College life

Classes usually contain between 20 and 30 students, although some may have less. Teaching methods are likely to be different from those at school. They may be individual tutorials as well as lectures. Not all teaching staff are academics. Colleges providing vocational courses often have a policy of appointing a large proportion of part-time staff who practice successfully in their professional fields. These colleges nurture links with the world of work. Colleges of art and design, for instance, mount exhibitions of students' work of stage fashion shows, to which they invite people of influence.

Facilities

Most colleges provide extensive student facilities, but these depend a great deal on the type of courses offered and the size of the establishment. All institutions have libraties for study and reference purposes. There may be video rooms and sound booths as well as extensive stock of books and periodicals. Agricultural colleges and colleges specializing in science and engineering have laboratories and workshops. Some establishments possess their own halls and playing fields. Other make use of facilities in the neighbourhood.

Accommodation

Not every college has residential accommodation. Those which do are likely to be set in extensive grounds. Otherwise, colleges keep lists of approved lodgings and will help students to fins suitable accommodation.

A Less Formal Atmosphere

If a youth has just left the school, he finds the atmosphere far less forma. He is treated as a responsible adult. And there are few rules and regulations. Many of his fellow students may be mature people returning to education after a few years at work. For most of students, however , it is the start of independent life in the adult world, with a great deal more freedom. Freedom, however, has its dangers, and colleges usually appoint student counselors who do all they can to help them survive both emotionally, and physically. Whatever the problem whether it is getting on with his/ her fellow students, his health, or his studies- there will be somebody to whom the student can turn. In nearly every college, there is a students' union, which represents views to the teaching staff, and organises various social events, such as «freshers» party for new students, balls, discos, charity events, concerts and spoiling fixtures.

Unit 4. Higher Education

Topical Vocabulary

Task one. Read, practice and try to remember the following words and word combinations:

Higher education- высшее образование

The variety education- разнообразие возможностей получения opportunities получения образования

Academic learning- классическое/ теоретическое образование

Vocational education- профессионально направленное обучение

(educational) institution- учебное заведение

To be awarded a university- получить статус университета status

University campus- территория университетского городка

Entry/entrance requirements- условия поступления, приема

Applicant- поступающий/ абитуриент

Private study- индивидуальные, самостоятельные занятия

Research- исследования

Methods of assessment- методика оценки знаний

Fieldwork- производственная/ полевая практика

Coursework- курсовая работа

Dissertation and project- дипломная работа/ проект

Degree- научная степень

To seek a career- претендовать на получение специальности

Сollege of education/

Teacher training college- учительский колледж

Personal qualities and experience - личные качества и жизненный опыт

To give a full grounding- дать полную подготовку

Professional teaching skills- профессиональные умения учителя

In-service training- повышение квалификации

Student allowances- денежная помощь, содержание студента

Tuition fees- плата за обучение

Accommodation- жилье, место для проживания

Living expenses- повседневные расходы

A hall of residence- общежитие (университетское)

Task 2. Read comments and commentary:

A – level- экзамены на повышенном уровне, дающие возможность поступать в университеты и колледжи высшего образования

Application-form- заявление о приеме установленного образца. Подавшему необходимо заполнить его многочисленными сведениями личностного характера

Undergraduate- студент университета, проходящий обучение на первую степень- бакалавра

Bachelor of Arts(BA)- бакалавр искусств, обладатель степени бакалавра по одной из гуманитарных или математических наук

Bachelor of Science (BSc)- бакалавр наук, обладатель первой степени в университете по естественно- научным дисциплинам.

Tutorial- тьюторское занятие специального преподавателя тьютора с одним- двумя студентами

QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)- статус профессионального учителя, присуждаемый лицам, прошедшим курс подготовки учителя и получившим соответствующее свидетельство

PGGE (PostGraduate Certificate - стипендия( обычно выплачивается студентам из средств of Education) grants местных органов власти для оплаты за обучение)

Loans- ссуда (новая форма материальной помощи нуждающимся студентам, по которой студент может взять определенную ссуду на период обучения с обязательством вернуть долг в ближайшие годы начала работы)

Scholarship- 1) стипендия ( в университете; устанавливается после сдачи соответствующих экзаменов; на руки не выдается; идет в счет платы за обучение, питание и т.п.); 2) именная стипендия (для студента или молодого научного работника в университете)

NUS (National union of - национальный союз студентов( объединяет студенческие союзы students ( объединяет студенческие союзы колледжей и университетов на правах федерации ; занимается вопросами , связанными с учебой, защитой экономических интересов студентов, организацией их досуга)

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Higher Education

The variety of educational opportunities on offer in the UK is enormous and, if you are a newcomer to the traditions and practices of many academic institutions what make up the system of higher education, it is difficult to know how to select one course at one institution from the many available.

Part 1. PLACES OF STUDY

Universities have traditionally been regarded as centres of academic learning, in contrast to polytechnics, which have focused on vocational (work-related) education. However, this distinction has gradually disappeared, with both types of institution now running a similar wide rage of high-quality courses. The introduction of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 in Britain has ended the traditional division between universities and polytechnics. Nowadays both types pf institution run similar courses to equally high academic standards. Consequently, polytechnics have recently been awarded university status.

You can also study at degree level at colleges of higher education. Those institutions are generally smaller than universities, and tend to concentrate on more specialized fields of study, such as education, art and design, music and drama. Higher education colleges also run courses leading to vocational and professional qualifications.

Like educational institutions across the world, each UK university and college has its own identity and traditions. Some are huge-there are over 9000 students studying at University College London for example, while at others, such as Manifested College in Oxford, there may be as few as 150. Then, there may be campus and non-campus universities. In a campus university all the academic and social amenities, such as student accommodation, libraries, lecture theatres and seminar rooms, sports and leisure facilities, are concentrated in one area of the town or city. On campus, student life is on your doorstep, 24 hours a day. At a non-campus university or college, the departments and facilities are spread out across a wider area.