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Bachelor of science (BSc) Bachelor of Arts (BA) Master of Science (MSe) Master of Arts (MA) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Oxford
Cambridge Durham
the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) the Education Reform Act
Universities’ Central Council for Admissions
The Open University Milton Keynes
University of the Third Age
The University of Wales Scotland, the Workers’ Educational Association
Ex.2 Read the following words:
colleges, at least, authorities, Certificate, Courses, Suitable qualifications, skills, career dissertation, essay, degree, honours, examination, minority, contribution, professional, beginning, grant, diplomas.
Ex.3 Read and translate the text:
Most formal education after school is done in the various technical and other colleges. There is at least one college in every town. They are specialized or more general, mostly maintained by their local education authorities. Some of their students do full-time courses, but many have jobs and attend classes in the evenings, or on one or two days a week. They prepare themselves for diplomas or certificates of proficiency in the innumerable skills which a modern society needs. The variety of colleges and courses is so great that it is impossible to make general statement about them. The students are of all ages, including older people developing new skills. In general the bigger the college the greater the range of its courses attempts are made within each local area to provide courses suitable for most of the people who want to obtain qualifications for their careers.
For higher-level studies the main qualification is the “first” degree of Bachelor (of Arts science, etc) which can be attained by students who pass their university examinations or in some cases other examinations of equivalent
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level. This normally involves at least three years of full-time study after passing the advanced level certificate of education at the age of about eighteen. So most people who become BA, BSc, etc. do so at the age of at least twenty-one
“Bachelors’ degrees are usually awarded on the basis of answers to several three-hour examinations together with practical work or long essays or dissertations written in conjunction with class work. Degrees are classified. About a tenth (or less) of candidates win first-class honours degrees, threequarters second-class, the rest-third-class or pass without honours, or fail. Some students continue to study for degrees of Master (of Arts, Science, etc) which often need two further years of study, with examination papers and substantial dissertations. A minority go on further, preparing theses which must make original contributions to knowledge, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Higher-degree study is more common among students of natural or applied sciences or the social sciences such as economics, sociology, political science or law. But many people who gain first degrees in their subjects often go on to more practical training courses which lead to various kinds of professional qualifications.
England’s two ancient universities, Oxford and Cambridge, were the only ones in the country from 1348 for almost 500 years until 1820. There were four in Scotland in the sixteenth century.
The beginning of the modern university system came with the grant of a charter to the University of London in 1836. Another university, at Durham in the north, was founded in 1832, but it remained small until quite recently. The University of Wales was established in 1893, with one constituent college in each of two big towns and two small ones. Within three years (in 1966-67) the number of universities in England doubled to 32, and in Scotland too four new ones were added.
In 1964 a new body was set up, the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA). Any college which has developed a Course at university level may apply to it, asking to have the course recognized as a degree – level course in its own right. If the CNAA is satisfied, the college may then organize its own syllabuses, teaching and examinations, and successful students are then awarded CNAA degrees.
In 1988 the Education Reform Act provided for a change in the status of these colleges. Twenty-eight of them as well as all the polytechnics, became independent institutions.
As distinct from the colleges and polytechnics, the universities have always been independent of both local authorities and the state. Each has a council as its own effective governing body and a vice-chancellor as an academic chief. A governing body is composed of professors, lecturers and students’
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representatives and local notables. A vice-chancellor is appointed by the council. Each university has its own organization, but usually there are about six faculties, each containing a group of departments.
Apart from lecture courses the teaching is done mostly in laboratories or in tutorial group for three or four students, or seminars for about ten. Students are required to write numerous essays or seminar papers, which may be discussed in the group meetings. Some of these may be used for assessment towards the class of degree awarded. There are usually not more than twelve students for each teacher in a department, and there is plenty of personal contact between them.
V. How to enter a university (Entry to a university)
Each university’s faculties issue prospectures describing their courses.
Anyone wanting to ender a university gets copies of several of these and an application form from Universities Central Council for Admissions, on which to enter applications for up to five courses in different universities. Applicants then go to visit the universities to which they have applied, and may be interviewed by lecturers, who eventually decide which of the applicants to accept, mainly on the basis of the grades obtained in the advanced – level certificate examinations. Each has a quota of new students which ought not to be exceeded, so entry to each course is in effect competitive.
Meanwhile there has been great progress with adult education. For a long time university extra-mural departments have provided a great range of evening classes, in courses of varying lenth, often as a joint ventures with the Workers’
Educational Association. Some of these classes are led by full-time extra-mural tutors, others by regular lectures in their spare time. A recent change of policy has enabled some of these courses to end with formal examinations, and diplomas for the successful students.
