Education is a funny subject to talk about. One the one hand, it’s one of the first things we learn about in our first year or so. On the other hand, because the emphasis is usually on talking about our experiences as a student, we may never learn much about the educational system of the country\/countries of the language. I know that was certainly the case when I started learning English. We learned sentences like “I’m a pupil of the third form. I’m on duty today,” which would have made little sense to someone in the US.<\/p>\n
This blog has featured great detailed posts on studying<\/a> and the spirit of collectivism in Russian universities<\/a>. Today, I would like to concentrate on the higher education system in Russia. Granted, parts of it were “inherited” from the Soviet Union, so former Soviet republics may have similar systems, but there may also be considerable differences, so keep that in mind.<\/p>\n The most common institution of higher education (\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0448\u0435\u0435 \u0443\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0437\u0430\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>, or \u0432\u0443\u0437<\/strong> for short) is \u0443\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435\u0442. \u0423\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> is a larger, diverse institution that offers many areas of study. By contrast, \u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> is a smaller institution specializing in one or a few related subjects. The degrees (\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/strong>) conferred by both are identical, although an \u0443\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> is more likely to offer advanced degrees. By the way, \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0436<\/strong> is not the same as the English word “college” — it refers to a vocational school where people go after the 9th grade to get a \u0441\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0444\u0435\u0441\u0441\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (literally, middle professional education, something like an Associate’s degree in the US). \u041a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0436\u0438<\/strong> teach both vocations and more professional occupations like design or programming, whereas \u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0443\u043c\u044b<\/strong> are solely vocational schools.<\/p>\n A \u0432\u0443\u0437<\/strong> is subdivided into \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (schools). I don’t like using the word “department” for it because \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0435\u0442<\/strong> plays a somewhat different role. Basically, when you apply (\u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – to apply; \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – to get accepted — what an elegant use of the perfective!) to a university in Russia, you apply to a specific \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0435\u0442, which has its own faculty, programs of study, and often separate premises.<\/p>\n Once in school, you take classes (\u043f\u043e\u0441\u0435\u0449\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0437\u0430\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u044f<\/strong>) at the different \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0444\u0435\u0434\u0440\u044b<\/strong>. These are the chairs, or departments, within the \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0435\u0442<\/strong>. They are responsible for different fields of study — English, history, mathematics, and so on. A student typically takes classes offered by different \u043a\u0430\u0444\u0435\u0434\u0440\u044b<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A \u0437\u0430\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>(class) can be a \u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0446\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (lecture), where the instructor presents a topic, or a \u0441\u0435\u043c\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (seminar), which is more interactive. Other forms are also possible, such as a \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u0438\u0443\u043c<\/strong> (colloquium). The different subjects of study are \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong>, and your major is \u0441\u043f\u0435\u0446\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong>. An instructor is called \u043f\u0440\u0435\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c<\/strong>. Note that the word \u0443\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c<\/strong> is reserved for grade school teachers, and the word \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0444\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043e\u0440<\/strong> is reserved for those holding a doctorate.<\/p>\n Russian students study in \u0433\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u043f\u043f\u044b<\/strong>, or cohorts. That means your schedule is fixed and you go to all your classes together with the same group of people. The exception is electives (\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044b \u043f\u043e \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0443<\/strong> or \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u044b<\/strong>), where you may break out into different groups. All the people in the same year as you are collectively called \u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/strong>, so you can say “\u0423 \u043d\u0430\u0441 \u0441\u0442\u043e \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0435<\/strong>” (There are 100 people in my class\/year).<\/p>\n Russia used to have a three-tier higher education system, where most people would study for five years to get their \u0434\u0438\u043f\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043c<\/strong> (diploma\/degree) \u0441\u043f\u0435\u0446\u0438\u0430\u043b<\/strong>\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/strong>. To become a \u0441\u043f\u0435\u0446\u0438\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442<\/strong> (literally, specialist) you need to research and defend a \u0434\u0438\u043f\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (graduation paper). The second tier is the 3-year \u0430\u0441\u043f\u0438\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0430<\/strong>, where one pursues the \u043a\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442 \u043d\u0430\u0443<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> degree (Candidate of Sciences<\/a>). A graduate student of \u0430\u0441\u043f\u0438\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0430<\/strong> is called \u0430\u0441\u043f\u0438\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0442<\/strong>. Finally, \u0434\u043e\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0430<\/strong> is where one pursues the \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440 \u043d\u0430\u0443<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (Doctor of Science<\/a>) degree. It is research-based and takes about 5 years.<\/p>\nTypes of Colleges<\/h2>\n
University Structure<\/h2>\n
Study Process<\/h2>\n
Degrees Conferred<\/h2>\n