Having switched to the Bologna education system, Russia began to develop new higher education programs - bachelor's and master's degrees. Most universities began to train students in these programs. You can study for a bachelor's degree in four years. After this, the student either goes to work or continues his master’s studies. It lasts for another two years. The future master deepens his acquired knowledge. Upon completion of his master's degree, he can engage in full-fledged scientific activity.
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor students study for four years. The basis for admission is complete secondary education, that is, eleven grades of school. A graduate of a technical school or college can also study for a bachelor's degree. In this case, the training period will be three years.
Bachelor's students receive diplomas of higher education and a bachelor's degree upon completion of their studies.
But now students should learn to understand what an applied bachelor's degree and an academic bachelor's degree are, since recently these programs have also appeared in Russian system education.
Strategy 2020
Since 2010, a little more than 50 Russian technical schools and universities have been experimenting with applied and academic bachelor's programs. What is applied training of qualified personnel with higher education. At its core, it is an alternative for the average vocational education.
The applied bachelor's degree became part of the finalization of the government program "Strategy 2020", aimed at the long-term socio-economic development of the country.
When the concept of “applied bachelor’s degree” appeared in the country, it was assumed that it would also be taught for four years. Later, experts leaned towards a three-year training program. Now they have settled on the first training option.
What does an applied bachelor's degree mean? Now this concept includes two aspects:
- Training of workers who will have higher education.
- Bachelor's degree, which has an expanded applied part, focused on the student's employment.
In higher educational institutions of the country, preference is given to the second option.
The meaning of an applied bachelor's degree
The main thing that attracts students to the applied bachelor's degree program is the opportunity to find profitable employment upon completion of their studies. As you know, a bachelor's student does not have certain qualifications. During the applied bachelor's degree program, the student studies the same basic part as during regular training, but the additional part is more practice-oriented. As a result, the student receives a clear qualification.
Training of students in certain profession, training in computer skills and basic subjects aimed at supporting the activities of a manager, providing relevant practice and a diploma of higher education - this is what an applied bachelor’s degree means. And trained personnel are in great demand in modern market labor.
Three or four year training?
So, what is an applied bachelor's degree, essentially? This is a basic education supplemented by applied qualifications in a specific profession.
Previously, there was debate about three-year or four-year education. As a result, it was decided to focus on four years of study, since bachelor's students must receive the appropriate academic level of study.
When the system was first introduced, training programs in colleges and technical schools were proposed to be renamed applied bachelor's degrees. The duration of study in these educational institutions is 3-3.5 years. But the idea turned out to be untenable. In the end, an applied bachelor's degree remains a bachelor's degree, that is, it involves obtaining a higher education. Technical schools and colleges do not have such qualifications.
Academic bachelor's degree
Having understood what an applied bachelor's degree is and that it is focused on preparing specialists for working conditions, we can proceed to the concept of an academic bachelor's degree. This training program aims to create a theoretical foundation in a large number of disciplines. There is no practical activity, since it is assumed that the graduate will acquire basic skills already at work. This form of training also lasts for four years.
Each student decides for himself what qualification he needs - academic or applied. What does applied and academic bachelor's degree mean? The first is aimed at practical knowledge, while the second is theory-oriented. Academic bachelors are purposefully prepared for research work. They are prepared to go on to study further - to get a master's degree.
Undergraduate difference
If you look at what an applied bachelor's degree and an academic bachelor's degree are, it turns out that the first is a worker with a higher education, and the second is a traditional form of higher education.
Further admission to master's programs is different for applied and academic bachelor's degree students. “Academic students” undergo a certain competitive selection, and “applied students” must first work in their specialty for a certain number of years before entering.
So, we have looked at what an applied bachelor's degree and an academic bachelor's degree mean. The difference between them is the presence of practical knowledge, skills and abilities. “Applied specialists” are narrow specialists with practical skills in a certain field. “Academicians,” on the other hand, have a broad outlook in a certain field of knowledge, but they lack practical skills.
Which bachelor's degree should I choose?
We figured out what applied and academic bachelor's degrees mean. However, yesterday's schoolchildren are faced with a choice: where to go next? Of course, you can go for a regular bachelor's degree, or choose an applied or academic one.
