Text C. University Education in Great Britain
According to the organization of work in the universities they can be divided into 3 groups: 1) London University; 3) Provincial universities. London University consists of the federation of different institutes, schools and colleges run by one administration. They are situated in different parts of London and even outside it. The rules are the same for all the colleges and institutes of London University. It is comprised by 62 institutes, schools and colleges. Oxford and Cambridge are also educational federations, but they unite only colleges, and if the students of London University live not only in the hostels but also at home, Oxford and Cambridge are as a rule residential, that is the students live in the colleges of these universities. Though now there are students who live at home. They are obliged to come to the university twice or three times a week to have meals together with other students (the spirit of a collective). In each college there live students of different faculties, and in each college they are given lectures on humanitarian subjects. The attendance is not compulsory. The lectures are delivered by the lecturers who live in the college too. Independent work of students is supervised by tutors who live in the college, and deliver lectures on their subjects. If a student has money he may choose a tutor to his taste. These two universities still enjoy a great popularity, because they have the best teaching staff and better prepared students. To enter these universities is more difficult, that is why they have better chances to choose better prepared students. The composition of the student body here is peculiar. More than 2/3 are from upper-middle classes. Most state posts in the country are occupied by Oxford and Cambridge graduates. Oxford and Cambridge have always concentrated on humanities to train leaders, but recently they have opened some departments of science and technology. Provincial universities have no elements of federation. All the students and the teaching staff are concentrated in one place. Their students live either at home or in hostels or rented rooms. These universities are more democratic than other universities. Universities are financed through a special government committee. The money comes from different sources: 1) state subsidies (about 70%), The tuition fee in Britain is very high, higher than in other countries (300 pounds a term). It differs from university to university. In London - Ј 600 per term. It is higher in Oxford and Cambridge than in the provinces. The tuition, lodging and food in London University is about 1000 pounds; in Oxford and Cambridge for the same 1000; in provincial universities 700 / 800 pounds. As the students from working class families can’t afford to pay so much, 73% of all the students get scholarships. The total sum of it is 550 - 650 pounds per term. All those who have finished Grammar school at an advanced level can enter a university. To enter it the school leavers don’t have to take entrance exams except at Oxford and Cambridge and some colleges of London University. At the university students attend lectures given by lecturers and professors. As soon as a student is enrolled in university or college he is given independent work which is checked by the tutor. The tutorial system is characteristic of the students' studies in English universities. Every student is attached to a tutor who controls his independent work, supervises his discipline and prepares him for exams. Each tutor has 3-4 students, sometimes 10. Once or twice a week a student writes a kind of a composition. It is an account of student’s independent work for the week. The compositions are on the subjects students specialize in. Once or twice a week a student comes to his tutor, and for an hour or so, the teacher discusses with him the merits and demerits of his work. An English student studies from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. He attends lectures, works in the laboratories and with tutors. The rest of his time is taken up by his independent work in the library, or by sports. Now, especially in provincial universities they lay greater stress on lectures. Exams are taken in written form (papers). The main stress is laid on narrow specialization. If physics and mathematics are compulsory all the other subjects are optional. The course of study at the university is three years, at the medical and some other faculties - 4 years. But lazy students may stay there for 5 years. They get no degree or diploma but a certificate, so they do not graduate from the university but finish it. They do the work at an ordinary level. But if they want to graduate from the university they must do the work at an advanced level. The academic year begins in October and lasts till July. In three years if a student passes his exams successfully he gets a Bachelor’s degree (Bachelor of Arts, B.A. or Bach. of Science, B.Sc.). He may have the Honours Degree or the Ordinary Degree. For the O.D. a student passes ordinary exams. For the H.D. he takes an intensive study, after it he may stay at the university for one or two more years. He does some more studies to get his Master of Science Degree (M.Sc.). To get this degree the student must pay for exams. To become a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) one must write a thesis. After it comes Doctor of Science Degree (D.Sc.). All the establishments of higher education in Great Britain can be divided into the following groups: Universities, university colleges, technical colleges and other specialized colleges (teachers training colleges, commercial colleges, etc.). XIII. Read the text ' University Education in Great Britain' silently. Find the answers to the following questions in the text: 1. What are the three types of Universities in Great Britain? 2. What are the main differences between the three groups of British Universitie? 3. How can young people gain admission to the University? 4. What is the process of study in British Universities? 5. What support have students from the state? XIV.Make up the plan of the text. Retell the text according to your plan. XV. Make up a summary of the text.
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