Position academic degree academic title. What is the difference between an academician and a professor

We already somehow wrote about what exist, what is the structure of titles and their award to applicants. Let's talk about the peculiarity of the Russian structure of academic degrees.

Why are they even needed? This is a system of qualification and ranking of researchers, their career ladder, so to speak, signs of reaching certain heights in science and / or in teaching. The presence of a degree can raise credibility and affect pay even in business enterprises, which can raise their business reputation thanks to such employees.

Degrees

Now in Russia there is a mixed system. Of course, the country strives to integrate into international system, therefore, the system of the Bologna process was partially introduced, according to which universities graduate bachelors and masters(4- and 6-year course, respectively), and partly satara with graduates(5-year course). A bachelor's degree is already a certificate of receipt higher education, and also entitles to the degree of Candidate of Sciences.

However, until full accession to the Bologna process, the titles of bachelor and master are not academic degrees, as in Europe and the USA, but the qualifications of university graduates along with the degree (qualification) of a specialist.

Instead of a single highest scientific degree of a doctor in Russia, two degrees are awarded

PhD
Ph.D

according to the German system inherited from the USSR. Both degrees are awarded by the Academic Council of the Higher Attestation Commission and approved by the order of the Ministry of Education and Science.

To obtain a candidate or doctoral degree, it is necessary to defend a dissertation at a meeting of a special council, which is created at a university or other scientific institution. At the same time, one can become a doctor only after receiving a candidate's degree. Although there is no prohibition on obtaining a higher degree in another branch of science or specialty (for example, a chemist can become a doctor of economic sciences, only a higher medical education is required for medical and veterinary sciences).

Academic titles

In Russia, the titles are divided into 2 categories, which in turn can be by the department of the university and by specialty, that is:

academic title professors by specialty;
academic title associate professor by specialty;
academic title professors by department;
academic title associate professor by department.

All ranks are assigned by orders of the Minister of Education and Science on the proposal of the Higher Attestation Commission. However, each category has different eligibility requirements.

To be awarded the academic title of professor in a department, you must be at least a candidate of sciences; for the title of associate professor, you may not have an academic degree, but then other qualification requirements will be tougher.

The title of professor in the department implies the authorship (co-authorship) of textbooks or manuals, and for a professor in the specialty, the main criterion is the number of candidate dissertations defended under his supervision (at least 5, for a professor in the department 2 is enough). In addition, the title of professor in the department can be awarded to major specialists who have made a recognized contribution to the world and Russian science, it is not necessary to pass through the associate professor stage under Russian law.

This is the structure of academic degrees and titles for researchers and specialists under the current Russian legislation. As a rule, students, or rather graduates who want to get a scientific degree, need to take a course, at the end of which they pass the relevant exams and defend their PhD thesis. If your goal is not to enrich the global treasury of scientific knowledge, such a degree will still be a big plus, it will present you as a specialist with deep theoretical knowledge who will be in demand in the labor market. Many at the same time combine graduate school, writing a dissertation and work in a commercial organization. This, by the way, to the question of why and who needs academic titles and degrees.

Regarding academic titles, questions often arise: what is it and how to get it? In this article, we will explain what a docent is. This word can simultaneously denote several concepts that are essentially similar. Firstly, associate professor is an academic title of a teacher of higher educational institutions. Second, the degree of employees of scientific institutions. Thirdly, the position in universities. With the concept of "professor" everything is much simpler - this is a person who is a highly qualified specialist in a certain field of science, an expert.

Who is awarded the title of Associate Professor?

Being in the position of an associate professor at a university does not mean having a position that is assigned by the academic council of a scientific institution (or a higher educational institution) and approved Federal Service on supervision in the field of education and science. This degree is awarded for life.

Criteria for awarding the position and the title of "Associate Professor":

the position is assigned to university professors, who, as a rule, have a title after a competitive election by the academic council;
scientific workers are awarded the degree of associate professor in their specialty (formerly - "Senior Research Fellow");
Lecturers and lecturers who have been employed for 5 or more years, have worked for at least one year as an associate professor and have scientific papers, can also receive this title.

What does an associate professor do?

Thus, an associate professor is a position in a university or an academic title that lecturers, researchers and persons with an academic degree "Candidate" can receive.

What are his responsibilities?

Associate Professor of Sciences conducts methodological and educational work.
Provides leadership over their own studies and scientific research of students.
He gives lectures, conducts classes and introduces their results into the national economy.
Prepares scientific and pedagogical personnel.