A bachelor's degree involves obtaining theoretical knowledge. There are also practical lessons, but there are not many of them. In the diploma of higher education, bachelor students will, for example, have the inscription “Applied Informatics”.
What does it mean when a student receives the practical knowledge base he needs and subsequent employment, coupled with higher education. By the time he graduates, he will already have an idea of working conditions. To some extent, this is still the same specialty, but only in a certain specialty. In this case, the student’s diploma will indicate something specific, for example, “C++ programmer.”
If we consider what an applied bachelor's degree is, it is providing students with training with mastery of a wide range of competencies in areas such as education, culture and social sphere. The specialist must be prepared for teaching, research or cultural and educational activities.
So what should you choose? The fact is that now in the country there are no conditions for training the most ready workers, as is assumed in the “applied bachelor’s” program. In this case, a regular bachelor's degree is preferable. If only because specialists leave the buildings of higher educational institutions with a fairly broad outlook in their chosen field of knowledge. They can go to work or go to graduate school, doing science.
An academic bachelor's degree has more advantages in this regard. Specialists have a broad outlook and can get a job not only in a specific specialty, but also in a related one. If you don't have practice, then it's not so scary. “Applied specialists” don’t have enough of it either. There is no necessary base in the country. Not yet.
What to do next?
Having learned what an applied and academic bachelor's degree is, and comparing these concepts with a regular bachelor's degree, you begin to ask yourself the following question: “Where to work then?” Getting a normal serious position with a bachelor's degree of any degree is quite problematic.
A specialist must acquire complete theoretical knowledge in the field of interest to him, and then learn to apply it in the workplace. Only in this case will he have the opportunity to approach work tasks creatively.
As a result, the program is aimed at teaching how to press a button. These are practical skills. But why this button is useful, what it gives and how to use it correctly, this is already a theory that you should know. Without full-fledged theoretical knowledge, a true specialist cannot be achieved even if he copes well in practice.
Having considered what an applied and academic bachelor's degree is, it is better to give preference to the second type of training.
Finally
Behind last years The higher education system in our country has undergone significant changes. Many new trends and trends have emerged. In addition to bachelor's and master's degrees, students began to be trained in applied and academic bachelor's programs. What to choose and where to go to study next, everyone decides for themselves.
Since 2010, about 50 universities and technical schools have been implementing applied bachelor's degree programs as part of an experiment, which should become an alternative to secondary vocational education. During the finalization of Strategy 2020, it was concluded that there is a need for further development of these programs
The head of the Center for Primary, Secondary, Higher and Additional Professional Education of the Federal Institute for Educational Development (FIRO) talks about the ways of this development.
Vladimir Igorevich, when the applied bachelor’s degree was just being conceived, it was about four-year programs, just like for a regular bachelor’s degree. Now, as part of the finalization of Strategy 2020, three-year programs are being talked about. How many years will it take to study for an applied bachelor's degree: three or four?
The reason for this discrepancy is explained by the mobility pedagogical concepts– this is the case when “the tail wags the dog.” First, the concept of “applied bachelor’s degree” itself appeared, and then it began to be filled with different meanings. Today there are two main approaches to applied undergraduate education. The first is that this is the training of workers with higher education, the second is that this is a full-fledged bachelor’s degree with an expanded applied part, which is primarily focused on employment. We adhere to the second approach, developing an appropriate concept, while the first is largely rumors and speculation.
- What is attractive for students in applied bachelor’s degrees in your interpretation?
The main thing that can attract them is profitable employment. What is a bachelor's degree anyway? This is a degree that very often does not contain specific qualifications. It is not clear who, for example, a philologist or philosopher is - the diploma should contain some other clarifying qualifications. Therefore, an applied bachelor’s degree, from our point of view, is just a bachelor’s program, where the main, basic part is the same as provided for in the standard, and the additional, practice-oriented one leads to a clear qualification.
