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FEATURE
Evaluating
the Bologna Degree in the U.S.
    
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Feature
Evaluating the Bologna
Degree in the U.S.
By Mariam
Assefa, Executive Director, WES
and Robert Sedgwick, Editor, WENR
The
first Bologna bachelor's degrees were awarded in 2003, which means that
European students will soon begin using the new qualifications to gain
entry to graduate-level programs in the United States. The Bologna bachelor's
is (in most cases) a three-year, freestanding degree designed to prepare
students for further study or employment. How
then does this new degree compare with the traditional American bachelor's
degree? At first glance, there are some fairly obvious similarities between
the two: the nomenclature is the same, and both are terminal first degrees
leading to either access to the job market or graduate study. At the same
time, the degrees are quite different from one another, as we shall see.
In the last
issue of WENR we presented an overview of the new Bologna bachelor's degree,
comparing and contrasting it with the traditional first degrees in Europe.
This article puts the Bologna degree up against the American bachelor's
and illustrates how it will be evaluated when presented in the U.S. for
graduate study.
The U.S.
Bachelor's Degree
In the United
States, institutions set degree requirements in terms of credits that
are typically distributed over a period of four years. Each year is divided
into semesters or quarters. The built-in flexibility of the system allows
students to adjust the number of credits they choose to complete annually,
so it is possible for students to earn their degrees in less than four
years. They can also take longer than four years to complete their undergraduate
education if they take fewer credits or attend school on a part-time basis.
Most bachelor's
degree programs require the completion of a minimum of 120 semester credits
drawn from three areas of study: general education, the major and electives.
General education
is unique to the American system of undergraduate education. It is generally
known as "the breadth component of the undergraduate curriculum and
is usually defined on an institution-wide or college-wide basis. It generally
involves study in several subject areas and frequently aims to provide
a common undergraduate experience for all students at a particular institution.
It has been variously described as the necessary prerequisite for specialized
study" (Levine 78).
Students
are usually expected to complete their general education requirements
early on in their undergraduate studies. Most undergraduates undertake
these courses during their freshman and sophomore years before they begin
to concentrate on a major.
General education
can be offered as either core curricula, distribution requirements or
free electives. When it is set in the form of a core curriculum, general
education consists of a set of common, broadly based and interdisciplinary
courses usually required of all students and consist of subjects in the
humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Distribution requirements
ensure that students complete their general education by taking a minimum
number of courses or credits in specified academic areas drawn from the
humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Free electives allow
students to take courses outside their major to fulfill the general education
requirements.
The quantity
of general education varies from institution to institution. However,
on average between 40 and 60 percent of U.S. bachelor's degree programs
are devoted to general education. The remaining credits are devoted to
the major and related subjects.
Comparing
the Two Degrees
Even though
the Bologna Process has resulted in shorter degree programs that are defined
in terms of required credits and introduced a two-tiered (undergraduate/graduate)
system, the new European bachelor's is still quite distinct from its U.S.
counterpart. Based on the sample "Bologna" bachelor's degrees
we examined from Austria and Italy (see previous issue of WENR),
it is apparent that the European degrees are more heavily concentrated
in the major — or specialization — and that the general education
component which is so crucial to U.S. undergraduate education is absent.
The new degrees, awarded by traditional European institutions, are undeniably
European in character.
Below we have juxtaposed two programs for a bachelor's degree in business
administration: one from Indiana University
in Bloomington, and the other from the Bocconi
University in Milan, Italy.
In the Italian
program, courses in the major are taken starting in the first semester
of study. The entire curriculum is devoted to business and related subjects
including mathematics, computer science and foreign languages that are
all taught in the same faculty. The sheer number of required courses in
business and related subjects indicates that the program is heavily concentrated
in the major, which is covered in great depth.
In comparison,
the U.S. degree program includes subjects drawn from a wide range of disciplines
to fulfill the university's general education and distribution requirements.
The Kelly School of Business mandates that students who major in business
"take at least 62 semester credits outside of business and economics
coursework" in the different departments and faculties at Indiana
University. Courses in the major and related subjects constitute 50% of
the 124 credits required for the bachelor’s degree.
