Т е к с т 10. Academic Degrees in the USA

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Almost all U.S. universities and colleges award bachelor's degrees with honors - usually "cum laude" (with honor/praise), "magna cum laude" (with great honor/praise), the occasionally seen "maxima cum laude" (with maximal honor/praise), and "summa cum laude" (with highest honor/praise) - degrees without honors are awarded "rite". Requirements for such notations of honors generally include minimum Grade Point Averages (GPA), with the highest average required for the "summa" distinction.

In the case of a few schools, a senior thesis for degrees in the humanities, and laboratory research for "natural science" (and, sometimes, "social science") degrees is also required. A notable exception is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which does not have a dean's list, cum laude recognition, or undergraduate honors subjects. Some schools require students to pass comprehensive exams in order to receive a bachelor's degree.

Bachelor’s degrees in the United States are typically designed to be completed in four years of full-time study, although some programs (such as Engineering) usually take five, and some universities and colleges allow ambitious students (usually with the help of summer school and/or high school AP courses) to complete them in less time. Some U.S. colleges and universities have a separate academic track known as an "honors" or "scholars" program, generally offered to the top percentile of students (based on GPA), and offering more challenging courses or more individually-directed seminars or research projects in lieu of the standard core curriculum.

The students are awarded the same bachelor's degree as students completing the standard curriculum, but with the notation "in cursu honorum" on the transcript and the diploma. Usually, the above "laude" honors are separate from the notation for this honors course, but a student in the honors course generally must maintain grades at least worthy of the "cum laude" notation anyway. Hence, a graduate might receive a diploma Artium Baccalaureatum rite or Artium Baccalaureatum summa cum laude in the regular course, or Artium Baccalaureatum summa cum laude in cursu honorum, for instance.

If the student has completed the requirements for an "Honors" degree only in a particular discipline (e.g., English language and literature), the degree is designated accordingly (e.g., B.A. with Honors in English). In this case, the degree candidate will complete the normal curriculum for all subjects, except the selected discipline ("English", in the preceding example). The requirements in either case usually require completion of particular Honors seminars, independent research at a level higher, than usually required (often with greater personal supervision by faculty than usual), and a written Honors thesis in the major subject.

As of 2003, about one in four U.S. adults (27 percent) above the age of 25 had attained at least a Вachelor’s degree, the highest percentage ever.

Master's degree

A Master's degree is a postgraduate academic degree, awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration.

In the recently standardized European system of higher education diplomas, it corresponds to a one to two year (60 to 120 ECTS credits) postgraduate program, undertaken after at least three years of undergraduate studies. It provides higher qualification for employment or prepares for doctoral studies. In the USA and Canada, a Master's degree entails a one- or two-year course, in which students would normally enroll after completing a bachelor's degree.

However, in some European countries, a Magister is a first degree and may be considered equivalent to a modern (standardized) Master's degree (e.g., the German university Diplom/Magister, or the similar 5-year diploma awarded in several subjects in Greek, Spanish, Italian, and other universities and polytechnics).

The Master of Arts (Magister Artium), Master of Science Magister Scientiæ) and Master of Science in Law degrees are the basic degree types in most subjects, and they may be course-based, research-based, or (more typically) a mixture of the two. A dissertation may or may not be required, depending on the program. There are also degrees of the same level, such as engineer's degrees, which have different names for historical reasons.

Admission to a master's program normally requires holding a Bachelor's degree (in the United Kingdom an 'honours' bachelor degree), although relevant work experience may qualify a candidate. Progressing to a doctoral program sometimes requires that the candidate first earn a Master's degree. In some fields or postgraduate programs, work on a doctorate begins immediately after the Bachelor's degree, but the Master's may be earned along the way, as a result of the successful completion of coursework and certain examinations. In some cases the student's Bachelor's degree must be in the same subject as the intended Master's degree, or in a closely allied discipline; in others, the subject of the Bachelor's degree is of no importance.

There has recently been an increase in programs, leading to these degrees in the United States; more than twice. Some university programmes provide for a joint Bachelor's and Master's degree after four or five years.

A degree is any of a wide range of status levels, conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study.

Vocabulary

award – присуждать

with honors – с отличием

praise – похвала

occasionally – иногда, изредка

rite – традиционно, обычно

notation – запись

GPA = средний балл

average – средний, среднестатистический

distinction - различие

thesis – диссертация

notable – примечательный

dean – декан

comprehensive – комплексный

track – зд.: запись

scholar – зд.: стипендиат

percentile – процентиль

in lieu of – вместо

core – основной

curriculum –учебный план/программа

transcript – вкладыш с оценками

maintain – поддерживать

preceding – предыдущий

faculty – профессорско-преподавательский состав

entail – влечь за собой, вызывать

enroll – записываться, поступать

allied – смежный, близкий

confer – жаловать, даровать

Задания

1. Выпишите из текста все научные степени и «похвальные» записи в дипломах и подберите их аналоги в русском языке.

2. Выполните лингво-переводческий анализ текста

3. Выявите систему языковых средств, оформляющих энцикло-педический текст.

4. Определите, есть ли в тексте:

4. термины,

5. клише,

6. прецизионная лексика.

5. Выполните письменный перевод текста на русский язык, соблюдая специфику данного жанра

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