Not everyone knows that a specialist, master and bachelor is a higher education, after which the holder of a diploma has the right to occupy positions that require higher education. These stages are distinguished by the duration of study at the university and the saturation of the program with theoretical and applied disciplines. At the same time, in last years switched to a bachelor's and master's degree system, and diplomas of specialists remained mainly with graduates of the last century.

The levels of education established in Russia are described below. And also the concepts are disclosed in more detail: specialist, bachelor and master.

Levels of Education

AT Russian Federation the following educational levels:

1. basic general education;
2. secondary (complete) general education;
3. initial professional education;
4. secondary vocational education;
5. higher professional education;
6. postgraduate professional education.

Terms of mastering the main educational programs higher professional education are:
• to obtain a qualification (degree) "bachelor" for at least four years (it is this period of study that universities adhere to);
• to obtain the qualification "certified specialist" for at least five years (usually 5 or 5.5 years);
• to obtain a qualification (degree) "Master" for at least six years.

Bachelor's and Master's degrees belong to the first scientific degrees. The master's degree allows you to go to graduate school in the future. A bachelor's degree necessarily precedes a specialist's or master's degree. After the first four years of study at the university, you need to decide which level of higher education you will master next. If in the future you are not going to connect your life with science or work at a university, then you should opt for a specialist diploma, otherwise, choose a master's degree. If you do not have the opportunity to continue your studies further, then you can not become a bachelor's degree.

It should be noted that not every university can provide an opportunity to obtain a master's degree. In addition, universities may not provide such an opportunity in all areas and specialties. Information about the levels of higher professional education available to you in each specialty can be found in the brochures of the university or in admission committee university. This is not a very popular topic among applicants, so you may not get the information you are interested in right away.

Bachelor

Bachelor's degree- This is a diploma confirming the successful development of the second stage of higher professional education.

The first stage of higher professional education is incomplete higher education, which must be carried out by a higher educational institution in basic professional educational programs at least two years. After completing training in this level higher professional education, a student can continue higher education (usually this is implied by default) or, if desired, receive a diploma of incomplete higher education without final certification. The volume and content of incomplete higher education are reflected in the supplement to the diploma.

It should be noted that a rare employer will attach serious importance to the fact that you received an incomplete higher education.

"Bachelor" must study not only general education, but also general professional disciplines, as well as special disciplines and practices of professional significance. The study of the program ends final certification with the assignment of the qualification "Bachelor" to the graduate and the issuance of a diploma.

Qualification "bachelor" gives full right to apply for a position for which qualification requirements provided for the availability of higher professional education.

In fact, the manager will think about whether it is worth taking on an “undereducated” specialist. Reasons for refusing employment can always be found. Of course, it is much better to accept a graduate or master's degree who have passed full course university education.

Specialist and master

The development of the third level of higher professional education can be carried out according to the main professional educational programs of two types, upon completion of which a specialist diploma or master's degree 1 .

The main program, which consists of a bachelor's degree program in the relevant field and at least two years of specialized training, including practice involving research and (or) research pedagogical activity graduate. The total standard period of study must be at least six years. Mastering the program ends with a final certification, including final work(project), with the assignment of a graduate qualification "master".

The main professional educational program, which includes the development of humanitarian, socio-economic and natural science disciplines of a general scientific nature, general professional disciplines, as well as theoretical and practical training by specialty and specialization, involving different kinds professional activity graduate. The total standard period of study must be at least five 2 years. This program ends with a final certification, including thesis(project), with the assignment of a specialist qualification to the graduate - "engineer", "teacher", "economist", etc.

1 Some destinations do not require a magistrate.
2 Typically, the duration of study for specialties that do not offer the possibility of obtaining a master's degree is five years, and for specialties that offer such an opportunity, five and a half years.

TUTORS-ORG. RU Moscow, Smolensk, 2007-2017 © Training Center "TUTOR"

Since 2011, a new distribution of specialists who have graduated from higher educational institutions has been introduced in our country. There is a new academic title - bachelor. In this regard, the question is often asked: what is the difference between a bachelor and a specialist? Is the level of education for a bachelor's degree sufficient? What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree? We will try to answer these and other questions in this article.

