There are not so many specialists with a scientific degree in Ukrainian IT. We asked candidates of sciences who work in IT companies why they decided to go to graduate school, what they had to face, what experience and skills they got, where a degree was useful.

Artem Chernodub , Chief Scientist at Clikque Technology, visiting lecturer at UCU, 10 years in IT

Candidate of Technical Sciences, specialty "Systems and means of artificial intelligence", IPMMS NASU.

Thesis topic: "Training of dynamic neural networks on problems of long-term forecasting", 2016

At school, I knew for sure that I wanted to become a programmer, I entered the specialized faculty of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. But during the preparation of a bachelor's degree at the basic department, I saw how a self-learning satellite control system works on neural networks - and was amazed! I decided that from now on I want to do only this: neural networks, machine learning, pattern recognition. Entering graduate school was a natural next step, there was no other way to deal with neural networks in 2007. It should be noted that now, 10 years later, the situation has changed a lot: an industrial community of artificial intelligence has appeared and is growing rapidly, non-academic IT conferences on the topic of AI (AI Ukraine, Data Science Lab, etc.), AI hackathons, and opportunities for online learning: Coursera/Udacity/Udemy/Prometheus. Yes, and just appear Junior positions in the direction of DS / ML, before it was a rarity.

An academic degree is a thing necessary for engaging in scientific and teaching activities. In the IT industry, the presence of Ph.D. on the topic of the vacancy, usually “is a plus”, that is, good, but not necessary. As for my personal experience, from the positive stories that happened to me after receiving my PhD last year, I was invited to lecture on the course "Introduction to Deep Learning" at the Ukrainian Catholic University. I also won a short-term DAAD research grant for an internship in Germany - I would not have been able to apply for it without a Ph.D. For my current position (Chief Scientist), a PhD was also a strong pro.

Skills and experience here are divided into two classes: direct skills in the specialty and the practice of doing scientific work, writing a dissertation in general. For the first part, I consider myself very lucky: neural networks and machine learning, which 10 years ago were the subject of attention only for a group of AI fans like me, have now become very popular in IT and are becoming more popular every day.

On the second part, it must be said that studying in graduate school and writing a dissertation is a chance to focus on some deep problem, study it from all sides, find out all the existing known solutions and propose a new one. It is necessary to prove that the proposed solution is more efficient and explain why. In addition, it is necessary to expand and structure all this in a treatise of a hundred pages. If this is not done carelessly, then this is a difficult task for several years. Her decision changes the very style of thinking and disciplines in general, and this, in my opinion, is the main benefit of graduate school. Moreover, this part is more or less invariant to the specialty and even, sometimes, to the type of science. I know several very strong machine learning specialists who previously worked and defended themselves as physicists, and then were able to quickly reorient themselves.

The term of relevance of a particular dissertation directly depends on the depth of the fundamental nature of the problems considered in it. If the dissertation is devoted, for example, to some software products, then the validity period can be several years, and if this is a solution to the problem of packing balls in 8-dimensional space, for which the Ukrainian mathematician Marina Vyazovskaya recently received a prestigious international award, then this is several hundred years. True, in Ukrainian IT dissertations it often happens that they are completely sucked out of thin air just to get a scientific degree - and then it makes no sense to talk about the timing of relevance, since there is no actuality itself and was not intended initially.

To work 40 hours a week and study fully in graduate school, in my opinion, is absolutely impossible. I had a strict principle: I worked only in IT projects with tasks close to the topic of my scientific work. Usually in startups that used artificial intelligence technologies, pattern recognition and so on. Since it is difficult to find specialists who know how to do this, I was able to agree on a free schedule and a part-time work week - 2-3 days a week. Still, it slowed the whole process down a lot. From time to time, startups “died” - and then I was engaged in only science for several months. On the other hand, work in real projects allowed us to gain practical experience in the use of AI technologies, the benefits of which can hardly be overestimated now.

Therefore, if you decide to go to graduate school, I strongly advise you to take IELTS / TOEFL and enter a Western university, where you will have much more chances to do science, and not incomprehensibly what. Of course, we also have good professors and researchers, fans of their work with foreign connections, but there are very few of them.

I hope to continue teaching at UCU. Also in the fall, on a DAAD grant, I will go to Germany to study at the University of Hamburg to do research. But in general, academic science (for example, in terms of writing scientific articles) is more of a hobby for me. At the same time, of course, I will continue to actively engage in R&D activities that contain a large share of science - primarily the application of machine learning to practical problems.

Valeria Tretyak, Java Developer at the Innovation Development Hub, Associate Professor of KPI, 10 years in IT

Candidate of Technical Sciences in the specialty "Mathematical Modeling and Computational Methods", NTUU "KPI".

Thesis topic: "Methods and means of mathematical modeling of heat transfer processes in a two-phase medium (on the example of laser-arc surfacing)", 2014.

My admission to graduate school was due to a number of events. I participated in the research work of the department while writing my bachelor's thesis. My master's thesis, according to the supervisor, was already half of the candidate's. I decided to continue my studies in graduate school, based on the principle of "who, if not me." But the main thing is that it was interesting to me, and I did not need money.

Since then, my career has consisted of two parallel streams: software development and research and education.

I got used to combining work and study from the second year. It was easy at first. In the sixth year, it turned out that I was studying at the magistracy and in the academic reserve group (what people usually do in graduate school), plus I worked as a developer and also took part in the department at the department, then it became very difficult, thanks, my husband helped me. Then the crisis hit, and the development company closed down, because it produced a product aimed at builders, who then immediately lost purchasing power. I went to graduate school, and according to the rules of our department, all graduate students must work as teachers, so my career in education began. She returned to industrial programming after her defense, when she began to understand that progress was being made and that it was necessary to hurry after it. In addition, during the summer holidays, it became incredibly boring. Now I combine development and teaching.

In the educational field, a degree is very necessary, it allows you to get higher positions. However, in my career as a developer, it did not help me personally, at the moment. This is due to the fact that I work in a Ukrainian company, and in our country neither education nor a degree is particularly valued. On the other hand, in more developed countries the situation is quite different. For example, only masters or PhDs are allowed to attend certain seminars or conferences required for work. Thus, your level of education may limit you in obtaining additional knowledge and, therefore, in moving up the career ladder. But their education system is also very different from ours: the main emphasis there is on the study of fundamental sciences. At the end of their bachelor's degree, their students manage to attend only a couple of programming courses, but they studied mathematics, physics, chemistry and even biology in depth (why?). Our graduates are valued by foreign businesses as good programmers, but their universities reproach us for our lack of fundamental knowledge. This has resulted in the postgraduate study period being extended to four years and there will now be many required subjects to bring our Ph.D. to the same level of fundamental knowledge.

In my time in graduate school it was possible to take several disciplines at will, I chose pedagogy and rhetoric, as this is important for teaching. Anyway, when working on a dissertation, you learn a lot, for example, to consistently express your thoughts, analyze, build assumptions, test them, and draw conclusions. An algorithm crystallizes in the head on how to behave in conditions of complete uncertainty in order to achieve the goal. Defense greatly pumps purposefulness. Sometimes, in scientific searches, you feel like a child lost in the forest, who has never even seen plants, but you pull yourself together and pave the way to the goal. From soft skills, I single out the super ability of productive communication with people. They may have a different point of view, value system and even worldview, but they have to find a common language.

Of course, each applicant goes through a different path, but I think having a degree should tell the employer that a person can independently solve non-trivial tasks, has enough perseverance to achieve a goal, and, as a rule, this is a responsible person.

We would like education to mean more when applying for a job. But graduation rates vary widely, and employers can't trust a degree. I am now playing the role of a methodologist (this is the person who comes up with what subjects and in what order students should be given) and I can assure you that we have a very powerful training program, and every year it gets better. However, it is becoming more and more difficult to find worthy teachers, since the salary even in KPI and Shevchenko is several times less than the salary of developers. The matter is aggravated by the depreciation of the hryvnia. Few people can work for an idea, especially at universities you are required to have a scientific degree, an academic title, and much more. The weak level of teachers leads to a decrease in the overall quality of graduates. And one very unpleasant vicious circle in the higher education system itself leads to an increase in the difference in the level of graduates: the number of students who graduate affects the amount of money allocated. It turns out that the university, expelling weak students, cuts its funding. To achieve the prestige of education, quality must be valued more than quantity. This can be achieved if business enters into action, providing financial support to the university only for high-quality personnel. Some work in this direction is underway, but so far, apart from EPAM, no one offers real help, as far as I know.

In general, there are quite a few problems in science and education that need to be addressed. Even now, if you study honestly and work seriously, you can also get knowledge in addition to a diploma. You can defend a dissertation and, if you have experience in IT, get a good position in a foreign company. It is possible to advance science and thus ensure a better future. As for me: while I put my scientific activity into hibernation mode, I am very tired. I direct the main efforts to development, it's fun. A lot of things now - just have time to master new technologies. I don't want to give up teaching: I consider it my duty to society.

, Senior Software Developer at Lohika, 12 years in IT

Candidate of Technical Sciences in the specialty "Processes of mechanical processing, workbenches and tools", ONPU.

