Higher Education (University, Institute) in Russia

After obtaining a Certificate of Complete Secondary Education a student can enter a University or a Community College. At a Community College students with complete secondary education can obtain an Associate Degree in one or two years. A student can choose a program of higher education with a duration of four to six years. There are three different degrees that are conferred by Russian universities: Bachelor's Degree (4 years), Specialist's Degree (5–6 years), and Master's Degree (6 years). Bachelor's and Master's degrees were introduced relatively recently; they did not exist during the Soviet period. Even now they are not offered by many six-year institutions.

Post-Graduate Education

After obtaining a Specialist's or Master's Degree, a student may enter a university or a scientific institute to pursue postgraduate education. The first level of postgraduate education is aspirantura that usually results in the Kandidat Nauk degree (Candidate of Sciences). The seeker should pass three exams (in his/her special field, in a foreign language of his/her choice, and in history and philosophy of science), publish at least three scientific articles, write a dissertation and defend it. This degree is roughly equivalent to the Ph.D. in the United States.

After graduation a student may continue postgraduate education. Few (2 to 4) years of study in doctorantura (докторантура) with obtaining important scientific results, publishing them and writing new thesis would result in the Doctor Nauk degree (доктор наук, Doctor of Sciences), but the typical way is working in a university or scientific institute with parallel preparation of a thesis. The average time between obtaining Kandidat and Doctor degrees is roughly 10 years, and most of new Doctors are 40 and more years old. Only 1 of 4 Kandidats reaches this grade. Kandidat Nauk may keep position of Assistant Professor (Docent) in universities and of Researcher or Senior Researcher in a scientific institutes. Doctor Nauk can hold position of full Professor, Head of Laboratory or equal and higher ones.

Granting of advanced degrees is overseen by the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science.

The system of higher and secondary education in Russia is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reforms are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedom to faculties and students.

Having a university or college degree is common. Russia has the highest educational level in the world (more than 40% of the total population have college or university degree). Since Perestroika, the system of higher (university) education is slowly deteriorating as well as the medical aid system, which used to be among the world's best. The problem with Russian education is that it was always rather theoretical and unrelated to practice. Therefore, it's common for a person having an engineering degree to work in sales, or one with a chemical background to find himself in marketing. In the old days having a degree was an end in itself. They are trying to change the educational programs now, but it will take years to build the system.

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What three degrees are conferred by Russian universities? What is their duration?

2. Where can a student pursue postgraduate education?

3. What degrees can a student obtain after finishing aspirantura and doctorantura?

4. What are the main objectives of the reforms of the system of higher and secondary education in Russia?

5. What is the problem with Russian education?

Текст 2

HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE USA

In their last year of high school, students often apply to more than one college or university. Each college or university in the USA has its own re­quirements for admission.' Most colleges and universities require applicants take a standard entrance exam: the American Collegic Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). SAT must be taken in your senior year in high school. It is given on a certain day in December or January at a local college. The test takes a whole day. There are three parts: Math, English and Logic. Every student gets a book with questions. The book is divided into sections, with about 70 questions each. Each of the three subjects has a max­imum of 800 points. The lowest score for getting into university is 550. The University Admission Office takes into consideration:

1. The applicants' high school grades (transcripts),

2. Recommendations from high school teachers,

3.Applicants' scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and ACT,

4.The impression they make during interviews at the university.

The system of higher education in the USA consists of four categories of institutions: universities, four-year colleges, technical training institutions and two-year community colleges.

Depending on the source of financing higher education institutions may be either public (state-supported) or private. The amount of money you have to pay depends on whether you go to a private college or a state university. At a private college the tuition is higher. Overall they are much the same as state universities. The subjects are divided into compulsory and optional. The sub­ject the student specializes in is called a "major". Optional subjects are called "electives". Every student is assigned an "academic adviser" or a "faculty adviser" who will help the student decide on a plan of study based on his/her goals and the requirements for a degree.

Four years of undergraduate study at a university's "undergraduate schools" or colleges lead to a Bachelor of Arts (B. A) or Bachelor of Science (B. S.) degree. "Graduate schools", which are part of a university or are separate in­stitutions, offer advanced programs which lead to a master's (M. A. or M. S.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) or Doctor of Education (Ed. D.) degree.

Junior colleges, technical colleges, and community colleges are two-year
institutions, usually public, offering technical training and a basic academic
program. „

Some junior and community colleges award only an Associate of Arts (A. A.) degree without specifying a major. Other junior, technical and com­munity colleges award A. A. degrees to liberal arts students and A. S. (Asso­ciate in Science) or A. A. S. (Associate in Applied Science) degrees to stu­dents who major in science or practical technology. After receiving an A. A., A. S. or A. A. S. degree, many students transfer to four-year colleges or uni­versities to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree.

Найдите английские эквиваленты в тексте.

условия приема, общепринятый вступительный экзамен в американские вузы, приемная комиссия университета, школьный экзамен на проверку спо­собностей, четырехгодичный колледж, государственные вузы, частные вузы, основной предмет, назначать советника (куратора), продвинутые программы, доктор образования, колледж начального высшего образо­вания, местный колледж, степень (диплом) выпускника гуманитарного местного колледжа или колледжа начального высшего образования с двухлетним курсом обучения, общеобразовательный курс в американ­ских колледжах и университетах, переводиться в вузы с четырехлетним курсом обучения, завершить обучение для получения степени бакалавра

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What are general requirements for admission to US colleges and universities?

2. What types of higher education institutions are there in the USA?

3. What degrees do American colleges and universities award after four years of study?

4. What degrees do graduate schools award?

5. What degrees do junior colleges and community colleges award?

Текст 3

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