Higher Education in Great Britain

Higher education in Great Britain is provided at univer­sities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and other esta­blishments of higher education. There are 46 universities in Britain. The oldest and best known of them are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Birmin­gham. English universities greatly differ from each other in history, traditions, general organization, methods of instruc­tion, etc.

Good A-level results in at least two subjects are nece­ssary to get a place at a university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews. For all British citizens a place at a university brings with it a grant from their local education authority.

A university consists of a number of faculties: divinity, medicine, arts (philosophy), law, music, natural sciences, economics, engineering, agriculture, etc. After three years of study a university graduate gets the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, etc. Later he may proceed to the Degree of Master and then a Doctor's Degree. The first post-graduate degree is that of Master, conferred for a thesis based on at least one year's full-time work. Everywhere the Degree of Doctor of Philo­sophy is given for a thesis, which is an original contribution to knowledge. Research is an important feature of university work.

The Polytechnics, like universities, offer first and higher degrees. Some of them offer full-time and sandwich courses. Colle­ges of Education provide two-year courses in teacher education or sometimes three years if the graduate specializes in some particular subject.

Some of those who decide to leave school at the age of 16 may go to a further education college where they can follow a course in typing, engineering, town planning, cooking, full-time or part-time. Further education colleges have strong ties with commerce and industry.

There is an interesting form of studies, which is called the Open University. It is intended for people who study in their own free time and who “attend” lectures by watching television and listening to the radio. They keep in touch by phone and letter with their tutors and attend summer schools. The Open University students have no formal qualifications and would be unable to enter ordinary universities.

Vocabulary:

College of Education ['kOlIG] – педагогический колледж (трехгодичный педагогический институт; в 1965г. такие колледжи получили статус университетов).

A-level ['eI'levl] – экзамен на повышение уровня по программе средней школы.

Grant [grRnt] – стипендия (обычно выплачивается студентам из средств гос. бюджета или местных органов власти).

Bachelor of Arts ['bxtSqlqrqv'Rts] – бакалавр искусств (обладатель степени бакалавра по одной из гуманитарных или ма­тематических наук в университетах). Сокращенное обозначение B.A. ['bJ'eI] ставится после фамилии.

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. ['bJ'es'sJ]) – бакалавр наук, обладатель первой ученой степени.

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed. ['bJ'ed]) – бакалавр педагогических наук.

Master of Arts (M.А. ['em'eI]) – магистр искусств, обладатель второй ученой степени. Выпускникам Оксфордского и Кембриджского университетов эта степень присваивается без экзамена, на основании определенных сроков практической работы после окончания. Для получения степени магистра выпускникам других Вузов требуется на­писание работы на основе проведенных исследований. Наблюдается тенденция присвоения этой степени после года практической работы.

Master of Philosophy (M.Phil. ['em'fIl]) – магистр философии. Эта степень отно­сится не только к философии, но и к математике, филологии и другим наукам. Работа, выполненная для получения этой степени, должна содержать частично материал, разработанный автором.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D. ['pJ'eIC'dJ]) – доктор философии. Для получения этой степени требуется написание самостоятельной работы на основе трехлетних (и более) исследований. Можно сравнить со степенью «кандидата наук».

Doctor of Science (D.Sc. ['dJ'es'sJ]) – доктор наук.

Doctor of Letters (D.Lett. ['dJ'lIt]) – доктор литературы. Последние две степени можно сравнить со степенью док­тора наук в России. Существенным отличием явля­ется то, что в Великобритании не требуется специальной защиты диссертации. Достаточно предоставить опубликованные работы совету или комитету.

Polytechnic [pOlI'tFknIk] – политехникум.

Sandwich course ['sxndwIC'kLs] – курсы «сандвич» (для работающих, обычно при техническом колледже, где занятия чередуются с работой на предприятии).

Open university ['qupn jHnI'vWsItI] – открытый университет, университет для всех (функционирует с 1971 года).

b) Answer these questions after the text:

1) Where is higher education provided in Great Britain?

2) Where are the best-know universities situated in Britain?

3) What is necessary for getting a place at a university?

4) Differentiate between the first, the second and the highest degrees given after the graduation from a university. What is necessary for getting these degrees?

5) What other institutions of higher education are there in Great Britain?

II. a) Read the text.

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