Every year, the Ministry of Education and Science (Ministry of Education and Science) introduces more and more innovations in the education process, and even yesterday's students often begin to think about the questions: “What does postgraduate study give? Why do you need a postgraduate degree? Why do so many people finish it?” After a large number transformations, even many workers in education and science cannot understand this.

What is graduate school

Until 2013, postgraduate study was considered one of the forms of professional education after university or a form of training higher scientific personnel, and since 2013 it has been given the status of the third level of higher professional education.

Postgraduate studies - what kind of education is this?

Yesterday's students, accustomed to lectures and practices, do not have a very good idea of ​​what it means to study in graduate school and what it is.

However, postgraduate studies are not lectures, tests and exams, although there is no way without them, but independent form obtaining knowledge and education.

The graduate student will have to decide scientific direction which is relevant, formulate a topic, set up the necessary experiment, obtain data and process it, compare the results with those already available in science and draw specific conclusions.

To complete the course, you must write and defend a Ph.D. thesis. But before the official defense in the dissertation council of the university, a graduate student must pass a preliminary defense at an extended meeting of the department, where representatives from other departments and / or educational institutions are invited.

Who can become a graduate student

To join the ranks of graduate students you need to have a master's or specialist degree. And it is not necessary to have a so-called red diploma in your hands, a blue one is enough. Also, persons who have completed residency, postgraduate studies, adjuncture, assistantship-internship (considered as one level of education) can become postgraduate students, but their training is carried out only at the expense of their own funds.

Forms of study in postgraduate studies

Graduate students can study in:

• full-time;
• in absentia;

Training on full-time last 3 years(on the technical specialties 4 years), a correspondence fore MA study - a year longer, 4 or 5 years respectively. With part-time education, you will need to work and study, which not everyone succeeds. Although some faces manage to combine everything on a point.

When choosing a form of study, you need to consider what you can study for:

• budgetary (free) basis;
• paid basis;
• target basis.

Possibility to receive free education given to applicants who scored during the exams the largest number points compared to other applicants.

If in the rating of applicants to be on the bottom lines, then you can study only for a fee. Paid training in the future does not exclude, with excellent results, the transition to the budget. Studying on a budget is allowed by law only once. Subsequent admission only on paid basis, but not a limited number of times.

"Targeted Learning"- this is when the employer agrees to pay for training. Why does an organization pay for training? Apparently, highly qualified workers are needed, which are sometimes not enough.

How to get into graduate school

For admission, you must submit admission committee university:

• statement;
• passport (other document) proving identity, citizenship;
• diploma of education;
• documents confirming individual achievements;
• other documents.

Individual achievements are:

• diploma of higher education Honours;
• publications in scientific journals;
• diplomas, certificates of participation in conferences, seminars in educational institutions;
• availability of the status of a scholarship holder for achievements in the field of science or study.

If there are no publications in scientific journals, then an abstract is written on the topic of the proposed scientific work.

After required documents passed, the day of the entrance exams comes. Only three exams: specialty, philosophy of science and a foreign language. It is necessary to obtain satisfactory grades, otherwise retake only the next year.

It is also necessary to talk with the supervisor and get his approval for admission. The supervisor is a person who is appointed from among the scientists of the department with a doctorate degree or professorship. The topic is chosen together with the leader PhD thesis, a plan and order of postgraduate research is drawn up.

For admission to budget education you need to go through a competition, which on average is 4-5 people per place.

For paid and part-time postgraduate studies you can do no competition mostly. You just need to pass the exams.

What does postgraduate study provide

Why does a person need a scientific degree? What does graduate school provide? Why go to graduate school? Why do you need a postgraduate degree?

Everyone can answer differently. From all the answers, the main points can be distinguished:

• Graduate studies provide invaluable skills research work;
• after completing a postgraduate course and successfully defending a candidate's dissertation, a graduation diploma is issued and the academic degree of a candidate of sciences is awarded;
• a diploma and an academic degree give the right to teach in higher educational institutions as an assistant professor, to engage in research work in scientific institutions and organizations and is a source of successful career development ;
• an important point, for men in full-time training, a deferment from the army is given.