At the same
time, the objectives and intended outcomes of both programs are remarkably
similar as they aim to equip students with the tools and skills required
for employment or for graduate education in their chosen field.
The Kelly
School of Business states that its graduates should “possess a broad-based
knowledge of business and the business environment and the role that business
plays in society; understand the national, international, political, social
and economic environment that landscapes a firm’s operations; be
able to articulate their thoughts orally and in writing and be computer
literate; understand and incorporate ethical principles in all processes
and decisions; possess an appreciation of the opportunities and problems
involved in managing complex organizations; have the skills and capability
to work effectively with others in the completion of joint tasks; possess
the ability to find and formulate problems, think analytically, and recommend
solutions; have the understanding and expertise needed to function effectively
in an advanced technological society.”
The Bocconi
program aims to "give students an understanding of the economic,
financial, social, cultural, legal and technological foundations of business,
and to equip them with the analytical and decision making tools that will
allow them to manage different businesses in a changing environment. Graduates
will be qualified for professional and managerial positions in marketing,
sales, finance or human resources.”
The main
differences between the two programs — the number of years of study,
the amount of coursework devoted to the major, and the absence of general
education from the Italian curriculum — reflect the distinct characteristics
of each educational system
The Evaluation
The task
for the credential evaluator is to examine the new qualification and determine
whether it constitutes sufficient preparation for graduate admission in
the U.S. To achieve that end, it is necessary to establish a coherent
set of criteria that can be used for comparing the American and European
degrees. The main criteria that World Education Services (WES) considers
when assessing a degree are the level, structure, scope and intent of
the program. Those factors are expressed in terms of: requirements for
admission to the program; its contents and structure; and the function
that the credential is designed to serve in the home system, respectively.
After having considered all the relevant factors, WES regards the new
three-year Italian laurea as functionally equivalent to a U.S.
bachelor's degree.
The number
of years of study is merely one of the elements that define the structure
of a program. In this particular case, the discrepancy in the number of
years between the Italian and U.S. bachelor's degrees is outweighed by
the similarities between the two programs.
Failure to
recognize the Bologna bachelor's degree solely because it is a three-year
qualification would leave U.S. graduate schools no choice but to reject
candidates who apply for admission using these degrees, even when their
records demonstrate that they have completed more than enough subjects
in their discipline, have achieved the same skills and level of knowledge
as their U.S. counterparts, and would very likely succeed at the graduate
level. Such decisions would not only lack any academic merit, but they
would also have profound and negative implications for international academic
mobility.
CONCLUSION
Academic
credentials serve as recorded proof of an individual’s itinerary
and accomplishments within a coherent and unified system of education.
Credential
evaluation exists first and foremost to facilitate the international mobility
of students, scholars and professionals. This ideal is codified in the
Convention
on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in
the European Region, adopted in 1997 and signed by 41 countries including
the United States. The Convention calls on member states to promote, encourage
and facilitate the recognition of credentials earned outside of their
borders to encourage the mobility of students and professionals. It also
specifies that "Each country shall recognize qualifications as similar
to the corresponding qualifications in its own system unless it can be
shown that there are substantial differences."
To be effective,
credential evaluation must examine the nature, structure and objectives
of different systems of education and build the bridges that allow students
and professionals to use their educational qualifications internationally.
SAMPLE
PROGRAMS
Kelley
School of Business (Indiana University)
The
bachelor's program at the Kelley School of Business provides a general-education
component complemented by the study of business and economics. The
application of this principle promotes a balanced program of study
while it enables a student with an interest in a professional area
of business to specialize in that field.
In
addition, all undergraduate programs include courses that ensure
the development of a basic understanding of the principles and practices
involved in the management of business firms in the dynamic economic,
social, and political environment of the world today. Four interrelated,
rigorous junior-level courses in marketing management, operations
management, financial management, and strategic management, known
collectively as the integrative core, are required of all business
majors. Consideration is given also to basic trends that are likely
to shape the pattern of the business world in the years ahead. Beyond
these basic requirements, students are given an opportunity to pursue
studies from a wide variety of subject areas.
