User:Phlsph7/Education/Levels

Levels
Types of education are often divided into levels or stages. The International Standard Classification of Education is the most influential framework of classification of formal and non-formal education. It is maintained by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and distinguishes levels based on the student's age, the duration of learning, the complexity and depth of the discussed content, entry requirements, teacher qualifications, and the intended outcome of successful completion. The stages are grouped together into early childhood education (level 0), primary education (level 1), secondary education (levels 2-3), post-secondary non-tertiary education (level 4), and tertiary education (levels 5-8).

Early childhood education, also known as preschool education or nursery education, is the stage of education that begins with birth until the start of primary school. It follows the holistic aim of fostering early child development at the physical, psychological, and sociological levels. It plays a key role in socialization and personality formation but also includes various basic skills in the areas of communication, learning, and problem-solving. This way, it prepares children for their entry into compulsory primary education.

Primary (or elementary) education usually starts at the age of five to seven and lasts for four to seven years without any further entry requirements. Its main goal is to teach the basic skills in the fields of reading, writing, and mathematics. But it also covers the core knowledge in other fields, like history, geography, the sciences, music, and art. A further aim is to foster personal development. Today, primary education is compulsory in almost all countries and over 90% of all primary-school-age children worldwide attend primary school.

Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education and normally covers the ages of 12 to 18 years. It is commonly divided into lower secondary education, in the form of middle school or junior high school, and upper secondary education corresponding to high school, senior high school, and some forms of college depending on the country. Lower secondary education usually has the completion of primary school as its entry requirement and aims to extend and deepen its learning outcomes. It is more strongly focused on subject-specific curricula and teachers are usually specialized in only one or a few specific subjects, unlike primary education. One of its aims is to familiarize students with the fundamental theoretical concepts in these fields to create a solid basis for lifelong learning. In some cases, it also includes vocational training. In many countries, it is the last stage of compulsory education.

Upper secondary education aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed for employment or tertiary education. Its requirement is usually the completion of lower secondary education and its subjects are more varied and complex, often allowing students more choice on what to specialize. Its successful completion is often tied to a formal qualification in the form of a high school diploma. There are some types of post-secondary education that do not qualify for tertiary education. They are often similar in complexity to secondary education but tend to focus more on vocational training to prepare students for the job market.

Tertiary education, also referred to as higher education, expands upon the foundations of secondary education but has a more narrow and in-depth focus on a specific field or subject. Its completion leads to an academic degree. It can be divided into four levels corresponding to short-cycle tertiary, Bachelor's, Master's, and doctoral level education. They often form a hierarchical structure with later levels depending on the completion of the previous levels. Short-cycle tertiary education is focused on practical matters and includes advanced vocational and professional training to prepare students for the job market in specialized professions. Bachelor's level education tends to be longer than short-cycle tertiary education. It is usually offered by universities and results in an intermediary academic certification in the form of a Bachelor's degree. Master's level education is more specialized than undergraduate education. Many programs require independent research in the form of a Master's thesis as a requirement of successful completion. Doctoral level education leads to an advanced research qualification, normally in the form of a doctor's degree. It usually requires the submission of a substantial academic work, such as a dissertation.