What is a bachelor

This degree came to us from ancient universities Western Europe. The word comes from the late Latin baccalarius, which means "sub-vassal". Initially, this degree was awarded to those students who successfully completed the first stage of training. AT tsarist Russia bachelors were called teachers of the burs and theological academies.

Bachelor is currently the first degree academic titles adopted in many foreign countries. It is awarded to those who graduated from universities and only after passing specialized exams.

Two levels of education

The difference between a bachelor and a specialist can be judged by the duration of the student's study. profile specialty. After attending four full-time courses, the student has the right to pass state exams, write a diploma and get a bachelor's degree. For part-time and evening students, this period is usually longer.

Master is the next academic degree. The master's degree is obtained by bachelors after two years of study at full-time learning. Thus, obsolete becomes superfluous scientific title"specialist", which was given after five years of study at the university.

You can already get information about the difference between a bachelor's degree and a specialist's degree and a master's degree. general idea. The bachelor studies in other programs, and he receives the knowledge necessary for the professional performance of his duties for more short course learning. A specialist is an academic degree that has been preserved only for certain types of specialties in our country. A complete list of professions that require specialist qualifications can be found on the websites of the Ministry of Education. The master's program is suitable for those students who decide to devote themselves to science and get a degree. So the question of how a bachelor's degree differs from a specialist and a master's degree lies rather in the psychological plane. The amount of knowledge required to perform a particular job is quite sufficient for a bachelor.

What is the reason for this innovation?

A new academic degree appeared in our country after the Academy of Sciences joined the Bologna Protocol, aimed at unifying the European educational space. The main goal of the Bologna process is to expand access to higher education, to give young people the right to choose a university outside of another country, to unify the diplomas of the countries participating in the Bologna process. Second the most important goal was the modernization of higher professional education, focused on the current needs of the labor market. Therefore, the question of how a bachelor differs from a specialist and a master can be answered as follows: bachelor and master are recognized worldwide academic degrees, diplomas of students who have received such titles are recognized in many countries. A specialist is a title that is gradually becoming a thing of the past.

Technical schools and universities

It is wrong to judge a bachelor's degree from the point of view of the hierarchy of Soviet academic degrees. What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and junior specialist, often argue people who have not received either one or the other diploma. A junior specialist is a more applied, professional level. The junior specialist's diploma is prepared by secondary educational institutions - technical schools and colleges. Bachelor's degree confirms scientific knowledge specialist and deep theoretical and practical training in this specialty.

Universities prepare bachelors only appropriate level accreditation. What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a specialist and a master's and graduate school, one can say in in general terms: A bachelor's degree gives you a chance to earn money with your specialty after four years of study.

What is a bachelor's degree

At present, science is advancing in giant leaps, and a protracted learning process leads to the fact that by the time of graduation, much of the knowledge acquired at a university becomes obsolete and unnecessary. Therefore, it is not advisable to train students of "narrow specialties" for five or even six years. Modern system training is more flexible and allows the formation of qualifications structures and the needs of the labor market. It should be taken into account the fact that young people aged 17-18 become students in our country. During this period, it is difficult to fully understand which profession to choose.

At present, the question of how a bachelor differs from a specialist is almost never asked when applying for a job. Basic higher education is ideal for forming a profile of a particular specialty. Students receive more practical professional knowledge in the senior undergraduate courses. And after finishing basic course higher education and receiving his first scientific degree, the student already knows how a bachelor differs from a specialist and a master. Therefore, he can coordinate his professional plans in accordance with the current needs of the labor market and the level of salaries in a particular area.

Master's degree

Having a bachelor's degree from one university, you can enroll in a master's program at another higher educational institution. profile subject. Sometimes in this case it may be necessary to complete certain disciplines. A master's degree opens the door to a degree.

