INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY DEGREES

A university or college awards a degree to a person who has completed a required course of study. The institution presents the degree in the form of a diploma, a document which certifies the award. The basic kinds of degrees are called bachelor, master, and doctor. An honorary degree may be awarded for an outstanding contribution in a certain field.

Most students wishing to take a degree course seek entrance to a university. In some countries students can take degree courses as external students, through correspondence and television courses. Britain's Open University, for example, awards its degrees to adult students.

Most universities require a godd pass in the final secondary school examination, and competition is keen for entry into such faculties as medicine and law. If possible, a student planning to study in a university should seek information two years before completing a secondary school course. This will permit choice of subjects appropriate for the intended course.

First degrees. In English-speaking countries, first degrees are generally called bachelor's degrees. They include the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science (BSc). The ВA is given for such subjects as history, literature, and fine arts, and, in some universities, for science. The BSc is given for science, engineering, and economics. Law students receive the Bachelor of Laws (LIB) in some universities and the ВA in others.

Until the late 1950's, students could take only two main types of course: a general, or pass, course, or a special, or honours, course. Many universities still offer such courses, which last for three years. Students following the general course take three or four related subjects. Those taking the special course generally study one subject . The general courses were designed for students who wished to have a general knowledge of a group of related subjects, such as science. The special courses were intended for those who wished to specialize in a specific subject, such as chemistry.

Some newer universities have tried to avoid the rather narrow training provided by the special courses. They plan their studies so that all students follow the same broad course in the first year, and then study at least one science and one arts subject for another three years. Students do not specialize until the second year at the earliest. They may also study both scientific and non-scientific subjects, because the division into faculties common in many universities, has been abandoned.

In non-English-speaking countries, there is no standard name for a first degree. In France, the first degree is called the licencie es lettrres. In Germany, it is called the staatsexamen. In Sweden, it is called the filosofie kandidatexamen (FK). The Italian Laurea takes the place of first and second degrees in other countries. In Japan, the bachelor's degree is called gakushi. It is awarded after four years of study. In the countries of the former Soviet Union, students receive a diploma after studying for four or five years. The Candidate of Science degree is equivalent to a PhD.

Graduation. When the student has passed a final examination, he or she is qualified to receive a degree. But students cannot use the letters BA, BSc, and so on, until they have been formally admitted to the degree. This process is called graduation, and at a university or similar institution it is a dignified ceremony For many students, a first degree marks the end of their university education. In Scotland, the MA is a first degree, A students proceeds directly to the master's degree without taking a bachelor's degree.

Higher degrees. In most universities, students must complete one or two years of advanced study beyond the first degree to obtain a second or higher degree. Many universities require a thesis, a written report of a special investigation in the student's main subject of study. In most English-speaking universities, second degrees arc called master's degrees. Such degrees include the Master of Arts (MA), Master of Economics (MEcon), and Master of Science (MSc).

Doctorates. The doctor's degree is the highest earned degree in many countries. There are two distinct types of doctor's degrees. One is a protessional degiee required to practice in certain professions, such as medicine. The other is a research degree that indicates the candidate has acquired mastery of abroad field of knowledge and the technique of scholarly research.

The research doctorate may require at least two or three additional years of study beyond the master's degree. The candidate may be required to complete examinations and present a written thesis or dissertation. The doctoral thesis represents an original contribution to knowledge, and is a more detailed study of a research problem than that required for the master’s degree.

In many English-speaking universities, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is the most important research doctorate and may include specialization in almost any academic subject. In some European countries, students of non-professional subjects also take a doctor's degree as the second degree. For example, the German degree of Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) is the equivalent of the MA in English-speaking countries. In Russia, the Doctor of Science (doctor nauk) degree is awarded by a special commission. To receive this degree post-graduate students must research now and important material. In Japan the doctorate degree is called nakushi.