Adult Education - Chapter 12 - Adult education options for Foreign Service family members

Sep 14, 2026

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Chapter 12 explains adult education as a lifelong opportunity for Foreign Service family members, covering common motivations such as completing undergraduate or graduate degrees, gaining job-relevant skills, maintaining professional credentials, enriching personal knowledge, and obtaining a high school or equivalency diploma. It outlines multiple “return to school” paths including traditional part-time/full-time degrees, distance and external programs, individual credit courses, continuing education units, workplace training, conferences and workshops, noncredit enrichment, and GED or external degree routes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

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Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

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Adult Education

Adult Education Resources

Traditional Degree Programs

College Information on the Internet

Earning a College Degree in the Washington Area

Evening and Weekend Programs

CHAPTER 12 Adult Education Education should be seen as a lifelong process for everyone, not something only for the young. According to the FLO Education Counselor, many Foreign Service family members want to continue their education for the following reasons: • To complete an undergraduate or advanced degree; • To pick up work-content skills; to keep up to date in a field or to keep a professional license current; • For personal enrichment; or • To get a high school or equivalency diploma. There are many different ways to “return to school.” Which one (or combination) is chosen depends on individual circumstances. • Traditional degree programs can be taken on a part-time or full-time basis at a college or university in the United States or abroad. • Distance learning and external degree programs are offered by many colleges. • Individual credit courses can be taken at many different kinds of academic institutions. • Continuing education credits (CEU’s) for professional credentials, which are required by many professions, can be earned at both oncampus and off-campus sites. • Training programs can be taken at work. In addition, valuable information can be obtained by attending conferences, workshops, and professional development programs through professional associations or independent groups. • Noncredit courses for personal enrichment are offered through adult education divisions of community colleges, county agencies, and departments of recreation. • GED or external degree programs for those who did not complete their high school education or foreign-born spouses who wish to have a U.S. high school diploma. 232—Employment Options for Foreign Service Family Members Adult Education Resources Three Family Liaison Office publications provide information about the range of adult education opportunities for Foreign Service family members. Assignment: Washington,(May 1997) contains information about adult education programs in the Washington area. The chapter on “Adult Education” contains lists of Washington area colleges that offer adult and continuing education and private and public school enrichment programs. The FLO Direct Communication Project Paper No. 28, “Adult Education” contains much of the same information as well as material on adult education opportunities abroad, correspondence courses, and Washington area resources. “Education Options for Foreign Service Family Members” also contains a chapter on adult education. To obtain any of these publications, contact FLO. (See Chapter 1, Introduction.) See also Chapter 13, Resources and Bibliography. Your local public library is a good resource for adult education programs in your community. For more information on the public library as an employment resource, see Chapter 4, Job Search Techniques. Traditional Degree Programs Traditional degree programs are offered by colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. In the United States, there are basically four types of degrees: • Associate degree (AA) is a two year undergraduate degree offered by most two-year (and some four-year) institutions. An AA traditionally requires 60 semester hours of undergraduate study. • Bachelor’s degree either in arts (BA) or science (BS) is an undergraduate degree offered by four-year institutions and requires 120 semester hours of study. • Master’s degree either in arts (MA) or science (MS) is the first level of graduate study. These degrees require 30 semester hours of credit beyond the bachelor’s degree and may require a final oral exam and/or original research in the form of a thesis. • Doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree is a post-graduate degree encompassing 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s program. A PhD candidate must produce a dissertation of original research in his/her field. The PhD and its equivalents are the highest degrees offered. Chapter 12—233 College Information on the Internet The Internet is a good wa

FAQs

Why do Foreign Service family members pursue adult education?

They pursue it to finish undergraduate or advanced degrees, gain work-content skills, stay current with a field or professional license, enrich themselves personally, and obtain a high school or equivalency diploma.

What options are available to “return to school”?

Options include part-time or full-time traditional degree programs, distance learning and external degree programs, individual credit courses, continuing education units, workplace training, and conferences/workshops through associations or independent groups.

How can adults in the Washington area complete degrees more easily?

They can use specialized college programs for adult learners, including evening and weekend programs, credit for life experience, professional certificate programs, and distance learning.

Sep 14, 2026

Upload by Aditya