Who is a "professor"?

Translated from Latin, "professor" means "teacher". He is engaged in what he teaches in universities, conducts scientific research, introducing their results into the national economy, trains pedagogical and scientific personnel, directs scientific research of students and his own studies. A professor is both a title and a position in higher education. educational institution. To get the first one you need:

Have a Doctor of Science degree, own inventions or scientific works. To be elected by competition to the position of "Head of the Department" or to successfully work in this position for a year.
Work as a professor for at least a year, have a great scientific and teaching experience, own works.
To be without any scientific title, with a long production experience. The position may be assigned by the Academic Council on a competitive basis.

From this article, we learned that the word "professor", like "docent", is both a title and a position. Only in the first case is assigned for life, and in the second - for the period of work. The titles of associate professor and professor are similar in meaning. It is quite difficult to earn them, you need to really understand your field and be a specialist.

The terms "academic degree" and "academic title" are associated with people who are engaged in scientific professional activities. Most often these are teachers at universities, institutes, technical schools.

Types of academic degrees

An academic degree reflects the qualifications of a scientist in the scientific field. There are two types of degrees:

PhD.
Ph.D.

A degree can be awarded only if there is a dissertation (candidate's and doctoral, respectively), which must be written while studying at graduate school or doctoral studies. At the same time, conditions must be met that confirm the active scientific activity of the dissertation candidate and the approbation of his work. These include the publication scientific articles in special journals and participation in scientific conferences, including foreign ones.

In addition, the awarding of a scientific degree is preceded by the process of public defense of the written scientific work at a meeting of a specialized academic council, which is created at a higher educational institution. In the process of transition of education to the European level, the degree of "Doctor of Philosophy" (Ph.D) is introduced, which is equated to the traditional "PhD".

Anyone with a higher education can enter graduate school and defend a PhD thesis. But only a candidate of sciences who has already taken place can enter the doctoral program. At the same time, it is not at all necessary that the specialization of the candidate's and doctoral dissertations coincide. So, the first can be written in technical sciences, and the second in philosophical, or vice versa. Confirmation of the implementation of a huge and painstaking work, its recognition is carried out by obtaining an appropriate diploma.

The highest degree of professionalism and competence is considered to be the degree of a doctor of science, but it is less common than a candidate of science. This is due to the increased requirements for the preparation and defense of a doctoral dissertation. In other words, it is much easier to write and defend a candidate's work than a doctoral one. Therefore, not all scientists, having received the opportunity to work at a university, decide to write a doctoral dissertation. But those who dare and successfully cope with this task receive many privileges. These include getting the highest position in an educational institution, securing a job, receiving a salary supplement, the opportunity to lead leadership positions and participate in meetings of specialized candidate or doctoral dissertation councils, not to mention the status and respect that is surrounded by doctors of science.

Types of academic titles

After fulfilling certain conditions related to scientific activity, in the presence of a certain experience, the teacher is assigned one of the titles:

Assistant professor.
Professor.

The title of associate professor can be obtained by an accomplished candidate of science who is actively engaged in scientific activities after defending his dissertation, publishes his science articles in specialized journals, methodical literature, takes part in scientific conferences, and also has a certain teaching experience, of which one is an associate professor. It can be seen from this that there is some confusion, since academic titles are consonant with some positions of research workers, so they will be discussed below.

The title of professor can be obtained by a doctor of sciences, who, like a candidate, is engaged in improving his qualifications, scientific works, their approbation, printing his teaching aids and has deep knowledge in a certain field of science. It is desirable that the scientific work of a doctor of science also manifests itself in the guidance of graduate students. A prerequisite is also the presence of experience, including the position of professor. The supporting document is a certificate of conferment of the relevant academic titles.

The benefits of being a professor closely overlap with those of earning a doctorate.

Job types

Teachers in higher educational institutions can work in the following positions:

Assistant.
Senior Lecturer.
Assistant professor.
Professor.

Assistants are young scientists who do not have a degree, graduate students who are writing a Ph.D. thesis, or applicants after defending it.

The position of a senior lecturer can be held by a candidate of sciences without work experience and scientific achievements. After fulfilling these conditions, the candidate of sciences has the right to hold the position of associate professor without having this title yet! And only after working as an assistant professor for a certain period, writing required amount scientific papers at this time, the candidate of sciences receives the title of assistant professor.