On a bigger scale is the Open University which developed in the 1970s. It was devised to satisfy the needs of working people of any age who wish to study in their spare time for degrees. It has a centre at the new town of Milton Keynes, between Oxford and Cambridge. Its full-time staff have produced a whole library of short Coursebooks which anyone can buy by post or from any major bookshop.
They devise courses, which they present on one of the BBC’s television
Channels and by radio. Most course work is run by part-time tutors (many of whom are lecturers at other universities). These are scattered around the country, and meet students to discuss their work at regular intervals. There are short residential summer courses. The students are of all ages, some of them retired. They may spread their studies over several years, and choose their courses to suit their individual needs and preferences.
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The Open University has helped greatly towards the ideal of education accessible to everyone who aspires to it, at every level.
For those retired people who do not want to work for diplomas or degrees there is a university of the Third Age with about 100 centres. It gets no government funds, and collects small subscriptions from its participants.
VII. Fashion in education
Fashions in education change. The great rise of sociology in the 1960s has been replaced by an even greater burgeoning of business studies and of training in the skills of management. Modern government policies cannot afford to neglect the role of education in developing the skills needed in the contemporary world-not only in applied sciences, but in the numeracy, at different levels, required in a world where computers have an increasing role, and also, in a quite different direction, in the ability to make effective use of languages other than English. Dutch and Scandinavian people can perform better in English than the British can in any other language. The Japanese may be less competent with foreign languages even than the British, but their mathematical skills, as well as others have been shown to be superior.
The government is rather more supportive in its attitude to the polytechnics than to the older universities. Most polytechnic students study applied sciences, management or business studies. Their provision for languages is in general directed to the development of practical competence, including ability to cope with the special forms of language needed for aspects of the contemporary world’s activities. There is, in general, a new emphasis on the role of education in preparing people for their future functions in the economy.
to do full-time courses – заниматься на дневном отделении
to be maintained by the local education authorities – содержаться местными органами
to attend classes – посещать занятия
to prepare oneself for diplomas or certificates of proficiency in … - готовиться
к
защите дипломов по …
to make statements – утверждать
to develop new skills – приобретать новую профессию
to provide courses suitable for … - готовить курсы обучения, удобные для … to pass the advanced level certificate of education – сдать выпускные экзамены
to be awarded some degree – присвоить степень applied sciences – прикладные науки
social sciences – общественные науки political sciences – политические науки
practical training courses – практические курсы
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to gain a degree in any subject – получить степень a governing body – орган управления
to be composed of – состоять из
to be appointed by – быть назначенным
to issue prospectures – выпускать проспекты
to get an application form – получить форму заявления to be interviewed by lecturers – подвергнуться опросу to accept an applicant – принять кандидата
the grades obtained in the advanced-level certificate examinations – оценки,
полученные предварительно adult education – образование для взрослых (любой возраст)
extra-mural department – заочное отделение
to satisfy the needs – соответствовать требованиям
to study in one’s spare time for degrees – обучаться в свободное время full-time staff – полный штат основных сотрудников
to present on one of the BBC’s Channels – идти по каналам ББС a part-time tutor – преподаватель по совместительству
to have short residential summer courses – проходить краткие летние курсы to suit one’s individual needs and preferences – соответствовать личным
потребностям
to collect some subscriptions from the participants – собирать взносы с уч-ов to work for diplomas or degrees – работать над дипломом или степенью
Ex.1 Make the correct form of the verb in brackets, using Present Simple Passive:
1.Education after School (to be done) in various colleges and universities.
2.They (to be maintained) by the local education authorities.
3.The attempts (to be made) to provide courses suitable for most of the people.
4.The first degree of Bachelor (to be attained) by students who pass their university examinations.
5.Bachelor’s degrees (to be awarded) on the basis of answers to several threehour examinations.
6.A successful students (to be awarded) CNAA degrees.
7.A governing body (to be composed) of professors, lecturers and students’ representatives and local notables.
8.A vice-Chancellor (to be appointed) by the Council.
9.The teaching (to be done) mostly in laboratories or in tutorial groups.
10.Students (to be required) to write numerous essays or seminar papers.
Ex.2 Make the correct form of the verb, using Past Simple Passive:
1.The University of Wales (to be established) in 1893.
2.A new body (to be set up) in 1964.
3.The Open University (to be devised) to satisfy the needs of working people.