What does magistracy mean. What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree - how many years to study, how to get a diploma

What does magistracy mean.  What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree - how many years to study, how to get a diploma

Bachelor's, Specialist's and Master's programs are professional levels higher education, differing in content and duration of training. For the development of bachelor's or specialist's programs, it is necessary to have a secondary general education, for master's programs - higher education. In the future, the bachelor can continue his studies and get a master's degree.

Bachelor's, Specialist's and Master's Degrees as Levels of Professional Higher Education

Currently, the Russian Federation has established, in particular, the following levels of professional higher education (clauses 2, 3, part 5, article 10 of the Law of December 29, 2012 N 273-FZ):

Undergraduate;

Specialist, magistracy.

At the same time, each of the bachelor's, specialist's and master's programs belongs to an independent type of the main professional educational program of higher education. Admission to training is carried out separately for each of these programs (clause "b", clause 2, part 3, article 12, part 5, article 69 of Law N 273-FZ).

Persons with the appropriate education are allowed to master these programs. So, for bachelor's or specialist's programs, it is necessary to have a secondary general education, for master's programs - higher education of any level (parts 2, 3 of article 69 of Law N 273-FZ).

Features of the specialty, bachelor's and master's programs

A specialty is a system of education familiar to the Russian Federation. Professionals are trained for professional activity in a separate industry. The term for obtaining the first higher education is, as a rule, five years. However, many universities have switched to the Bologna (two-level) system of education, which involves the preparation and graduation of bachelors and masters.

A person who intends to receive a first higher education at a university that has switched to Bologna system education, going to bachelor's degree. Subject to successful completion of the final certification, he is awarded the qualification "bachelor" and a diploma is issued indicating that he has a higher education (clause 2, part 5, article 10 of Law N 273-FZ).

Bachelors can continue their education and get a master's degree. It is not necessary to enroll in a master's program at the same university. Admission to study in master's programs is carried out on a competitive basis based on the results of entrance examinations. Conventionally, a bachelor's degree can be described as a basic higher education, and a master's degree as a further specialization (parts 3, 5, 6 of article 69 of Law N 273-FZ).

Unlike undergraduate and specialist programs, not only universities, but also scientific organizations(clause 4 of the Procedure, approved by Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia dated April 5, 2017 N 301).

The essential difference between a bachelor, a specialist and a master is the duration of study, which is established by the federal state educational standards. As a rule, students study for five years to obtain a specialist diploma, four years for a bachelor's degree, two years for a master's degree (part 4 of article 11 of Law N 273-FZ; clause 3.3 of the Standard, approved by Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia dated September 12, 2016 N 1173; clause 3.3 of the Standard, approved by Order of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science dated August 7, 2014 N 943; clause 3.3 of the Standard, approved by Order of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science dated August 17, 2015 N 827).

Alternative systems

In addition to the considered option, in some places, as, for example, in Germany, there are not one, but two postgraduate levels of education. In Russia, although a course has been taken to bring the structure of higher education in line with the requirements of the Bologna Declaration, the system still remains mixed. Somewhere the European system is used (undergraduate and graduate), and in others educational institutions- inherited from Soviet Union, with the qualifications of graduates. The system of postgraduate education instead of the "Doctor of Philosophy" includes two ranks:

  • Candidate of Sciences - awarded according to the verdict of the Dissertation Council and approved by the Higher Attestation Commission;
  • Doctor of Sciences - assigned by the Presidium of the Higher attestation commission Ministry of Education and Science of the country.

Moreover, in order to assign these ranks, it is first necessary to prepare and defend a dissertation for a doctoral or candidate degree. In countries with single stage postgraduate education there is no analogue to our "doctor of sciences". Our "Ph.D." corresponds, for example, to "PhD" in the United States, or equivalent to that title in other countries.

Since 2016, accredited universities and research institutes have appeared in Russia, both metropolitan and regional, with the right to award academic degrees.

Master's degree

Under the magistracy is understood a separate form of education in higher educational institutions, which implies that students receive preliminary preparation for further research and teaching activities. A person with a master's degree must possess not only solid scientific knowledge and be able to use the methodology of scientific research. He must also have a comprehensive understanding of the methods of obtaining and applying the information necessary for the area of ​​knowledge under study.

