Federal State Funded Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education
"South Ural State University"
(National Research University)
South Ural State University is the center for educational, scientific, cultural and athletic activities in Chelyabinsk and the region.
Founded in 1943 as Chelyabinsk Mechanical Engineering Institute, the university was reorganized into Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute in 1951, and in 1990 it became the Chelyabinsk State Technical University. Since 1997, the university is known as South Ural State University. In 2010 it was assigned the status as a National Research University. The university is ranked as one of the top 10 among 96 Russian universities.
Today, South Ural State University is comprised of 32 faculties and 142 departments located in Chelyabinsk, in addition to 11 branches in other cities. The structure of the university also includes four secondary vocational education institutions, military education and college preparatory faculties, two special faculties of professional development and skill upgrading for university degree specialists, an Institute of International Education, a Continuing Education Institute and an Open and Distance Education Institute. University together with its branches numbers has about 50 000 students (full-time, part-time and evening education combined).
There are over 5000 lecturers and officers, including more than 360 professors, doctors of science, 1200 associate professors, candidates of science, 5 full members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), 9 corresponding members of RAS, 2 academicians and 4 corresponding members of other state academies, and over 170 members of foreign and Russian academies.
Current university license allows South Ural State University to provide 245 higher professional education programs (Specialist’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s programs).
The university also offers postgraduate education programs in 86 academic majors, doctorate programs in 12 majors, and facilitates 18 dissertation committees that examine doctoral and candidate’s dissertations.
secondary vocational education institution – среднее профессиональное учебное заведение
University life
The merry-go-round of university life is something that one never forgets. It's a fascinating and fantastic experience. Who can forget the first day at the university when one turns from an applicant who has passed entrance exams into a university student? I did it! I entered, I got in to the university!
When the monitors hand out student membership cards, student record books and library cards one is proud to be a first-year student. First celebrations and then days of hard work. There are so many classes and new subjects; lectures, seminars and tutorials; a lot of home preparations and much homework. The curriculum seems to be developed especially for geniuses. If one cannot cope with the work load of university he or she starts lagging behind. It is easier to keep pace with the programme than to catch up with it later. Everyone tries hard to be, or at least to look, diligent. Students prepare for their first tests and examination sessions. They have first successes and first failures: "I have passed!" or "He has not given me a pass!"
I live with my parents. So I take a trolley-bus or a bus to get to the University. It usually takes me twenty minutes to reach it. Those students who are away from home live in the University hostel. It is situated near the University and they walk there.
The academic year is divided into 2 terms. At the end of each term the students take tests and midterm exams. If the student passes the examination the teacher (lecturer) enters the mark in the student’s record book. Students who make good progress at their studies get grants, top students get scholarships.
The merry-go-round runs faster. Students write assignments, written reproductions, compositions, synopses, papers. "Professor, I have never played truant, I had a good excuse for missing classes". They read up for exams. "No, professor, I have never cheated – no cribs. I just crammed". Junior students become senior. Still all of them are one family – undergraduates.
At the end of the course of studies the students take final exams and write a graduation paper or project. Graduates get a degree or honour degrees.
I've got a degree in English. I am happy! Now I’m going to apply for a post-graduate course of studies.
Answer the following questions:
Is South Ural State University the center for educational, scientific, cultural and athletic activities in Chelyabinsk and the region?
When was it founded?
How many faculties and departments are there at the University nowadays?
How is the course of studies divided?
What assignments have the students got?
What faculty do you study at?
What’s your future profession?
What subjects do you study this term?
Have you got lectures, seminars and tutorials, home preparations and homework?
Exercise 1. Transcribe and pronounce correctly the words from the text
Grant, dissertation, postgraduate, scholarship, honour, thesis, assignment, undergraduate, certificate, foreign, language, reproductions, compositions, synopses.
Exercise 2. Pick out from the text 1) nouns, denoting different types of classes at the university; 2) nouns, denoting money support for students; 3) nouns, denoting types of written works done by students
Exercise 3. Give the Russian equivalents to the following English words or phrases
A dissertation, a thesis, postgraduate work, a tutorial, a grant, a scholarship, an essay, an undergraduate, a student counsellor, a commuter, a hall of residence.
Exercise 4. Give the English equivalents to the following and use them in sentences of your own
Получать стипендию; студенческое общежитие; делать пометки; придерживаться чего-либо; семинар; тема дипломной работы; учиться в аспирантуре; получать стипендию; работать над диссертацией; по образованию.
Exercise 5. When do we say the following about people? Give answers, using the example
► Example: She never misses classes.
We say, 'She never misses classes' if she attends classes regularly.
1. Nick makes good progress at his studies.
2. Richard has done well in his exams.
3. Donna lags behind the group.
4. Brenda keeps up with the rest of the group.
5. Susan has failed her exam in English.
6. Max never cribs at exams.
7. Helen is fond of playing truant.
Exercise 6. Use the following words and phrases in the situations of your own.
a) take (pass) entrance examinations; enter a university; a freshman; live at the hostel; be away from home; at first; find things difficult; get used to sth; do one's own cooking (washing, etc); enjoy sth; have fun; have classes (lectures); make (take) notes; write assignments, compositions, papers.
b) meet new people; join a club; take an active part in the work of the club; have competitions; be good at dancing (singing, etc); mean a lot to smb; keep smb busy; play football (basketball, etc); be a member of a sport team.
c) work hard all through the term; do one's best; pass an exam; get an excellent mark; fall behind; fail in a subject; do very badly at the exam.
Grammar