For example, today a philologist, in order to become a secretary-assistant, needs to take courses, but it will be possible to obtain this qualification at a university, and for free, if a person studies on a budget place. And those people who realized that they are not exactly philologists, that is, not writers, not critics, that they do not want to take risks in the labor market, will take advantage of this opportunity. If a person graduates Faculty of Philology, he writes without errors, speaks foreign languages, can easily talk about different topics. But if, in addition to this, he knows office work, owns a computer and other items related to supporting the activities of a manager, and if he has completed the appropriate practice, then he can easily work as an assistant for a serious boss. This is the meaning of an applied bachelor's degree.
And this is in great demand on the labor market, because previously secretaries-assistants were trained in vocational schools, in vocational colleges, and they did not have a higher education. And today, if we ask managers whether they need a secretary with a secondary education, everyone will answer in unison: no, only with a higher education! But in current higher education such training is not provided.
- But why four years of study? General education Can’t you give it faster together with an applied qualification? - We believe that the program should be four years so as not to reduce the overall academic level of the bachelor.And the idea of three-year programs is connected only with what is proposed to be called applied bachelor’s programs, which are implemented by institutions of secondary vocational education (SVE) - colleges, technical schools. They say, let's rename college programs - and people will be happy to go there. The result will be practice-oriented training without higher education, and will be called the same word “bachelor’s degree” as university programs. We change the name, formally increase the level of education - attractiveness appears, but in reality there is no need to do anything really. Let's take best colleges, where the duration of training is 3-3.5 years, and we will show this using their example. This idea turned out to be not very viable - this can only create confusion in people’s heads.
I have another version of the origin of the idea of three-year programs. About ten years ago, the possibility of moving to a three-stage higher education system was discussed. We talked about the possibility of introducing a two-year first degree, followed by a bachelor's and master's degree. And this “fork” in the Bologna Agreement still exists. Maybe three years have “flowed out” from there - after completing the first general education cycle of higher education, a person studies for another year at a bachelor’s degree and receives a semi-diploma, what was previously called “incomplete higher education.”
But this approach turned out to be unclaimed – it still makes sense to provide full-fledged bachelor’s training. Again, people will be confused. Today we can’t even really explain who a bachelor is, you ask who an applied bachelor is, and if we introduce the first level, we’ll get completely confused. You shouldn’t plant so many pine trees that you end up wandering around in them.
- In 2010, an experiment in applied bachelor’s degree began. What are its interim results and future prospects?The experiment is taking place in accordance with government decree - 56 educational institutions, universities and
consortia that include universities along with colleges. There are various intermediate results, including missteps. For example, because the programs are experimental, they are not accredited, and many boys were drafted into the army to legally. So in a number of industries - for example, in the information industry - the experiment failed, the groups consisted of only boys, and it is unclear what to do with them after returning from the army.
The National Training Foundation is currently monitoring the experiment. We, for our part, monitor the content part - we look at how the regular part of the program is combined with the applied part, whether all this can be implemented not on the basis of a university, but on the basis of a secondary vocational education institution. After all, universities should not lower the theoretical level, and colleges can give the practical-oriented part. And, it must be said, the most stable system is one where a university implements an applied bachelor’s program without the help of a college. For example, at the faculty one group is ordinary, academic bachelors, the other is applied ones, that is, in the variable part of the standard it is focused on applied learning. But there is also a danger here - that universities will reduce the applied component to nothing and limit themselves to an ordinary bachelor's degree.
From my point of view, network cooperation between universities and vocational education institutions is very unstable and poorly organized. This is due to financial problems - there are difficulties in mutual settlements. We hope for the new law “On Education” - the article that describes the possibilities of network cooperation between educational institutions.
Why can universities eliminate the applied part? After all, it is in their interests to provide more employment opportunities for students.
The fact is that graduates of many fields and specialties are already in demand in the labor market. No matter how much economists and lawyers are criticized, according to statistics, they are the most successful in the labor market. It makes no sense for universities to do something separate, applied, since industries absorb graduates and further educate them in a certain way. There are areas where, by definition, there cannot be a bachelor’s degree other than an applied one – for example, pedagogy. The school does not need a teacher-researcher, it needs a teacher. We always add more specific qualifications to the Bachelor of Pedagogy qualification - teachers of physics, computer science, etc.
