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Academic Degrees AbroadA degree is an academic qualification awarded on completion of a higher education course (a first degree, usually known as Bachelor’s degree) or a piece of research (a higher/further degree, doctorate and so on). There exists considerable diversity of degrees in various countries. But in spite of the lack of equivalence of degrees some similarities can be found among certain groups of countries, particularly those of the British Commonwealth, continental Europe, America and the Far East. One can distinguish the principal types of academic degrees – bachelor, master, and doctor which represent different levels of academic achievements. The Bachelor’s Degree is the oldest and best known academic degree. Some varieties of bachelor’s, or baccalaureate, degrees are a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and the Bachelor of Science (Bsc). Other baccalaureate degrees offered by most universities are Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Home Economics. The Bachelor’s degree can be attained by students who pass their university examinations, or in some cases other examinations of \ equivalent 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. First degrees in medicine require six years of study, some others four. It is now quite usual for students in subject such as engineering to spend periods during their degree courses away from their academic studies, in industrial location so that they may get practical experience. A student of a foreign language normally spends a year in a country where that language is spoken. 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, three quarters - second-class, and the rest - third class, or pass without fail. A person studying for a degree at a British university is called an undergraduate. About 33 per cent of students continue to study for degrees of Master (of Arts, Science, Education, Business Administration, Music, Fine Arts, Philosophy, etc.). About 45 varieties of Master of Arts and 40 varieties of Master of Science degrees are reported. The degree of Master in general requires one or two further years of study, with examination papers and substantial dissertation. A minority (about 15 per cent) goes on further, preparing theses which must make original contributions to knowledge, for the most advanced degree of Doctor of Sc. Philosophy (Phd). Doctor’s degrees in many foreign countries are of two distinct types: professional or practitioner’s degrees, and research degrees. The former represent advanced training for the practice of various professions, chiefly in medicine and law. The principal ones are Doctor of Sc. Medicine, Doctor of Dental Science of Dental Surgery, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, and Doctor of Jurisprudence. These degrees carry on implication of advanced research. Quite different in character are the research doctorates which represent prolonged periods of advanced study, usually at least three years beyond the baccalaureate, accompanied by a dissertation designed to be a substantial contribution to the advancement of knowledge. The most important of these is the Doctor of Philosophy, which represents advanced research in any major field of knowledge. Second in importance and much more recent as a research degree which is the Doctor of Sc. Education (Ed.D.) It was first awarded by Harvard in 1920, but was preceded by the equivalent Doctor of Pedagogy first conferred by New York University in 1891. The only other earned doctorates of the research type currently conferred by 10 or more institutions are the Doctor of the Science of Law and the Doctor of Business Administration.
1. What is an academic degree? 2. What is the first degree? 3. What are four principal types of Academic degree? 4. What is the best-known academic degree? 5. What do you know about Master’s degree? 6. What important information have you learned from the text about Doctor’s degree?
It may be of some interest for you to learn more about the curriculum and training programs at the postgraduate level abroad. Read the text carefully and find some differences and similarities in the postgraduate course in the United Kingdom and that of our country.
Date: 2015-12-11; view: 3299
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