Everyone decides for himself whether to study in graduate school or not. But one thing becomes clear, a graduate student who defended his Ph.D. dissertation is rising to a higher professional level and it's well worth the time and effort.

Order a postgraduate essay

In graduate school, which is next stage comprehension of science, it is customary to distinguish several stages of learning. This time allotted for postgraduate studies should be used as rationally and rationally as possible, i.е. so that, in order to have time to assimilate educational material well enough and at the same time worthy to defend a dissertation.

Many begin postgraduate studies immediately after graduation and immediately face certain difficulties inherent in this period of study. Naturally, young scientists, especially graduate students in the humanities and natural sciences, often resort to simple recommendations in order to make the most effective use of their years of study in order to expand and deepen knowledge in their field.

First year of study. Usually, after entering graduate school, future scientists are at a loss, not knowing where to start their studies. It must be borne in mind that in graduate school, as in a university, time will be running out and therefore we must try not to waste time or waste it in vain, but immediately get down to business. First of all, you must definitely attend classes in philosophy and foreign language, if such an opportunity is provided by the educational institution chosen by the graduate student. it necessary condition not only to increase the level of their erudition and general education, but also to successful preparation and passing examinations in the mentioned disciplines in order to obtain the degree of Candidate of Sciences.

The completed course of philosophy gives the graduate student the opportunity to further deepen his knowledge and better understand not only the directions modern philosophy, but also literature, art, politics, the structure of society, features of spirituality different countries. The study of a foreign language will provide an indispensable service in reading the works of foreign authors in the specialty of interest to the postgraduate student. Reading these works in the original will help to better understand the subject being studied. Even with poor knowledge of a foreign language, reading sources foreign literature over time, it will become easier, because soon a graduate student will surely discover countless terms and constructions similar to their main language. It will be easiest for him to read works written by non-native speakers, for example, Spaniards or Chinese in English, as they write simply, accessible and understandable, without any sophisticated phrases and compound words. Many educational institutions also teach courses in psychology and pedagogy. Listening to the above courses is necessary both for further teaching practice and to deepen your knowledge.

It must be borne in mind that people with a scientific degree have high authority and are considered in the highest degree intelligent. Many reckon with their opinion, and therefore a graduate student during the years of study should try to comply with this highly appreciated to have authority. It is necessary to study while there is time, strength and opportunity, because after completing a graduate school, a young scientist loses this chance mainly due to his employment. Then you will have to study on your own, sometimes teaching others at the same time, but it is unlikely that anyone will be interested in receiving an education as a graduate student.

By regularly attending classes, a graduate student will have the opportunity to pass candidate exams. But this is not enough to write a dissertation. In the very first year of study, it is necessary to organize scientific research, since obtaining a Ph.D. degree also involves writing PhD work. Therefore, having enrolled a graduate student in graduate school, the university appoints him a supervisor from among doctors of sciences or professors. The topic of the candidate's dissertation is approved by the Department or the Faculty Council until December 31 of the year of admission. Together with the supervisor, the graduate student develops individual plan work, fills title page plan, explanatory note regarding the choice of topic and fills out the plan for the first year of study. After the plan is approved at a meeting of the department, the graduate student is under the close attention of the professor, i.e. supervisor, organizing and directing the scientific research of a graduate student, controlling and responsible for the implementation of the individual plan.

It is best to try to pass exams in philosophy and a foreign language at the end of the first academic year, because then a graduate student is unlikely to find free time to dedicate it to revisiting classes in these disciplines. In addition, the graduate student will no longer have great desire to attend lectures without the group of graduate students who once kept him company. If a graduate student wants to take the exam, then he must submit to the graduate school an appropriate statement of his intention.

Young scientists may not even dream of relaxing, because at the end of each year of study they are required to make a report on the work done during the year at a meeting of the department. To do this, they need to submit to graduate school an already prepared and approved report.

In order to report on the work done at a meeting of the department, you must first take care of its organization. In graduate school, no one will care about what internal reasons The department was unable to meet. (If a academic year ends in December, then it is necessary to deal with the delivery of the report in November. Consequently, a meeting of the department will be held in October, and it is necessary to start organizing its convocation in September, i.e. immediately after the graduate student comes out of vacation.)