And there are industries for which the structure of training needs to be changed - applied bachelors will be in demand there. The employer’s dream is for his technician with open software to have more high level theoretical training. Here we see successful examples from metallurgists, in a number of technical fields, specific ones are superimposed on regular bachelor’s programs professional modules– training in in-demand technologies, with a specific place of employment in the future. There are signs of narrow qualifications based on broad bachelor's education.
- Does this form imply fairly broad cooperation with manufacturing enterprises?
Of course, an applied bachelor's degree in the real sector of the economy makes sense only when there is an employer nearby who knows what equipment he has installed in production now, what technological re-equipment is expected in the next two or three years, what specialists he will need for this equipment. Bachelor's engineers who are ready to immediately begin working on specific equipment will be in high demand. Employers are required to participate not only in word, but also in deed, and first of all this concerns the organization of practical training at work. Unfortunately, so far this idea has not been implemented as successfully as we would like.
It is generally difficult for higher schools to organize such practical training, since there are systemic problem- a tendency to theorize. Students must comprehend all practical specifics on their own. Vocational education institutions, on the contrary, are not able to provide theoretical training; for this they do not have a teaching staff, and in order to properly teach students practical things, they again need cooperation with the employer.
Thus, the applied bachelor's degree, being a mass form of education, can “work” only with certain conditions: when there is a specific employer who is ready to participate in the training of specialists. It is best when teachers from a technical school or college work at this enterprise or at least collaborate with it. And then it is beneficial for universities to cooperate with the secondary vocational education system: take over the theoretical training, and leave the organization of practical training and all applied modules to the technical school.
As part of the discussion of Strategy 2020, it was said that in the future, students will have the opportunity to choose an academic or applied bachelor’s degree not only upon admission, but also in the second or third year.
In my opinion, this is how it should be. When entering the first year, not everyone understands what they are really striving for: to pursue an academic career or to quickly enter the labor market. If a person is confident in himself as a theorist, it is, of course, better for him to enroll in a master's program and then graduate school. And if not, then it is better to choose more applied training.
Third generation higher education standards allow a person to independently make his program more applied or more theoretical. For example, within the Economics direction there are 33 profiles - from international economic relations to accounting. Within a number of profiles, there may be application programs - for example, training of tax specialists. A graduate can become not just a bachelor of economics, but also a ready-made official in the relevant service.
What organizational and legal measures need to be taken so that all this can be realized? Nowadays, it is quite problematic for a 2-3 year student to switch from one program to another.
Yes, and this is due to the fact that a modern university, unfortunately, pursues its own interests, and the interests of students are a secondary matter for it: as a rule, for the administration, providing teachers with hours is more important than the quality of teaching. This is associated with such outdated things in our higher education as division into groups. This is simply an attempt to “tie” the student to the schedule, deprive him of choice, and replace choice with a set of special courses. But it should be different: basic compulsory courses that are taught to the general population, and elective courses that the student chooses himself, and groups are formed depending on who has chosen what. To achieve this, we need a full transition to a credit-module system, and not just calculating the workload of teachers.
In addition, we need an institute of tutors - those who would help the student navigate the program, explain what sequence of courses - the educational trajectory - where it will lead him.
Naturally, we need another institute for assessing the qualifications of graduates. The forms that exist today, such as state exams and dissertations, again make sense only for theorists.
- During the discussion of Strategy 2020, the opinion was expressed that employers should participate in the final certification of students. Do you think this is real de facto and not de jure?I believe that yes, it is possible, and in some cases it is necessary. Where we are talking, for example, about providing a city with teachers or a factory with engineers, the employer and his opinion should come first. But there are free creative professions where training specialists with employers in mind is an optional condition. For example, it is difficult to say who the employer of the future writer is.
The problem is that now the process of final certification of graduates is bureaucratic, there are a huge number of procedures. For example, certification of teachers is in itself, certification of graduates pedagogical universities- by her own. And what's the point? Therefore, in my opinion, the first thing that is necessary is the unification of these procedures. I think it is worth highlighting a number of applied industries where employers can and are ready to participate in qualification assessment. There should be a delegation of authority to assess the graduate’s qualifications from the university to the employer.
And now the university itself teaches, evaluates itself, assigns qualifications itself and releases them to the labor market. While diplomas from a number of prestigious universities are still trusted, the same cannot be said about all others. And this once again proves the need for contacts with the employer and his participation in assessing the qualifications of graduates.
