Файл: Л.Ю. Галкина Higher education in Russia (Высшее образование в России).pdf

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Degrees are conferred at two levels. The first, or Bachelor’s, full-time degree takes four years in most subjects. The most common baccalaureates awarded are Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Medicine and others.

The second, or Master’s, full-time degree courses for Bachelors normally last one or two years. The degrees conferred are Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration and so on. The basic idea of a master’s degree course is a combination of studying and research work. The aim of master’s programmes is to introduce the graduate students to the latest achievements in science and engineering, to help them learn modern research methods and to develop their research skills. On completing their work for a master’s degree graduate students submit their theses. These are small research projects carried out under the direction of supervisors.

It is possible to take a diploma. The diploma courses usually take five years in duration.

When completing a course of study undergraduates and students working for a diploma take the finals and submit their graduation papers. Graduation papers are prepared under the direction of supervisors and defended before a board of examiners. A graduation paper reflects the knowledge and the practical skills one has acquired in his subject area in the course of studying. Honours degrees and diplomas with distinction are given to those students who are more successful in their academic work and examinations.

VII. Suggest their English equivalents.

Охватывать различные специальности, обеспечивать обширную и прочную основу, профессиональные знания, курс очного обучения для получения степени бакалавра, знакомить магистров с новейшими достижениями науки и техники, осваивать современные методы исследования, развивать навыки исследования, выполнять небольшое исследование, под руководством научного руководителя, поступать в магистратуру/аспирантуру, представить выпускную работу/диссертацию на рассмотрение, приобретать знания и практические навыки, сдавать выпускные экзамены, защищать выпускную работу перед экзаменационной комиссией, в процессе учёбы, заканчивая курс обучения, получить диплом с отличием.

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VIII. Ask your group-mates these questions.

1.What programmes do the Russian higher educational institutions offer?

2.At what levels are degrees awarded?

3.What’s the title of a holder of the first /second university degree?

4.How long does it take to get a university degree /a diploma?

5.Do Russian students take the finals when completing the course of study?

6.How are people called when they take their first degree?

7.What’s the basic idea of a master’s degree course?

8.What’s the aim of master’s degree programmes?

9.What are the requirements for a bachelor’s /master’s degree /a diploma? 10. Who are Honours degrees given to?

11. Do you think baccalaureate degrees provide enough education for getting good jobs?

12. Which features of Russian higher education system do you like and which ones not?

UNIT 3

CANDIDATE OF SCIENCES AND DOCTOR OF SCIENCES DEGREES

Are you familiar with these words and expressions?

I. Read these international words. Guess their meanings. Remember: they often have several possible translations.

Philosophy, extensively, theory, public, debate, original, form, indicate, procedure, position, committee.

II. State what parts of speech they are. Translate.

Hold – holder, science – scientific – scientist, during – duration – durable, familiar – familiarity – familiarize, extensive – extension – extensively, theory – theoretic – theorist – theoretical – theorize – theoretically, research – researcher, general – generally – generalize – generalization, defend – defender – defence, examination –

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examine – examiner, origin – original – originally – originate, assistant – assist – assistance, indicate – indication – indicator, relation – relate – related.

III. Study carefully the passage below.

Master of Science or Arts graduates and those who hold a diploma may continue towards a Candidate’s degree. As a rule, the duration of candidate full-time studies is three years. In order to get the Candidate of Sciences degree one must:

•familiarize himself extensively with general theory and other research in his field of study;

•pass the advanced-level examinations in philosophy, in a foreign language and in the field he is specializing;

•carry out independent original scholarly or scientific research, write a thesis on his findings and defend it in a public debate.

Candidate of Sciences degree indicates a higher level of attainment than a master’s degree in the same subject area. A holder of the degree may take the position of an assistant professor and that of the head of department. This degree is generally considered to be of an equivalent standard to well-known Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph D) in Britain and America. In this case, philosophy has no special reference to philosophy; the name is invariable for all fields.

Doctor of Sciences, the highest degree, is awarded on the defending the thesis, which must be an original contribution to knowledge. The duration of doctoral studies varies in length. A doctorate gives to its holder the right to become a professor or the head of department.

The procedure for awarding the degrees is as follows. The person applying for the degree submits his thesis to the committee of professors who are specialists in the candidate’s field. They study the thesis and then summon the candidate to an oral examination where he (she) is questioned on his (her) thesis, and sometimes on other related topics. The oral is open to the public. After the oral the members of the specialized Cand.Sc. /D.Sc. council come to a joint decision and either accept or reject the thesis. Occasionally a thesis is referred back, which means that some fault(s) must

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be made right before the thesis is accepted. The degrees and titles are confirmed in the Higher Certification Commission (VAK).

IV. Express your opinion on these statements using the phrases in the box.

I, for one, think /believe; that’s (not) right /true/correct; I’m afraid; I’m not sure; in my view; as for me; as far as I know; I quite/completely/entirely agree

1.There are two higher degrees awarded in Russia.

2.The first higher degree is a doctorate.

3.The decision to award any higher degree is made by the Higher Certification Commission.

4.The requirements for a doctoral and a candidate thesis are about the same.

5.Only a holder of a doctorate can become a professor.

6.As a rule, a doctoral thesis follows a candidate’s one.

7.It is not necessary to pass any exams before submitting a candidate’s thesis.

V. Speak on the levels of higher education in Russia using the communicative scheme on page 15.

UNIT 4

INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN KUZBASS

I. Read the passage below.

In Kuzbass one can develop his knowledge and skills at 15 higher educational institutions mostly located in Kemerovo. Among them there are the University of Kemerovo, the Kuzbass State Technical University, the Medical Academy, the Academy of Culture and Arts, the Technological Institute of Food Industry, the Institute of Economics and Law, the Agricultural Institute, etc. Two major higher schools – the Siberian State Industrialized University and the Pedagogical Institute are in Novokuznetsk. Besides, there are numerous branches of various higher educational establishments in different towns of the region.

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Over 4 000 lecturers and instructors are on their staffs, 405 of them having Doctor of Sciences and more than 1940 – Candidate of Sciences degrees. More than 46 000 out of nearly 82 000 students are on full-time. Students are trained in 147 subject areas.

II. Ask your group-mate the following questions.

1.How many higher educational institutions are there in Kuzbass? Can you name them?

2.Where are most of them located?

3.Which of them is the largest one?

4.How many students are there in Kuzbass?

5.How many of them are on full-time?

6.What can you say about scientific and pedagogical potential of the Kuzbass higher educational establishments?

7.Are the Kuzbass higher schools in step with life?

8.Are there any private higher educational establishments in your region?

III. What other questions could you ask?

KUZBASS STATE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

UNIT 1

HISTORY

Do you know the meaning of these words?