Graduate education in the United States will almost certainly be different from the system offered in our country. This section gives you an introduction to the graduate degrees available in the United States, the different types of institutions that exist.

The two graduate degrees offered in the United States are the master's degree and the doctoral degree; both involve a combination of research and coursework. Graduate education differs from undergraduate education in that it offers a greater depth of training, with increased specialization and intensity of instruction. Study and learning are more self-directed at the graduate level than at the undergraduate level.

Depending on the subject, courses may be quite formal, consisting primarily of lecture presentations by faculty members, or they may be relatively informal, placing emphasis on discussion and exchange of ideas among faculty and students. Seminars involve smaller groups of students than lecture courses, and students may be required to make presentations as well as participate in discussions. Class participation, research papers, and examinations are all important.

Degree requirements are stated in terms of "credits" (sometimes called "units" or "hours"), and each course usually earns three or four credits, generally reflecting the number of hours spent in the classroom and the amount of other work involved. A student will usually accumulate up to 48 credits per academic year if the university operates on a traditional two-semester system.

The master's degree is designed to provide additional education or training in the student's specialized branch of knowledge, well beyond the level of baccalaureate study. Master's degrees are offered in many different fields, and there are two main types of programs: academic and professional.

Academic Master's: The master of arts (M.A.) and master of science (M.S.) degrees are usually awarded in the traditional arts, sciences, and humanities disciplines. The M.S. is also awarded in technical fields such as engineering and agriculture. Original research, research methodology, and field investigation are emphasized. These programs usually require the completion of between 30 and 60 credit hours and could reasonably be completed in one or two academic years of full-time study. They may lead directly to the doctoral level. (See "Important Difference" below.) 

Many master's programs offer a thesis and a non-thesis option. The degree is the same in both cases, but the academic requirements are slightly different. Students in non-thesis programs usually take more coursework in place of researching and writing a thesis, and they take a written comprehensive examination after all coursework is completed. Students in degree programs that include a thesis component generally take a comprehensive examination that is an oral exam covering both coursework and their thesis.

Professional Master's: These degree programs are designed to lead the student from the first degree to a particular profession. Professional master's degrees are most often "terminal" master's programs, meaning that they do not lead to doctoral programs. Such master's degrees are often designated by specific descriptive titles, such as master of business administration (M.B.A.), master of social work (M.S.W.), master of education (M.Ed.), or master of fine arts (M.F.A.). Other subjects of professional master's programs include journalism, international relations, architecture, urban planning, public administration (M.P.A.), and public policy (M.P.P.).

Professional degree programs usually require completion of between 36 and 48 units (one to two years of full-time study), and usually do not offer a thesis option. They do not always require that the bachelor's degree be in a specific field, but they may recommend a certain amount of prior study or coursework in the subject area.

Important Difference: One main difference between master's programs is whether or not they are designed for students who intend to continue toward a doctoral degree. Those that specifically do not lead into doctoral programs are known as terminal master's programs. Most professional master's degrees fall under this category. Credits earned in terminal master's programs may or may not be transferable or applicable in case you decide to continue toward a doctoral degree later on. 

 Some institutions restrict admission to certain departments solely to potential doctoral candidates, although they may award a terminal master's degree to students who complete a certain level of coursework but do not go on to their doctoral work. Other departments require a master's degree as part of the requirements for admission to doctoral programs.

Since policies vary from institution to institution and within various departments of each institution, it is best to check directly with individual graduate departments to determine the structure and admissions policies for master's and doctoral candidates.

Graduate admissions and applications.

The main requirements for admission to educational institutions in the United States are:

• a strong academic background;

• demonstrated command of the English language;

• for many programs, scores on one or more standardized admissions tests;

• adequate financial resources.

Best Time to Start Admission Process

A student aspiring to study in the USA can gain admission as an undergraduate, graduate or a post graduate student.

The entire application process, from obtaining initial information to applying for your student visa, should begin 12 to 18 months before student want to go United States.

Students are enrolled mainly in three intakes

FALL: SEP-OCT,                          SPRING: JAN-FEB,                       SUMMER: MARCH-APRIL

Few Institutes offer rolling admissions that is students are enrolled every Month or every 2moths or quarterly.

It is recommend that students apply to between three and six universities, as applying to one or two can be a risky strategy if an application is rejected or no funding is available.  When choosing where to apply, things to consider include location, university size, tuition fees and number of international students.  The most important factor for graduate study, particularly for PhD study, is to make sure the department is a good match for your particular area of interest.  US universities are keen to get a total picture of each applicant and, while obviously wanting students with the best academic records, will also take into consideration other factors that may affect academic performance. The student applying before the deadline and the last date of scholarships. The student can avail large amount of scholarships, financial aids, teaching assistantship. The students need not wait till the bachelor’s degree is completed in India; they can start applying to the admissions in the United States in the third year of their bachelor’s degree itself.

Most universities in the US will require that an applicant sits at least one standardized test.  Depending on the selected field of study, the following standardized tests are generally required:

• The Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the most commonly required, is for applicants to humanities and arts & sciences courses.

• The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is for admission to a business school program.

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), for non-native speakers of English, though this may be waived for those non-native speakers who have been educated for three years or more in English.

• These tests are generally comprised of several multiple-choice sections and an essay.  Each takes three to four hours to complete with strict time limits on each section.  The scores are sent directly to the universities applied to and no matter how many applications are submitted, a student need only take the applicable standardized test once.