The second year of postgraduate studies is mainly devoted to the continuation of the relevant experiment, the collection and primary processing of data, as well as a deeper analysis of ongoing work on this stage learning. Intermediate stages of work here are research, results, discussion (analysis) of results, conclusions. It is better to carry out the design and presentation of each intermediate stage of work as a scientific article.

Such a presentation of the intermediate work done can subsequently help the graduate student when writing the dissertation text. This may also appear important experience in the presentation of the data obtained during the study of the material.

A feature of the second year of study is that it becomes the main one both in terms of the number of conferences where the graduate student reports his results, and in terms of the number of his publications based on the work done. Another feature of the second year of study is the pedagogical practice that graduate students undergo. During teaching practice, they perform the work of a teacher at the department, which is 40-50 teaching hours. The positive aspect is that in the second half of the second year of study, a postgraduate student, thanks to practice, will more easily pass the candidate's exam in the specialty. The end of the second year implies the completion of the experimental part of the work or, in extreme cases, the main part of it.

The third year of study is characterized by the fact that at this stage it will be necessary to complete the experiment if the work on its completion has not been completed in advance. It is also necessary to have time to carry out the final processing of the data, their analysis, and then draw conclusions. The third year is significant in that it is during this time that the graduate student writes the lion's share of the text of his dissertation. It is more expedient to spend the beginning of the year on completing the writing of Chapter 3 (“Research Results”), thoroughly editing the text of the chapter and designing it with figures, tables, diagrams. To write chapter 4 (“Discussion of the results”), you will have to use the knowledge gained in the process of studying the relevant literature in the specialty. The purpose of chapter 4 is to theoretical analysis data. Chapter 1 provides a review and/or analysis of the literature used. You can start writing chapter 1 much earlier (in the summer after the end of the second year, in the first year of study, or at the same time as chapters 3 and 4).

As for the conclusions of the work, they must be formulated clearly, specifically, but succinctly. They should logically proceed from the results of the study. Approximately 5-8 conclusions are enough for a Ph.D. thesis, however, it is natural that the number of real conclusions will exceed the number of conclusions drawn in the dissertation. It should be noted that one should not hurry with the formulation of this part of the dissertation, since the final version of the conclusions can only be written as a result of numerous changes in the editorial board.

While writing his modest dissertation, a graduate student should not care about the fame of a scientist who has left an indelible mark on science. Only time will tell how successful the "ticket" to scientific life was his PhD thesis.

Master's programs are followed by postgraduate studies - the choice of those who feel a craving for scientific knowledge. The terms of study for postgraduate students differ depending on the choice of the form of study. Full-time students approach the dissertation defense in 3 years, correspondence students prepare for a year longer.

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What work needs to be done throughout the course

There are no restrictions on the terms for defending a dissertation work. It can become both the first serious application of a young scientist, and the work of his whole life. But there are strict requirements for the period of postgraduate study itself.

You can get to the postgraduate level of higher education in graduate school only if 2 conditions are met.

• Passing the first stages of training with high score(the university determines it independently).
• Successful passing of tests ( profile subject, philosophy/history of science, foreign language).

The passing score is determined by the university. For those who did not find themselves among graduate students, a “workaround” is open - an applicant for a scientific degree. The latter must pass candidate exams and attach himself to an educational institution for a maximum of 6 months.

The practice of training future scientists/teachers involves a huge layer independent work. For 3-4 years of study, the student must:

• Engage in the creation / promotion of copyright / co-authorship of scientific works. Registration of patents, development of author's projects, generation of research reports are welcome.
• Publish articles. The minimum set of publications was determined (from 4 from the list of VAK, from 3 from the RSCI index). It is desirable to expand it with articles scientific journals, newspapers, catalogs not indexed by the RSCI, outside the list of VAK.
• To speak at conferences with a report on their own research. Active participation in such events largely determines the prospects for further research practice.
• Carry out practical laboratory classes students to lecture. Full-time graduate students take an exam in pedagogy.
• Pass candidate exams, pass intermediate certification.
• Attend classes (at our university they are held in the evening for a convenient combination of work and study).
• Collect material (empirical, scientific, theoretical) for a future dissertation.

What level of education is postgraduate study

The standard program of the Bologna system assigns postgraduate studies the third level of education after the bachelor's and master's degrees. But there are clarifications here related to the relatively recent transition to international program training of professional personnel.