In this case, the assistant professor works in the same position. At the same time, he has the right to hold the position of professor, has a certain scientific experience and merits in scientific developments. A doctor of sciences always holds the position of a professor, even if he has not yet received such a title.

From the above information it follows that the concepts under consideration are closely related to each other and obtaining the latter directly depends on degree certifying a degree. But there are still differences between them: a dissertation work is a necessary circumstance for awarding a scientific degree, and a title is the assignment of a scientific degree. That is, to obtain an academic title, it is also necessary to write and defend a dissertation.

In order to be admitted to the defense of a Ph.D. thesis, in addition, it is necessary to pass exams in the specialty in advance, foreign language and philosophy.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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✪ What is a PhD in life? // Knowledge Greed

✪ WHY DO WE NEED A PHD? // Knowledge Greed

✪ Introduction of scientific degrees in Russia - Elena Vishlenkova

✪ PhD or PhD? Is it worth getting a PhD already having a Ph.D. Oxford University.

✪ Degrees for Russian doctors - Elena Vishlenkova

Subtitles

Degrees in the world

Degrees awarded in different countries vary significantly in terms of titles, qualification requirements, award and/or approval procedures.

B.S. levels and M.S. belong, in the Russian interpretation, to the university, and Ph.D. - to postgraduate education. There are countries where not one, but two postgraduate levels are provided: for example, in Germany there is an analogue of Ph.D. (German Doktorgrad) and there is a higher hierarchy habilitation (German Habilitation). Russia also belongs to countries with a two-stage system of postgraduate academic degrees.

Degrees in Russia

Story

Academic degrees in the Russian Empire

The first attempts to award academic degrees in Russian Empire were undertaken in the 18th century at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and the Imperial Moscow University. The procedure for raising to a power was based on European models (it was required to write an essay, pass disputes and exams) and took place outside the legislative field, only as the use of the paraphernalia of European science.

The 1884 university charter abolished the concepts of candidate and actual student, introducing instead the gradation of university diplomas of the 1st and 2nd degrees and leaving the dual system of degrees "master-doctor". The latter was the prototype of the Soviet / Russian system "candidate of science - doctor of science".

Post-revolutionary period

Degrees currently

Degree system. Award procedure

To obtain the degree of candidate or doctor of science, it is necessary to prepare a dissertation and defend it at a meeting of the dissertation council established at a university, research institute or other scientific institution. In order to obtain a doctorate degree, it is necessary to have a Ph.D. degree; defense of a doctoral dissertation by a person without a Ph.D. degree is not allowed. At the same time, the correspondence or affinity of the branches of science and specialties previously obtained (consecutively) higher education, the degree of candidate of science and the degree of doctor of science is not regulated. In fact, in practice, cases of obtaining, for example, the degree of candidate of economic sciences by engineers (mathematicians, chemists) or the degree of doctor of economic sciences by candidates technical sciences.

In most countries, the analogue of the Russian degree of a candidate of sciences is the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and equivalent degrees. There are no analogues of the Russian Doctor of Science in countries with a "one-stage" system of postgraduate degrees (for example, in the USA), and in countries with a "two-stage" system, such an analogue is the degree of the highest level (in Germany - a habilitated doctor).

List of branches of science and academic degrees

Status of Bachelor's and Master's levels in Russia

On optimization of the system of degrees

Discussions on a global scale

One of the important directions of global modern discussions about the system of academic titles is the issue of its international unification within the framework of the Bologna process. It is necessary that the levels of higher education in all countries become as similar as possible, and that the degrees awarded should be easily comparable. Such unification should promote international scientific exchange.

Another direction is connected with the specification of the status of academic degrees above the Doctor of Philosophy and its equivalents. Among others, the option of abolishing such degrees is being considered. For example, in Germany, habilitation is no longer an absolutely necessary element for the admission of an employee to professorial positions, as was traditionally the case in the past.

Various private issues of optimizing the rank system in a particular country or group of countries are also raised.

