International degree equivalence

At times it is difficult to know what a particular international degree is equivalent to here in the US.

I came across a program that terminates with a D Litt et Phil (Theology); is this equivalent to the PhD, ThD, etc?

Thanks,
Dave

 

International Database

The US. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation have created an international database for comparing different education systems.

See the following link:

http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/mapping/start.htm

Disclaimer: This information is supplied in good faith, use on your own accord.

Sincerely,

Paul Clark

 

What a tremendously helpful site, Paul. I can't believe that I am supposed to be an expert in these matters and had never known of it.

Of course (hee hee) it can't really be reliable, can it, since it says that Liberia has only two universities (the U of Liberia and Cuttington), and that St. Kitts and Nevis have none.

 

It's so incomplete as to be useless. For example, of the 21 pre-merger South African universities (excluding Technikons), the list misses the following: University of Durban-Westville, Medical University of Southern Africa - MEDUNSA, University of the North, Rand Afrikaans University, University of the Western Cape, University of Zululand, Vista University, University of Transkei, University of the North West, University of Venda

 

The University of Warwick at one time made available a very interesting document that the university employed to evaluate foreign degrees earned by people applying for postgraduate admission. This document listed the degree levels in each country, and how they should be compared to English qualifications. For example, an undergraduate degree from Pakistan was listed as equivalent to "A" level, whereas an undergraduate degree from Australia was listed as equivalent to an English honours bachelor's. Inflammatory stuff, which is perhaps why the document has been removed from public view.

(For those who would like to try to locate this document, it was Section C of this page from the Internet Archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20020613231942/http://www.warwick.ac.uk/services/gradschool/gshandbook/.)

 

Old but accurate.

John,

I was assured by a "Senior International Education Specialist and Manager" that the site is accurate despite its shortfalls (age & missing references). I searched the web for months to find it.

Paul R. Clark

 

Also, Program Completion Award Code Level for doctorate (73) is nonexistent in Liberia and St.Kitts.

Ike Okonkwo, PhD

 

U.S. Department of Education

A dis-continued reference would not make the remaining document inaccurate.

 

Incomplete or other?

If an institution is not listed it probably means it is not acknowledged or not know at the time the database was made.
Again, this does not mean the remaining document is inaccurate.

I'm sure it was intended to be used as a reference and not a detailed comparison of all known education. Common sense needs to be exercised in review of this report.

My responses are speculation, and not the views of the U.S. Department of Education or the National Science Foundation.
Use on your own accord.

Sincerely,

Paul R. Clark