Thesis topic: "Diagnostics of the state of the cutting tool for finishing by the method of multi-parameter forecasting", 2015.

I decided to study in graduate school for two reasons: a logical continuation of higher education and interesting research tasks - I was engaged in image processing and pattern recognition. I think it was the right decision.

A scientific degree does not affect building a career in Ukrainian IT in any way, according to my observations, for employers (both local and foreign), the presence / absence of a scientific degree does not matter. Scientific activities and activities typical of Ukrainian IT are very distant, although each is valuable in itself. With the same success, you can find out, for example, how a hobby for chess helps in building a career in IT.

Only the soft skills acquired while working on a dissertation were useful, such as the ability to make reports, establish communications, negotiate, write articles, and engage in research work. Combining work with postgraduate studies - yes, it was quite difficult to admit. As for the problems in Ukrainian education - here I agree with the general opinion - underfunding of research programs, isolation from business, the labor market. I have plans to develop a professional career using the skills acquired during the years of scientific activity.

Andrey Gakhov , Senior Software Engineer at ferret go GmbH (Berlin), 13 years in IT

Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, specialty "Mathematical Modeling and Computational Methods", KhNU. V. N. Karazin.

Thesis topic: "The method of discrete features and computer tools for modeling the diffraction of acoustic waves on three-dimensional plane-parallel structures", 2009.

While studying at the university, I did not work (not taking into account various kinds of part-time jobs), considering fundamental knowledge to be my competitive advantage in the future, so entering graduate school became a natural continuation of my studies. The main goal was to improve my professional level, try myself as a researcher. I think the decision was right, although it was quite difficult.

A degree in life only helps me. For example, my first full-time job as a programmer was a university project in Portugal, which I was able to get into thanks to my PhD. If we take, for example, the most philistine understanding of an academic degree, then it at least says that its owner was able to bring some research to the final, formulate it on paper and prove to a certain number of people that it is worth it - for me this is more important in a resume common phrases like "purposeful, responsible, etc."

Specifically, during my postgraduate studies, I remember most of all the philosophy of science, which not only helped to understand the development of modern knowledge, but also its role in the world. I consider this subject very important for the future scientist and educated person in general. By the way, this has more than once helped me not to lose face in unexpected philosophical discussions with management (and at once in several companies where I worked). From a practical point of view (by which the DOU for some reason understands only code development), I can note that in those days access to parallel programming and a computing cluster was only in large organizations and universities, and working with students pumped up the ability to read quickly and find problems well in code, etc. But the main benefit of postgraduate studies and the subsequent defense of a dissertation is the ability to express my thoughts on paper, finalize research, formulate and test hypotheses, and work with deadlines. Regarding the knowledge gained during my postgraduate studies, something was useful, but something was not, it depends on the specific tasks.

Different dissertations have different relevance to practice. I believe that the practical application of the dissertation itself is very rare, but the ideas developed in it may well be useful and are often used. The relevance of a dissertation is measured by the relevance of its subject of research, as well as the methods used and the results obtained. Here's how lucky. But the goal of a Ph.D. thesis is to form an independent scientist, and, as a rule, he gets the most interesting results much later.

It was easy for me to combine work and study. There is no graduate school as such, except for a few hours of lectures per week in the early years. The main workload comes from the research plan, article writing and teaching load. During my graduate school, I worked as a freelancer in the USA, i.e., mostly at night / in the morning, so the work did not interfere much, but my health allowed. At the same time, I had good relations with both the supervisor and the faculty, who always saw me as a colleague, not a slave force.

In graduate school, the main problem for me was the lack of information, access to advanced publications, and the limited availability of computer technology. Now these questions are solved much easier. Maybe I'm one of the few, or I'm just lucky, but I still think that the Mekhmat program of those years was competitive, and there were no special flaws for me as a student, except for bureaucracy. As a graduate student, I encountered completely incomprehensible legal requirements and various kinds of instructions, but I always treated this simply, as a quest to be completed, and as a natural part of the experience gained in graduate school. Already working as a teacher, and later as an assistant professor of the department, he often noted the inertia, lack of flexibility, formality of approaches of the leadership of many educational institutions, but these features are inherent in many universities and abroad. For myself, I always note that many applicants and students do not understand the difference between fundamental and vocational education, considering this a disadvantage of the entire education system - hence the discussions about the necessity or uselessness of entering a university, the weakness of training programs, etc.

In fact, I taught or participated in the preparation of courses from the 5th year of university, which eventually resulted in 10 years of teaching experience. I was lucky enough to be involved in the formation of the computer science department at the university, and already working as a programmer abroad, I sometimes prepared and came to give seminars and lecture courses, trying to modernize existing training programs. For the future, I plan to concentrate more on educational aspects, but sometimes I want to return to active research.

Elena Verbitskaya (Tkachenko), Project Manager at DataArt, Associate Professor at NU OMA, 12 years in IT

Candidate of Technical Sciences, specialty "Systems and means of artificial intelligence", ONPU.

Dissertation topic: "Methods of adaptive-structural localization of symbolic information in the formation of images in artificial intelligence systems", 2009.

I began to study at the graduate school of ONPU at the invitation of the future supervisor, and also because it was a pity to say goodbye to my studies / native walls.

Only a degree at NU OMA came in handy for the position of assistant professor and the opportunity to teach my course on artificial intelligence. In IT companies in our country, a degree does not play any role. I guess not many people know that I'm a Ph.D. Positive knowledge in graduate school - research opportunities in science, stress resistance and tempering of nerves. Nothing else :) Unfortunately, even trips to scientific conferences in most cases were at my own expense, so I had to work. I am silent about the defense itself, trips to opponents, paying for hotels, fees, a banquet, etc. A university salary can hardly be called earnings in principle.

Knowledge, again, has so far been useful only for teaching. This is such a hobby of mine, plus it’s a pity to completely part with Machine Learning. Students really like the course of artificial intelligence, especially if all modern developments and achievements are included in it. In IT, knowledge has not come in handy yet, but I have a hope that someday I will be lucky enough to work on a project that will involve machine learning.

Combining study and work - yes, it was not easy. Worked 4 jobs + dissertation. But since there was no family at that time, it was possible to dispose of yourself 24×7 :) I teach now. She didn't quit her job or teaching. The husband considers teaching an eccentricity that needs to be completed as soon as possible. But I am sorry for the time and health wasted, and I really want at least some subjects to kindle students' interest in science and new modern knowledge. Therefore, I do not plan to leave the university for the time being.

The system of education and training of specialists in Ukraine is at zero. Modern knowledge of IT-technologies is not taught at universities. It is too difficult for the old state to rebuild, and you will not find young people in universities. Almost all the guys with a bright head on their shoulders were forced to leave postgraduate studies / teaching and go to earn money. Many moved to IT. Unfortunately, almost everything rests on the material aspect.

Young people (students) have no one to look up to, as there are fewer and fewer young teachers working on enthusiasm every year. Intelligent students from 1-3 courses are already trying to get a job, so education for them is just a crust, but not knowledge.

Andriy Malenko, Machine Learning Specialist at VideoGorillas LLC, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Cybernetics named after V. M. Glushkova NAS of Ukraine, 11 years in IT

Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences for the specialty "Theory of Immorality and Mathematical Statistics", KNU im. T. Shevchenko.

Dissertation topic: "Comparison of the effectiveness of estimates in the global non-linear regression model with changes in the changes", 2009.

After completing my master's degree, I wanted to try my hand at science. Professor Oleksandr Kukush, the right reader of great letters, became my scholarly scholar. The great peace of wine was the reason why, having entered graduate school, I pulled the whole way to zakhistu. Yet another time I didn’t have a chance to complain about my decision, on the other hand, especially for me, it’s a positive message. Well, there were local difficulties, both technical and bureaucratic, but, looking back, I remember my relationship with a scientific stoner, my internship at Nimechchina, my participation in conferences is still satisfied, after having finished my dissertation.

It is impossible to say that the scientific step is a universal tool for caring, the key to all doors. Ale, the team is not less, it is active, it helps, calls out for help at the hour of spivbesid and distant work. I didn’t stick with the negative attitudes to myself from the side of the Ukrainian chi foreign roboticists on this platform, that I have been engaged in the science of chi cladding for a long time.

If I worked at the Institute of Cybernetics, knowledge of mathematical statistics was needed when analyzing the results of the work of the SKIT supercomputer, which we did in 2012-2013. In the coming fate, our team will award the prize of the President of Ukraine for young scientists. The most important post-graduate students are the ones who are smarter in structuring knowledge and expressing the results of their activity in a written way. As long as people have not learned to read the thoughts of other people, such cleverness will always be relevant.

My dissertation is a theoretical work from the theory of imaginings and mathematical statistics, in the power of typing formulas and theorems, as if to cover up a small white flame in the field of specialized science. Might go through a lot of research on the last of these theorems, so that the results of such a dissertation could be seen by a cross-cutting person. So, zokrema, spivauthors of our articles from Germany and India spivpratsyut with healers, as if they were spitting radiation on living sources. І here vysnovki from my experience can be used in the middleing of the selection of mathematical methods for processing statistical data of experiments.

