Учебник. UNIT 1

UNIT 1.

University Life in US, Britain, and Russia

Ex. 1. Study the vocabulary:

1. higher education – высшее образование

2. Bachelor’s degree – степень бакалавра

3. Bachelor of Arts degree (A.B./B.A.) – степень бакалавра гуманитарных наук

4. Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc./B.S.) – степень бакалавра точных или естественных наук

5. Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) – степень бакалавра искусств

6. Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) – степень бакалавра в области управления

7. Master of Arts degree (Μ.Α.) - степень магистра гуманитарных наук

8. Master of Science degree (M.Sc.) - степень магистра точных наук

9. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in …(= doctoral/ doctor’s degree, doctorate) - степень доктора наук по … (присуждается как в области гуманитарных, так и естественных наук, соответствует степени кандидата наук)

10. to get a degree – получить степень (= диплом о высшем образовании)

11. a graduate/ advanced/ higher degree – ученые степени магистра и доктора

12. liberal arts – общеобразовательные гуманитарные и точные науки

13. fine arts – изящные искусства

14. to major in some specific subject (to work within one’s specialty) – специализироваться в определенной области

15. a graduate school – высшее учебное заведение, выпускник которого получает степень магистра, магистратура

16. a graduate/ postgraduate student – студент, продолжающий занятия после получения степени бакалавра (магистр, аспирант)

17. doctoral student – студент, обучающийся по докторской программе (аспирант)

18. senior doctorate – степень доктора наук в России

19. public and private institutions – государственные и частные учреждения

20. alumnus, m (pl. alumni), alumna, f (pl. alumnae) – выпускник, выпускница колледжа или университета

21. diploma (pl. diplomae) – документ о получении образования, сертификат, аттестат

22. faculty members/faculty – профессорско-преподавательский состав

23. commencement - церемония, посвященная получению степени; вручение дипломов

24. rite of passage – церемония, посвященная окончанию курса

25. faculty appointments – преподавательские должности

26. tenure – срок пребывания в должности

27. rating system – система оценок

28. write/ submit a thesis (dissertation) – написать/ представить диссертацию

29. to evaluate – оценивать

30. community college – (амер.) муниципальный двухгодичный колледж

31. comprehensive institution – учебное заведение широкого профиля

32. tutorial – семинар, консультация, встреча с руководителем, коллоквиум

33. tutorial method – метод наставничества (подразумевающий встречи с преподавателем-руководителем)

34. external student – студент-заочник

35. residential institutions – учреждения с проживанием

36. prospectus – рекламный проспект/каталог (учебного заведения)

37. higher education framework – структура высшего образования

38. to be compatible/incompatible – быть совместимым/несовместимым

TEXT I.

Some Aspects of the University Life in the USA

In the US students on the average finish high school at the age 18. At that point they decide whether they want to continue their education or whether they want to seek employment. Over half of the students enter institutions of higher education. Institutions of higher education in the US for the most part are referred to as colleges or universities. Colleges are institutions that offer only programs that lead to the bachelor’s degree. Universities are institutions that have departments that offer the bachelor’s degree but also have graduate schools, perhaps medical and law schools offering programs which lead to degrees beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Cutting across the college-university dimension is the division between public and private institutions. Public institutions are usually funded by state governments. Private institutions are funded primarily by the efforts and funds of private individuals or institutions (most often by alumni or religious groups). Education costs less in public institutions than in private institutions, especially for liberal arts education. How much less depends on the schools compared. There are, however, relatively few private graduate schools, medical schools and law schools.

Private colleges currently provide superior liberal arts education to that of public colleges. Thirty years ago the reverse was true. Harvard and Stanford are private institutions. The University of California, Berkeley and the University of Minnesota are public institutions.

The average cost of college (tuition, room and board) is now about $30,000 per year and more. This sounds very expensive but colleges are very eager to help needy students who are able and highly motivated with scholarships, loans, work-study programs, etc. Liberal arts education at public institutions can cost less than half that of private institutions but the size of classes is much greater and there is far less contact between students and teachers.

On completion of all requirements for the bachelor degree, the new graduates are awarded their diplomas at a final graduating ceremony called commencement. All the graduates and faculty wear a cap and gown, a costume that dates back to medieval times. The parents, friends, and relatives of the graduates watch as the president of the college or university presents graduates with their diplomas. A prominent person from the ranks of government, business, or education delivers an address to the entire congregation. So ends the academic education of the American graduate – in a memorable, final rite of passage.

