Rural Settings, Higher Education in

Higher education in rural settings varies depending on the education structure of the country and the local history and development of the specific region, as well as on the mission of the particular institution. The very definition of rural also varies depending on the country, the government agency, and the motivation for the definition; however, a common delineation is that any area not defined as urban or metropolitan is by default understood to be rural. In the United States, this might be a town or city with fewer than 50,000 people within its vicinity, while in England and Wales the descriptors sparse and less sparse may be used to discuss communities below, and above, 10,000 people. This entry provides an overview of higher education in ...