Vocabulary List. confer (award, grant) a degree; earned degree (opp

confer (award, grant) a degree; earned degree (opp. honorary degree); research degree (opp. professional degree); imply original research; mastery of a foreign language; reading proficiency in a foreign language; recognition for public service; maintain a system of government and national laboratories; do basic (applied) research; budget mission-oriented programs; spon­sor research; do research through a contract system; coope­rative ['kou'operetiv] university-industry research; encourage joint (cooperative) university-industry programs; joint ven­tures.

 

Comprehension Check

1. Is the bachelor's degree the first academic degree? 2. What is the master's degree generally considered to be?

Is it a must for. all PhD candidates? 3. In what field is the master's degree most common? 4. Is the doctor's degree always awarded for original research?

Speech Practice

VI

Speak about: a) PhD and professional degrees; b) earned and honorary degrees.

VII

Render the text into English.

ВЫСШИЕ УЧЕБНЫЕ ЗАВЕДЕНИЯ США

Высшие учебные заведения в США различаются по числу преподавателей и студентов, по статусу и ло характеру учебных программ. Американская высшая школа существенно отличается от советской системы высшего образования. Она не является единой общегосу­дарственной системой. Уровень образования американ­ского вуза варьируется в широких пределах. Показателем уровня служат так называемые ученые и профессиональ­ные степени, присуждаемые выпускникам. В общих чер­тах их можно свести к трем основным категориям: бака­лавр и первая профессиональная степень, магистр и вто­рая профессиональная степень и, наконец, доктор. Все эти американские ученые степени фактически являются показателями уровня образования, а не учеными степе­нями в нашем понимании.

Первая ступень дает самое общее образование в из­бранной студентом области науки, искусства, техники. Этот период обучения длится четыре года и завершается получением степени бакалавра, или первой профессио­нальной степени.

Вторая ступень американского высшего образования готовит специалистов более высокой квалификации. Эта ступень имеет два уровня. Прохождение курса на степень магистра длится 2—3 года после получения степени бака­лавра. На этом этапе осуществляется более узкая специа­лизация. В период обучения на магистра студент помимо прослушивания курса лекций много занимается в лабо­раториях, где приобретает опыт исследовательской ра­боты. Степень магистра можно приравнять к диплому

советского университета или института с 5—6-летним сроком обучения.

Подготовка докторов предполагает большой объем исследовательской работы и еще более узкую специали­зацию. Степень магистра не является обязательной пере­ходной степенью между бакалавром и доктором. Для получения степени доктора необходимо выполнить специ­альную программу, включающую прослушивание курсов лекций со сдачей экзаменов, проведение научного иссле­дования, написание диссертации. Важно отметить, что американская степень доктора наук рассматривается в США как достижение определенного, обычно высокого, уровня образования.

Особенно интересна еще одна ступень высшего образо­вания в США — «последокторская». Этот этап практи­куется лишь в крупнейших вузах США. По «последоктор-ской» программе ведут исследования в основном ученые, специализирующиеся в области естественных наук. После-докторские исследования проводятся в дамках универси­тетов на средства промышленных фирм и компаний, за­интересованных в данной области исследования.

Helpful Vocabulary

differ in size, status; national system; indicate the level of
education rather than; gain experience in research; post-doctoral programs; post-doctoral research.

VIII

Summarize in a talk all you know about: a) the history of higher education in the USA; b) undergraduate educa­tion; c) graduate education; d) the degrees obtained at American institutions of Higher learning.

 

 

A distinctive feature of American university is its two levels — the separation of undergraduate from graduate education. The first level is Undergraduate School of four years duration. Here the work of undergraduate students (undergraduates) during the first two years (the freshman ¹³ year and the sophomore ¹⁴ year) usually con­sists of broadly-based studies in humanities, social scien­ces, applied and natural sciences. But in the 1960s many colleges and universities abolished distribution requirements.

the first two years at Undergraduate School are.aimed at providing general education and preparing for more special studies. The last two years (the junior ¹⁶and the senior ¹⁷ year) are devoted almost entirely to the major discipline.

After the sophomore year the undergraduate majors ¹⁸ in one special subject which means he takes the majority of courses in this one area. (My interests are in sciences — I'm majoring in geology.)

If all goes well, this undergraduate education culminates in a Bachelor's degree (BS/BSc or BA). It'susually known as the first degree and may be aterminal qualification. But it is often considered as a background for further specialization, a step toward higher (or advanced) degree.

The advanc­ed degrees (the Master's degree and the PhD) ¹⁹ can be obtained in Graduate School, ²⁰ which is the second level of university education. There're two levels of graduate school: the lower for obtaining the Master's degree (MS or MA) and the upper level for the doctorate or the PhD, which is a research degree. A graduate student works for two or three

 

How is instruction organized? In RF it rests on a broad scientific basis — lectures on theory are combined with practical work.