There is a distinct trend toward democratization in American higher education. Faculties are playing a greater role in the appointment of college and university deans and presidents. At more and more colleges and universities, chairpersons are being rotated on a three year basis. Students are increasing their representation on committees selecting a dean and president of the college. They also participate in evaluating the performance of the faculty and sit on committees that pass on faculty appointments, tenure and promotion. Most colleges have instituted a scientific rating system for students to evaluate every course together with its professor that they take. The student ratings are anonymous. The results, analyzed by computer, are sent to the professor being

evaluated.

Most students in American colleges live away from home. The one exception to this trend is found in community colleges which do not have dormitory facilities because these junior colleges are designed to serve the residents of their community. College and university students all must pay the cost of tuition, but they are free to choose whether to pay to live in the dormitory or whether they want to seek their own housing. Similarly, students can elect to take their meals at the college or university cafeteria, or they can provide for their own food and drink. The majority of students seek to live and eat at the college or university because of convenience. The great majority of American students work part-time during the nine month school year. During the summers they find full-time employment usually in their home town, so they can live at home and reduce expenses for room and board. In colleges students are immersed in a community of their own contemporaries where they can live, learn and socialize together. It is a community where students organize their own cultural, athletic, and entertainment activities.

US graduate schools offer lots of opportunities but applying can take time. Most students choose a Masters or doctoral course. Masters courses are either ‘professional’ (vocational) or ‘academic’ and often involve writing a thesis. Fees start at a few thousand dollars but can be as much as $30,000. The Fulbright Awards is a significant source. Individual institutions may also offer funding. Postgraduate courses can be longer than in Ireland and the UK – one to three years for a Masters and up to eight years for a doctorate – as you’re usually expected to study related topics alongside your chosen specialty. Doctoral students in particular typically take classes until they’ve passed their ‘qualifying examination’, which allows them to write and submit their dissertation.

Institutions offering postgraduate qualifications are colloquially referred to as ‘grad schools’, which fall into a number of categories. You could study at a large research university or a smaller doctorate-granting university, for example. You could also attend a comprehensive institution, which may award Masters degrees but doesn’t prioritize research. Alternatively, you could study in a specialized institution, which either offers a limited range of courses or caters to specific professional occupations or student demographics.

Questions:

What institutions of higher education in the USA do you know?

Are there any differences between colleges and universities?

What is the difference between public and private institutions?

What is the cost of studies?

What does the university fee cover?

What assistance can a needy student get from the university?

What is a commencement?

What can you say about democratization in American higher education? Do you think we should apply the American experience in Russian universities?

Ex. 2. Подберите из текста английские эквиваленты к следующим словам и словосочетаниям:

студенческое общежитие…………………………………………………………………………

искать работу………………………………………………………………………………………

вручать диплом……………………………………………………………………………………

жить вдали от дома……………………………………………………………………………….

магистрант…………………………………………………………………………………………

плата за обучение…………………………………………………………………………………

именная стипендия……………………………………………………………………………….

выполнение требований…………………………………………………………………………

ректор………………………………………………………………………………………………

декан…………………………………………………………………………………………….....

заведующий кафедрой……………………………………………………………………………

вручать выпускникам дипломы………………………………………………………………....

выступить с речью, приветственным словом………………………………………………….

назначение на должность………………………………………………………………………

выносить решение………………………………………………………………………………

ввести систему оценок…………………………………………………………………………

самостоятельно искать жилье…………………………………………………………………..

сократить расходы на проживание и питание…………………………………………………

Ex. 3. Подберите русские эквиваленты к следующим словосочетаниям. Выучите их наизусть:

to seek employment………………………………………………………………………………...

high school…………………………………………………………………………………………

graduate students…………………………………………………………………………………..

room and board……………………………………………………………………………………

work-study programs………………………………………………………………………………

dormitory facilities (hall of residence) ……………………………………………………………

needy student……………………………………………………………………………………….

to be rotated on a three year basis………………………………………………………………….

to evaluate the performance of the faculty…………………………………………………………

to sit on committee………………………………………………………………………………….

promotion…………………………………………………………………………………………

to work part-time…………………………………………………………………………………

full-time employment………………………………………………………………………………

entertainment activities……………………………………………………………………………

postgraduate courses……………………………………………………………………………….

to submit a dissertation……………………………………………………………………………

to grant a degree…………………………………………………………………………………….

limited range of courses…………………………………………………………………………….

Ex. 4. Find the meaning and pronunciation of the following terms:

rite, department, anonymous, alternatively, gown, cafeteria, vocational, prioritize research

ADDITIONAL TEXTS FOR READING AND DISCUSSING

TEXT II.