I didn’t manage to get the results of the dissertation directly, more projects, related to statistics, data processing, machine learning, just took into account other approaches, lower models, described in the dissertation. Tim is no less, deep knowledge of mathematical statistics and just basic mathematical training helped me with more projects, which I took part in.

Chi smoothly Bulo poddnuvat robot z navchannyam? Definitely so. On the cob of graduate school, I worked on a different day and did not get angry at the work of graduate school at once. My lack of organization is to blame for the singing of the world. If I'm zvіlnivsya through the second time for the sake of dissertation, it became much easier to complete the chat.

I graduated from the university more than 10 years ago and do it to the teachers of the Mekhmat for those who stink such a bovdur like me. The main problem, both in general and in science, I respect bureaucratization and underfunding. It is even more important to reconsider a good student to go to graduate school and pursue a science career with a salary / scholarship of 100-200 dollars, if IT companies pronounce fahivtsy 30-50 times more. In order to work systematic science, not to endure one of the self-sacrifices of a scientist at once, it’s too early for a young person to think about his own life, an apartment, a family or a science, or continue to deal with it beyond the cordon. Most of the "reforms" in science lead to the development of additional resources, adopted in other lands, that the creation of scientists has changed, at that time, if, for example, the Academy of Sciences of China, do not hesitate, buy Ukrainian sciences in bulk and vrozdrib.

I plan to step by step move on to more practical activities, write articles every hour about the results and speak at conferences without getting in shape.

, Development Manager at Dreamscape Networks, 13 years in IT

Candidate of Technical Sciences with a degree in Medical and Biological Informatics and Cybernetics, International Scientific and Educational Center for Information Technologies and Systems of the National Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Thesis topic: "Information technology for the study of Internet addiction among users of social networks", 2012.

In graduate school, I studied in order to gain new knowledge and I definitely consider this decision to be the right one for me. The academic degree itself was useful in dealing with Western companies. The West really sees value in it. You can’t really say the same about Ukrainian employers, since many treat an academic degree like a bow. In general, an academic degree did not particularly affect a career, since, first of all, any employer, business partner is interested in the quality and timing of the work.

One of the main useful skills acquired in graduate school is the ability to look at systems and processes from the outside in order to explore them. The second useful skill is the ability to get things done. Writing a dissertation is a third of the job. The second third is to protect her, while learning to defend your point of view. Another skill is paperwork: at the end of graduate school, especially after the defense, a journey begins in the circles of Dante's hell, when the number of papers accompanying the dissertation is commensurate with the dissertation itself, and all this running around teaches maneuvers and communication.

The practical usefulness of dissertations, especially in the field of information technology, in Ukraine always rests on state structures, and while a decision is made on the implementation of the results, these results are no longer always relevant. And in many cases, the work goes just to the archive. So, in my opinion, the practical value of dissertations in the field of information technology is minimal in Ukraine.

Combining work and study was not difficult, but subject to clear time planning. The work on the dissertation itself took about 10-15% of my time. But the protective period took all the time, somewhere for 6 months.

In the Ukrainian system of education and science in our sector, there are no problems only with fundamental areas. In the specialties in information technology, the training programs are outdated, and even with all the desire of the departments to improve them, a lot rests on the Ministry of Education and drags on for years, and then the programs again become irrelevant. The maximum that can be obtained in our education system is fundamental engineering and mathematical knowledge. Everything else you have to get yourself.

Now I do science exclusively in my free time and there is little when friends and colleagues come forward with interesting research in the field of health rating systems, content analysis and high-load systems. From time to time I act as the head of the examination committee in computer science at various universities. Honestly, I would like to continue both scientific and teaching activities, but, unfortunately, at the moment there is simply no time for this.

, CTO, co-founder at SapientPro, Senior Software Developer at Networktables.com, 6 years in IT

Candidate of technical sciences in the specialty "Automation of the processes of carving", NTU "KhPI".

Dissertation topic: "Synthesis of anisotropic regulators in high-volume electromechanical systems with parametric non-significance", 2015.

Having entered the graduate school with a head start, I wanted to try myself in science. Ale stiknuvsya with realities, they strongly demotivated, but it was already a waste of a stained hour, right up to the end. What were the best decisions? It’s important to say, but another time, maybe, I’m not on my own.

In Ukrainian IT, it is not enough to marvel at a diploma; Foreign roboticists and assistants positively marvel at the availability of Ph.D. in CV and LinkedIn, it used to be, they themselves turned up to me. Likewise, the scientific level can win during emigres, but until then I can’t tell the chain of food. Patience has been lost from the coris report, in the meantime, for a long time, to work a non-stop job and the report of intercourse with bureaucrats. They didn’t need direct knowledge in robots, the topic was to get a whistle, but rather de help the appropriate methods of organizing the process at that hour.

In the case of practical core dissertations - it is important to note, on the one hand, the splitting of the method of practical transfers in the production process, on the other hand, there was no radical improvement of the basic methods. In this area, there is a lot of development, which is entirely possible, if there will be a shortening method, so, I doubt, that the relevance will be sufficient.

It was easy for me to finish my job with the apprenticeship, I worked for an hour during the whole period of apprenticeship in graduate school. The company was loyal, and the principle of payment and the possibility of praccyuvati far away made it possible to organize the work process. The problems of Ukrainian education are widely seen: insufficient funding, low cost of scholarships, high-bureaucratic procedures. After the completion of postgraduate studies, I pishov from science and enlightenment. At once I work at the company of the authorities, as if we fell asleep at the same time with friends and colleagues, and again I add an hour to my development. It is unlikely that I will be engaged in science, but I will turn to the world even if all the processes in the company are improved and I can allow myself such a hobby.

Maxim Pochebut , Senior Resource Development Manager at EPAM Ukraine, 10 years in IT

Candidate of Technical Sciences with a degree in System Analysis, Management and Information Processing, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics.

Dissertation topic: "Discrete adaptive-robust phase control system", 2011

The decision to continue studies in graduate school is made by the majority for themselves in senior years. But many of the future graduate students, even in their junior years, begin to engage in scientific work, participate in specialized conferences, seminars and symposiums, i.e., graduate school is something that, as a rule, people go to continuously, and this is often a conscious step. Future supervisors have also been eyeing their potential graduate students for quite a long time.

My academic degree and title, because I am also an assistant professor, helped me a lot to build a career and build communication with the audience and the outside world, educational and not only. Because a certain style of thinking had already been formed by the time of graduation from graduate school.

As for the Ukrainian employer in the IT field, having an academic degree, unfortunately, does not play a big role, because all the requirements of our projects and the technologies we work with are mostly based on our knowledge and experience. An academic degree or title will not give additional earnings, bonuses or career advancement - it all depends solely on the person and his potential in terms of self-development and learning. I suppose the situation with foreign employers working in Ukraine is the same, and it does not matter much for them to have an academic degree, at least I have not seen such cases. Another thing, I know many examples in our business where scientifically based solutions are needed, but for their implementation, the presence of an academic degree is not necessary.

The most important thing that I got during my postgraduate studies is communication with people who know how to set tasks correctly and who teach you to analyze situations, draw conclusions and find the right scenarios when working not only with engineering systems, but also with people. Because a PhD dissertation is a research work, and postgraduate studies in the classical sense are few. It is the scientific work that you are doing that helps to structure thoughts and find specific technical solutions. Perhaps somewhere this work is of an exclusively theoretical nature, there is little applied in it, but this experience was very useful to me personally in my work: thoughts and conclusions become more structured, you learn to separate the "grains from the chaff" and find important things in a huge flow of analytical and technical information and, of course, in the literature.

My dissertation was connected with theoretical calculations on control systems - I do not think that I have solved some super complex scientific problem. But at the same time, a PhD dissertation is about certain engineering solutions that can be applied in a particular area. Somewhere it can remain relevant for quite a long time and become the basis for doctoral research, and somewhere, of course, it can lose relevance quite quickly, because everything changes quite quickly in the IT field. But still, this is a search, and one cannot be critical of everything.

I defended my dissertation at a Belarusian university, but the problems of Belarusian and Ukrainian education are very similar, both have a tinge of post-Soviet education. I would answer only in the context of the question we raise: the problem of the Ukrainian system of not only education, but also the Ukrainian business system is that we still do not have a clear understanding of how dissertations on IT topics, or more broadly - on topics software engineering can be applied in the conditions of modern Ukrainian business. This means that business is not ready to provide platforms and an ecosystem for scientific research, and the education and graduate school system is built in such a way that it is not ready to take into account the tasks of modern business. Because of this gap, there is a situation in which scientific dissertations remain conditional, theoretical or practical developments, very often without applied application. Business does not need them, because he believes that these things cannot be monetized in any way. Whether we are ready to eliminate this imbalance is still unknown.

I never gave up teaching. All 11 years after graduating from the university and during my postgraduate studies, I taught, and at the moment I am actively engaged in coaching and teaching. In addition, I manage the educational program of EPAM in Ukraine, and my work is directly related to education and engineering.