Bachelor's degree and employment

Unfortunately, there is still some distrust among employers towards a bachelor's degree, although many of them cannot clearly explain the difference between a bachelor and a specialist. Feedback from many university graduates speaks of the reluctance of employers and HR agencies to employ young bachelors. There may be several reasons for this.

1. Many modern employers received their higher education back in Soviet times, when higher education institutions gave a specialist diploma upon graduation. The word "bachelor" in those days was "not ours", "Western".

2. The difference in training programs: specialists are trained in specific specialties, and bachelor's education is based on a broad coverage of all disciplines that will be useful to him in his direct work. The undergraduate course is aimed at general scientific, general professional training. The law, of course, says that the bachelor has the right to occupy positions intended for those who have received a complete higher education. But human resources departments still prefer to hire specialists and masters.

Bachelor's Benefits

The bachelor's degree is recognized by the international classification and is understandable to foreign employers. There it is quite acceptable to invite a bachelor to the position of a middle manager and entrust him with a responsible job. To work in an office, you usually just need educated person with basic training, able to work with information and correctly draw up documents.

The fundamental nature of training, its vastness make it easy to change the profession. The fact is that public education programs are prepared in such a way that after a year of study, the student has the opportunity to choose one of the many related professions. And when changing profession, a specialist must spend two or three years and get a second higher education on a commercial basis.

The undoubted advantage of a bachelor's degree is the possibility of obtaining a diploma after four years of study. Young people often strive to get on their feet as early as possible and earn their own living on their own. With a bachelor's degree, you can quite get a job in a good solid company for a small position. And after his reputation is fixed good worker, few of his management will care about the difference between a bachelor's degree and a specialist, and career such employee will be provided.

In more than 50 countries of the world, and above all in Europe, there is two-tier system higher education. Universities annually release bachelors and masters from their walls into the "professional" life. The question is legitimate - where, in this case, do specialists come from? Also from universities and can even then become masters, like bachelors. In order not to get completely confused about the difference between a bachelor and a specialist, let's look at history.

The origin of the concepts "specialist" and "bachelor"

Bachelors appeared in the Middle Ages in Eastern Europe, even then this concept referred to university students who had reached a certain degree of mastery, degree. One of the versions of the origin of the word "bachelor" comes down to the fact that those who reached this degree were awarded the fruit of the laurel, and it sounded like "bacca lauri". The term "specialist" in turn refers exclusively to the Soviet space. He called himself a certified specialist, and even now a person who has received a diploma of higher education in a particular specialty is called. In most countries post-Soviet space, including in Russia and Ukraine, the degree of "specialist" has already been canceled. Thus, we can say that the main difference between a bachelor and a specialist lies in terms: a bachelor is an academic degree, a specialist is a qualification.

Differences in the preparation of bachelors and specialists

1. What distinguishes a bachelor's degree from a specialist's degree is the terms of study. A bachelor will have to sit at a desk for only 4 years, while a specialist will spend 5-6 years, depending on the specialty.
2. For the first two years, future bachelors and future specialists study in the same program, the separation begins in the third year. While bachelors continue to study subjects general profile, the specialist moves to narrow-profile disciplines.
3. The difference between a bachelor and a specialist upon graduation is that a specialist receives a diploma in his specialty, and a bachelor about general higher education.
4. Bachelor and specialist can continue their education in the magistracy. But for a bachelor-master and a specialist-master, the difference is that the former formally continues to receive higher education and can do it, while for a specialist it is a second education, in any case paid.

Advantages and disadvantages

It turns out that it is almost impossible to answer the question of whether a bachelor or a specialist is higher. Both have received higher education, and both can work in their profession. The advantages of choosing a bachelor's degree include the opportunity to consider the choice of specialization. For example, after graduating from a university, you can start working and, depending on the field of activity, make a choice in the magistracy. A specialist risks, having received a specialty, and not to find its application in practice.

