master's degree but less so than a doctorate. Credits required are about half of those required for a doctoral degree. Coursework requirements are the same as for a doctorate, but the extent of original research required

1728-551: Is not as high as for doctorate. Medical doctors for example are typically licentiates instead of doctors. In the UK and countries whose education systems were founded on the British model, such as the US, the master's degree was for a long time the only postgraduate degree normally awarded, while in most European countries apart from the UK, the master's degree almost disappeared . In the second half of

1792-405: Is not held to one's research proposal, although major changes, for example from premodern to modern history, are discouraged). In the case of Ph.D.s, the research direction is usually known as it will typically follow the direction of the master's research. Master's degrees can be completed in one year but normally take at least two; they typically may not exceed five years. Doctoral degrees require

1856-596: Is the NVQ 5 or QCF 8. Most universities award honorary degrees, usually at the postgraduate level. These are awarded to a wide variety of people, such as artists, musicians, writers, politicians, businesspeople, etc., in recognition of their achievements in their various fields. (Recipients of such degrees do not normally use the associated titles or letters, such as "Dr.") Postgraduate education can involve studying for qualifications such as postgraduate certificates and postgraduate diplomas . They are sometimes used as steps on

1920-415: Is the norm for accepted students. Not all coursework programs require the student to already possess the relevant undergraduate degree, they are intended as "conversion" or professional qualification programs, and merely any relevant undergraduate degree with good grades is required. Ph.D. entrance requirements in the higher ranked schools typically require a student to have postgraduate research honours or

1984-437: Is typically made between graduate schools (where courses of study vary in the degree to which they provide training for a particular profession ) and professional schools , which can include medical school , law school , business school , and other institutions of specialized fields such as nursing , speech–language pathology , engineering , or architecture . The distinction between graduate schools and professional schools

Air Force Institute of Technology - Misplaced Pages Continue

2048-538: Is very large, as they are the most prestigious and respected universities in Brazil. Public universities do not charge fees for undergraduate level/course. Funding, similar to wages, is available but is usually granted by public agencies linked to the university in question (i.e. FAPESP , CAPES , CNPq , etc.), given to the students previously ranked based on internal criteria. There are two types of postgraduate ; lato sensu (Latin for "in broad sense"), which generally means

2112-810: The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) provide a scientific and engineering research and educational experience focused on producing future leaders of the Department of the Air Force. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command , its primary purpose is to provide specialized education to select officer and enlisted U.S. military personnel and civilian employees. On 8 May 2012, AFIT formally welcomed its first civilian director and chancellor during an appointment of leadership ceremony. Dr. Todd Stewart served for 34 years with

2176-497: The Master of Business Administration degree (M.B.A.) can last up to two years to satisfy the requirement to become a knowledgeable business leader. Doctorates . These are often further divided into academic and professional doctorates. An academic doctorate can be awarded as a Doctor of Philosophy degree (from Latin Doctor philosophiae ; Ph.D. or D.Phil.), a Doctor of Psychology degree (from Latin Doctor psychologia; Psy.D.), or as

2240-552: The Master of Letters degree (from Latin Magister litterarum ; M.Litt.) (all formerly known in France as DEA or DESS before 2005, and nowadays Masters too). In the UK, master's degrees may be taught or by research: taught master's degrees include the Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees which last one year and are worth 180 CATS credits (equivalent to 90 ECTS European credits ), whereas

2304-455: The Master of Letters degree tends to be the taught or lower master's degree. In many fields such as clinical social work , or library science in North America , a master's is the terminal degree . Professional degrees such as the Master of Architecture degree (M.Arch.) can last to three and a half years to satisfy professional requirements to be an architect. Professional degrees such as

2368-656: The North Central Association , was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation . It was one of six regional accreditation bodies in the U.S. and its Higher Learning Commission was recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a regional accreditor for higher education institutions. The organization

2432-558: The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to offer degrees to the doctorate level. Eight engineering programs in the Graduate School of Engineering and Management are accredited at the advanced level by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The institute operates year-round on a quarter calendar which includes the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer terms. The quarters are 10 weeks in length plus

2496-523: The U.S. Air Force , retiring in 2002 at the rank of major general . On 28 January 2015, AFIT welcomed its first Provost and Vice Chancellor Dr. Sivaguru S. Sritharan former Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the Naval Postgraduate School . AFIT's four schools include: AFIT has two Centers of Excellence and seven research centers funded by a number of federal agencies with interdisciplinary scope and international footprint representing

