Higher Education in Great Britain

Nowadays higher education in Great Britain is provided by universities, colleges of education, colleges of artsand colleges of further education. There are about 100 universities in Britain, including the Open University. The oldest and best-known universities are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bristol, and Birmingham. Students are carefully selected. The General Certificate of Secondary Educationand good A-level resultsin at least two subjects are necessary to get a place at a university. However, good certificate and exam scores are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews.

English universities greatly differ from each other. They differ in date of foundation, size, history, tradition, general organization, methods of instruction, and way of student life. The universities can be roughly divided into threegroups:

· the oldest universities(Oxford and Cambridge);

· the redbrick universities(they were founded between 1850 and 1930, such as London University);

· and the new universities(founded after World War II).

Oxford(12^th century) and Cambridge(13^th century) are the oldest and most prestigious Universities in Great Britain. They are often called collectively Oxbridge.Both universities are independent. The basis of teaching there is by weekly tutorials.Each student has a tutor who controls and guides his training. Normally a student writes an essay which his tutor criticizes both in writing and in person with the student. Oxford and Cambridge preserve their traditions such as the use of Latin at degree ceremonies.

Many great men studied at Cambridge. Among them Roger Bacon,the philosopher, Milton,the poet, Oliver Cromwell,the soldier, Newton,the scientist, and Kapitza,the famous Russian physicist.

The general pattern of teaching at other universities remains a mixture of lectures, seminars and tutorials. Each university and department has its own method of assessment.In general, progress is measured through a combination of coursework, dissertationand finals. Other colleges for further education include polytechnics(all have the status of universities), colleges of education, specialist colleges(Agricultural colleges, colleges of Art and Music, etc.), further education colleges.

There is an interesting form of studies which is called the Open University.It is intended for people who study in their own free time. They "attend" lectures by watching television (the BBC) and listening to the radio. They keep in touch by phone and letter with their tutors and attend summer schools. More than 6,000 students, of all ages, get degrees this way every year.

The most common degree titles for a first degree are Bachelor of Arts (BA)or Bachelor of Science (BS).Usually they are awarded after four years of study. The second degree titles are Master of Arts (MA)and Master of Science (MS).The highest degree in most fields is the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Tuition feesare high, especially for overseas students. And they are increased each year in line with inflation. University life is considered "an experience"; the exams are competitive but the social life and living away from home are also important.

4 Find in the text the English equivalents to the following Russian words:

аттестат о среднем образовании; независимый; собеседование; куратор/наставник; по крайней мере; посещать занятия; оценка знаний; поддерживать связь; плата за обучение; ученая степень; присуждать

5 Give the Russian equivalents to the following English words and phrases:

redbrick universities; date of foundation; are located; including; can be roughly divided; weekly tutorials; each student; is measured through; titles; according to

6 Answer the following questions:

1) What are the most well-known universities in Great Britain?

2) How are the universities classified?

3) What groups are they divided into?

4) What are the most prestigious universities in Great Britain?

5) What is the principal method of teaching in Oxford and Cambridge?

6) What are the functions of the tutor?

7) What scientific degrees can students get?

8) What is the highest degree in British universities?

9) In what way do people study at the Open University?

10) Which university is older – Oxford or Cambridge?

7 Complete the following statements:

1) Higher education in Great Britain is provided by………………….

2) …………………………. are necessary to get a place at a university.

3) The universities can be divided……………………….

4) A student write…………………….

5) A tutor criticizes……………………

6) ………………………………… Oxbridge.

7) The basis of teaching there is…………………

8) Each university and department has………………

9) Tuition fees for foreign students are …………………

10) University life is……………………….

8 Express your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:

1) London University is one of the oldest universities in Great Britain.

2) Besides good certificate and exam scores you need to have an interview to enter the university.

3) English universities do not differ from each other.

4) The Ancient Greek language is used at ceremonies in Oxbridge.

5) Students from other countries cannot study in England.

6) Students do coursework, dissertations, and take finals.

7) Bachelor degree is awarded after four years of studying.

8) The second degree title is Doctor of philosophy.

9 Retell the text.

UNIT 6

1 Read and learn the following words:

2 Read the words in the bold types. Pay attention to the pronunciation and the stress. Translate them into Russian.

3 Read the text.

The Faculty of History

Rostov State University's Faculty of Historyoffers a wide variety of courses and majors in the humanities. Originally, the History Department was included in the Philology Department. Now, the two departments are separate and the History Department ranks among the largest in the University.

