Junior college
Junior colleges, often referred to as community colleges, are institutions of higher education that provide two years of academic instruction beyond high school. They offer a range of programs, including general education courses, technical training, and vocational education, aimed at preparing students for specific careers. With flexible scheduling options such as part-time courses, night classes, and online learning, junior colleges cater to a diverse student body. Originating in the United States in the early 20th century, with the establishment of Joliet Junior College in 1901, these institutions have significantly expanded over the years, especially following World War II when the demand for higher education surged.
In addition to serving students seeking associate degrees, junior colleges also play a pivotal role in providing pathways for students to transfer to four-year universities. The concept of junior colleges has also gained international traction, influencing educational systems in countries like India, Japan, and South Korea, where they serve various functions tailored to local educational needs. Although junior colleges sometimes face criticism for prioritizing practical training over academic scholarship, they remain vital for many individuals seeking higher education and career advancement.
Junior college
Junior colleges are institutions of higher learning that offer two years of academic instruction beyond typical secondary education. In addition to general education classes, most junior colleges provide specific technical and vocational training designed to prepare students for entering their professional field of choice. Many junior colleges also offer more flexible programs of study that incorporate part-time schedules, night classes, weekend workshops, and online courses to accommodate the broadest possible range of prospective students. Since they first started to appear in the early twentieth century, junior colleges have grown to become an important part of the American education system that still plays a key role in the development of the professional workforce. Over the years, the junior college has also found a place in the educational systems of many other countries outside the United States, including India, Japan, and South Korea. While junior colleges' exact role and function within these countries' unique educational systems may vary from the American standard, they are often equally important to students' academic and professional development.
In the United States
The birth of the junior college in the United States can be traced back to the innovative efforts of William Rainey Harper, an education pioneer who served as the first president of the University of Chicago. When he was organizing the University of Chicago in the 1890s, Harper divided the school into a senior college and a separate junior college. In 1901, Harper went on to play an influential role in the founding of Joliet Junior College, America's first public junior college, or community college, in Joliet, Illinois. Six years later, California established public two-year colleges as branches of its state university and subsequently enrolled almost half of its college students in these institutions. By the 1920s, the United States boasted more than two hundred different junior colleges. In the years following World War II, the number of active junior colleges skyrocketed as a massive number of young veterans returned home in need of higher education and professional training. Thanks to a continued influx of students over the decades that followed, the number of American junior colleges rose to more than 1,200 by the turn of the twenty-first century.
At most junior colleges throughout the United States, students work to earn an associate's degree in their chosen major. While most students enroll seeking an associate's degree in the arts, many junior colleges also offer degree programs in applied science and business administration. In addition, many students who wish to earn a more advanced degree opt to complete their first two years of study at a junior college and then transfer to a four-year college or university for the remainder of their academic careers. Although some academics have charged that junior colleges focus on the practical aspect of higher education even to the exclusion of more scholarly study, these institutions continue to offer important educational opportunities that might not otherwise be available to many students.
Around the World
The trend toward junior college as an integral part of higher education has not been limited to the United States. Different types of junior colleges have taken hold in countries around the world. Although not all of these institutions function the same way or serve the same purpose as those in the United States, junior colleges have found their way into the organized education systems of countries worldwide.
India
In India, a country known for its especially excellent education system, students are typically provided with schooling through the twelfth grade. In a number of Indian states, however, schooling is provided only through tenth grade, at which point students have the option to complete their eleventh and twelfth years at a pre-university college, which is a type of junior college that students attend before moving on to a full-fledged college or university. Some of India's most notable pre-universities include St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai and Osmania University in Hyderabad.
Japan
As is the case in the United States, junior colleges in Japan act as two-year colleges through which students can earn associate's degrees. Most Japanese junior colleges focus on liberal arts education and specialized education. In particular, Japanese junior colleges play an important part in developing human resources for a number of key fields, including early education and health care. Some of these institutions offer three-year degree programs in addition to their traditional two-year programs.
South Korea
Junior colleges first appeared in South Korea in the late 1970s as a way of addressing the country's growing need for manpower in light of escalating post-war industrialization. Most of these institutions offer two- and three-year degree programs tied to nine different fields, including nursing and mechanics. About half of the freshman quota among South Korean junior colleges is specifically reserved for graduates of vocational secondary schools, laborers who meet certain industrial requirements, and craftsmen qualified by the National Certification System. Although this means that most South Korean junior colleges tend to focus primarily on training for mid-level technicians, students can also transfer their credits to four-year colleges and universities if they so choose. Some South Korean junior colleges even offer advanced major courses through which students can earn a bachelor's degree.
Bibliography
Clark, Nick and Hanna Park. "Education in South Korea." World Education News & Reviews. World Education Services. 1 June 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. http://wenr.wes.org/2013/06/wenr-june-2013-an-overview-of-education-in-south-korea/
"History." Joliet Junior College. Joliet Junior College. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. http://www.jjc.edu/college-info/Pages/history.aspx
"Japanese Junior Colleges." Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. http://www.mext.go.jp/english/highered/1314059.htm
"Junior College Movement." Oklahoma Historical Society. Oklahoma History Center. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=JU005
Virmani, Shveta. "Top 10 Junior Colleges in India." Sulekha. Sulekha.com. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. http://education.sulekha.com/top-10-junior-colleges-in-india‗602414‗blog