2560-520: The 19th century, however, US universities began to follow the European model by awarding doctorates, and this practice spread to the UK. Conversely, most European universities now offer master's degrees parallelling or replacing their regular system, so as to offer their students better chances to compete in an international market dominated by the American model. In the UK, an equivalent formation to doctorate

2624-522: The AFIT student thesis projects are influenced directly or indirectly by AFRL, NASIC, NRO and other Air Force and defense agencies. The faculty body consists of approximately a 50–50 mix of military and civilian members all of whom hold a PhD in their fields. The faculty to student ratio is typically 1 to 5 in the master's degree programs. AFIT is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of

Air Force Institute of Technology - Misplaced Pages Continue

2688-526: The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is the Department of the Air Force’s leader for advanced, multi-disciplinary academic education, as well as its institution for initial technical and professional continuing education. AFIT is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Dayton , Ohio. Dayton's heritage and industrial base in aeronautics and aviation, coupled with the close proximity to

2752-515: The Australian Government's FEE-Help loan scheme. Some students may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), via the HECS-Help scheme, at a substantially lower cost. Requirements for the successful completion of a taught master's programme are that the student pass all the required modules. Some universities require eight taught modules for a one-year programme, twelve modules for

2816-412: The Australian higher education system follows that of its British counterpart (with some notable exceptions). Entrance is decided by merit, entrance to coursework-based programmes is usually not as strict; most universities usually require a "Credit" average as entry to their taught programmes in a field related to their previous undergraduate. On average, however, a strong "Credit" or "Distinction" average

2880-826: The Australian system is not equivalent to British or US schemes because of the "low-marking" scheme used by Australian universities. For example, a British student who achieves 70+ will receive an A grade, whereas an Australian student with 70+ will receive a Distinction which is not the highest grade in the marking scheme. The Australian government usually offer full funding (fees and a monthly stipend) to its citizens and permanent residents who are pursuing research-based higher degrees. There are also highly competitive scholarships for international candidates who intend to pursue research-based programmes. Taught-degree scholarships (certain master's degrees, Grad. Dip., Grad. Cert., D.Eng., D.B.A.) are almost non-existent for international students. Domestic students have access to tuition subsidy through

2944-585: The Doctor of Philosophy degree or "junior doctorate", and the "higher doctorates" such as the Doctor of Science degree, which is generally awarded to highly distinguished professors. A doctorate is the terminal degree in most fields. In the United States, there is little distinction between a Doctor of Philosophy degree and a Doctor of Science degree. In the UK, Doctor of Philosophy degrees are often equivalent to 540 CATS credits or 270 ECTS European credits, but this

3008-572: The Fulbright Program and the Organization of American States (OAS), have been known to grant full scholarships for tuition with apportions for housing. Upon completion of at least two years' research and coursework as a postgraduate student, a candidate must demonstrate truthful and original contributions to his or her specific field of knowledge within a frame of academic excellence. The Master and Doctoral candidate's work should be presented in

3072-489: The Government. Selection of officers for graduate education is fully funded by their service and is based upon outstanding professional performance as an officer, promotion potential, and a strong academic background. Admission of non-Government affiliated civilians is based on academic preparation and requires U.S. citizenship. A substantial number of AFIT graduates are assigned to AFRL and NASIC upon graduation from AFIT. Many of

3136-416: The US, Australia, and other countries) is often offered by some of the same senior academic staff and departments who teach undergraduate courses. Unlike in undergraduate programs, however, it is less common for graduate students to take coursework outside their specific field of study at graduate or graduate entry level. At the doctorate programs, though, it is quite common for students to take courses from

3200-546: The approximate cost is $ 4,656 per quarter for full-time enrollment (based on 12 quarter hours and a tuition rate of $ 388 per quarter-hour). AFIT is tuition-waived for civilian employees and military members of the Air or Space Force. Through its Civilian Institution Programs, AFIT also manages the educational programs of officers enrolled in civilian universities, research centers, hospitals, and industrial organizations. Air Force students attending civilian institutions have earned more than 12,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees in

3264-520: The confusion. For example: B.Sc. (Hons) are the letters gained for postgraduate research honours at the University of Queensland. B.Sc. (Hons) does not indicate that this honours are postgraduate qualification. The difficulty also arises between different universities in Australia—some universities have followed the UK system. There are many professional programs such as medical and dental school require

SECTION 50

#1733085061597

3328-529: The degrees may consist solely of coursework , without an original research or thesis component. Graduate students in the humanities, sciences and social sciences often receive funding from their university (e.g., fellowships or scholarships ) or a teaching assistant position or other job; in the profession-oriented grad programs, students are less likely to get funding, and the fees are typically much higher. Although graduate school programs are distinct from undergraduate degree programs, graduate instruction (in