Graduates
of the Undergraduate Program of the Kelley School of Business at
Indiana University should have a general knowledge and appreciation
of accomplishments in the physical sciences, arts, humanities, and
social sciences; possess a broad-based knowledge of business and
the business environment and the role each business plays in society;
understand the national, international, political, social, and economic
environment that landscapes a firm's operations; be able to articulate
their thoughts orally and in writing and be computer literate; understand
and incorporate ethical principles in all processes and decisions;
possess an appreciation of the opportunities and problems involved
in managing complex organizations; have the skills and capability
to work effectively with others in the completion of joint tasks;
possess the ability to find and formulate problems, think analytically,
and recommend solutions; have the understanding and expertise needed
to function effectively in an advanced technological environment.
BACHELOR'S
PROGRAM IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The
course work required for the B.S. degree in business
consists essentially of three parts:
I.
General-Education Component
II. Business Component
III. Electives
GENERAL
EDUCATION COMPONENT
(62 credit hours)
Kelley School of Business majors must complete at least 62 credit
hours outside of business and economics course work.
I.
Communications
(8-9 credit hours)
• Elementary Composition or an approved English
composition option (2-3 cr.)
• Public Speaking (3 cr.)
• Business Communications (3 cr.)
II.
Mathematics
• Finite Mathematics (3 cr.)
• Brief Survey of Calculus (3 cr.) OR •
Calculus I (4 cr.)
III.
International Dimension
(6 credit hours)
The international dimension requirement may be fulfilled in any
one of the following four ways.
1.
Language
A minimum of 6 credit hours of a language at the 200 level or above
2.
International Business and Economics
A minimum of 6 credit hours from the following list:
• The International Business Environment (3
cr.)
• International Business: Operations of International
Enterprises (3 cr.)
• International Business Law (3 cr.)
• International Finance (3 cr.)
• Public Policy and the International Economy
(3 cr.)
• International Marketing (3 cr.)
• Survey of International Economics (3 cr.)
• International Trade (3 cr.)
• ·International Monetary Economics
(3 cr.)
• Economic Development (3 cr.)
• Soviet-Type Economies in Transition (3 cr.)
3.
Approved Overseas Programs
Participation in any approved overseas program of Indiana University
(minimum 6 cr.) will fulfill this requirement. Please see a business
advisor.
4.
Area Studies
Selection of two approved courses (minimum 6 cr.) from one of the
following area studies programs:
• African studies
• Central Eurasian studies
• East Asian studies
• Latin American and Caribbean studies
• Near Eastern studies
• Russian and East European studies
• West European studies
Distribution
Option
Complete
a total of 27 credit hours of course work distributed in the following
way:
1.
Fifteen (15) credit hours of course work offered by the College
of Arts and Sciences in one of the areas listed below with
a minimum of 6 credit hours at the 300/400 level (with the exception
of • Natural and Mathematical Sciences, which
requires 6 credit hours at the 200 level or higher):
• Arts and Humanities
• Social and Historical Studies
• Natural and Mathematical Sciences
2.
Six (6) credit hours in each of the other two College of
Arts and Sciences areas not selected for the 15 credit hour requirement.
Field
Specialization Option
Students
may complete one of the field specializations listed below
by completing 27 credit hours taking any courses from the departments
or schools within the chosen field. At least 6 of the 27 required
credit hours must be at the 300/400 level for all but the science
and technology field, which requires at least 6 credit hours at
the 200 level or above.
1.
Communication
• Journalism
• Telecommunications
• English
• Communication and culture
• Speech and hearing sciences
• Physics (P105 and P106 only)
2.
Environmental
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Geological sciences
• Public and environmental affairs
• Physics (P120, P201, P202, P211, and P310
only)
3.
Global Studies and Languages
• African studies
• American Sign Language
• Central Eurasian studies
• Classical studies (language courses)
• East Asian studies
• French/Italian
• Germanic studies
• India studies
• Jewish studies
• Latin American and Caribbean studies
• Near Eastern studies
• Russian and East European studies
• Spanish/Portuguese
• West European studies
4.
Not-for-Profit
• Fine arts
• Jewish studies
• Music
• Philosophy
• Public and environmental affairs
• Religious studies
• Social work
• Theatre
5.