PhD without protection

We also interviewed IT professionals who studied in graduate school, but for various reasons did not receive a degree. See below for their experience.

, Senior Backend Developer at MyHeritage, 5 years in IT

4 years of postgraduate study at the Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, majoring in Structural Mechanics.

Thesis topic: "Development of the method of two-wave representation of vibrations in the problems of structural mechanics of elastic systems with a moving load", 2011.

I finished my dissertation, but did not defend it due to uselessness. I think that even a master's degree is superfluous. I would advise you to go to work immediately after receiving a bachelor's degree.

I admit that there are projects in Ukrainian IT that require a higher level of education. For example, the development and implementation of complex algorithms in various fields. In this case, you can set yourself the goal of obtaining the next degree, when a certain practical experience has been accumulated. My personal experience of obtaining all three degrees in a row I consider wrong. There is a lot of knowledge, but no skills.

Initially, I entered graduate school in order to hang out from the army, but then it became interesting and the topic went (the topic was on structural mechanics, but most of the work was on programming a certain calculation method). From the useful experience that I took out for myself, I avoid any contacts with the state and the bureaucratic system and prefer to develop professionally in a practical direction, rather than a scientific one.

Denis Eremenko , COO/Product Manager at MyroTech, 14 years in IT

3 years of postgraduate studies at ZGIA, specialty "Automation of management processes".

Thesis topic: "Improving the efficiency of automated control systems for the flow of bulk materials in conditions of their instability", 2004.

I entered graduate school because I liked doing science, traveling to conferences with colleagues, and doing research. I didn’t get a degree, because the council in which the defense was supposed to take place, unfortunately, was closed for testing, and didn’t want to take it all over again. But he graduated from graduate school and passed the pre-defense at the NUHT (Kyiv) at the Department of Automation and Intelligent Control Systems.

Postgraduate studies gave me a lot: to look for options for solving non-standard problems, to work in conditions of minimal funding, to work for the sake of results, and not for money. We had a great team. And, of course, I had an excellent supervisor, Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences. Pazyuk Mikhail Yurievich I learned a lot from him: to work in a tough regime, under the pressure of circumstances, to survive, so to speak, if necessary, and to look for ways to solve unsolvable problems. Plus a lot of familiar colleagues in graduate school, networking - it turned out to be useful in life.

Knowledge is also useful - it allows you to comprehensively explore the problem and apply various methods of solution. It is also important that we had full access to the computer center of the Department of Automated Process Control of ZGIA, and this made it possible to conduct full-factor experiments and engage in mathematical modeling. Plus full internet access and up-to-date data from other universities abroad. Then (1999-2003) this opportunity was available to the elite - only graduate students could have such access. Now there is already a sea of ​​information on the net, universities have opened their libraries, and you can find everything. Those who decide to engage in scientific research now have every opportunity.

If you also studied in graduate school and you have something to tell, share your experience in the comments.

Now in full swing is the season for accepting applications for a PhD degree in British and world universities. Some use this opportunity to expand their academic potential, others as an opportunity to move to another country. There are no direct analogues of the PhD degree in Russia, so I have a lot of questions on this topic. I decided to get answers to them from Grigory Asmolov, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics (LSE).

I remember when we met, I asked: “When do you plan to finish your dissertation?” He winced: "There are things that PhD students are indecent to ask, because they themselves never know this." Other “indecent” questions include, for example, the following: “How many pages have you already written? And how much is left?” After talking about this topic in more detail, I realized why such questions are really annoying. PhD is not an exam for which you need to prepare well and just go and pass it. This is a new, special way of life, stretching for at least several years.

Russian Gap: By the way, how does PhD stands for?

Grigory Asmolov : Doctor of Philosophy, "Doctor of Philosophy". But this has nothing to do with philosophy as a discipline, it is also from the Greek “love of wisdom”. The word "doctor" also, as you understand, has nothing to do with medicine.

RG: Then why study to be a doctor if you can't even treat people? In other words, why would people get this degree?

GA: Different people have different reasons. For many, this is part of professional development: a person can get the necessary education, the necessary skills to work later in research projects and universities. This is the first option. The second is to improve your skills. People treat PhDs as an opportunity to take a breather, to rethink what they have done so far. In addition, education is always a good reason to change the situation. But you need to understand that this is a very costly story. Just going to a PhD out of boredom is a rather risky decision, because you spend 4-5 years of your life, and this is a very nervous undertaking in terms of both physical and financial resources, and it is generally difficult to work for several years on one project.

Going for a PhD out of boredom is a rather risky decision, because you waste 4-5 years of your life, and this is a very nerve-wracking undertaking.

RG: Why is it difficult?

GA: Usually at some point there is a crisis. There are problems associated with initial expectations, many pitfalls. In addition, there is no clear structure between work and leisure. Weekends and vacations do not happen in principle, because this heavy PhD stone is constantly hanging around your neck. I took out an important thing for myself: PhD is not just work on a specific topic, it is some kind of program for the development of the whole brain as a tool for critical thinking. That is, first of all, it is the restructuring of the brain, the restructuring of the abilities of analysis, etc. Of course, a person becomes a great specialist in the field of study, but working on a narrow topic is not the main achievement. In addition, a PhD is a form of self-determination. The first thing teachers want from you when you start your project is for you to decide who you are - in terms of scientific tradition, approaches, what you want to do. It seems to us that at this age we have already decided on everything, and somehow reflecting on self-identification is not always easy, but this is also part of professional development.

RG: Is it possible to define oneself and then change one's orientation?

GA: Orientation can always be changed! But in order to change the worldview, it is necessary to reflect it clearly. It is clear that this does not require the signing of documents, they say, I am such and such, but some understanding of where you are, with whom you are, and so on, is necessary.

RG: When can I apply for a PhD?

GA: In most countries of the world there is a three-stage model of higher education. The first is an undergraduate (bachelor's degree), the second is a master's degree (master's), and the third is a PhD. Moreover, in the USA, for example, master's and PhD programs are often not separated. There, immediately after the bachelor's degree, you can apply for a PhD, which includes a master's degree. After Russian universities, if you have completed higher education, you can also immediately apply for a PhD - in Russia, they usually study for five years, which is equivalent to a master's degree. Although finished master's somewhere else greatly increase the chances of success.

Most master's programs primarily focus on theoretical knowledge in a certain area, they will not teach a specific profession.

RG: As I understand it, the majority of adult students from Russia study here in master's programs.

GA: Yes, in England they study at the master's for one year, somewhere for two years. This is a more professionally oriented program. On different career paths, people are required to upgrade their skills through education, and there are master's programs for this. At the same time, it is not necessary to receive a master's degree in the same place where you received a bachelor's degree - this is also a good opportunity to change the direction of your activity. For many universities, a master's degree is an opportunity to earn money. It is usually much more difficult to get a scholarship there than for a PhD. Universities are more interested in obtaining PhD students - for them it is part of the development of research potential. A master's degree is not necessarily the training of scientists. It can pursue completely different tasks, most often career ones. At the same time, it would be wrong to say that the master's degree provides more instrumental knowledge and skills, while the PhD is more theoretical. Most master's programs will still primarily focus on theoretical knowledge in a certain area, they will not teach a specific profession. Hence, by the way, the problem of incorrect expectations and the relatively frequent disappointment regarding master's programs.

RG: Did you get a master's degree?

GA: Yes, but in the USA. I received my first education at the University of Jerusalem, at the faculties of international relations and journalism. Then I worked for some time, then I decided that I needed to change something in this life. I had exhausted my work as a journalist a bit, and in order to change the situation and understand what to do next, I decided to complete a master's degree. When I applied there, I analyzed existing programs and sent documents to a dozen different places. I received several positive answers, and I have already chosen from them. As a result, I ended up at George Washington University - a very interesting program of global communications was opened there for the first year at the Faculty of International Relations, and since the program was new, there were only seven of us on it. And this is very important, since the teachers devoted much more time to us than in large streams, we have developed personal relationships with professors. And what makes US universities attractive in this sense is that they provide internship opportunities where you gain a lot of experience.

RG: How to choose a PhD program?

GA: There are many ratings, but it is also important to focus on specific supervisors who have knowledge in the area that interests you. When you write a motivation letter, you must explain why you want to get to them. That is, you write not only why you are good, but also what they are good for you. And to justify contacting them, you have to be very familiar with what they do and why it is relevant to what you want to do.

RG: Does it mean that applications for different universities should sound differently?

Naturally. I applied to several universities and eventually got accepted to five: California, Seattle, Toronto, Oxford and London. Then there are several parameters by which you decide which of these universities to study at. Often universities, when they accept you, pay for you to come and meet them personally and see everything. In the end, I went to everything except Toronto, where I simply did not have time, but the choice was made on the LSE. First of all, I liked the supervisor and the department here the most. Secondly, the program structure here is shorter than in the USA (since there is no need to do an additional master's program). Then, from a financial point of view, I was more satisfied with the scholarship that I was offered at the LSE. Well, for life, London is not the worst city.

