UDC 371.15

O.Naugolnikova

THE UNDERPINNINGS OF ECONOMIC EDUCATION IN THE USA

Economic education as a term was first used in the industry of scientific knowledge only in the 20th of ХХ centuries. Economic education in the period of its becoming removed an accent from practical usage to mastering the theoretical bases, doing support at the study by the students of consumers’ behavior, theory of thrift, budgetary planning and, later, economic laws. As economic education had long history of becoming and development it was considered as a part of system of universal education. The purpose of the article is to define the underpinnings of the terms of economic education in the USA.

To our mind the purpose of economic education is to teach students to understand the basic influence of economic environment not only to the activity of a businessman but also to the activity of all subjects of economic life in a society, including unprofitable organizations.

According the papers of Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education economic education is the priority area of American education, giving the knowledge about business and forming the skills for work in the field of business in order for any citizen of a society could:

- make a contribution to the global economic system;

- work successfully in changing market conditions, as in the USA as other countries;

- develop skills of the use of information technologies for creation new knowledge, use the information and making the acceptable decisions;

- apply knowledge of economy and business laws in everyday life, and also the skills got during learning academic disciplines at colleges etc.

It should be noted that in the papers of Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education two terms are used: “economic education” and “business education”, the term “business education” is more common, that is related to the history of the development of this industry in the USA.

Business education in the USA has much more longer history of becoming and accordingly withstand traditions in comparison with economic education, the “age” of which almost three centuries less. That’s why economic education in the USA is considered as a part of system of business education and often the term “business education” is used. However the terms “business education” and “economic education” are not identical.

Business education in the USA is the education in the area of economic sciences, having a practical orientation (teaching to the methods of making the practical decisions in economic activity). The main purpose of business education is teaching the processes of making decisions, philosophy, theory and management psychology, practical application of knowledge in area of economic sciences, teaching skills necessary both for foundation and successful making business and for the existent business management (firm, corporation etc.).

Economic education in the USA is understood as teaching economic laws, using laws in economic activity and everyday life. The main purpose of economic education is teaching prognostication of economic phenomena, financial planning, market laws of supply and demand, prognostication and minimization of risks, teaching the decision of problems of satisfaction of necessities in the conditions of resource deficit.

Thus, business education has the applied character. Economic education supposes the capture by thorough theoretical knowledge of economy, laws of all spheres of economic life of a society. While business schools prepare managers for work for firms or corporations, the economic faculties of universities teach mainly students for work for state structures, ministries, government.

People already having an experience of practical work as managers of a different levels become the students of business schools in the USA. Entering the economic specialties the universities in the USA the experience of practical work for university students is not an obligatory condition.

Thus, in the USA the economy education and business education are understood as different, dynamically developing disciplines, so economic education and business education are two associate industries of higher education, pursuing different aims and tasks.

Using the modern methods of training economic specialist entails the change of requirements, he must in modern terms:

- possess the skills of independent teaching;

- have an internal necessity in self-perfection;

- study during all his life;

- have computer literacy, skills of use information and communication technologies in study and professional activity;

- be able to get along at the growing streams of information, process, systematize and use it effectively;

- have skills of decision of non-standard tasks, show flexibility of mind, resourcefulness;

- be able to team work, be initiative, active, show enthusiasm in work;

- have good communicative skills;

- observe the ethics norms of behavior, be socially responsible citizen of a society, patriot of the country.

Multidisciplinary aspects of economic training of students in higher educational establishments of the USA are in combination of teaching mathematical, natural, humanitarian aspects and moral bases, that provides training economically competent members of a society. The view of future economist as not only a skilled employee but also a representative of a specific, independent profession, which requires the special training of high level, thorough knowledge and skills, prevails at American economic school.

The feature of the American institutes of higher education consists not only in the educational process of training the specialists, and the accent on the value of scientific researches for forming a creative personality of a future economist is made, which takes into account the necessities of organizations.

Undoubtedly, the basic degrees of the American system of higher education is interesting as for national researchers, teachers, practical workers, so for people acting key part in determination of educational policy of Ukraine.

The basic degrees appropriated of teaching for initial stage are Associate Degree, appropriated after two years of teaching (unfinished higher education, which, however, has a professional and technical orientation), and Bachelor’s Degree (Bachelor), awarded, as a rule, after four years of teaching at a college or university.

The second stage begins after getting the Bachelor’s Degree. If a student plans after finishing institute to work in one or another industry, his further teaching usually lasts two years (sometimes it is even settled to change specialty) and it finishes as Master qualification (Master's degree).

So we consider in the USA the diploma of Bachelor is insufficient for the work of an economist, it is needed to have the Master's degree level of education.

For a person, who plans teaching or making scientific activity, the period of teaching after Bachelor’s Degree lasts 3-4 years. The students on these programs are engaged in scientific research and by the end of term of teaching they must defend dissertation. In case of successful defense they get the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the area of their scientific interests, which approximately corresponds to the degree of Candidate of Sciences in Ukraine.

Thus, we came in to the conclusion about certain integration of terms of economic education and ways of its getting, and also the degrees appropriated to the American economists.