3392-568: The equivalent qualification in Law degrees (a graduate from a "carrera de grado") are similar in content, length and skill-set to a joint first and second cycles in the qualification framework of the Bologna Process (that is, Bachelor and Master qualifications). While a significant portion of postgraduate students finance their tuition and living costs with teaching or research work at private and state-run institutions, international institutions, such as

3456-479: The holder to teach ("doctor" comes from Latin docere , "to teach"). In most countries, the hierarchy of postgraduate degrees is as follows: Master's degrees . These are sometimes placed in a further hierarchy, starting with degrees such as the Master of Arts (from Latin Magister artium ; M.A.) and Master of Science (from Latin Magister scientiae ; M.Sc.) degrees, then the Master of Philosophy degree (from Latin Magister philosophiae ; M.Phil.), and finally

3520-858: The language of the subject ( German for German literature , for example), but if this is the case an extensive abstract must be also presented in English. In exceptional circumstances , a thesis may be presented in French. One exception to this rule is McGill University, where all work can be submitted in either English or French, unless the purpose of the course of study is acquisition of a language. French-speaking universities have varying sets of rules; some (e.g. HEC Montreal ) will accept students with little knowledge of French if they can communicate with their supervisors (usually in English). North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools ( NCA ), also known as

3584-446: The master's degrees by research include the Master of Research degree (M.Res.) which also lasts one year and is worth 180 CATS or 90 ECTS credits (the difference compared to the Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees being that the research is much more extensive) and the Master of Philosophy degree which lasts two years. In Scottish Universities, the Master of Philosophy degree tends to be by research or higher master's degree and

3648-399: The moving from one stage or level to another (from French degré , from Latin dē- + gradus ), and first appeared in the 13th century. Although systems of higher education date back to ancient India , ancient Greece , ancient Rome and ancient China , the concept of postgraduate education depends upon the system of awarding degrees at different levels of study, and can be traced to

3712-516: The part-time graduate programs may be offered in online formats, evening formats, or a combination of both. Master's candidates undertaking research are typically required to complete a thesis comprising some original research and ranging from 70 to 200 pages. Some fields may require candidates to study at least one foreign language if they have not already earned sufficient foreign-language credits. Some faculties require candidates to defend their thesis , but many do not. Those that do not, often have

3776-592: The past twenty years. Graduate education The organization and structure of postgraduate education varies in different countries, as well as in different institutions within countries. The term "graduate school" or "grad school" is typically used in North America , while "postgraduate" is more common in the rest of the English-speaking world. Graduate degrees can include master's and doctoral degrees, and other qualifications such as graduate diplomas, certificates and professional degrees . A distinction

3840-435: The research-based programmes, particularly scientific programmes. Research degrees generally require candidates to have a minimum of a second-class four-year honours undergraduate degree to be considered for admission to a Ph.D. programme (M.Phil. are an uncommon route ). In science, a British first class honours (3 years) is not equivalent to an Australian first class honours (1 year research postgraduate programme that requires

3904-491: The route to a degree, as part of the training for a specific career, or as a qualification in an area of study too narrow to warrant a full degree course. In Argentina, the admission to a Postgraduate program at an Argentine University requires the full completion of any undergraduate course, called in Argentina "carrera de grado" (v.gr. Licenciado , Ingeniero or Lawyer degree). The qualifications of 'Licenciado', 'Ingeniero', or

SECTION 60

#1733085061597

3968-629: The student's writing as well as a research thesis proposal. Some programs require Graduate Record Exams (GRE) in both the general examination and the examination for its specific discipline, with minimum scores for admittance. At English-speaking universities, applicants from countries where English is not the primary language are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language ( TOEFL ). Nevertheless, some French speaking universities, like HEC Montreal, also require candidates to submit TOEFL score or to pass their own English test. Admission to

4032-451: The three federal research-granting agencies and organizations having an interest in graduate studies. Its mandate is to promote, advance, and foster excellence in graduate education and university research in Canada. In addition to an annual conference, the association prepares briefs on issues related to graduate studies including supervision, funding, and professional development. Admission to

4096-416: The workings of European medieval universities , mostly Italian. University studies took six years for a bachelor's degree and up to twelve additional years for a master's degree or doctorate. The first six years taught the faculty of the arts, which was the study of the seven liberal arts : arithmetic , geometry , astronomy, music theory, grammar , logic, and rhetoric. The main emphasis was on logic. Once

#596403