The PhD structure is very simple: the first year you develop your question, the second year you are supposed to collect data, and the third year you write everything. Although in fact often everything is stretched at each stage.

RG: What other documents do you need to provide upon admission?

GA: Today, the system of admission to universities around the world is based on online platforms, and almost everywhere you can submit an application via the Internet. Previous grades, motivation letter, grades on standardized tests and references are required. Sometimes it is also required to attach a CV or professional publications. I want to emphasize that the recommendations of former teachers should not be formal, they should show a high degree of acquaintance of the professor with the student. The students themselves do not see these recommendations, but, ideally, it should be several pages of text, where the one who recommends not only says that you are a good person, but also argues for this, referring to examples of his experience of interacting with you. Therefore, I always advise: if you are doing a master's degree somewhere, get to know your professors, make friends with them, participate in projects. In many ways, this is even more important than grades.

RG: You said you were satisfied with the scholarship. What amount are we talking about, if not a secret?

GA: My LSE scholarship is £15,000 a year.

RG: Is that enough to live in London?

GA: Well, everyone decides for himself. In this sense, a visa in England is more liberal than in the USA - here you can work part-time, and without being tied to your university.

RG: And who gives these scholarships? The university itself?

GA: Often yes. There are other sources of funding: scientific foundations, international grants, and so on. It is easier to get a scholarship for a PhD than for a master's, many students study on scholarships. Almost everything in the US. In England it is much more difficult. But without a scholarship, it turns out to be very expensive, long and not very correct. Doctoral students are in the middle between university staff and students, this is such a borderline status. PhD students are a very important part of the functioning of the university, and, naturally, universities are interested in getting the most promising employees.

RG: What parameters are used to evaluate the success of PhD students? Do you take any exams?

GA: What I'm describing is solely my experience at the LSE - each university has a relatively individual system. We don't have exams like undergraduate students. There are two papers that are assessed in the first year: you have to pass an exam in statistics (in social sciences), and the main event at the end of the year is to prepare your research project. This is a 10,000-word document that is sent out to an internal committee of three professors. They decide whether your project is valuable from a research point of view, and whether it is feasible within the dissertation program. That is, the PhD structure is very simple: the first year you are developing your question, the second year you, in theory, should collect data, and the third year you write everything. Although in fact often everything is stretched at each stage. Basically, everyone completes a PhD in four years. After the defense of the project, as a rule, it all comes down to independent work and meetings with the supervisor.

RG: Do you cross paths with other doctoral students?

GA: We intersect, of course, although we have no joint projects. In the natural sciences: chemistry, physics, biology - that is, works related to expensive equipment, very often there are group projects. But in the social sciences, which I do in particular, it's often more individual.

RG: What exactly do you do?

GA: I study the role of social technologies between people and government institutions during natural disasters. That is, roughly speaking, we are talking about a triangle, when there is nature with its floods and fires, there are state structures and people. I'm interested in the role of the Internet in the context of this triangle. For example, what tasks online platforms can perform depending on the nature of the relationship between volunteers and emergency response services, and how the role of the Internet depends on the type of these relationships. In particular, I am interested in crowdsourcing platforms as a mechanism for attracting the resources of Internet users to achieve specific goals.

RG: How unique is this topic?

GA: Naturally, today there are many people who study both natural disasters and the Internet, but in the aspect in which I approach this, there is an original approach and theoretical novelty - otherwise there is no point in my work. There are different bases on the basis of which you do your research: theoretical, methodological and practical. Practical, in my case, these are interviews that I conducted in different countries, including Russia, Australia, England, Kenya. Well, it’s also important that my interest is initially based on some practical experience - including the Help Map project, which my colleagues and I did in Russia during the fires in 2010.

Young children and PhDs really don't mix very well.

RG: Do you have to teach?

GA: I started teaching this year. In the USA, this is a mandatory practice, where you generally work quite a lot for your university, but in England there is no such obligation, and there are certain disadvantages to this, since teaching is also part of education. But at my university, the number of places for teaching is less than the number of PhD students, so obtaining such an opportunity is carried out on a competitive basis. Graduate students aspire to get this position - not because of money, they are very insignificant here - but because it is important for a resume. Especially if you want to continue looking for work in an academic environment where teaching is a fundamentally important skill.

RG: What else do you need to get a job in an academic environment?

GA: The most-most-most important thing is publications. Moreover, they are of several types, the most prestigious - in scientific peer-reviewed journals. Conferences are also important. There you meet other researchers, share your ideas and projects. As a result of conferences, publications are often published with references to your work, and those articles that you prepare for conferences, you can also remake later into an article for a journal. But of course, no one keeps track of which conferences you have been or have not been to, and there are no formal requirements in this regard. Although conferences are a wonderful thing. They allow you to travel a lot around the world, especially if the university provides micro-grants for travel. True, and here it is important to know when to stop, to be able to find the right balance between traveling and working on a PhD. This year I had to give up conferences completely, otherwise I will never finish my dissertation.

It is easier for me to speak on the role of Foucault in the analysis of the construction of subjects in the context of the role of crowdsourcing platforms than to buy washing powder.

RG: Is it possible to combine PhD work with work somewhere else?

GA: Anything is possible. It depends on how disciplined a person is and on the nature of the work. After all, I also do not only PhD all this time - there are other projects that I lead, including research ones. I also taught a special course for two years at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. In theory, this can be combined with constant work somewhere, most importantly, powerful self-control. Especially the first year in this sense is difficult. At the same time, I see that for those graduate students who have small children, it is very difficult for them. Young children and PhDs really don't mix very well.

GA: The deadline for my dissertation is October next year. Then I will look at what positions are offered at which universities. There are two main development options: post-doctoral (this is when you are hired as a researcher for a year, but you do not have teaching status, you just increase your scientific portfolio) or teaching. However, it is not necessary to follow the academic path. You can, for example, engage in consulting, using your research skills and knowledge in a particular area.

RG: So you still have to finish your dissertation by October? I will not ask how many pages are left, I will only ask if it is difficult to write in English at all?

GA: Of course, it is difficult. Academic language is different from spoken language. But I'm used to it, and in this sense it's easier for me to speak on the topic, I don't know there, of Foucault's role in the analysis of the construction of subjects in the context of the role of crowdsourcing platforms than to buy washing powder. But still, I work with a proofreader - this is considered a legitimate practice. It corrects my grammatical errors and makes the text more readable.

RG: Do you have time for something other than studying?

GA: The first year I didn’t go anywhere at all and sat all the time in the library - fortunately, it is round-the-clock. But then I realized that you can’t live like that, your brains burn out. And in general, studying a few hundred meters from the Royal Opera House and never going there is simply indecent. Although (only promise that you will leave it between us!) In three years in London, I never visited the National Gallery. It is also important to understand what time is the most productive for work. Here I have, for example, the best ideas come in the soul. But there, as you know, you can’t work with a computer, so I bought one of the most ingenious inventions of mankind for PhD students - a waterproof notebook. This is my little secret of success, however, in order to talk about success, you must first successfully complete your dissertation.

How the flopnik defeated the satellite

There is an opinion (even among Russians themselves) that a Western PhD is much higher than our PhD, which therefore should be equated only with a local master (MA, M.Sc.). This opinion is supported by the local Canadian and American administrations (still, a person works as a "doctor" and receives a salary as a "master"), and - which is completely incomprehensible - the Russian-speaking diaspora itself.

To prove that this is not the case, consider their arguments.

1 "We have to study at the university for 7-8 years to get a PhD(even if it is called a college or academy); during this time the student receives

• firstly, a bachelor's degree (bachelor, BA, B.Sc.), for 3-4 years of study, earning as many 72 ÷ 90 credits ;
• secondly, a master's degree (master, MA, M.Sc.), having prepared a thesis and passing a few more exams and tests;
• thirdly, the degree of doctor (philosophy - Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, and equated to it - Doctor of Medicine MD, Doctor of Theology, etc.): the student participates in a scientific project, writes a dissertation and takes 1-2 oral exams.

[Note 1: Recently, another form of obtaining a doctoral degree is more common: immediately after graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences and receiving a bachelor's degree, a student can apply for a doctoral program: 5 more years of study, several special courses, project work, preparation and defense dissertations and passing 1-2 oral exams]

[Note 2: there is a lot of freedom in North America, so different universities may have different requirements, different lengths of study - and different prices ... A student himself may prefer to take 9 semesters instead of 12 credits - therefore, his studies will stretch out for an extra year. Therefore, the duration of the programs is given by me approximate.]

What about you Russians? You barely have time to get the first degree in 5 years (what we call "bachelor"), and to get the second (that is, the master), you need another 3 whole years in graduate school; and you only defend your doctoral thesis before you retire."

