Заняття 2.5

Вища ОСВІТА у Великобританії

1. Read and learn the following words.

2. Read and translate the text.

The system of higher education in Great Britain includes universities, colleges of education and advanced courses at various colleges of further education.

Good A-level results in at least two subjects are neces­sary to get a place at a university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students af­ter interviews. At the moment, approximately (близько) 30% of young adults go to university in Britain.

All British universities are private institutions. Students have to pay fees and living costs, but every student may obtain (отримати) a personal grant from the Local Education Authority. If the parents do not earn much money, their children will receive a full grant which will cover all the expenses.

A university usually consists of colleges. For example Cambridge University consists of 32 independent colleges. The departments of the colleges are organized into faculties. In the university students have a series of lectures, seminars, laboratory classes and tutorials. Lectures are given to large groups of students while seminars and laboratory classes are much smaller than lectures. Tutorials are like private lessons, given to one student or a small group. Tuition fees (£ 1 000 a year) are paid extra.

Students at university are called undergraduates while they are studying for their first degree. Universities teach in all major subjects’ areas: arts, science, law, engineer­ing, medicine, and social sciences.

Most university courses last three years, language courses 4 years (including year spent abroad). Medicine and dentistry courses are longer (5-7 years). After complet ing a university course successfully graduates leave a university with Bachelor’s degree: Bachelor of Arts (for e.g. BA in History) or Bachelor of Science (for e.g. BS in Chemistry), Bachelor of Education, or Economics, Engineer­ing, Medicine, etc.Later they may continue to take a postgraduate degree: Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), Master of Philosophy (MPh). Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest degree. It is given for some original research work which is an important contribution to knowledge.

English universities greatly differ from each other in date of foundation, size, history, and tradition.

There are over 90 universities in Great Britain. They can be divided into 3 groups: the old universities (Oxford, Cambridge, and Scottish Universities), the “red brick” universities and the new universities.

The two intellectual eyes of Britain – Oxford and Cam­bridge Universities – date from the 12^th and 13^th centu­ries. They have dominated British education for 700 years. The Scottish Universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh date from the 15^th and 16^th centuries.

The universities which were founded between 1840 and 1930 (including London and Manchester Universities) are known as Red brick universities. They were called so, because that was the favourite building material of that time.

During the late 1960^th and early 1970^th some 20 new universities were set up. Sometimes they are called “ plate glass ” (or “ concrete and glass ”) universities. The term reflects their modern architectural design. These universities were built of plate glass in steel or concrete (бетон) frames (каркас). Among them are the Sussex, York universities and others. During these years the Government also set up 30 Polytechnics. Their aim was to teach both academic and vocational subjects. But under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 they were given the status of universities. Today, the term " New Universities" is used i nstead of the former polytechnics.

Those students who decide to leave school at the age of 16 may go to furthereducation colleges where they can fol­low a course in typing, engineering, town planning, cook­ing or hairdressing, full-time or part-time. Further educa­tion colleges have strong ties (зв’язки) with commerce and industry.

Some 80, 000 overseas students study at British universi­ties or further education colleges or train in nursing, law, banking or in industry.