Since its foundation the History Department has been one of the most active and respected faculties in the University. The Department's first Chairpersonwas a world famous historian Professor Pokrovsky. The department has produced many outstanding innovators, researchers and teachers of historical science. The department provides the following specialties: world history, history of social movements and political parties, archaeologyand regional studies.

The curriculumconsists of history subjects such as: the history of primitive society, ancient history, the history of the middle ages, modern and contemporary history, local history, historiography, resource studies, the science of bibliography, the history of native cultures, the history of world religion and the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. There are subjects in the humanities and socio-economic disciplines: philosophy, educational methodology, sociology, politics, and economics and subjects in the natural sciences: computer technology, environmental planning studies and so forth.

The History Department is broken up into seven sub-departments:

• the Department of Russian History of Feudalism and Special Historical Disciplines;

• the Department of 19^th and Early 20^th Century Russian History;

• the Department of Contemporary Russian History;

• the Department of Social Movements and History of Political Parties in Russia;

• the Department of Ancient and Medieval History;

• the Department of Modern and Contemporary History;

• the Department of Political History.

Three of these departments have a common research area- Russian History.It studies a broad range of topics including the history of the Don River region and the people of the Northern Caucasus. It also tracks the history of this rich region from the time of feudal lords to modern times.

The Department of Ancient and Medieval Historydevotes itself to the study of the spiritual and economical culture of the Don region during the middle Ages. It concentrates on the link between the people of this region and the social and political development of Western Europe.

The Department of Modern and Contemporary Historyis concerned with the social and political history of modern Europe, North America, Asia and Africa.

The professors and instructors of these departments rank among the leading experts in historical research. Recently, the historical sciences have experienced an exciting phase of development. New approaches, new techniques and new areas of interest have allowed many documents and artifacts to be reinterpreted. This has made history a more appealing subject to study.

Graduates of Rostov State University's History Department are sought by a wide range of employers. After finishing their course work and graduating, students often become civil servants, politicians, librarians, museum curators, archives managers, tour guidesor business people.Young specialists also work as teachersin secondary schools and universities.

4 Find in the text the English equivalents to the following Russian words:

гуманитарные науки; историк; новая и новейшая история; источниковедение; история средних веков (2); археология; историография; область исследования; первобытное общество; предметы (2); феодальный; методология; выпускник; новые подходы

5 Give the Russian equivalents to the following English words and phrases:

a wide variety of courses; department; ranks; local history; the science of bibliography; social movements; environmental planning studies; a broad range of topics; social and political development; a wide range of employers; civil servants; artifacts; to be reinterpreted; a more appealing subject; chairperson

6 Answer the following questions:

1) What faculty did the History Department come from?

2) Who was the first dean of the History Faculty?

3) What specialties does the faculty offer to the students?

4) What History subjects does the curriculum consist of?

5) Do students study subjects in the national sciences?

6) What are the departments of the History Faculty?

7) Which of them have a common research area?

8) What do the other departments study?

9) What professions can the graduates of Southern Federal University’s History Faculty get?

10) What sub-department are you going to specialize in?

7 Complete the following statements:

1) The History department was included……..

2) The History department ranks……..

3) The History department has been……..

4) The department has produced…….

5) The History department is broken up…….

6) The department provides……..

7) The professors and instructors of the department ……..

8) ………… have allowed many documents artifacts to be reinterpreted.

9) Graduates of Rostov State University's History Department are…………..

10) Russian History is studied at ………….

8 Express your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:

1) The History Department and the Philology Department are separate today.

2) The History Department is one of the smallest departments in the university.

3) The students study history of the USA and Great Britain in the third year of studying.

4) The department pays much attention to the studying of Russian History.

5) Computer technology, environmental planning studies as well as philosophy, sociology and politics are among socio-economic disciplines and humanities.

6) The curriculum includes only history subjects.

7) New approaches, new techniques helped to attract more interest to history as a science.

8) It is impossible for graduates to find job after finishing the Faculty of History. They can work as teachers only.