This reasoning, as they say here "does not hold water": in practice, in universities and scientific societies, no one makes any difference between "their" doctor and our candidate (and, of course, the Russian doctor too); Candidates of Sciences who came from the USSR/Russia work as professors and associate professors at various universities in the USA and Canada - that is, they occupy those positions that local masters and bachelors cannot apply for at all, "by definition"; at scientific conferences and congresses, a candidate of sciences from Russia is announced in any program as a doctor (if, of course, titles are announced at all). This is also evidenced by my personal experience: the notification that the HAC approved my dissertation came to me when I was in Vienna, at the International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA, Laxenburg, Wien, Austria); learning about this, the administration of the institute itself, without any of my requests, the next day hung a sign on my door Dr. Yu. MOROZOV. And wherever I had a chance to speak and visit, no one doubted that for them I was a Doctor of Science, that is, a PhD.

Option 1a: "Only your Russian Doctor of Science matches our PhD."

This argument is also wrong; this contradicts what happened in the USSR and the USA: it turns out that Soviet science was about 10 times more effective than American science, because it provided strategic parity (and this is not only about the same weapons as the Americans have!) Indeed,

A/ for decades in the USSR, on average, only 1 out of 10 candidates of science defended a doctoral thesis (this statistics has been available for the USSR since about the end of the 1930s, when scientific titles were restored); b/ the absolute number of highly qualified scientists (that is, candidates plus doctors in the USSR vs. PhD in the USA) during the entire 20th century. was practically equal; c/ therefore, if we admit that PhDs correspond only to doctors (D.Sc., etc.), the launch of the first satellite, the first flight of a rocket to the moon, the first man in space, the creation of strategic parity (and these are all science-intensive industries!) were achieved by about 10 times fewer Soviet doctors compared to the American! Consequently, the Soviet doctor should be 10 times higher in terms of the quality of work?!

2 "Our students learn more and better."

Any professional teacher (and even a student) knows that the point is not the number of years of study, but the quantity + quality of teaching hours.

USSR/Russia: in a "normal" university a student studied 6 days a week for 6 hours; winter semester - 18 weeks + monthly exam session; spring semester - 16 weeks + one and a half month examination session, total 34 weeks per year * 36 hours / week. = 1224 hours/year. And so for 5 years (of course, in a number of universities the 10th semester was practically the preparation of a thesis ...)

Sev. America: the student receives 1 credit for the successful completion of the special course, which took place once a week for 1 hour for the whole semester. Thus, taking 9÷15 credits per year is equivalent to 9-15 hours of classes per week [Of course, in some cases the department may decide that a given special course, and especially a special seminar and a workshop in 1 hour, give fewer credits, but on average this rule is fulfilled accurate enough.]

Then it turns out that our Russian student received 72 (!) credits every year (36 required hours of classes per week for the entire semester). For 9 academic semesters (and some technical universities studied for 5.5 years!) - 9 * 36 = 324 loan. Compare with required bachelor's degrees 72-90 loans in Sev. America.

CONSEQUENCE: our graduate of an institute or university IN NO EVENT CAN BE EQUAL to a bachelor who studies many times less, DOES NOT PROTECT ANY DIPLOMA and DO NOT PASS ANY state exams; therefore, logically, our graduate of an institute or university should be equal to no less than a master (M.Sc., MA).

2a "Yes, but in those 36 hours you included both Marxism-Leninism and sports." That's right, Marxism-Leninism was an average of 4 hours a week all the years of study and plus 4 hours a week of sports in junior courses. But, firstly, here, in the North. America, students have 3-4 hours a week of classes in ideology (they are just not called so openly), as well as sports; anyway, in total, a student of a local college or university never studies more than 20 hours (that is, at least a quarter to a third less than ours:

36 - 8 = 28>> 20.

3 The last, "killer" argument, especially in Russian-language newspapers: "But they teach much better in North America!!!"

But this needs a rigorous and objective proof.

Struck by the fact that not the USA, but the USSR launched the first satellite in 1957, the Americans tried to immediately catch up, but all the launches were unsuccessful; local journalists excelled in wit, offering their names to what did not take off; one of them is a flopnik (flopnik, from "flop" - to flop, to flop, as an idiom means "to sit in a puddle").

Offended, they adopted the National Defense Education Act in 1958 ( NDEA), who admitted that the United States is very far behind in the field of teaching its schoolchildren and students the natural sciences - mathematics, physics, chemistry. The act recommended an increase in grants for the study of "math & science." And the reasons for this are clear: in American society, the one who grabs first is right; a student who has not studied at Harvard and the first semester creates a company and becomes a billionaire, selling "wooden stoves" (or rather, "windows") to naive users. Therefore, corporations begin to recruit any more or less capable or at least assiduous student almost from the first semester; and the students themselves, after learning the basics, begin to look for ways to "capitalize" them (that is, simply the one who buys them). Therefore, 4-month courses flourish, in which the student is supposedly given something supposedly needed today. The fact that during this time it is impossible to study anything seriously, that the money thrown away for these 4 months is thrown away, because knowledge and skills will become obsolete quickly, and the basic principles slowly - it is extremely difficult to explain to a local person. It always seems to everyone that he/she will not be in time for the distribution of pies. [As you know, premature 8-month-old babies often die; what to say about these half-term, 4-month-old students?!]

And mathematics (like a ballerina) cannot be prepared in 4 months; without additional subsidies, there will be no elite mathematicians or physicists on the bare enthusiasm. However, the NDEA suggested that the alleged reasons for the backwardness of American students are not in the wrong system, but in the lack of attention in the school curriculum to abstract mathematics (for example, set theory).

And we in Russia “bought” this: by 1970, the teaching of school mathematics was reformed; instead of the traditional program (arithmetic with a full set of problem solving skills - especially text - 4 actions, fractions, proportions, etc.), children began to talk about "sets" and "congruence." In 1971, to the questions: "Why? Why?" my father-in-law Chair of Mathematics at the country's leading pedagogical institute, an "unknown" Soviet mathematician (Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Senior Researcher from the closed department of the Steklov Moscow Institute of Academy of Sciences) said: "We have given negative feedback on the new program many times, but no one has wanted to listen."

There are 2 ways in the world to marry the most beautiful woman:

1. Ivan, naturally a fool, risking his life, gets the feather of the Firebird and gives it to Vasilisa the Beautiful.
2. John, naturally smart, shoots every woman in the world except his wife.

It seems that this is exactly what happened: not knowing how to beat us, they (the Americans) - perhaps by accident, perhaps intuitively - decided to kill us. And the educational tourists, clinging to the (American) source of wisdom, imposed a "democratic reform" of the school, because, according to the Americans, the classical school was undemocratic and totalitarian.

The goals of the classical school for centuries were:

a/ education, that is, familiarizing the student with a certain amount of knowledge needed in life;

b/ learning, that is, the transfer to the student of a certain amount of skills: counting, writing, communication, needlework, work skills (for example, the ability to handle electrical appliances or reagents at the household and primary professional level);

in/ socialization, that is, the acquisition and development of communication skills;

G/ indoctrination, that is, the development by students of a certain amount of ideas about the world, good and evil, past, present and future, values ​​and goals, norms and traditions, about art and literature.

And although at the age of 3-16 years the child “grabs” information literally on the fly (in motion, sound, color, touch and smell), it takes time and repetition to fix it (like a photographic film) - that is, a significant number of repetitions-exercises are needed, and this number depends on the individual characteristics of the student. The reformers said that the old system did not allow the child's potential to be liberated (Dr. Spock had already flourished at that time), that the number of exercises must be necessarily reduced to a minimum, that the student has the right to have his own opinion about what is what. (Imagine an endless vote on what 2 + 2 is, and you will see a new democratic school.) To keep the students busy, the lessons are replaced at the school (and at the university and college too) with excursions: "Look, children, this maple!" "Look, children, this is the multiplication table. Isn't it beautiful?"

The classic cycle "training - learning - socialization - indoctrination" is that the student, under the guidance or with the help of a teacher

1/ assesses their knowledge and skills (compared to the required level - "entry control");

2/ is learning (that is, getting the missing information, knowledge, skills);

3/ constantly compares the achieved level with the desired one (until it reaches 100%).

For this, an assessment is required - self-assessment plus assessment from the outside. All in. In America, in order to allow everyone to express themselves and liberate themselves, the school reformers forever replaced this cycle with improvisation and fun: everyone is given an entrance test / exercise; then, in order not to injure the tender soul of the child, all the results are declared good (and even final. At the university and college, after any exam, if the results are announced, then only in coded form, so that no one knows how the neighbor studies. From the very first day of teaching here, I was warned that I did NOT have the right show grades to no one, including the student's parents.We, in "backward" Russia, grades were vowels, the whole class or student group at the university knew what exactly each student received and who occupied what place in academic performance.This gave at least some hope to justice (until the system began to fall apart.) When at Moscow State University at one faculty (it was in the mid-70s) H. was recommended for graduate school (who himself boasted that he had the only five in physical education, the rest were triples) - students were shocked and at least tried to protest, because they knew exactly what he was like, but here it is basically impossible

In order not to injure anyone, here the role of the mark was actually canceled. The normal exam (remember, even Tom Sawyer took the oral exam!) was replaced by a system of "programmed learning" (multiple choice - "multiple choice"); instead of normal questions, the student is offered a question and a set of answers, one of which is correct. As a result of such a test, it is not knowledge or understanding that is assessed, but something else (I had a student who understood absolutely nothing in programming and mathematics - he could not write an elementary program; however, in the Java programming language exam - naturally, in the form of multiple-choice, don't know the others here - he got 80%! Same thing happened to me (in the Linux/Unix exam), however I split the exam into two parts - a set of multiple-choice questions and some bash-shell programming problems. He gave correct answers 30 out of 33 multiple-choice, but failed to write ANY reasonable line in any problem where it was required to write (not guess!) real code!)