Thus, bachelors cannot become graduate students without a master's degree, but graduates of a specialty can. For the latter, this is the second step. Students who have completed postgraduate studies have the right to reapply as applicants (this is already the second higher or 4th stage).

What degree is awarded to a graduate student

Unlike bachelors, specialists, undergraduates, graduate students do not receive a qualifying diploma. They are awarded the degree of Candidate of Sciences. It gives the right to conduct pedagogical activities, take part in joint scientific papers, pretend to state support when conducting research.

Is it possible to further improve the level of qualification

Today, on the one hand, the majority of school graduates strive to get a higher education. But the prospect of obtaining a diploma, first a bachelor's degree, and then a master's degree, somewhat pushed back the prospect of postgraduate studies. Even before, only a few became graduate students.

But at the same time, on present stage development of society, our state needs fresh scientific solutions in the field of economic modernization. That is why it is necessary to find out who such a graduate student really is and whether it is worth becoming one.

Translated from Latin"graduate student" - striving for something. Literally, a graduate student is a person who strives to acquire new qualitative knowledge.

AT Russian Federation graduate students are trained in postgraduate courses at universities and research institutions. A citizen of the Russian Federation who has received a higher professional education with a specialist or master's degree.

Also, the applicant must have creative achievements in science, documented. Applicants must pass competitive entry exams specialty, philosophy and foreign language.

PhD student learning process

During the training, a postgraduate student prepares to defend a dissertation for the degree of candidate of sciences. A dissertation is written under the supervision of a supervisor: a doctor of science or a professor.

The educational activity of a graduate student is strictly regulated by an individual work plan, which defines the deadlines for passing exams for a candidate's minimum. Compulsory subjects to attend the first year is English language and philosophy. It is also equally important to participate in the work of the department.

Failure to comply with the plan threatens expulsion. Getting the coveted candidate minimum and defending a dissertation depends only on the graduate student himself.

Governmental support

PhD students are young scientists who have chosen long haul improving your knowledge. That is why the Government of the Russian Federation provides support for graduate students who have a number of state guarantees.

Full-time postgraduate students receive a monthly scholarship. Its size is determined by state standards and differentiated depending on the results intermediate certification and the absence of debt from a graduate student.

For part-time students, employers must pay an annual additional leave duration of 30 days, as well as one free day per week for classes with 50% payment.

Additional features

In addition, the authorities and the business community provide grant support for graduate students. Properly offering your scientific ideas, you can already get serious support for their implementation. Postgraduate students also have the opportunity to train at enterprises in the country and abroad.

It should be noted that in many universities they also solve the housing problems of graduate students, providing the right to live in hostels. This is especially important if the graduate student already has a family.

Thus, a graduate student is a graduate student studying full-time or part-time in graduate school, where he receives preparation for future teaching and research work. The defense of a Ph.D. dissertation brings the applicant the status of a candidate of science.

The candidate of sciences has significant opportunities in professional activity getting decent wages and defense of a doctoral dissertation. That is why, if a person is confident in his knowledge, it is necessary to strive to become a graduate student.

University studies are coming to an end, and while some are enjoying the opportunity to relax, others are planning to study further. Does it make sense to continue studying? Yes. It’s just that those who plan to further connect their activities with science or gain unique experience in independent research and writing projects, move to another level of education.

What is graduate school?

This is one of the types of postgraduate vocational training. It is the main step in the preparation scientists and scientific and pedagogical staff. During postgraduate studies, people acquire the skill of independent work with scientific research. In other words, this level of education is great opportunity improve your qualifications and get a scientific title.

Who can become a graduate student?

Those wishing to become a graduate student, as a rule, already have a higher education, and their further studies in graduate school are associated with writing and defending a dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Sciences. That is, a person who has a master's or specialist's qualification can become a graduate student, and he must also be a citizen of the country in which he plans to study. Otherwise, acceptance foreign citizens carried out in accordance with the regulations of the higher education institution.