- When it came to developing third-generation standards, employers were not very active...
On average, yes, they are not very active. But there are, for example, companies such as the United Aircraft Corporation, where the standards were read carefully and took part in their discussion. To hire a person, this company has its own testing and assessment of qualifications. It would be easier for everyone if these tests could be combined with university procedures. There are also examples when employers willingly cooperate with individual universities - for example, metallurgists with the National Research technological university"Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys." Advanced employers no longer want to hire a “pig in a poke” and are trying to influence personnel training, including through standards.
Interviewed by Ekaterina Rylko
Not long ago, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation published on its website new project order, which deals with the division of bachelor's degrees into two directions: applied and academic. Each of the areas has its own characteristics, which every applicant should know about in order to choose a suitable training program for themselves.
What is an academic and applied bachelor's degree?
Academic bachelor's degree– This is a traditional direction, focusing on students obtaining basic theoretical knowledge. This form of training involves conducting research work and expanding the existing theoretical base. The academic bachelor's degree is suitable for those students who plan to connect their future life with scientific work and obtain a master's or postgraduate degree.
Applied Bachelor's Degree– a form of education aimed at training professionals in a specific field of activity. Students in this direction master in practice all the main features of their future profession. The goal of this direction is to train qualified personnel who will be trained in all production processes and will be able to start working immediately after graduating from university without an internship.
Why was a new form of bachelor's training created?
As the Ministry of Education and Science explains, the applied bachelor's degree was developed because production requires young specialists who, without work experience, will already be familiar with all production processes. Students in this direction will begin to master the basics of their future profession from the first year, and by the end of their studies they will have a clear understanding of all the features of production.
According to employers, many students who come to work immediately after university are not familiar with production processes and need additional training and internships. The Applied Bachelor's Degree was created to solve this problem.
In the 2013-2014 academic year, the state allocated 3,700 budget places. About 50 Russian universities have already begun training qualified specialists in application program as an experiment.
What is the difference between applied and academic bachelor's degrees?
The most important difference between these two directions is the development of different educational programs. At an academic bachelor's degree, most subjects require students to master a theoretical basis. Special attention is given scientific research and projects. Students are purposefully preparing for future admission to a master's program and conducting ongoing scientific work. Applied subjects in this area make up only 10% of the entire educational program.
At an applied bachelor's degree, most of the subjects studied are of a practical nature. To date, standards and regulations have not yet been developed according to which applied bachelors will be trained. However, it is already known that 50% of the general educational process will take place in practical training or in universities’ own laboratories. Students will also have the opportunity to work with new high-tech equipment.
Some educational institutions have contracts with employers and can send their students to practice with them. Proven students, after receiving their diploma, can get a job with the employer with whom they completed their internship.
Another feature of the applied bachelor's degree is admission through a simplified program. It is expected that by 2018, the passing scores for admission to an academic bachelor's degree will increase, while for the opposite direction they will remain the same. However, each university sets its own USE passing scores.
For the first few semesters, students of both directions will study according to the same program - study compulsory subjects. Then everyone will be able to make an independent, informed choice about which direction is most suitable for them. At this stage, students are divided into academic and applied bachelors.
After four years of study, undergraduate students receive a higher education diploma. After this he has every right apply for a position where it is necessary to have a higher education. Those who have studied at an applied bachelor's degree receive two documents at once: a diploma of higher and professional education. Academic undergraduate students can take exams for admission to a master's program, undergo competitive selection and continue their studies. Applied bachelors will also be able to take part in the competitive selection for admission to the master's program. But to do this, they must have a document confirming their work experience.
The Russian education system is based on the Bologna methodology. If desired, a student can complete a bachelor's, specialist's or master's degree. As part of the bachelor's degree, it is possible to complete an applied or academic form. In this regard, the question arises about what it is and how one form differs from another.
In order to characterize applied and academic bachelor's degrees and their differences, one should understand current system higher education in Russia.
On September 12, 2013, an order of the Ministry of Education and Science was adopted Russian Federation“On approval of lists of specialties and areas of training in higher education.” According to this document The following levels of higher education are distinguished:
- Bachelor's degree lasts 4 years;
- Specialty;
- Master's degree.