The master's degree is awarded after completing a two-year course of study. However, it is worth considering the need to first complete a course of study at a university with the assignment of the status of a bachelor (4 years) or a specialist (from 5 to 5.5 years). Already on the basis of the education received, you can count on passing the master's course. Moreover, if earlier it was permissible to study for a master's degree only on the basis of "one's own" institute, now the possibilities for those wishing to acquire a master's degree have expanded significantly.

Passing the master's program allows you to get significant research and teaching practice as part of the learning process, as well as significantly supplement and deepen the knowledge acquired in the course of study for a bachelor or specialist. In addition, the experience gained during the preparation of a master's thesis can be quite useful in the subsequent training - for graduate students, future candidates and doctors of science.

Status in Russia

As already mentioned, both systems of education are still present in the universities of our country, despite the fact that the system has been reformed since 2003. The following categories have been legally approved in Russia:

  • higher professional, with the assignment of a bachelor's qualification to a successfully certified candidate (at least 4 years of study);
  • higher professional, with the assignment of a successfully certified candidate to the qualification of a specialist (at least 5 years of study);
  • higher professional, with the assignment of a successfully certified candidate a master's degree (at least 6 years of study).

Despite the presence in the legally approved structure of the titles "Bachelor" and "Master", which are considered in the participating countries Bologna process scientific degrees, in Russia, from a legal point of view, they are not related to those, although the name “degree” is present in the laws (without the definition of “scientific”). In any case, until the recommendations of the Bologna Agreement are followed.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. Recently, school graduates often have questions about possible options for further education.

If we talk about higher education, then here they are faced with such forms of education as: bachelor's, master's, and postgraduate studies.

It is not so easy to immediately understand what is what and which option is best for you. Many make mistakes when choosing and then regret it.

Therefore, today we will talk about the magistracy, but along the way, we will note how it differs from other forms of education and what “chains” of higher education you can build if you wish.

Master's degree is...

Master's degree is the second stage of higher education. It is not mandatory, so many young people start working already - the first academic stage.

From this follows a natural question - why study further, if it is not necessary? What does studying in a master's program give and is it worth spending time on it? Let's figure it out.

About 10 years ago, Russia signed the Bologna Convention, which 2 levels free education in higher education institutions:

  1. undergraduate– students study for 4 years and receive a general knowledge base about the profession;
  2. magistracy- takes 2 years of study, acquire a narrow specialization in the profession.

Thus, we have joined the common European standard of education, which means that “our” diplomas are practically valid in all foreign countries.

Until that moment, only specialists were graduating from the walls of Russian universities, who were valued only in our country (abroad, these "crusts" were not valid).

Admission to the magistracy

You can become a master student only after graduation bachelor or specialist.

To do this, you need to pass an interdisciplinary exam in the direction of the chosen profession, and if everything goes well, then for the next 2 years you will personally get acquainted with what a master's degree is.

The documents required upon admission:

  1. Bachelor's degree.

    It is important to note here that if you graduated from a specialty, then a master's program will be for you paid: in this case, it is considered the second higher education, and not the second stage.

    Master's degree, as the second stage, is intended only for bachelors and only for them it's free(and then for those who studied on a budget), as it is part of a free education;
  2. statement;
  3. the passport;
  4. medical certificate;
  5. a photo.

If you are a former master's student and want to change your special training, you can re-apply for a master's degree (of course, on a paid basis). You can apply to any university in the Russian Federation, as well as abroad.

Not necessary go to the second step immediately after the first. Many bachelors first go to work, until the end they are determined with a specialty, and only after that they enter the magistracy.

In some cases, the employer may pay for training: for example, when he sees the potential of an employee and is interested in his professional development.

Another thing is that the master's program is your personal initiative. Then you are required to provide leave at your own expense to attend lectures, pass exams, etc., and do not have the right to dismiss, according to the law.

Why do you need a master's degree

To be honest, bachelors not highly valued by employers.

The fact is that for 4 years they are trained in the general profile of the profession. Roughly speaking, they know a lot, but only a little bit. On this side, this is a minus.

However, for the bachelor's graduate himself, this uncertainty can be considered a virtue. It rarely happens that in the process of learning a student really understands what exactly he wants to do in the future.

A bachelor's degree gives him such an opportunity: to try himself in different areas of the profession before deciding.

