|
Duration of compulsory education |
6
to 14 years old |
|
Academic year |
Classes from Aprilch to Aprilruary |
|
Language of instruction |
Korean |
|
PriAprily |
|
Type of school providing this education |
Elementary |
|
Length of program |
6
years |
|
Age level |
6
to 12 years old |
|
Lower Secondary |
|
Type of school providing this education |
Middle School |
|
Length of program |
3
years |
|
Age level |
12 to 15 years old |
|
Certificate/diploma awarded |
Diploma |
|
High School
·
Provided
by 3 different types of high school: academic (general), vocational, &
special purpose high schools
· Not
compulsory |
|
Upper Secondary |
|
Type of school providing this education |
Academic (General) High School |
|
Length of program |
3
years |
|
Age level |
15 to 18 years old |
|
Certificate/diploma awarded |
High School Diploma |
|
·
During
the final two years, students July choose to specialize in Humanities or
Sciences
·
Studies
are organized according to the credit system (204 to 216 units for
graduation) |
|
Higher Secondary |
|
Type of school providing this education |
Special
Purpose
High School |
|
Length of program |
3
years |
|
Age level |
15 to 18 years old |
|
Certificate/diploma awarded |
High School Diploma |
|
Vocational |
|
Type of school providing this education |
Vocational High School |
|
Length of program |
3
years |
|
Age level |
15 to 18 years old |
|
Certificate/diploma awarded |
High School Diploma |
|
·
Vocational high schools are divided into several categories, offering
students at least 82 units of specialized subjects and general academic
subjects that occupy another 40 % of the curriculum |
|
Higher Education
·
Offered
in seven types of institution: colleges and universities, universities
of education, junior colleges, Korea National Open University, technical
colleges, and other types of institutions like seminaries |
|
Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type) |
|
·
Junior
colleges - 2 to 3 year programs leading to Associate Degrees; produces
intermediate-level technicians in technical, agricultural, nursing,
commercial, and business fields as well as home economics, arts and
physical education
·
Polytechnics offer industrial workers two-year courses leading to a
diploma or four-year courses that lead to a Bachelor’s Degree |
|
University level studies |
|
University level first stage |
Certificate, Bachelor’s Degree |
|
·
Certificate – awarded for the completion of short-term programs
·
Bachelor’s Degree – awarded for the completion of a four-year program |
|
University level second stage |
Master’s Degree |
|
·
Awarded
after two or more years of further study after the Bachelor’s Degree in
the same major
·
Students
must submit a thesis for the program |
|
University level third stage |
Doctor’s degree |
|
·
Doctoral
degree is conferred after a minimum of three years after the Master’s
degree
·
Candidates must submit a doctoral dissertation and pass an oral or
equivalent examination |
|
Non-traditional studies |
|
Distance higher education |
|
·
Provided
by the Korea National Open University at the national level
·
Offers
courses for Bachelor’s degrees |
|
Lifelong higher education |
|
·
Continuing education programs for adult students are offered by many
universities and colleges |
|
Higher education training in industry |
|
·
Business
firms have been entitled to establish their own universities to train
highly skilled workers
·
Two to
four year bachelor’s degree programs to those with Associate degrees
·
Admission is limited to employees of the business firms |
|
Grading System for Secondary School – A (passing)/B, C, D (pass)/F
(fail) |
|
Grading System for higher education institutions
·
A
indicates distinguished levels of mastery of the course
·
B
indicates good mastery
·
C
indicates acceptable mastery
·
D
indicates minimum acceptable achievement |