Internal Russian discussions

Currently, there is a discussion about the possibility of transferring the scientific qualification powers of the VAK to the academic councils of universities and research institutes (including non-state ones), as is done in many Western countries. Opponents of such a transfer express an opinion about the inevitable devaluation of the system of academic degrees and titles as a result of the loss state control over attestation of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel. One of the consequences of the public discussion can be considered the project "The concept of modernization of the system of certification of highly qualified scientific personnel in Russian Federation”, implemented by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

This document, along with the provisions on the transfer of part of the powers of the Higher Attestation Commission to universities, provides for the possibility of public professional certification of highly qualified personnel not related to scientific and scientific-pedagogical activities. It is proposed that existing in a number of states, but not officially approved in Russia, the procedure for awarding professional doctoral degrees, similar to the degrees provided for by the UNESCO International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). This certification model, new for the Russian Federation, has practically existed since 1998.

In 2017, the Ministry of Education and Science proposed to allow only persons with a master's or specialist's qualification, respectively, in the field of medicine and veterinary medicine, to obtain scientific degrees in the medical and veterinary branches of science.

Honorary Degree

An honorary doctorate (lat. honoris causa - for the sake of honor) is awarded without defending a dissertation, on the basis of the applicant's significant merits to science or culture.

Notes

Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 24, 2013 N 842 "On the procedure for awarding scientific degrees" (indefinite) . Rossiyskaya gazeta (01.10.2013). Retrieved November 15, 2016.
Hawkins C.F. Write the MD Thesis // How To Do It. - 2nd edition. - London: British Medical Association, 1985. - ISBN 0-7279-0186-9.
, with. 63.
Kozlova L. A."Without defending dissertation": status organization social sciences in USSR, 1933-1935 // Sociological journal. - 2001. - No. 2. - pp. 145-159.
Imperial Moscow University: 1755-1917: encyclopedic Dictionary/ comp. A. Yu. Andreev, D. A. Tsygankov. - M.: Russian Political Encyclopedia (ROSSPEN), 2010. 894 p.: ill.

ACADEMIC RANKS, DEGREES- officially accepted indicators of the level of scientific or pedagogical qualifications of specialists, their achievements in the development of science, technology, culture and training of personnel with higher education. In the Soviet Union U. z., p. are awarded to specialists with higher education who have profound professional knowledge and scientific work in a particular branch of science.

AT different countries there are their own historically established terminology and nomenclature U. z., p. In pre-revolutionary Russia, there were degrees of bachelor (lat. baccalaureus), master (lat. magister teacher), doctor of science. The master's degree was awarded by f-you high fur boots in specialties, except for medical, to-ry awarded the degree of doctor of medicine at once, bypassing the master's degree. The following academic titles were awarded: assistant (lat. assistens helping), associate professor (lat. docens teaching), professor (lat. professor teacher), ordinary professor (lat. ordinarius ordinary) - occupying the department, extraordinary professor (lat. extraordinarius peculiar) - not holding a chair.

In the Soviet Union U. z., p. introduced by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of January 13, 1934 in order to encourage scientific work and improve the skills of scientific research and scientific and pedagogical personnel. The scientific degrees of candidate and doctor of sciences, academic titles - professor, associate professor, senior researcher, assistant, junior researcher have been established.

In accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of December 29, 1975, a strict procedure for awarding U. z., p. According to this provision, the scientific degree of Doctor of Science “is awarded by the decision of the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission of the USSR on the basis of a petition of a specialized council at a higher educational institution or research institution (scientific and production association), adopted after the public defense of a doctoral dissertation and the conclusion of the relevant expert council of the Higher Attestation Commission of the USSR on the submitted dissertation ". The scientific degree of a candidate of sciences is awarded by the decision of a specialized academic council of a higher educational institution or research institution (scientific and production association) to persons who, as a rule, have the appropriate higher education who successfully passed candidate exams and publicly defended a dissertation for the degree of candidate (medical, economic, pedagogical, etc.) of sciences (see Medical dissertations). Candidate and Doctor of Science degree applicants must show the ability for independent scientific research, the ability to develop topical scientific problems of great theoretical and practical importance. The applicant for the PhD degree, in addition, must prove himself a creative researcher. capable of posing and solving theoretical problems and major national economic tasks at a high scientific level, which represent a significant contribution to science and practice.

The Higher Attestation Commission (HAC USSR) in the order of control considers all candidate and doctoral dissertations defended in specialized academic councils, after which the collegium of the USSR HAC decides to issue a candidate of science diploma, and the HAC presidium - to issue a doctoral diploma. The Higher Attestation Commission of the USSR, on the basis of the conclusion of the relevant expert council, has the right to cancel the decision of the specialized council on the award of academic degrees.