The master's program is for those who has already made a conscious choice spheres of labor activity and is designed for a deep study of the chosen specialization.

After studying for two years, the master can go on to study further - to graduate school and start a research career.

Bachelor's and Master's - what's the difference?

Point difference:

  1. Bachelor's is the first degree, Master's is the second. Together they are a two-tier system of free education recognized in European countries;
  2. undergraduate studies take 4 years, master's - only two;
  3. the bachelor assumes general knowledge about the profession, the master is someone who knows almost everything within one specialization;
  4. the first stage involves the use of applied knowledge (journalists, economists, psychologists, engineers,), the second - for the most part consists of scientific and research work(analytical and teaching activities);
  5. bachelors are less in demand than masters;
  6. the initial salary of bachelors is less than that of graduates of the master's program;
  7. bachelors graduate from any university, master's qualifications are not available everywhere;
  8. it is several times easier to enter the first stage: the selection for the second stage is tougher due to the small number of places.

So, now you have an idea of ​​what a bachelor's and master's degree is. This knowledge will allow you to make the right choice - to decide on your professional future.

If you are aiming for practical work, then the second step will be for you waste of time.

But if you dream of studying your activity from the inside, creating something new on the existing basis, transferring your knowledge to others, being an engine of progress - you are welcome to graduate students.

Briefly about the degrees of education

There is everything 4 degrees of education– specialty, bachelor’s, master’s, postgraduate studies and various study options:


If you initially dream of becoming a doctor of science, then it is better to immediately go to a specialist, and from there to graduate school. Bachelor can't "jump" the magistracy.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the blog pages site

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Over the past 15 years, the wind of change has swept away many stable concepts in the Russian expanse. Soviet higher education, so solid and understandable, gradually faded away and is now being built with difficulty. new system. We are gradually getting used to the new names: bachelor's and master's degrees.

A bit of history

For Russian students it all started in 1996. A two-level training system was introduced in universities. The purpose of the innovation was to join the Bologna process - a voluntary association of higher education systems in European countries, which by that time had been about two decades old.

The process of accession to European standards was formalized legally in 2003, when Russia signed the Bologna Declaration. And since the beginning of 2011, the two-level system has become the main one in Russian higher education.

In fairness, it must be said that students who entered before 2010 still have the opportunity to receive the degree of "graduate". This is an intermediate level between a bachelor's and a master's degree. But today the system of climbing the rock of science granite is as follows:

  1. Bachelor;
  2. Master.

What is the difference between bachelor and master

These two words, so unusual for our hearing, mean the degree of preparation of a university graduate. To understand the difference between a bachelor and a master, you need to know the goals of training at these two levels.

Undergraduate - Practitioner Training

After graduating from school, young people enter the bachelor's degree. This is the beginning of higher education. After studying for 2 years, each of them can receive a diploma of incomplete higher education. That is, a diploma is issued stating that you have mastered half of the first stage of higher vocational education, the volume and content of which is indicated in the appendix to this diploma.

But almost no one stops there. Continuing studies for another 2 training courses, and after passing the final certification, you get a bachelor's degree. By this time, you are going through not only general education sciences, but also special disciplines and professional practice. This diploma is a certificate of full and completed higher professional education. You have the right to apply for positions whose qualification requirements include the need to have a higher education.

Master's degree - focus on scientific work

If you want to further conquer scientific heights or engage in teaching activities at universities, you need to enter the magistracy. A master's degree is necessary for students who want or have the opportunity to further engage in scientific activity or teach at a university.

But those who want to study further after 4 years of study at the university today, according to statistics, are approximately 25-30% of the total number of students. The explanation should be sought in the realities of our life. Not every student can afford to continue their studies.

The downside is that they prefer to take bachelors to work - more is not needed for office work. A person must be able to work with information, process documents, work in a team. In a word, to be a competent and executive employee of the company. And there is no need for special studies in scientific activity. That is why most students prefer to spend 4 courses to gain basic knowledge, some practical experience and then seriously pursue a career.

There are a few other things that keep me from going to graduate school:

  • The need to retake entrance examinations. Even at your own university, you again find yourself as an applicant and on a par with applicants from other universities.
  • On the free education it is even more difficult to enter a master's program than when mastering the first stage. Approximately one-third of applicants pass the test. But for those who are passionate about enrolling, there is paid training.
  • It can be considered a fact that the starting salary of masters is higher than that of bachelors. This is especially confirmed by foreign studies (for example, in the USA and Canada). More details can be found in another material: salary statistics for masters and bachelors.

