Higher education

Higher education is study pursued after secondary school, usually through institutions offering advanced academic, professional, or vocational programs and credentials.

University: An institution that offers advanced study and may conduct research across multiple disciplines. Universities are the best-known institutions delivering higher education.
Professional degree: A degree designed to prepare graduates for practice in a regulated or specialized profession. Professional degrees turn higher education into preparation for fields such as law and medicine.
Apprenticeship: A training arrangement combining paid employment with structured instruction in an occupation. Apprenticeships develop occupational expertise mainly through work rather than campus-based study.
Social mobility: Movement of individuals or groups between positions in a social hierarchy. Higher education can open routes to occupations and incomes associated with greater social status.
Community college: A local college that commonly offers two-year degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways. Community colleges provide accessible, often lower-cost routes into postsecondary study.
Vocational education: Education focused on practical skills and knowledge for particular occupations or trades. Vocational programs show how postsecondary study can prioritize occupational skills.
Online learning: Instruction delivered through digital networks, either remotely or as part of a blended course. Online learning changes where and how higher education can be delivered.
Student debt: Money borrowed to pay educational costs that remains owed by a student or former student. Borrowing can make higher education attainable while burdening graduates with repayment.
Academic degree: A credential awarded for completing a program of study at an educational institution. Degrees are a principal credential higher education institutions award.
Graduate school: Advanced study after an undergraduate degree, commonly leading to master's or doctoral credentials. Graduate study is the continuation of higher education beyond the first degree.

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