9 Retell the text.

UNIT 7

1 Read and learn the following words:

2 Read the words in the bold types. Pay attention to the pronunciation and the stress. Translate them into Russian.

3 Read the text.

Archaeology

Archaeology is the science that studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data. Archaeology includes architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human remains and landscapes. The goals of archaeology are to document and explain the origins and development of human culture, understand culture history, chronicle cultural evolution, and study human behavior and ecology, for both prehistoric and historic societies.

In the Old World, archaeology has focused mostly on the study of physical remains. It also studied the methods of recovering physical remains and the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings in achieving the subject's goals. In some parts of the world, archaeology is more commonly devoted to the study of human societies and is regarded as one of the four branches of anthropology. The other three branches are cultural anthropology, linguistics and physical anthropology. Cultural anthropology studies behavioral, symbolic, and material dimensions of culture. Linguistics studies language, including the origins of language and language groups. Physical anthropology includes the study of human evolution and physical and genetic characteristics. Other disciplines also supplement archaeology, including history, art history, classics, geography, geology, paleontology, paleozoology, paleoethnobotany, and paleobotany.

Archaeology is an approach to understanding human culture through its material remains. Traditional archaeology is viewed as the study of pre-historic human cultures, that is, cultures that existed before the development of writing for that culture. Historical archaeology is the study of cultures with some form of writing. In the study of relatively recent cultures by Western scholars, archaeology is closely allied with ethnography.

There is no single theory of archaeology, and even definitions are disputed. Until the mid-20th century scientists believed that archaeology was closely related to both history and anthropology. The first major phase in the history of archaeological theory is commonly referred to as cultural history. It was developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1960s, a number of young, primarily American archaeologists, such as Lewis Binford, rebelled against the paradigms of cultural history. They proposed a "New Archaeology", which would be more "scientific" and "anthropological", with hypothesis testing and the scientific method very important parts of what became known as processual archaeology.

In the 1980s, a new movement arose. It is known as post-processual archaeology. However, this approach has been criticized by processualists as lacking scientific rigor. Archaeological theory now borrows from a wide range of influences, including neo-Darwinian evolutionary thought, phenomenology, postmodernism, agency theory, cognitive science, Functionalism, gender-based and Feminist archaeology, and Systems theory.

4 Find in the text the English equivalents to the following Russian words:

письменность; подход; человеческие останки; движение; дополнять; аргументы; посвящать; относительно недавние культуры; определения; гипотеза; тесно связаны с; множество; цели

5 Give the Russian equivalents to the following English words and phrases:

environmental data; the origins and development; physical remains; achieving the subject's goals; dimensions of culture; rebelled against; evolutionary thought; is commonly referred to; scientific rigor

6 Answer the following questions:

1) What does archaeology study?

2) What are the aims of archaeology?

3) What was archaeology focused on in the old world?

4) Archaeology was considered to be one of four branches of some science. What science it was?

5) What were the other three branches?

6) What human cultures are called pre-historic?

7) What cultures does historical archaeology study?

8) Do any theories of archaeology or definitions exist?

9) What did American archaeologists proposed in the middle of 20^th century?

10) Why was post-processual archaeology criticized by processualists?

7 Complete the following statements:

1) The goals of archaeology are………..

2) In some parts of the world archaeology is regarded as…………

3) Cultural anthropology studies………..

4) Physical anthropology includes the study of………..

5) Archaeology can help to understand………..

6) Historical archaeology studies…………

7) Lewis Binford rebelled against………….

8) Cultural history was developed………..

9) Traditional archaeology is viewed as………..

10) New Archaeology used a method which was known as………..

8 Express your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:

1) Archaeology studies prehistoric societies.

2) In the past archaeology was concentrated on studying physical remains.

3) Archaeology has always been an independent discipline.

4) Nowadays archaeology is added by art history, geography, geology, paleontology, paleozoology, paleoethnobotany, and paleobotany.

5) Chronology plays an important role in understanding human culture.

6) Both traditional archaeology and historical archaeology study prehistoric human cultures.

7) American archaeologists didn`t accept traditional archaeology.

8) Today archaeology still doesn`t have exact definitions and borrows from different sciences.

9 Retell the text.

UNIT 8

1 Read and learn the following words:

2 Read the words in the bold types. Pay attention to the pronunciation and the stress. Translate them into Russian.

3 Read the text.

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