Pros and cons of two-tier training

The new system of levels of higher education has not yet taken root in the expanses of the former USSR and causes many difficulties in understanding. For personnel officers, it is sometimes sometimes difficult to determine the degree of preparedness of a newly minted specialist. Moreover, both those and others write “higher education” when filling out the questionnaire. The older generation perceives the graduate of the first stage rather as a "drop-out". In addition, there are areas where a bachelor's degree is clearly not a winning moment: law, economics, high technology. The first stage is sometimes equated with a technical school (according to the personnel officers of the old school).

But there are also pluses. Large companies will quickly hire a graduate of the first stage. Especially those structures that have their own personnel training system. After all, it is easier to teach than to retrain. And it is much easier to finish teaching a person who has mastered the practice of teaching at a university - training for 4 years gives the skills of readiness for learning.

And his focus on practice is more than that of the master. After all, during the continuation of studies in the magistracy, an orientation is created more on scientific and theoretical activity than on practical.

If a student dreams of engaging in scientific activities, promoting scientific and technological progress in laboratories or subsequently teaching students, he cannot do without a master's degree.

But before entering to continue your studies, you need to find out if your university has a license to issue masters and its validity period. It is undesirable that the license ends in the year of your graduation from the master's program. Everything happens in life…

Having completed their studies to the end of school (or even university), many do not understand what is the difference between a specialty, a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. There are many differences between them, but there is also something in common: all these are indicators of higher education, with a certificate of which you can occupy positions that you should not even think of without a higher diploma.

If you read the materials in our telegram channel, you will understand that all these stages of training differ from each other by several factors at the same time: the richness of the program, the number of theoretical and applied disciplines, and the duration of training.

And even in Lately there are no specialist diplomas in universities, yet you need to understand what is the difference between undergraduate, specialist and master's programs.

And now about everything in order.

About the education system in general

Back in 1999, during the Bologna process, a universal two-level education system was established. In it, the bachelor's degree is the first basic level of higher education, and the next is the master's degree.

Countries agreed to follow this system in order to maintain a more or less uniform style of educational space throughout Europe.

Any country that wanted to get into this system had to sign a treaty. Russia joined this union only in 2003, after which changes immediately began in the education system.

So, the first universities that adopted the new European system were MGIMO, RUDN, MSTU. N. E. Bauman, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Later, other universities followed suit.

Levels of higher professional education in Russia

Higher professional education includes the following levels:

  1. Higher prof., with the qualification "Bachelor".
  2. Higher prof., with the degree of "certified specialist".
  3. Higher prof., with the qualification "Master".

Terms of passage of basic education programs

What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree? Students of different programs receive education for different periods:

  • those who aim to obtain a bachelor's degree study for at least 4 years;
  • those who intend to obtain a diploma of a qualified specialist undergo training for more than 5 years (sometimes 5.5 years);
  • those who choose the direction of the magistracy must be trained for at least 6 years.

Undergraduate

A bachelor's degree is an indicator of the successful completion of the second stage of a higher prof. learning.

The first step of the higher prof. education is an incomplete higher education, which the student passed through the main programs of the university for at least 2 years. The specific term and content of such studies are reflected in the supplement to the diploma.

Get incomplete higher student maybe if he is expelled or independently decides to leave the university for a number of reasons.
The student should be prepared for the fact that most employers do not consider candidates with incomplete higher education.

The bachelor, in turn, must:

  • to study general educational and general professional subjects;
  • master special disciplines and practice;
  • pass the final certification and get the qualification "bachelor".

Such qualification gives the candidate the right to apply for positions where the main requirement is the presence of higher professional education.

Specialty

As for the specialty, here it is said about the main prof. educational program, which includes the study of humanitarian, socio-economic and natural science subjects of a general scientific orientation, general professional disciplines, theoretical and practical training in specialization and specialty.

This form of education differs from the generally accepted in Europe. The specialty is a classic form of education in Russia, which has remained in a few universities in the country, including medical, military and engineering faculties.

The specialty lasts at least 5 years, after which the student is waiting for the final certification, including the thesis.