Science and Technology
• Astronomy
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer science
• Geological sciences
• History and philosophy of science
• Mathematics
• Medical science
• Physics
BUSINESS
COMPONENT
I.
Fundamentals
• Business Accounting Skills (1 cr.)
• Introduction to Financial Accounting (3
cr.)
• Introduction to Managerial Accounting (3
cr.)
• The Computer in Business (3 cr.)
• Legal Environment of Business (3 cr.)
• Technology (3 cr.)
• Career Perspectives (2 cr.)
• Introduction to Microeconomics (3 cr.)
• Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 cr.)
• Statistical Analysis in Economics and Business
(3 cr.)
II.
Junior Year
• Managing and Behavior in Organizations (3
cr.)
• Business and Economic Strategy in the Public
Arena (2 cr.)
III.
Senior Year
• Business Career Planning and Placement (2
cr.)
IV.
Integrative Core (12 cr.): (must be completed with a C or higher)
• Financial Management (3 cr.)
• Strategic Management (3 cr.)
• Marketing Management (3 cr.)
• Operations Management (3 cr.)
Business
Concentrations
In
addition to fulfilling the general-education component and the business
component requirements previously listed, students in the Kelley
School of Business select one or more of the following concentrations,
listed below under their home departments.
Accounting
and Information Systems
• Accounting
• Computer Information Systems
Business
Economics and Public Policy
• Economic Consulting Track
• Public Policy Analysis Track
Business
Law
• Legal Studies
Finance
• Finance
• Finance-Real Estate
Management
• Entrepreneurship [ABSENT]
• International Studies
• Management
Marketing
• Marketing
• Marketing—Distribution Management
Operations
and Decision Technologies
• Business Process Management
• Production/Operations Management |
THE
BOCCONI UNIVERSITY
The
Bocconi University of Milan offers a new laurea program in business
administration (economia aziendale). The program's objective is
to give students an understanding of the economic, financial, social,
legal, cultural and technical foundations of business, and to equip
them with the analytical and decision making skills that will allow
them to manage different businesses in a changing environment. Graduates
will be qualified for professional and managerial positions in marketing,
sales, finance or human resources.
The
program is three years in length and requires the completion of
180 ECTS credits (146 credits in compulsory subjects, 12 elective
credits, 12 credits in two European languages, four credits in computer
science and six credits for the final project). Students who wish
to take English as one of their languages must have achieved a minimum
TOEFL score of 550 on the paper test or 213 on the computer-based
examination. Other English language tests may be used to show a
comparable level of proficiency.
During
the first year, students study economics, business administration,
law, history, quantitative methods and computer science. In the
following years, they take marketing, finance, production, logistics,
business organization and accounting. Courses in Italian and English
are taken throughout the program.
LAUREA
PROGRAM IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
First
Year
FIRST
SEMESTER
1)
Economic History
2) Mathematics (first module)
3) Principles of Private Law
4) Theory and Principles of Management
5) Computer Skills
6) First Foreign Language (preparatory modules)
SECOND
SEMESTER
1)
Accounting and Financial Statements
2) Fundamentals of Management
3) Mathematics (second module)
4) Microeconomics
5) Principals of Public Law
6) First Foreign Language (preparatory modules)
Total
first year credits: 62
Second
Year
FIRST
SEMESTER
1)
Accounting and Financial Statements 2
2) Macroeconomics
3) Organizational Theory
4) Statistics
5) Theory and Principals of Public Management
6) First/Second Foreign Languages (preparatory modules)
SECOND
SEMESTER
1)
Corporate Finance
2) Financial Mathematics
3) Managerial Accounting
4) Marketing (taught in Italian)
5) First/Second Foreign Languages (preparatory modules)
Total
second year credits: 60
Third
Year
FIRST
SEMESTER
1)
Financial Markets and Institutions
2) Innovation and Technology Management
3) Management Information Systems
4) Public Economics
5) First Elective Course*
6) Second foreign Language (preparatory modules)
SECOND
SEMESTER
1)
Company and Business Law
2) Strategic Management
3) Second Elective Course
4) Second Foreign Language
5) Final Work
Total
third year credits: 58
Total credits: 180 |
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