This is inevitable, because multiple-choice itself does not test anything, and for a lazy teacher, it can simply give nonsense - as, for example, in the following joke test:

1. How many hands do you have?

a/ Two;
b/ One;
at four;
d/ haven't counted yet.

Teachers and journalists here call it "multiple guess" ("multiple guess"), because the student is now set to guess which option - a/, b/, c/, d/ - is the correct answer; any electronic devices with memory to record a sequence of correct answers such as stack-memory calculators, telephones, etc.) went into action. Australia, "dumped" the sequence of responses to a bro in Israel, who handed in a few hours late ...)

To my question: “Why can’t at least part of the exams be conducted in the old fashioned way, orally - after all, firstly, this will help the student precisely in acquiring the skills of persuasion, argumentation, public speaking, and secondly, it will prepare him for the future, as a rule , oral, examination during the defense of a doctoral dissertation?" - everyone answered me: "Such an exam will necessarily give a biased assessment, whom the teacher does not like, he will fail."

I repeatedly repeated the same experiment with local students in different versions: "Can you draw?" (pen, pencil or computer) - "Yes!" Everyone draws with delight (as a rule, this is a semi-childish daub on which it is impossible to make out anything - this is normal, because I do not teach future artists.) "Now take a piece of paper, fold it in half, write your name on the left half; write on each half what exactly are you going to draw now - a house, a car, a horse. Done? Now tear the sheet along the fold, give the left half to me. Ready? And now draw exactly what you wrote on the sheet, that is, if you promised a house, it should be house, not a ball." In each group, a riot literally began, some refused to draw at all, others, having drawn something, demanded the sheet back - to forward the promise ...

[By the way, this is not just an experiment, it is a reflection of new pedagogical trends that later determine industry and science: entire corporations are stuffed with "specialists," who - due to the fact that they were not taught in time to "draw a house" in their field - force us to use their "crooked" products. You don't need to look far for examples: MS Internet Explorer still, even version 7-beta, cannot work correctly with styles (css): this is how a certain web page looks in Firefox 2.0 or Opera 9.10, and this is how it looks in Internet Explorer 6 : note the ROUNDED edges of the separator tabs. Note for the incredulous: of course, you can create a similar page so that it looks decent in Internet Explorer 6 - there are many of them, for example, at http://www.apple.com. The price of this alone is high: a fixed size of letters so that they do not crawl out of that beautiful background that has the right frame when the user does not want to spoil his eyes and tries to increase them.]

The American education system is based on teaching the future specialist not WHAT IS NECESSARY, but HOW IT IS POSSIBLE, that is, teaching not standards, laws, the multiplication table or Mendeleev, norms or theorems, but to do at least something as quickly and cheaply as possible something ("roll out the gate") and impose on others as a new standard, banning all others. You can say: "What's wrong with that?!" It would seem nothing, but then millions of users every time after the release of a new, improved model (read: in which they simply removed those blunders that should have been removed 2-3 years ago) are forced to retrain or even lose their jobs.

There are many examples: for example, no one calculated the damage from
a/ computer viruses: buying software, cleaning computers, losses for consumers.

b/ incompatibility of document formats prepared in the same package (MS Word is far from the only culprit).

c/ changes in a system error in DOS-based computers - the famous Y2K, when everyone was waiting for almost the end of the world (the press of North America claims that about 60 billion were spent on this in the USA alone!) In March 2007 - a new misfortune , already today, in the spring of 2007, which cost the US $300 million to the US economy. In 2005, the US Congress decided - apparently so that we would not get bored - to change the rules for switching to summer (as well as winter) time: now it will not be introduced on the first Sunday April, and on the second Sunday of March. Technically, this meant that in 2007 it would be March 11th.

But: in those computers in which the Windows operating system of various modifications is installed, there is a program that SAMA translates the time (respectively, to summer and winter) - and this program will continue to translate in the old way (that is, in early April, etc.) If you use some kind of software/computer calendars (like M$ Outlook Express), then you will have to cancel it manually. And the same thing has been done on the computers on which millions of people depend (machines that maintain flight schedules, dispense medicines in hospitals, ATM machines, servers configured to back up our bank accounts at 12 midnight, etc.) ...

As a result, there are even "theorists" who claim that since, for example, Microsoft Internet Explorer is the standard of the whole world, then students should be taught not the http://www.w3.org standard, not the unprofitable periodic table, but bringing a quick buck " new" ideas. So, in a year or two, retrain again, rewrite codes, redo the voltage, shift the wires ...

At this, the motivation of both the student and the worker deteriorates sharply: many years ago, in a series of experiments with children, psychologists offered children a certain task; the winner was promised a reward - candy; the children completed the task, the winner received a candy, solemnly and proudly ate it. And then the experimenter said: "As a consolation, so as not to offend anyone, we will now give exactly the same candy to everyone else."

The aim of the experiment was evaluation of emotional response all students.

Result:

a/ the winners felt cheated (respectively, aggression or depression and resentment);

b/ the losers were disappointed (was it worth trying if they give candy anyway?)

Already by 1970, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NSUM, he also commands in Canada) found out that over 12 years of implementation, problem-solving skills had sharply deteriorated (problem-solving - in our opinion, the application of theory to solve specific problems, not necessarily practical ). However, instead of returning to a normal pedagogical system, they began to improve the abstract-logical approach.

An example of such a "New Revelation" is a proposal to increase the number of exercises of the following type for developing problem-solving skills: "A person has 9 coins, 1 cent and 5, while 5 cents are 1 more. How much money does a person have in total?"

Was it worth dismantling the system and reinventing the wheel, if exactly that task (up to the currency) was already in Arithmetic Magnitsky (1703)? In a "backward" Russian school, such a task was quite accessible to the average 4th grade student.

By the end of the 1980s, the same council of the NSUM began to argue that exercises and problem solving (drilling) were not needed at all, because now everyone has a calculator and a computer. What betrays a complete misunderstanding of the essence of learning: adding two numbers "in a column" is the development of abstract-logical skills, pressing a sequence of keys is the development of visual-effective skills; the mathematical essence of what is happening is superseded by motor skills plus the fear of confusing the keys of a calculator and starting all over again. In addition, in the "free" world, any company is free to change the device of its computer/calculator as far as it wants from the original one; therefore, in the absence of skills in solving problems "manually", the student will not even have a chance to suspect that his answer (due to a different set of keys and functions - especially brackets! - or oxidized contacts) is incorrect.

Apotheosis of the system: in September 2006, the School of the Future was opened in Philadelphia (USA): there are no textbooks, no library, no notebooks - any student receives a free laptop and connects to the Internet from the first day of classes, no teachers, no lessons (see. Fast Times at Microsoft High, "Maclean" s, "Dec., 11, 2006, pp. 51-54). But in such a school, it is possible to get brief information about something, but it is impossible to gain knowledge, skills, there is no socialization, because there is no communication, team and teachers - but there is a strange indoctrination ...

For the same reason, NSUM proposed to increase the share of excursions, offering students such - ostensibly practical - tasks: "How is the television antenna for satellite television related to our school curriculum in mathematics?" The student is expected to search encyclopedias and the Internet and find that the television antenna is shaped like a parabola. So what? At the same time, none of these students acquires the skills to solve the simplest problem of the type: "You have a graph of the function y = x2 ; show how the graph of the function y = (x + 1)2 will be located in relation to it? Is it any wonder that such the student looks at the TV screen and does not see that the US flag WAVING on the moon where there is no air and therefore no wind to fly the flag!

It is impossible to acquire the necessary skills on excursions, is this why they are bad with literature and language: they don’t teach self-expression, it was replaced by “own opinion”: whatever the student writes, everything will be fine. Apparently, therefore, essays on the topic: “What did I talk about with the postman today” flourish; here, in fact, there is nothing to punish and nothing to evaluate: and indeed, the student could talk with the postman ... Students do not know how to retell and critically state someone else's thought or talk about what they themselves did in the form of presentation or composition. [Because of this, I somehow had to give them a course in writing essays - essays.]

What is PhD

PhD (lat. Philosophia Doctor) - academic degree ( PhD degree), which is awarded to the applicant after the preparation and defense of a qualifying work - a doctoral dissertation ( PhD thesis) both in the natural sciences and in the humanities or social sciences. The scientific degree is directly related to philosophy only historically: it is awarded in almost all scientific fields, for example, a Ph.D. in literature or a Ph.D. in physics.