If the graduate manages to overcome all these obstacles, he is awarded the qualification of a specialist "teacher", "engineer", "economist", etc.

Master's degree

Master's degree is a program built on the basis of a bachelor's degree. Lasts 2 years. Contains practical and theoretical classes in the chosen direction.

Master's studies involve research and development pedagogical activity. The total period of study, together with a bachelor's degree, is 6 years.

A graduate of the master's program passes the final certification and presents a master's work, upon successful defense of which the student is awarded a master's degree.

Students are often interested in who is higher - master or bachelor. The answer here is obvious: the holder of a master's degree is quoted on the labor market higher than a bachelor's degree, since the period of his study, the number and quality of study hours and disciplines are much higher.

Difference between Bachelor's and Specialist's

It should be understood that here we are talking about two completely different training programs.

Bachelor's degree is higher education accelerated program. In it, the student receives general basic knowledge in a certain direction for 4 years.

If a student needs in-depth knowledge, after a bachelor's degree he enters a master's program, where he studies for another 2 years. You can increase the level of knowledge wherever there are special master's programs(and not all universities have them).

Plus - you can do not only the original direction, but also choose another. And upon successful completion entrance test for a master's degree, you can count on a budget place.

A specialist degree provides in-depth knowledge in a particular professional area. The student studies for 5-6 years. During the first two years, he passes a general basic program in the chosen specialty, then he receives advanced knowledge.

The main difference between the specialty is that after it you can go to graduate school. The bachelor will be able to go to graduate school only after completing the master's program.

There is another important difference: a bachelor's degree is quoted abroad, where you can even go to a master's program with it.

The diploma of a specialist is a purely domestic feature of education. Problems may arise with it, because not all employers accept such a document on graduation.

What is the difference between bachelor's and specialist's degrees

In addition to the title itself - "bachelor" or "specialist" in some direction - the diploma of a specialist additionally indicates the exact specialty: lawyer, psychologist, engineer.

If you study the Diploma Supplement, which contains academic disciplines and the time spent on them, you can see that these two training programs have different depth of coverage of subjects.

Graduates of the specialty are provided with more career opportunities. A bachelor will be able to catch up with a specialist only after he graduates from a master's program.

Here good example how the levels of training and competencies of graduates of two different study programs (bachelor's and specialist's) in legal education differ:

  1. Undergraduate - Jurisprudence. The graduate is generally well versed in the law, can work with documentation, consult, represent an individual or company in court. But to obtain special knowledge, you will have to master the craft in practice or in the course of training at the next stage of education.
  2. Specialization - Forensic examination. Here the student is given narrow-profile knowledge on the subject. A graduate can immediately investigate crimes and conduct forensic examinations, as his level of knowledge allows him to do this.

The bachelor's degree includes only the general direction.



There are professions that can only be learned by a specialist.

Differences between a specialty and a master's degree

If the difference between a bachelor's and a master's degree is clear, then some people have difficulties here. The specialist is mastering the third level of higher professional education. Here you can choose 2 programs of the main types:

  1. Modern Specialist Program.
  2. Master's program.

So what is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree, and which is better - a master's or a bachelor's degree? The Bachelor's degree is the basic first stage of higher education, and the Master's degree represents the second level.

The specialty is in a special place, because the training program begins as the first basic level, but its graduate is considered by employers as a master's specialist. And if we compare which is better - a specialty or a bachelor's degree, then the first one has somewhat more career prospects. Here is the main difference between them.

Basic differences of bachelor, master, specialist

What else is the difference between a master's and a bachelor's degree from a specialist's degree is that these two degrees belong to the first scientific degrees. The title of master opens the way for young scientists to graduate school.

The student receives a bachelor's degree to a specialist or master's degree. After 4 years of study, the student must understand where to move on and what peaks to master. If he plans to go into science or he plans to stay at the university and work as a teacher, he should consider obtaining a specialist or master's degree.

Please note that not all universities offer their students the opportunity to obtain a master's degree. There are even fewer specialties in which you can get it. Get detailed information about the availability of the direction of interest and the diploma on the official website of the university.

Whatever system of education you choose, always try to get not the diploma itself, but knowledge. After all, they will help you achieve the goals that you set for yourself in life. And if useless items interfere with the achievement of the cherished, the specialists of our student assistance service are ready to save you from these torments.



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