Post-Secondary Education Overview | What is Post-Secondary Education? – Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

Video Transcript

Is College Postsecondary Education?

Any level of study after high school – including colleges, universities, and trade schools – is considered postsecondary education. These institutions can be public or private, for-profit or nonprofit, and offer a variety of programs. It’s important to read more about what qualifies as postsecondary education and research whether a postsecondary school is accredited before enrolling.

Learn more about education at the postsecondary level in the following transcript.

What Is Postsecondary Education?

Simply put, postsecondary education is education after high school. Someone who graduates from high school and continues on to a state university, for example, is said to be pursuing a post-secondary education. When postsecondary education is discussed, most people think of colleges and universities. However, there are many postsecondary options available.

What Is a Postsecondary Student?

Jill just started her senior year in high school. Once Jill graduates and enrolls in a postsecondary program, she will become a postsecondary student. She’s already taken her college admissions test but still struggles with deciding between going to study at a university versus going to beauty school. Her parents are pushing her to go for her bachelor’s degree, but in her heart, Jill really wants to become a hairdresser and get to work. She’s overwhelmed and doesn’t quite know what to do. She is dealing with what many prospective postsecondary students struggle with: what program to pursue.

What Qualifies as Postsecondary Education?

Education at the postsecondary level includes bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and trade school programs. Community colleges, four-year universities, and trade schools all qualify as postsecondary educational institutions.

Local community colleges are institutions that typically award degrees at the associate’s, or two-year degree level, although some do offer bachelor’s degrees. Another postsecondary option is public and private colleges. Although universities and colleges are often referred to as one and the same, colleges tend to be smaller in size than universities, with a more limited number of programs to choose from. Colleges award degrees, including bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

There are also public and private universities, which are larger four-year institutions that offer many different postsecondary courses at the undergraduate and graduate level and beyond. As with colleges, degrees awarded by universities typically include bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

Trade schools are another postsecondary option. These are specialized schools that teach a trade and can include beauty schools, mechanical and technical schools, fire and police academies, hospital-based nursing programs, and culinary schools. These institutions primarily offer certificate and licensure type programs and prepare students for state licensure certifications and exams, although some do offer bachelor’s degrees.

What is a Postsecondary Institution?

Postsecondary institutions can receive their funds privately or publicly.

Public Postsecondary Institutions

Public postsecondary institutions are those that are funded with taxpayer money received by the state. The University of Florida is an example of a public postsecondary university. Tuition at public institutions tends to be significantly less than tuition at private institutions. Tuition is also less for residents of the state in which the institution is located than it is for those attending but living out of state.

Private Postsecondary Institutions

A private postsecondary institution is one that is privately funded and doesn’t receive or rely upon state funds. Private entities can be for-profit, such as the University of Phoenix, or nonprofit, such as Barry University. In either case, however, the cost of attending a private postsecondary school tends to be significantly higher than that of attending a state school.

A Note About Accreditation

Many of the postsecondary educational institutions and schools have received accreditation, meaning they have received official recognition for meeting general educational standards through an accrediting body recognized by the government. In order for a degree to be considered valid, it has to come from an accredited institution.

There are two types of accreditation that a post-secondary institution can receive: regional accreditation and national accreditation. Regional accreditation is the strongest accreditation an institution can receive. Institutions that have been regionally accredited are typically nonprofit and go through periodic extensive accreditation reviews. National accreditation is typically the accreditation awarded to schools that are vocational in nature, and many schools that operate for-profit. National accreditation is a less stringent accreditation than regional accreditation.

However, it’s important to note that just because a postsecondary institution is operating does not mean it is accredited. There are schools out there that operate at the postsecondary educational level without accreditation. Individual states can decide which educational institutions are approved to offer programs within their areas, and you should always do your homework and research the postsecondary institution you plan to attend before enrolling.

Lesson Summary

Postsecondary education, in a nutshell, refers to all education that takes place after high school. Although often thought of as university or college education, it can also include education at community colleges and trade schools. Postsecondary educational institutions can be privately funded or state-funded. In general, the tuition at public institutions tends to be much less than tuition at private institutions.

When searching for postsecondary educational options, it’s important to investigate the accreditation, or official recognition by a governing body, of the institution. There are two types of recognized accreditations: regional accreditation and national accreditation. Prospective students should do their research prior to enrolling at a postsecondary institution, as some institutions operate without being accredited.