An obvious advantage of a bachelor's degree will be for a student who is going to go abroad, since a bachelor's degree is a unified standard. At the same time, when applying for a job in Russia or Ukraine, a bachelor's degree is evaluated ambiguously - this is a minus. Many employers perceive such education as incomplete, like about everything and nothing at the same time. In turn, European and American employers enthusiastically accept bachelors as employees with the prospect of learning “for themselves”.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that when choosing a higher education - a specialist or a bachelor, you must first of all focus on your personal plans. Dreaming of or about the fastest possible economic independence, then a bachelor's degree, while still in high school, decided on a specialty - obviously, a specialty.

Today we will talk about the principles by which students choose between a bachelor's or a specialist's degree and what advantages each of these study programs has.

Modern Russian system higher professional education provides for the possibility of obtaining several degrees of qualification. If earlier in our country only graduates graduated from the walls of universities, today young people have the right to choose between bachelor's, specialist's, master's and postgraduate studies.

Note that if the magistracy and postgraduate studies do not raise questions, since without extra words it is clear that this is a certain academic degree, then not everyone knows how a bachelor's degree differs from a specialist. That is why today we will talk about the principles by which students choose between a bachelor's or a specialist's degree and what advantages each of these study programs has.

What is Bachelor's and Specialist's?

The specialty is a traditional form of higher education for Russia. Upon graduation, a graduate of the university receives the qualification "certified specialist". At the same time, he has the opportunity to go to study both in the magistracy and in graduate school.

Bachelor's degree is the first stage of higher education. The student chooses a direction in advance and studies according to it. Such education provides precisely the foundations of the specialty, that is, the basis necessary knowledge to get a profession. After graduating from the university, the student acquires the qualification "bachelor" and gets the opportunity to go to study at the magistracy.

And on undergraduate, and people with a complete secondary or secondary vocational education (that is, after graduating from a college or technical school) can enter the specialty. It is believed that the specialty includes a bachelor's and master's program.

The difference between a bachelor's degree and a specialty

If you are planning to go to higher educational institution, then first you need to decide which qualification is more important for you: specialist, bachelor or master. This will greatly affect which company you go to work for. Employers react differently to bachelor's and specialist degrees. Also at Russian enterprises some requirements, while international companies can put forward completely different ones.

Before everything Russian students studied only as a specialist. Accordingly, after graduation, they were awarded the qualification “certified specialist”. At that time, foreign countries were already in full use of the two-level education system. After some time, such a system was introduced in our country. Now in domestic universities you can find both the old and the new system.

What are their differences? Let's get a look:

• you will study for 4 years at the bachelor's degree, and 5 or 5, 5 years at the specialist's degree (depending on the specialty);
• Bachelor studies the base of the profession, general disciplines. Specialist, on the contrary, provides for the study of a narrow specialty in the profile that the student chooses;
• in the first 2 years in both qualifications I study general education subjects. Then the separation begins.
• at the bachelor's degree, you can get the basis of the profession and then go to any of its areas, at the specialist, knowledge is most often obtained in a certain narrow area;
• after receiving a bachelor's degree, a student can only go to a master's degree. A specialist can immediately go to graduate school, bypassing the master's program;
• bachelors can apply for free education in the magistracy, since such a degree of qualification allows you to participate in the competition. For specialists, the master's program will be paid, as it will be considered a second higher education. According to the law, the second higher education can only be obtained for money.
• A bachelor can get into graduate school only if he graduates from a master's program.

As mentioned above, many employers understand that graduated specialists study longer and, accordingly, gain more knowledge in narrow areas. Therefore, a bachelor's degree modern market labor is less in demand than a specialist diploma. However, employers are very much mistaken when they think that a bachelor's degree cannot be called a completed higher education. Graduating with this qualification, the student receives all the necessary professional knowledge and skills.