 

 

scholarships are awarded for academic excellence as a rule. Smb's got a scholarship. In Graduate School, the graduate students involved in research projects usually get fellow­ships. Then there're grants that are awarded to needy students and they don't have to be repaid. Many students get fi­nancial aid.

 

Here instruction is provided by the members of the faculty ¹⁰ by the lecture method and informal discus­sions. The aim is to develop in students logical thinking, creativity, curiosity and imagination. Computers are being increasingly used everywhere: in libraries, laboratories for facilitating research and data processing. I'd say a distinc­tive feature of recent decades at American colleges and universities is the growing number of graduate students who are involved in research projects.

The official name of an institution does not necessarily indicate the level of teaching it provides. Some schools designated «universities» do not provide courses beyond those leading to the Bachelor's degree, while others called «colleges» offer programs leading to the PhD and enjoy great prestige. In USA, UK universities and colleges differ greatly in the quality of teaching, enrollment and prestige. The largest campuses are the University of California (UC) with its nine campuses, the City University of New York (CUNY), Michigan State University (founded in 1855; state. Degrees offered: Bachelor's, Master's, Professional and PhD) and others. «Leading» universities (to which the term may be applied)e are Chicago ( University of Chicago,founded in 1892. Degrees
offered: Bachelor's, Master's, Professional, PhD), Cal Tech Cal Teeh [kael'tek] (California Institute of Technology, Pasa­dena, Calif., founded in 1891; private. Degrees offered: Bachelor's, Master's, PhD), Harvard, Illinois (University of Illinois[₍ili'noi], founded in 1868, state, a branch of the university is in Chicago. Degrees offered: Bachelor's, Master's, Professional, PhD), MIT, Princeton, Stanford, ¹⁵ Yale and some others. These universities are esteemed according to the amount of research done in them, which is to a great extent budgeted by the Federal Govern­ment. In recent decades federal money has become a major factor in the total performance of many universities. We usu­ally refer to such schools as research universities. It is considered very prestigious to go to Graduate School.

 

 

Universities and colleges in this country differ greatly in the quality of teaching, enrollment and prestige. The largest campuses are the University of California (UC) with its nine campuses, the City University of New York (CUNY), Michigan State University ¹¹ and others. But I'd like to specify that there are universities to which the term «leading» may be applied. These are Chicago, ¹⁴ Cal Tech, ¹³ Harvard, Illinois, ¹⁴ MIT, Princeton, Stanford, ¹⁵ Yale and some others. These universities are esteemed according to the amount of research done in them, which is to a great extent budgeted by the Federal Govern­ment. In recent decades federal money has become a major factor in the total performance of many universities. We usu­ally refer to such schools as research universities. It is considered very prestigious to go to Graduate School at

such a university. Ranking just below the «leading» uni­versities are universities where scientists and scholars of international renown are also to be found but not in such dense clusters as at Harvard, Berkeley or MIT. In the minor universities there's a limited number of able professors who can guide a graduate student in doing research for his thesis. This does not mean, however, that first-rate scien­tists are to be found only in the leading universities.

The American system of higher education consists actually of three stages: stage one — junior and community colleges with a two-year training, but this stage is usually bypassed; stage two — Liberal Arts Colleges and Undergraduate Schools of colleges and universities providing a four-year training and awarding the Bachelor's degree, and stage three — Graduate Schools of universities and colleges awarding the Master's degree and the PhD. That's where the researchers are trained.

 

 

5. Why do most students have to look for a job? 6. Where do students live on the campus? 7. What kind of financial assistance are students offered? 8. How do colleges and universities differ in the US? 9. Mention the most prestigious universities. 10. What are the stages of the American system of higher education?

Speech Practice

I

Imagine you are a person who uses the opportunity of asking an American student a few questions in order to make clear some, things about professional education in the US. Make a point of asking about: a) how one becomes a physician, a lawyer, etc.; b) the student's expenses; c) leading universities.

II

Act as an American graduate student who is interested in specialization at higher educational.institutions in Russia. Find out: a) when specialization begins; b) when and how it is accomplished; c) how long it takes to become a physi­cian, a lawyer, a teacher, an engineer, geologist, BSc/MSc/PhD etc.

III

1. Emphasize the similarities and differences between the two systems in obtaining professional education. 2. List all the items that make up a student's expenses. Comment on the financial problems that students have to cope with. 3. Discuss briefly the cost of education in the US. 4. Tell about dormitories, fraternities and sororities. Point out the social aspect (in case of fraternities and sororities). 5. List the possibilities for a student to get financial assi­stance and the terms on which it can be granted. 6. Des­cribe how instruction at colleges and universities is orga­nized. 7. Specify the term «leading universities» and ex­plain why it is prestigious to get a degree there. 8. Outline the three stages of the American system of higher educa­tion. Specify at what stage researchers are trained

University.

