Tomsk university today
Every summer, people from all over Siberia come to Tomsk University for serious study.
At present, the student body consists of about 23,000 undergraduates at 23 faculties, and 700 postgraduates. The University has 5 branches in Siberia and Kazakhstan. Five out of its nine buildings are located on the University grounds in the city centre and six halls of residence (dormitories) - in the southern part of Tomsk. Other facilities include: a Sports Complex with a swimming pool, gyms and a stadium, a Culture Centre with a Concert hall, the Computer Centre, the American Resource Centre, the Scientific library and a few museums. The University is headed by the Rector, the 1st Pro-Rector and six Pro-Rectors.
The course of studies may last for 4, 5 or 6 years, leading to a Bachelor’s, Master’s and Specialist’s degrees or diplomas. In order to be admitted, school-leavers/high school graduates are to take some entrance exams and submit the results of national school tests. The entry competition is getting fiercer every year. In 2008, for example, 5,400 school-leavers applied to 1,600 budget places. The applicants arrived from Kemerovo, Altai and Krasnoyarsk territories, Kazakhstan and the Buryat Republic. Nearly a thousand applicants enrolled were from Tomsk and the Tomsk region.
The academic year is divided into 2 terms with a two-week vacation between them in winter and a two-month vacation in summer. At the end of each term students take midsessional (winter) and sessional exams (summer), usually 3 or 4 exams, and a number of credit tests. During term time undergraduates attend lectures, seminars, classes and tutorials. Lectures are normally given to large audiences, to all the groups of the same year, in spacious lecture rooms or lecture theatres. A lecturer delivers material, students listen and take notes. A lecture course may last one or two terms. Seminars and tutorials are held in smaller groups. Some courses require periods of practical training at schools and plants, in expeditions and field trips. Attendance at University is not compulsory, perhaps, but highly desirable and monitored by the Deans’ administration. A student who failed an exam is usually allowed to retake it. In case of several failures and persistent absenteeism a student may be expelled. Some students drop out without completing a course.
Undergraduates are expected to write course papers. By writing them, they learn to do independent research, obtain information from various sources and draw their own conclusions. Students may present their course papers or other scientific papers at annual student conferences in April. Outstanding students may be rewarded for their progress in studies and research with special scholarships and grants. Successful graduates may apply to postgraduates departments and work towards getting the degree of a Candidate of Science.
The complete undergraduate course ends with final exams and the defence of a diploma paper, after which the undergraduates are awarded degrees at the graduation ceremony.
Naturally, there are challenges to University life. First and foremost is financing. State financing has been cut considerably in recent years. Today more students are studying on a contract basis, paying tuition fees. There are other issues, too: students’ stipends might be bigger, there are not enough lecture rooms, there is a lack of audio, video and computer equipment, and so on. There are many things to be done and improved. But despite all this, University alumni always remember their student years with warm feelings.
Exercise 1. Read and learn the words.
Branch филиал
Facilities сооружения; оборудование, помещения;
To admit (to/into) принимать (в)
To submit - представить (на рассмотрение)
Entrance exams - вступительные экзамены
A term /semester - семестр
An academic year - учебный год
Midsessional exams - экзамены в середине года
Sessional exams - экзамены в конце года
Course paper - курсовая работа
To present a course paper -представить курсовую работу
To attend classes - посещать занятия
To miss classes - пропускать занятия
To take an exam - держать, сдавать экзамен
To retake an exam - повторно сдавать экзамен
To pass an exam - сдать, выдержать экзамен
To expel - исключать, выгонять
To drop out - бросить занятия, выбыть
To reward sb for sth, with sth - вознаграждать
To award degrees - присуждать степени
Tuition fees - плата за обучение
Considerably -значительно
Alumni - бывшие студенты
Exercise 2. Study the vocabulary commentaries.
1) To graduate – to get a degree from a university or college.
e.g. He graduated from York with a degree in sociology.
A graduate (n) – a person who has a university degree: e.g. a graduate in history; a graduate of Oxford.
An undergraduate – a university or college student who is studying for their first degree. E.g. a first-year undergraduate.
A postgraduate – a person who already holds a first degree and who is doing advanced study or research.
2) Term – (esp. in Britain) – one of the three periods in the year during which classes are held in schools, universities. E.g. the spring / summer/ autumn term. It’s nearly the end of term.
Semester – (esp. in the US) – one of the two periods that the school or college year is divided into : the spring/fall semester.
3) Tuition – the act of teaching sth, especially to one person or to people in small groups. E.g. She received private tuition in French.
Tuition fees – money that you pay to be taught, esp. in a college or university.
Tutor – 1.a private teacher 2. a teacher whose job is to pay special attention to the studies or health, etc of a student or a group of students. E.g. his history tutor. He was my tutor at university.
Tutorial – a period of teaching in a university that involves discussion between an individual student or a small group of students and a tutor.
4) To apply – to make a formal request, usually in writing, for sth such as a job, a place at college, university, etc. E.g. to apply for a job/ grant; to apply to a company/ university.
Applicant – a person who makes a formal request for sth. E.g. There were over 500 applicants for the job.
5) Facilities – buildings, services, equipment, etc that are provided for a particular purpose. E.g. sports/ leisure facilities; conference facilities; cooking facilities; facilities for study.
Exercise 3. Answer the questions on the text.
1.How many students are enrolled at TSU today?
2. Where are the undergraduates from?
3. How many buildings and halls of residence does TSU have?
4. Where are they located?
5. What facilities are available to University people?
6. On what conditions are school-leavers admitted?
7. What degrees does the complete course of study lead to?
8. What terms is the academic year divided into?
9. When and how does each term end?
10.What kind of classes do undergraduates attend?
11.Is attendance at lectures compulsory?
12.Are there any chances for poor students to retake exams?
13.Are periods of practical training a necessary part of the study process?
14.What research projects do undergraduates do?
15.In what way are outstanding students rewarded?
16.What is the final stage towards getting a degree?
17.Are there any opportunities for postgraduate study at TSU?
18.Is education at TSU free of charge?
19. Are there any shortcomings in University life?
20. How do alumni usually remember their university years?
Exercise 4. Translate the following phrases into Russian.
A medical student. A science student. A postgraduate student. An overseas student. A student teacher. A student nurse. A student grant. Student fees. Students’ union. A good/able/bright/brilliant/outstanding student. A first-year/second-year student. Senior students.
To award diplomas. To win/receive/get an award for sth. An award ceremony.
Very often school-leavers /high school graduates need private tuition in maths. He tutors students in mathematics. Tutorials help to understand the material better.
She hasn’t passed her driving test yet. I’m not really expecting to pass first time. The examiner passed all the candidates. The examiner failed two candidates.
The committee will present its final report to Parliament in June. Are you presenting a paper at the conference? Eight options were presented for consideration.
To submit an application. Completed projects must be submitted by 10 March. When is the final date for the submission of proposals?
She was expelled after failing two exams. She was expelled from school at 12. She started a degree but dropped out after only a year. He has dropped out of active politics. College dropouts. A university with a high dropout rate.
Exercise 5. Render the articles in English.