Advantages and disadvantages of a bachelor's degree

Oddly enough, but bachelor's degree in Russia is now very popular. In modern Russian universities, it is much more common than a specialist. What is the reason for such popularity of undergraduate studies? Of course, the benefits that it gives:

• bachelor's degree is considered international system education. Therefore, after graduation, the student can safely go abroad to work there. Europe has the same two-tier system.
• the student has a wide choice of a place of work. Due to the practice-oriented nature of training without being tied to any one narrow specialization, a bachelor can apply for many vacancies that require a higher education.
• training lasts only 4 years (that is, you "save" at least one year).
• already in the process of learning, the student can decide on further choice profession and enroll in a master's program in a narrower specialty (at the same time, he can continue his education at the expense of the budget).
• for the period of study, future bachelors are granted a deferment from the army.

Now let's say a few words about the shortcomings of this training program.

As mentioned above, employers often do not value bachelors because they are convinced that four years of study is not enough to acquire high level professional knowledge and skills. Another serious disadvantage is go to budget It is possible to get a master's degree, but it is very difficult. BUT paid department master's degrees can be very costly. At the same time, a deferment from the army will be granted only if the student is studying in the magistracy on a full-time basis.

Advantages and disadvantages of a specialty

There are a lot of advantages for a specialist over a bachelor:

firstly, employers value students who have graduated from a specialty, which makes it easier for graduates to find a job;

• secondly, after the specialty, you can immediately go to graduate school without wasting time on studying at the magistracy;
• thirdly, it is easier to start exercising scientific activity;
• fourthly, students are granted a respite from the army;
• fifthly, future specialists have the opportunity to enjoy student life for one year longer.

Speaking of disadvantages specialty, then, first of all, it should be noted:

• inability to go to graduate school budgetary basis, as this will be considered a second higher education;
• such education is not valued abroad. They only have a two-tier system, and they don't have a secondary qualification;
• if you want to study further, then there will be no respite from the army.

If you are striving for economic independence as soon as possible, then studying for a specialist may seem too long (up to 6 years).

Summing up

Choice of study program depends on your future goals. If you are studying specifically for a specialty, then you are not so much getting an education as you are mastering a certain profession. While at the bachelor's degree, you will receive a general education in a certain direction rather than a specific specialty. It is also important to assess how long you are willing to study. If you need to get an education as soon as possible, then it is better to choose a bachelor's degree.

Evaluate for yourself whether you need a master's degree and whether you can afford it financially. If you want to continue your education, but cannot pay for it, then it is better to go to a bachelor's degree. Then there will be chances to get on budget place. According to statistics on budget department master's programs get 20% of bachelor's graduates.

If you are going to engage in scientific activities, then it is better to go for a specialist. So you save 1-1.5 years.

Please note which company you want to work for. If international is preferable, then it is better to choose a bachelor's degree. If Russian, then a specialist.

The following levels of higher professional education have been established in the Russian Federation:

higher professional education, confirmed by the qualification (degree) "bachelor" (the term of study is not less than 4 years);

higher professional education, confirmed by the qualification "certified specialist" (training period of at least 5 years);

higher professional education, confirmed by the qualification (degree) "Master" (the term of study is not less than 6 years).

The main professional educational program that provides master's education consists of a bachelor's degree program in the relevant field of study and at least two years of specialized training (master's degree).

Persons who have mastered the bachelor's program enter the master's program by competition.

Persons who have received a state document on higher professional education of a certain level have the right, in accordance with the received area of ​​training (specialty), to continue their education in the educational program of higher professional education of the next level.

Obtaining education for the first time in educational programs of higher professional education at various levels is not considered as obtaining a second higher professional education.

From federal law"About higher and postgraduate
vocational education" dated 22.08.96 No. 125 - FZ

Introduction in 1992 multilevel system higher professional education solved the problem of entering the education system adopted in many countries of the world. Previously, we only graduated graduates with a training period of 5-6 years, i.e. It was a one step plan. And now the scheme is multi-stage: the first 2 years - incomplete higher education, after 4 years of study in a certain "direction" - qualification (degree) "bachelor", another 2 years of specialized training - qualification (degree) "master". At the same time, a "specialist" is studying in parallel with bachelors and masters for 5 - 6 years.