Some Aspects of British University Life

There are over 90 universities in Great Britain. They are divided into three types: the old universities (Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh Universities), the 19th century universities, such as London and Manchester universities, and the new universities. Some years ago there were also polytechnics. After graduating from polytechnic a student got a degree, but it was not a university degree. 31 formers polytechnics were given university status in 1992.

Full courses of study offer the degree of Bachelor of Art or Science. Most degree courses at universities last three years, language courses 4 years (including year spent abroad). Medicine and dentistry courses are longer (5-7 years). Students may receive grants from the Local Education Authority to help pay for books, accommodation, transport, and food. This grant depends on the income of their parents. Most students live away from home, in flats or halls of residence.

Students don’t usually have a job during term time because the lessons called lectures, seminars, classes of tutorials (small groups), are full time. However, many students now have to work in the evenings. There are not only universities in Britain but also colleges. Colleges offer courses in teacher training, courses in technology and some professions connected with medicine. University life is considered «an experience». The exams are competitive but the social life and living away from home are also important. The social life is excellent with a lot of clubs, parties, concerts, bars.

All British universities are private institutions. Students have to pay fees and living costs, but every student may obtain a personal grant from local authorities. If the parents do not earn much money, their children will receive a full grant which will cover all the expenses. Students studying for first degrees are known as undergraduates. New undergraduates in some universities are called fresher. They have lectures, there are regular seminars. After three or four years the students will take their finals. Those who pass examinations successfully are given the Bachelors degree: Bachelor of Arts for History or Bachelor of Science. A person studying for a degree at a British University is called a graduate. B.A. or B.Sс. stands for Bachelor of Arts or of Science, the first degree. The first postgraduate degree is Master of Arts, Master of Science. M.A. or M.Sс. denotes Master of Arts or of Science. One can become a B. A. after three years of hard study and an M.A. at the end of five years. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest degree. It is given for some original research work which is an important contribution to knowledge.

Open Days are a chance for applicants to see the university, meet students and ask questions. All this will help you to decide whether you have made the right choice. The most famous universities in Britain are Oxford and Cambridge. They are the two oldest English universities and they both have a long and eventful history of their own. Oxford and Cambridge are regarded as being academically superior to other universities and as giving special privilege and prestige. Cambridge University consists of a group of 32 independent colleges. The first students came to the city in 1209 and studied in the schools of the cathedral and monasteries.

Of the full-time students now attending English Universities three quarters are men and one quarter women. Nearly half of them are engaged in the study of arts subjects such as history, languages, economics or law, the others are studying pure or applied sciences such as medicine, dentistry, technology, or agriculture.

The University of London, for instance, includes internal and external students, the latter coming to London only to sit for their examinations. Actually most external students at London University are living in London. The colleges in the University of London are essentially teaching institutions, providing instruction chiefly by means of lectures, which are attended mainly by day students. The colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, however, are essentially residential institutions and they mainly use a tutorial method which brings the tutor into close and personal contact with the student. These colleges, being residential, are necessarily far smaller than most of the colleges of the University of London.

The three terms into which the British University year is divided are roughly eight to ten weeks. Each term is crowded with activity, and the vacations between the terms - a month at Christmas, a month at Easter, and three or four months in summer - are mainly periods of intellectual digestion and private study.

There is no central body through which applications for postgraduate study can be made. You can obtain prospectuses and application forms from individual institutions and apply to them directly. With over 18,000 postgraduate options available in the UK it is advisable to shortlist about four to six courses. You should confirm the entry requirements before applying.

For a research degree, you will be asked to write a proposal for your intended field of research and might be invited for an interview. If English is not your first language, you will need a minimum score of 6.5 in the International English Language System (IELTS).

Ex. 5. Подберите русские эквиваленты к следующим словосочетаниям из текста:

accommodation…………………………………………………………………………

term time……………………………………………………………………………….

living costs…………………………………………………………………………….

a full-grant student……………………………………………………………………………..

to take finals………………………………………………………………………………..

to study for a degree………………………………………………………………………..

Open Days…………………………………………………………………………………….

to be regarded as……………………………………………………………………………..

to be academically superior to…………………………………………………………………

special privilege and prestige……………………………………………………………………

pure and applied sciences………………………………………………………………………

internal and external students……………………………………………………………………

vacations………………………………………………………………………………………….

central body…………………………………………………………………………………….

shortlist……………………………………………………………………………………….

entry requirements…………………………………………………………………………….

tuition…………………………………………………………………………………………..

facilities…………………………………………………………………………………………

TEXT III.

