TOPIC 4. EDUCATION IN GREAT BRITAIN

In Great Britain education is compulsory for all children from 5 to 16 years of age. Before 5 some children attend Nursery Schools, while most children start their basic educa­tion in an Infant School which is the first stage of Primary Education. From 7 to 11 they attend Junior Schools, the sec­ond stage of Primary Education. In Primary School children are taught the so-called 3R's — reading, writing and arith­metic, as well as elementary science and information technol­ogy. They also have music, physical training and art classes.

At the age of eleven children transfer to Comprehensive Schools. These schools give general education and a wide range of academic courses leading to the public examinations taken at 16. Along with the state schools, there are about 500 private schools in Britain that comprise about 6% of the school popu­lation.

Any child may leave school at 16 when all children take the school-leaving examinations and get a certificate of secondary education. Those who want to continue their education at a University have to stay on at school for two more years and take another exam (at an advanced level). Advanced level examination is very important, because on the results of this examination the Universities and Polytechnics choose their students, as there are no entrance examinations.

The leading universities in England are Oxford, Cambridge and London. After three years of study, a student receives a Bachelor's degree. Some may continue their studies for two or more years to get the degrees of Master and Doctor. Besides universities, there are other types of higher educational institutions: Polytechnics and Colleges of differ­ent kinds.

 

TOPIC 5. EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Public education at all levels in the US is the responsibili­ty of individual states. Education is provided to all children from the age of 5 to 18 in the public school system. After an optional year in kindergarten, children enter grade 1 at the age of 6. Education is compulsory until the age of 16. After 6 years in elementary school children go on to junior high (or middle school) and then to high school for another 6 years. The usual plan for dividing schools is: 6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high and 3 years of high school, but this plan may be different in different states. Those who complete the full high school programme receive a high school diploma. The subjects children learn are much the same as in other countries.

Schoolchildren can learn one foreign language for 2 years (Spanish, German, or French). The Americans think that learning how to think independently and problem-solving skills is more important than learning facts. Today there is a strong emphasis on science, mathematics and foreign lan­guages and the knowledge of other peoples and cultures.

Besides public schools there are private schools which are very expensive, and religious schools which are also fee-pay­ing.

About half of the young people today who finish secondary school go on to community colleges which provide two years of higher education at minimal cost. State colleges and univer­sities provide four years of higher education necessary to receive a bachelor's degree, as well as additional education for a master's degree. Fees are different in different states. Besides these, there are many private colleges and universities, which are more expensive than public institutions.

 

TOPIC 6. MY UNIVERSITY.

 

The Mechanical-Machine-Building Institute was opened in Chelyabinsk in December 1943. It was formed on the basis of Chelyabinsk and Leningrad Tractor Plants. At that time there were only two faculties there: the Mechanical-Technological Faculty and the Automobile-and-Tractor Faculty. Only 425 students studied at the Institute in 1943. In 1951 the ChMMI was named the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute. In 1990 it was reorganized into the Technical University, and in 1997 - into South Urals State University.

At present it is one of the largest higher schools in the country. About 50,000 students and post-graduates study at its full-time, part-time and distance learning faculties. The teaching staff numbers about 5000 instructors. Several Corresponding Members of the Academy of Sciences, about 350 Professors and a great number of Assistant Professors work there. The University has 34departments and 140 chairs which train engineers in 50 specialities.

The University provides a good engineering education. It should be noted, however, that the University trains not only engineers, but specialists in economics, finance, law, ecology, linguistics, architecture and construction, psychology. The university has 11 branch establishments around Chelyabinsk region and it is among the ten best Russian universities according to the Russian Education Department.

South Urals State University is a large research center. Since 2011 our university has come to the two-level system of higher education: baccalaureate and magistracy.

I have chosen this University because of its prestige, high status among Russian universities and high quality of training. Our University has facilities to study and do sports. The university graduates are always in great demand among employers.

 

Topic 7. my future career

When I was at school, I knew I would continue my educa­tion after finishing school. The question was what to choose. Now I know that I want to become a psychologist.

Psychology is a very useful and important subject because it deals with people, their behaviour, their relationships. It can help people in all spheres of their life. For example, children's psychology helps bring up children in the family, it also helps teachers at school. Psychology helps people solve their person­al problems and communicate with other people. Psycholo­gists are necessary at kindergardens, at schools, at factories and offices. Special psychological tests can help us choose our future career and are useful for administrators and managers in hiring their employees.

Psychology as a subject is studied now in many universi­ties, institutes and colleges. I want to make a special study of psychology and become a psychother­apist. I feel that I can make a good specialist. That's why I want to enter the Department of Psychology of the South Urals State University.

I am glad to have become the student of the South Urals State University, the 9th best university among Russian polytechnical higher education establishments. Today Russian higher education like European and American education is divided into two steps: bachelors and masters of science or arts. As the competition is great in the home and foreign labor markets, I’m going to take the bachelor and master of arts degrees and continue postgraduate education to take the doctor of arts degree. Maybe it is worth taking another education in scientific sphere.