Postgraduate Pros

Most do not see the prospects that can open up for those who receive education in graduate school. For many, the point of further study is to get a degree. But its advantages do not end there:

1. This is an opportunity for continuous improvement. Studying is given to young people much easier than to the older generation. And without constant self-development, it will not be easy to achieve significant heights in the chosen activity.
2. Occupation scientific activity. After all, even if a graduate student is not going to defend a dissertation, he can attend scientific conferences and perform at them, which will give invaluable experience public speaking before the scientific public.
3. Opportunity to practice pedagogical activity. After graduate school is completed, the graduate receives not only a specialty, but also the opportunity to teach at universities.
4. And of course, getting a PhD degree - but this is only in the case of defending a dissertation. This immediately opens up many possibilities. Apart from material bonuses, there is an opportunity to get a PhD in the future. And this is already good prospect career advancement in your chosen field.

Cons of graduate school

In addition to the pros, there are also cons to being a graduate student. Therefore, before deciding to study further, one should take into account not only the positive points:

1. It's pretty a long way to achieve the goal. You need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to study the same way as before, attend all classes and prepare for the defense of your dissertation, which is undoubtedly more difficult than term paper.
2. Conducting seminars with students. For some, this is not at all the ultimate dream, because ordinary students (not studying in pedagogical universities) do not practice this, because they are not prepared for further teaching activities.

Forms of study

Forms of obtaining this type of education can be as follows:

• full-time;
• correspondence.

The differences between part-time and full-time postgraduate studies are small, but still there. Of course, with the correspondence form, it turns out to be possible to combine work and study, but you will almost always have to do it yourself.

Now readers already understand what graduate school is and why some people are so eager to go there. The main thing is to adequately assess your capabilities, because, despite all beautiful words about self-improvement and scientific activity, it all requires self-discipline, dedication and willingness to constantly learn.

Who is being trained here and how to enter graduate school

Getting into graduate school is not as difficult as many people think. If you know the subject well and are prepared, then pass entrance tests it won't be hard for you. What exams are required for graduate school:

1. Special discipline that corresponds to the program.
2. Philosophy.
3. Foreign language.

Many begin to guess at who they teach in graduate school. A list of postgraduate specialties is available at each university where a future postgraduate student intends to study. It is not at all necessary to act only in your own direction - you can choose any, you just need to be prepared for a larger amount of information.

What documents are needed for admission

In order not to waste time in vain and then in a hurry not to look for the necessary documents, it is better to prepare them in advance. Typically, the list looks like this:

• an application for admission to study and an application to it;
• recommendations of the Academic Council (if any);
• your scientific works and articles that have been published, and if there are none, you need to write an abstract in the desired specialty;
• a copy of the diploma of higher education and its insert;
• if you do not enter immediately after the university, but after working at the enterprise, then you will need to submit personal sheet from the personnel department;
• if you work, you need a reference from the place of work;
• 3 photos - 3 x 4 and one 4 x 5;
• topic and substantiation of the dissertation.

How is the training

Having dealt with the question of what a graduate school is, having weighed all the pros and cons, and deciding that further education it is necessary, it is necessary to form an approximate idea of ​​how the educational process is built.

Each graduate student is assigned scientific director, under the strict guidance of which he is working on his dissertation. In addition to the dissertation, the graduate student also has an individual work plan. It indicates the dates when the candidate's minimum is surrendered. There are also specified dates when you need to hand over some parts of the dissertation work.

Postgraduate student duties include visiting extra classes which take place in the first year of study. It is also desirable for a graduate student to participate in the work of the department to which he is assigned. If he does not comply calendar plan, then it can be expelled.

Efficiency of PhD studies in Russia

Despite the fact that there are a sufficient number of universities in the country, the number of graduate students is decreasing every year. This can be explained by the fact that there is a reduction budget places, and not everyone has the opportunity to pay large amounts of tuition. But certain part experts believe that not enough high efficiency associated with the human factor. It refers to the motivation of graduate students, their values ​​and personal characteristics.

Also, not all graduate students are ready to engage in scientific activities in the future. Some go to graduate school because the appropriation degree is considered prestigious, others want to extend their student years, and for young people, a respite from the army is a nice bonus. Society still continues to believe that it is much easier for a candidate of sciences to build a career. Perhaps there would be more students willing to continue their studies if they were explained what postgraduate studies are and what opportunities open up for those who defended their dissertations.