HIGHER EDUCATION. I . Words and word combinations to be remembered

 

I. Words and word combinations to be remembered:

entrance examinations – вступительные экзамены

to get (to receive) grants – получать стипендию

curriculum – учебная программа, план

general engineering subjects – общетехнические предметы

to be enrolled into a University – быть зачисленным университет

a distance education system – cистема дистантного обучения

advanced knowledge – повышенного типа знания

to concentrate on smth – сосредотачиваться на чем-либо

a bachelor’s degree – степень бакалавра

a tutor – наставник, руководитель нескольких студентов

to carry on research – проводить исследование

to attend lectures – посещать лекции

to arrange examinations – организовывать экзамены

to be given a mark – получать оценку

to hold classes – организовывать занятия

teaching staff – коллектив преподавателей

to confer a diploma – выдавать диплом

to award a certificate – выдавать свидетельство

to graduate from the University – оканчивать университет

to cheat – списывать, жульничать

to examine – принимать экзамен

an examiner – экзаменатор

to fail an exam – не сдать экзамен

to pass\ to get through – справиться, выдержать экзамен

to take an exam – сдавать экзамен

to retake – пересдавать экзамен

to revise for а test– повторять к тесту

to study for a test – заниматься, готовиться к тесту

certificate – аттестат, свидетельство

degree – степень

graduate – выпускник

 

II. Read, translate and retell the text:

Higher Education in Russia

 

Historically, civilian higher education was divided between a minority of traditional wide curriculum universities and a larger number of narrow specialization institutes (including art schools). Specific-field institutes concentrated primarily in Moscow and Saint Petersburg; medical and teachers' institutes were scattered more evenly across the territory. Medical profession historically developed within universities, but was separated from them in 1918 and remains separate as of 2008. Law education exists within universities and as standalone law institutes; in 1990s many technical institutes and new private schools created their own departments of law; as of 2008, law departments trained around 750 thousands students. Selected narrow-field institutes thrived in remote regions due to their unique geographical placement (maritime and fishing colleges in seaport towns, mining and metallurgy institutes in ore-rich territories, etc.). In 1990s the institutes typically renamed themselves universities, while retaining their historical narrow specialization.

Russian higher education always fitted into a single stage resulting in specialist diploma. It took five to six years to complete. A specialist graduate needed no further academic qualification to pursue in real–world career, with the exception of some (but not all) branches of medical profession that required post-graduate residency stage. Military college education lasted four years and was ranked as equivalent to specialist diploma.

Since 1992 Russian higher education has introduced a multilevel system, enabling higher education institutions to award:

- Bachelor of Science degree (3 - 4 years of study);

- Master of Science degree (2 years of training after Bachelor degree);

- Diploma of Specialist (5-6 years of training).

Diploma of Specialist and Master of Science Degree give graduates the right to enter postgraduate courses and doctoral programmes.

In October 2007 Russia enacted a law that replaces the traditional five-year model of education with a two-tiered approach: a four-year bachelor degree followed by a two-year master’s degree.

The move has been criticized, because instead of reshaping their curriculum, some universities simply inserted a bachelor accreditation in the middle of their standard five or six-year programs. The job market is generally unaware of the change and sometimes Bachelors diplomas are not recognized as "real" university education, rendering the degree unnecessary and undesirable without further specialization.

 

III. Read, translate and reproduce the dialogues:

 

Dialogue 1.

OLAF: I say, John. What is a tutor?

JOHN: The Tutorial System is one of the ways in which Oxford and Cambridge differ from all the other English universities. Every student has a tutor and as soon as you come to Oxford one of the first things you do is to go and see your tutor. He, more or less, plans your work, suggests the books you should read and sets work for you to do, for example an essay to write. Each week you go to him in his rooms, perhaps with two or three other students, and he discusses with you the work that you have done, criticizes in detail your essay and sets you the next week’s work.

OLAF: Does the tutor also give lectures?

JOHN: Yes, he does.

OLAF: But aren’t lectures given by professors?

JOHN: Yes, they are, though professors don’t give many lectures. They are often appointed not so much to do teaching work as to carry on research in their particular subjects.

OLAF: Can you go to any lecture you like, no matter whether it is by a tutor or a professor of your college or not?

JOHN: Of course, you can. Lectures are organized not by colleges but by the university too, and so any member of the university may attend them, and all students are members of a college and of the university.

OLAF: You said that lectures were «organized by the university». Where is the university?

JOHN: It must seem rather strange to you but there isn’t really any university at Oxford as there is, for example, at Manchester or Bristol or Edinburgh. Oxford (like Cambridge) is a collection of colleges, each self-governing and independent. «The University» is merely an administrative body that organizes lectures, arranges examinations, gives degrees, etc. The colleges are the real living Oxford and each has its own character and individuality.

 

 

Dialogue 2.

Masha: I’d like to clear up some things about higher education in England.

Alice: I’ll do my best to help you.

Masha: What kind of institutes have you got in England?

Alice: I suppose, by «institutes» you mean educational institutions? We don’t usually call them like that. In Great Britain we have universities and colleges.

Masha: By the way, what is meant by a «residential» college?

Alice: It’s a college with a hostel, which is usually situated on the same grounds as the principal building. All the students live in the hostel and so does the majority of the teaching staff. There are also many non-residential colleges, which haven’t got any hostels.

Masha: I see. Now, what is the difference between a university and a college?

Alice: Well, first of all, the curriculum is different: colleges give a specialized training, and at a university the curriculum is wider. University teaching combines lectures, practical classes in scientific subjects and small group teaching in either seminars or tutorials. The last is a traditional feature of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The course of studies is longer – three or four years.

Masha: And at a college?

Alice: It depends on the type of the college. Colleges of education, for example, have a two-year course, sometimes three, if the student is specializing in some particular subject.

Masha: Two years only – and you get your diploma! It’s quick, isn’t it?

Alice: Colleges of education, by the way, don’t confer diplomas on their graduates. They award certificates to them. Diplomas are conferred on graduates of technical colleges.

Masha: What about universities?

Alice: A university graduate will leave with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine, etc.

Masha: Oh, I see. Thank you for the information.

 

IV. Ask your friend:

1. Доступно ли высшее образование в России и бесплатно ли оно.

2. Как рассматривает высшая школа высшее образование.

3. Какая новая система обучения введена в настоящее время.

4. Какие предметы изучаются студентами 1 и 2 курсов.

5. Когда студенты начинают изучать специальные предметы? Почему (высшее) образование играет важную роль.

6. Чем славятся (известны) университеты Оксфорда и Кембриджа.

7. Какую роль играет наставник в процессе обучения студента.

8. Как организовано обучение в этих двух университетах.

9. Чем отличается колледж от университета.

 

V. Act out the situations:

1. Вы студент АлтГТУ, вы хотите узнать у своего английского друга о системе образования в Великобритании.

2. Ваш друг из Англии расспрашивает вас о системе высшего образования в России.

3. Ваш друг собирается поступать в наш университет. Он хотел бы знать: как он может это сделать, и как организовано обучение в университете.

4. Один из вас студент АлтГТУ, другой – студент Кембриджа. Обменяйтесь мнениями о ваших университетах.