An American university, having the most complex organization of all American institutions of higher educa­tion, consists of a number of schools and colleges at both levels: the undergraduate school and the graduate school. These are grouped together in one educational system.

A distinctive feature of American universities is the separation of graduate from undergraduate education. A university has students working to­wards degrees at the graduate level. Another distinctive feature of some American uni­versities is their large size.

At the undergraduate level (undergraduate school) universities may have several divisions — a college of liberal arts, a school of engineering or applied science, etc. A student usually enrolls in one undergraduate division, but he may take courses in more than one of these.

The goals and work of a university faculty member are not centered solely around teaching. Generally faculty mem­bers of a university are expected to contribute to the advan­cement of knowledge in their fields through research and writing.. The research-oriented faculty is peopled with scholars — many of them distinguished and widely recog­nized — who spend half or more of their time on research and writing in their discipline. They devote their remaining time to the teaching of graduate students or advanced under­graduates taking specialized courses in their field. Classes during the first two years of undergraduate studies are handled usually by graduate students and faculty members of junior rank.

Every state in the US maintains at least one institution of university rank. Programs in them are often adapted to serve local needs. State universities provide opportunities of higher education usually at a cost considerably below the cost of education in private institutions.

The institutions which provide higher education do not constitute any coordinate system and are not controlled by any centralized national authority. Each state has the right to found new public or private institutions of higher education within its borders. However, cooperative efforts of colleges and universities have created a number of uni­fying factors which reduce the diversity of American system of higher education. For example, interinstitutional coo­peration has contributed to the development of highly uniform degree requirements and methods of recording student progress.

Tremendous influence upon American higher education is exercised by various professional associations of the sta­tes and of the Nation. They work chiefly with governmental and institutional representatives to achieve common objec­tives and to obtain agreement on national education goals. There are regional accrediting associations.which, when combined, embrace the entire United States. In some states, additional accrediting procedures are carried on by the State Department of Education or by the State University. Graduates of accredited colleges ordinarily find it easier to obtain acceptable positions than do graduates of nonac-credited ones. Students from accredited colleges find it easier to transfer to other colleges or to gain admission to graduate school.

Although the US Office of Education in some ways cor­responds to the Ministry of Education in other countries, it does not judge the quality of instruction at individual institutions and is mainly responsible for the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of educational informa­tion. Nevertheless it is involved in the cooperative efforts to standardize accreditation procedures and so contributes to the efforts of coordinating and unifying the practices of different institutions of higher education.

The government — state or Fe­deral — attracts campuses with multi-billion dollar contracts to do R and D that has absolutely nothing to do with edu­cation.

The advantages are obvious. They mean ability to attract better faculty and have greater support for graduate students through predoctoral fellow­ships. And there is also money for post-doctoral research. The government funds result in the growth of strong research universities. They actually compete for government contracts. This also encourages the growth of science-oriented industries nearby. As you see, it is very prestigious for a university to receive grants and con­tracts. Thus more and more significant proportions of the income of the universities derive from the government mo­ney. A considerable part of this money often comes from the Pentagon.

Universities need more government funds to improve and modernize research laboratories, more grants for laboratories and increased fellerwships for graduate research. On the other hand, the contracts funded by the Pentagon, limit the freedom, the right of researchers to publish their results. They often block publications which they classify as secret. And there can be no greater threat to the progress of science than interference with the open exchange of scientific information.

 

 

The Federal government supports about three-fourths of all scientific research carried on in universities. Take Cal Tech, for instance. It's aprivate university and gets the major part of its budget from the Federal R and D (research (R) and development (D) budget­ed by the Federal government)grants and contracts. But I'll come back to it later. Apart from everything, the government main­tains a large system of its own government laboratories run by government workers, and national laboratories run by outsiders. Many of them depend on universities as a source of permanent research personnel, and on government policy for guidance of their research programs. Such as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ⁵the National Research Labo­ratory ⁶ or the Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Asall know, private industrial firms also carry on research. A lot of basic and applied research is done in private industry. At present it is becoming very common for industrial firms to sponsor research done thro­ugh a contract system in universities.

RUNDLE: Very much so, whathappens is that usually an industrial sponsor finds research of interest to auniver­sity and then the sponsor and the'university pool their

Vocabulary List

provide a broad educational base; be controlled by; comprehensive educational programs; work for a degree; faculty member of senior (junior) rank; be oriented to (to­ward) research; research-oriented faculty, university, insti­tution; serve local needs.

 

Comprehension Check

1.Name the distinctive features of an American university.

2.What are the duties of its faculty members?