The scientific degree of Doctor of Science is awarded, as a rule, to persons who have a Ph.D. degree in the relevant field of science. Persons who have received the academic degrees of Doctor of Science or Candidate of Science are issued a diploma of a single sample on behalf of the Higher Attestation Commission of the USSR.

The academic titles of professor, associate professor, senior researcher are assigned by the USSR Higher Attestation Commission on the proposal of academic councils of universities or research institutions (scientific and production associations), which have the right to file a petition for the assignment of appropriate academic titles to persons with a doctorate degree (for awarding the title of professor) or candidate of science, the necessary experience of scientific and pedagogical work in the relevant position and highly qualified teachers, scientists and founders of scientific schools and directions. The academic title of professor is awarded by the decision of the presidium, the title of associate professor and senior researcher - by the decision of the collegium of the Higher Attestation Commission of the USSR. In institutions of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and the academies of sciences of the Union republics, the academic titles of senior researcher to persons with academic degrees of Doctor or Candidate of Sciences are assigned by the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR on the proposal of the scientific councils of scientific research institutions. Professors, associate professors, senior researchers are issued certificates of a single sample.

In the USSR, as in many other countries, there are honorary academic degrees and titles. So, for example, an honorary doctor (of a certain branch of science), an honorary professor of an educational institution, an honored worker of science, etc. These academic degrees and titles are awarded to scientists for outstanding achievements in science, technology, including foreign scientists.

In the USSR there are also the highest academic scientific titles: a corresponding member and full member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR or union republics and some branch academies, including the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR. Corresponding members are elected by the relevant departments of the Academy of Sciences and approved by the general meeting of the Academy. Full members of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, union republics and branch academies are elected by the general meeting of the academy.

In some socialist countries, the system of attestation of scientific workers and the list of academic degrees differ from those adopted in the USSR. So, for example, in Hungary the first academic degree is a doctor of the university (assigned to university graduates who have passed 2-3 special exams and defended their work in the commission of the university), the second degree is a candidate of sciences and the third degree is a doctor of sciences. They are awarded by the Academy of Sciences. The scientific degree of a doctor of the university gives the right to hold the position of an assistant-teacher, and the scientific degree of a candidate of sciences - an associate professor and head of the department. The appointment of a professor is carried out by a decision of the Council of Ministers.

In the GDR, the academic degree of a doctor in the relevant field is equivalent to the degree of a candidate of science in the corresponding field in the USSR, a doctor-ha-bil (Latin habilitas suitability, ability) - the position of an associate professor or professor.

The scientific degree of doctor accepted in Poland is equivalent to the degree of candidate of sciences in the USSR. Universities have adopted such scientific and pedagogical titles as assistant, professor (extraordinary, ordinary). In the position of professor, scientific workers are approved by the State Council, and from that moment they are considered to have the title of professor.

In capitalist countries, as a rule, each institution of higher education has its own system of awarding scientific degrees; All these systems are not unified. However, the main systems of attestation of scientific personnel are Anglo-American and French. The Anglo-American system provides for bachelor's, master's, Ph.D., or Ph.D. degrees. The Bachelor of Science (or Arts) degree is awarded to graduates of English or American higher education educational establishments and who passed special exams, and sometimes defended a small abstract work. The degree of master of science (arts) is received by persons who have a bachelor's degree and have completed an additional course of study for 1-2 years, and in some universities, in addition, they have defended a dissertation such as a thesis. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy or, in some high fur boots, Doctor of Science is awarded to persons who have defended the relevant dissertations. In Burma, India, Iran and in many other countries, bachelor's degrees are awarded to those who graduate from higher educational institutions with a 4-6-year term of study without defending their work. The French attestation system provides for the degrees of bachelor, licentiate, agreje, doctor of science. A bachelor's degree indicates completion of high school. The degree of licentiate is received by persons in the 2nd-4th years of study in high school who passed the exams and completed coursework. This degree entitles you to work as a teacher in high school. The agreje degree is awarded to university graduates who have passed additional exams and defended their dissertations. The degree of agreje gives the right to be a teacher in lyceums. The scientific degree of doctor is awarded to persons who have defended the relevant dissertations. Academic titles in capitalist countries, as a rule, are awarded to persons holding the positions of professors or heads of departments.

The equivalence of educational diplomas, scientific degrees, scientific qualifications is determined by special intergovernmental conventions.

G.N. Sobolevsky.