Present-day reforms in Russian higher education

Now Russia is in the process of transition to the unified system of European education, the so-called Bologna process. The purpose of the Bologna process is to create the European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention. It is named after the place it was proposed, the University of Bologna in the Italian

city of Bologna, with the signing in 1999 of the Bologna declaration by Ministers of Education from 29 European countries. This was opened up to other countries signatory to the European Cultural Convention of the Council of Europe; further governmental meetings have been held in Prague (2001), Berlin (2003), Bergen (2005) and London in Spring 2007.

The Russian higher education framework was basically incompatible with the process: the generic "lowest" degree in all universities since Soviet era is the Specialist which can be obtained after completing 5-6 years of studies. Since the mid-90s, many universities have introduced limited educational programmes allowing students to graduate with a Bachelor's degree (4 years) and then earn a Master's degree (another 1-2 years) while preserving the old 5-6 year scheme. In October 2007 Russia enacted a move to two-tier education in line with Bologna process model. The universities inserted a BSc diploma in the middle of their standard specialist programs; transition to real MS qualification has not been completed yet.

It's worth mentioning that even though Specialists are eligible for postgraduate courses (Aspirantura) as well as Masters are, Bachelors are not. Specialist degree is now being discontinued, so new students don't have this option. At the same time, while specialist education was free, the MS part of six-year program is not; students graduating in 2009–2010 will have to pay for what was free to their predecessors. The labor market regards BSc diplomas as inferior to "classic" education, thus MS stage remains mandatory for most graduates.

Also, some politicians in Russia are trying to link the transition to Bologna Process with attempts to bypass an article of Russian Constitution, which guarantees a free higher education for every citizen of Russian Federation. But the Master degree is not free and must be paid. This fact is seen as a violation of the Russian Constitution. Most of Russian students and professors are calling this process "nothing, but a mindless and dangerous act", which will initiate a tsunami of ill-prepared bachelors, trying to get a job. At the same time Russia will forever lose its educating tradition, which in past allowed this country to prepare a wide-scope specialists and brilliant scientists.

(from Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia)

Questions for discussion

1. What are the most famous universities in the UK?

2. When were they founded?

3. What else do you know about them?

4. How is the academic year organized there?

5. How long does it take to study for the bachelors, masters and PhD degrees?

6. Which courses are called graduate and postgraduate?

7. What is a full-grant student?

9. Are there any other forms of education equal to the standards of University education?

10. Why is University life considered to be “an experience”?

11. What are the requirements for postgraduate studies in the USA and Great Britain?

12. What is the difference in the university life and studies in the USA/UK and Russia?

13. What is the Bologna process? Why and when did Russia join it?

14. How are the reforms in Russian higher education being interpreted in the society?

Ex. 6. Подберите из текста Ш английские эквиваленты к следующим словам и словосочетаниям:

Процесс перехода……………………………………………………………………………..

Единая система европейского образования………………………………………………

Подписать декларацию……………………………………………………………………

Ввести (в обучение) программу…………………………………………………………..

Получить степень магистра………………………………………………………………….

В соответствии с болонской моделью…………………………………………………….

Двух-ступенчатое образование…………………………………………………………..

Обходить…………………………………………………………………………………..

Нарушение статьи конституции…………………………………………………………

Предписать в законодательном порядке переход к………………………………………

Плохо подготовленный…………………………………………………………………..

Рынок труда…………………………………………………………………………………

Специалист широкого уровня подготовки…………………………………………………

Ex. 7. Translate:

1. I got my first degree in philology and then I switched over to the field of museum studies.

2. I have a master’s degree in museum management.

3. I left English to go to Canada to be a student of advanced botany. In Canada I earned the degree of Master of Science and also Doctor of Philosophy.

4. I attended a college in Arizona for my bachelor’s degree and my master’s degree. Then I got my doctoral degree at the University of Hawaii.

5. I am twenty-six years old and have just completed my master’s degree in science. And I’m going to begin my Ph. D. program next September in Canada.

6. I have graduate degrees from the American University and the University of Miami in Florida.

7. I have a candidate’s degree which corresponds to the Ph.D. degree in your country.

8. I hope to get my M.A. degree within the next two years.

9. Our senior doctorate is not an honorary degree. It requires the writing of a dissertation and the publication of a monograph.

10. The Russian Doctor of Science degree is the highest research degree in this country. Many scientists having that degree are professors.

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