It must be said that complete unity in accordance with the degrees of "bachelor" and "master" in different states no - a graduate can also be a bachelor high school, and the holder of the first degree, or even just a graduate high school. And the master is in some countries an academic degree between a bachelor and a doctor of science.

Be that as it may, but applicants need to decide which path to take. We will tell you about the main features of each "component" in the multi-stage scheme of education in universities.

What is the difference

So, for specialists: five years - and a diploma of a specialist practitioner ("engineer", "agronomist", "economist", "mechanic", etc.), then work on the profile of the received specialty. For bachelors: four years - and a diploma of general higher education, after which you can continue studying for a master for another two years. Admission to the master's program is competitive and accounts for approximately 20% of the graduates of bachelors. Master's degree does not exist in all Russian universities, and you can enter it only with a bachelor's degree. The first two years of study at specialists and bachelors are the same ( basic education). If you change your mind about continuing to study at this university, receive a diploma of incomplete higher professional education. From the 3rd year, the training programs for specialists and bachelors already differ. Therefore, the transition from a bachelor to a specialist is associated with the elimination of the difference in the disciplines taken and passed, which has accumulated over four years of study. By the way, a new concept has appeared: "the direction of training a graduate".

The difference between a specialist and a master: masters are prepared for scientific work, and specialists - for professional activities in a particular industry.

Having a bachelor's degree from one university, you can enroll in a master's program at another university. True, again there may be a problem with the difference curricula in different universities.

Subtleties of the transition

Any innovation requires some time for its "shaking", because there are always some inconsistencies between the new and the old. A lot of time has passed since 1992, but there are still some problems in our multi-stage system of higher professional education. For example, in the division of areas and specialties into first four courses. Many state universities as prepared, and prepare only specialists. Some universities, in addition to the traditional scheme, also have a multi-level one. AT non-state universities, as a rule, prepare only bachelors.

There is still tension over the prestige of a bachelor's degree: employers are not always inclined to hire bachelors. There are several reasons. One of them is psychological. Namely: current employers most often received their higher education in Soviet time when we had only specialists, and the word "bachelor" was "not ours", Western. Moreover, there is a difference in training programs - a specialist is trained in a specific specialty, as it were, in a narrow profile, and bachelor's programs are wide-profile, they have general scientific and general professional character. Those. the bachelor receives fundamental training without any narrow specialization, because. studied only 4 years. The law, of course, states that a bachelor has the right to occupy a position for which the qualification requirements provide for higher professional education. But! He has the right, but this right is not always granted to him. They prefer to take "specialists" and "masters".

Do not be upset - over time, the question "What can a bachelor do?" will not occur. In the meantime, if there are problems, we can only advise you to continue your studies at the next level and get the qualification "certified specialist" or "master".

Still, there are advantages to choosing a bachelor's degree. Let's list them.

1. This type of qualification is accepted by international classification and understandable to employers abroad. They often invite bachelors there, without even specifying the direction of training, because for office work you just need an educated person who knows how to work with information, with people, who is able to prepare all kinds of documents.
2. The fundamental nature of training, its "non-narrowing" makes it easy to change profession if necessary. The fact is that, in accordance with the state educational standard, bachelor's degree programs are designed in such a way that they allow one year to move to one of the whole "fan" of compatible professions. A specialist after 5 years of training to receive new profession(if necessary) it will take 2-3 years, and even on a commercial basis, because this will already be a second higher education. For a bachelor, however, studying in a master's program is classified as a continuation of education at the next level, and therefore it is free (for state-funded places).
3. Within 4 years after entering a university, a person receives a diploma and gains economic independence.

What to choose? What educational trajectory build for yourself?

First of all, think about the direction of your vocational training. If there is no conscious desire to engage in scientific activities in the future or work in a narrow specialty, then you can stop at a bachelor's degree. Also, find out real situation in the labor market at their place of residence. Those. try to understand how competitive the specialty and qualification you like will be in your region, whether you can quickly find a prestigious job with a bachelor's degree.