Requirements for applicants

The requirements of universities and research centers for applicants are very different, but the most common is education not lower than a master's degree ( Master degree). But many English-language university programs are designed specifically for bachelors who receive an academic master's degree, and then continue their doctoral studies. Russians and residents of the CIS are encouraged to apply for such programs with a specialist or master's degree. Many universities have age limits from 23 to 35, but people over 40 can also be accepted into these programs at some universities. In addition, most universities require the results of language and qualification exams and tests. A prerequisite is passing the TOEFL, GMAT and. Sometimes you need letters of recommendation from scientific supervisors of graduation and other student research projects. Education under these programs of postgraduate education lasts from 3 to 6 years.

What are the prospects for a PhD degree?

Upon successful completion of the programs, the graduate receives a Ph.D. In most cases, the PhD degree is the highest academic degree in many specialties and provides the highest qualification in a particular field of study. A PhD holder can prove himself not only in a scientific career, working in a research center, but also in teaching - starting as an assistant professor and soon becoming a professor with a lifetime contract. There is also the opportunity to engage in business consulting or collaborate with the analytical departments of companies, become the head of a department of an enterprise or corporation. A PhD degree guarantees employment, as the demand for such candidates in the labor market in Western countries is consistently high. However, such graduates are not in demand in the CIS countries, their knowledge is highly valued abroad, so PhD holders stay to work abroad and do not return to their homeland.

What are the advantages of online PhD programs

PhD programs for distance learning are developed by universities for graduates, young professionals and masters who are forced to work and cannot fully attend traditional courses at a graduate college or intern at a research center. Distance postgraduate education programs provide many advantages to students: they do not need to regularly visit the university, they can study subjects and disciplines at a convenient time for the students and in any geographic location with broadband Internet access. Therefore, those graduate students who cannot constantly take time off from work, as well as family students who cannot afford to move to another country for the duration of their studies, highly appreciate these advantages of this approach to obtaining a degree. A successful graduation almost always has a positive effect on a career. This is especially true for those who are interested in management, consulting, research and organization of the company. In this case, a degree can serve as a good impetus for career growth.

The scientific degree Doctor of Philosophy (lat. Philosophia Doctor, PhD) is the highest academic degree in many European countries, which is awarded to graduates of postgraduate programs after defending a doctoral dissertation (eng. Ph.D. thesis). In the United States, the Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree that exists at some universities is also considered equal to Ph.D. Successful completion of a distance or part-time PhD program almost always promotes the career growth of qualified young professionals. Many universities around the world offer distance and part-time PhD programs.

Is there any benefit from participating in correspondence PhD programs?

For the successful completion of the correspondence program ( part-time) PhD requires the same number of academic hours as in full-time doctoral studies, however, the duration of study may be longer due to a long educational direction. The concept of a correspondence program refers to a form of study in which students have a less intense study schedule and fewer hours and classes per week, respectively, the duration of the programs increases, while remaining unchanged in terms of mastered knowledge. This educational practice provides an opportunity for doctoral students of correspondence programs to delve into the subject of research and apply the results obtained in their professional activities. Upon completion of the correspondence program, graduates receive a diploma of the same type as graduates of full-time programs.

Conditions of education

The structure and duration of distance doctoral programs often depend on the regional educational standards of the country in which the university is located. Enrolling in online doctoral studies, students must complete online courses that constitute the academic minimum in their specialization, as well as prepare an independent qualifying work, which must be original research and have academic value. In many countries, the duration of study in PhD programs depends on the doctoral candidate and on the speed with which work on the dissertation is progressing.

Do I need to take the GRE test?

(English) Graduate Record Examinations) - a test that must be taken for admission to graduate school, master's or other postgraduate course at a university in the United States, English-speaking and a number of other countries (including Switzerland). In most cases, applications for admission will not be considered until the results of this test are sent. There are two types of exam - general test ( general test), and specialized ( subject) tests: physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, psychology. general test limited to the school curriculum in mathematics, while subject coverage tests are comparable to the third or fourth year of the university. For admission to most programs, you only need to take general test, which, in addition to mathematics, includes a test of knowledge of the English language. Much attention is paid to the student's vocabulary. The GRE test is designed for native English speakers, however, it is required for all applicants to graduate school in America. Some business schools do not focus on the results of the language section, since the opportunity to accept foreign students for training is a priority for them. Therefore, most international students who get a low score on the GRE take the TOEFL test, where the language section is easier to pass.

Cost of education

Tuition fees vary greatly from university to university. University ranking, location, program type, and direction can greatly influence the cost of online DBA programs. Some educational institutions provide their students with the opportunity to receive scholarships, give recommendations for participation in grants and provide support. It is very important to contact the university for more information on tuition fees for online DBA programs.

Ph.D. thesis)

In addition to the Ph.D., which is awarded to people engaged in scientific research, there are three more doctoral degrees:

• Doctor of Arts Doctor of Arts ) - usually assigned as evidence of deep knowledge in a certain scientific area, but not research activity.
• Doctor of Pedagogy Doctor of Education ) - assigned to specialists in the field of pedagogy.
• Doctor of Social Work Doctor of Social Science ) - assigned to specialists in the field of social work, social knowledge, social science.

Story

It first appeared in the 12th-13th centuries in Great Britain, Italy and France.

Despite the name, nowadays the degree has no practical relation to philosophy (only historical) and is awarded in almost all scientific fields, for example: PhD in Literature or PhD in Physics.

This situation is connected with traditions dating back to the days of medieval universities, the standard structure of which usually assumed the presence of faculties of philosophy, jurisprudence, theology and medicine. Therefore, in addition to the Ph.D. degree, there are also a limited number of other doctoral degrees of the same rank; doctors are awarded a degree M.D., lawyers - doctor of law, theologians - doctor of divinity, and to everyone else - Ph.D.

Position in different countries

At the same time, in a number of Western countries, postgraduate education, to the same extent as in the Russian Federation, is characterized by two stages, each requiring the defense of a separate dissertation. For example, in Brazil, Canada, the first postgraduate level is the title master (master) of science(Master of Science, M.Sc.), while the second degree is the title PhD(Ph.D.). In this case, the doctoral degree that is obtained with the status PhD, is not similar to the degree of Doctor of Science in the Russian Federation, although it is the second degree of postgraduate education. The scientific degree of Doctor of Science in the Russian Federation implies the solution of a major scientific problem or priority research in a new scientific direction and compliance with the requirements established in the Russian Federation.

France

There is no PhD in France. An analogue of this degree is the degree of doctor of the corresponding specialty (fr. Doctorate

Germany

There is no PhD in Germany. The analogue of this degree is the degree of doctor of the corresponding specialty (German. Doctor ). In particular, this degree is officially equivalent to the Russian PhD degree.

see also

Notes

Literature

• Vlasov A. V., Filippov Yu. M. Russia and Kazakhstan: the reform of higher education (continued) //APN-Kazakhstan, 12.01.2006
• S. Kolenikov Academic degrees (USA) // Abroad.ru
• A. Mindagulov On the Western concept of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) // Izvestiya-Kazakhstan, 10.11.2006
• Maryanovich A. T. Academic degrees and titles in Western countries // Elitarium: Center for Distance Education, 27.09.2010
• Yu. Morozov Is a Western PhD higher than a PhD in Russia/USSR? or How the flopnik (flopnik) defeated the satellite // Sociodynamics, 03/15/2007.
• Raizberg B. A. Academic degrees and titles: who is who // Elitarium: Center for Distance Education, 02/17/2006
• E. Solodovnikova Who is better to be: doctor of science or phd? // Media group "Objective", 06/06/2007,
• M. Yakovlev Is Postgraduate Study Necessary? //Journal "Job and salary", 30.01.2006
• E. G. Will we have our own PhD? // "St. Petersburg University". - 2010. - № 6 (3813).

Qualifications, degrees and titles in science and education
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See what "Doctor of Philosophy" is in other dictionaries:

- (lat. Philosophiæ Doctor, Ph.D., PhD, usually pronounced as pi h di) a degree awarded in many Western countries. The qualifying work of the degree applicant is a doctoral dissertation (English Ph.D. Thesis) Despite the name ... Wikipedia

The highest academic degree awarded since the 12th-13th centuries. in the UK, Italy and other countries, as a rule, after defending a master's thesis in the relevant humanities and social sciences ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- "DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY", USSR, TsT, 1976, color, 84 min. Teleplay. Based on a play by Branislav Nusic. Cast: Vladimir Etush (see ETUSH Vladimir Abramovich), Ivan Dykhovichny (see DYKHOVICHNY Ivan Vladimirovich), Leah Akhedzhakova (see AKHEDZHAKOVA Liya Medzhidovna), ... ... Cinema Encyclopedia

Ph.D- - Telecommunication topics, basic concepts EN doctor of philosophyPMSE T H. D ... Technical Translator's Handbook

The highest academic degree awarded since the 12th-13th centuries. in the UK, Italy and other countries, as a rule, after defending a master's thesis in the humanities and social sciences. * * * DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, higher… … encyclopedic Dictionary

Prof. Shlyakhetsk. cadet. corps; R. 20 Sept. 1787, † 18?? city ​​(Polovtsov) ... Big biographical encyclopedia