Note! Receiving higher education in the Russian Federation is not mandatory. It indicates the acquisition of professional knowledge and skills in the chosen field. Thanks to a diploma of higher education, a graduate can apply for a prestigious job in his current specialty.
In order to enroll in a university for a bachelor's degree, a complete secondary education is sufficient. A certificate of receipt is issued after completing 11 grades at school. A graduate of a college or technical school can also apply for a bachelor's degree. In this case, the period of study at the educational institution is taken into account. At the same time, the study period at the university is reduced to 3 years.
In addition to bachelor's degrees, the Russian education system includes master's and specialty degrees. A bachelor's degree differs from a master's degree and a specialist's degree not only in the number of years of study.
The difference lies in the amount of information provided to the learner. A bachelor's degree is the starting point for enrollment in a specialty or master's degree.
At the same time, a master's degree is required to obtain academic degrees. In accordance with the requirements that were presented to the participants of the Bologna process, the specialist was equated to the qualification of a master. As a result of training, a specialist has the right to receive scientific degree based on the results of writing scientific papers.
Application form
The applied bachelor's degree program is a relatively new type. At the time of its approval, the question of a 3-year or 4-year period of study was decided. As a result of the debate, it was decided to create a training course for 4 years. This time period is considered optimal for obtaining the required academic level of education.
When choosing between these options, future students give preference to the applied form. This is due to the opportunity to find a job without delay after graduation. In the labor market, an applied bachelor's degree has many more advantages than an academic one.
According to current practice, a bachelor does not have a specific qualification. Based on the results of training in the applied form, the student receives an education with a focus on the practical side of the issue. Such organization of the educational process assigns a qualification level to the student.
Important! This is a training program based solely on the principles of practical professional activity.
Based on the results of the educational process, high-level specialists and professional workers are graduated. The difference between a graduate of an applied bachelor's degree lies in his ability to understand the functioning of complex devices, electronic systems and cars.
The practical type, unlike the academic one, allows the student to go into production immediately after graduation. The specialist will not need to complete additional training courses.
His knowledge and skills will be sufficient for successful work and career advancement.
The main thing is than applied view What stands out is the emphasis on the practical aspects of production. This is manifested in the student obtaining applied qualifications in the chosen profession. Such a program creates increased demand from employers.
Among the specialties for which there is training for an applied bachelor, it is customary to highlight the following areas:
- cartographic;
- chemical;
- environmental;
- geoinformatics;
- ship weapons;
- architectural;
- optotechnical;
- advertising;
- materials science;
- management;
- sociological;
- choreographic;
- economic;
- social work;
- informatics;
- document management;
- materials science;
- computer technology.
Within the framework of applied bachelor's degree, there is a question about its equivalence to training in colleges and technical schools. This is due to the 3-3.5 year duration of study at these institutions. Despite the relatively similar period, graduating from a technical school or college does not provide the necessary qualifications.
Useful video: applied bachelor's degree
Academic uniform
This is a curriculum that is based on the formation of a theoretical basis. The theoretical foundation is created in a variety of disciplines within the framework of the training course. There is no practical activity in the academic form. It is understood that the basic skills necessary for successful work will be acquired by the specialist during the internship. An academic bachelor receives practical skills directly at the time of performing his duties.
For the academic type there is a 4-year training period. During this period of time, the bachelor undergoes preparation for. This form serves as a starting point for subsequent admission to the master's program.
Note! The academic program is no different from the applied one. A significant difference lies in the maximum inclusion of applied bachelors in the production process.
Similarities and differences
The common thing that connects academic and applied bachelor's degrees is the length of the educational process. The duration of both forms of education is 4 years.
The similarities include a higher education diploma. In case of successful completion, the graduate is issued a document. It indicates the type of bachelor's degree within which the training was completed.
It is noted that a relatively identical level of specialized knowledge and theoretical information is obtained. For the optimal choice between applied and academic bachelor's degrees, it is necessary to find out their fundamental difference.
Among the significant differences it is customary to highlight:
- Novelty in the emergence of a form of training. The academic version is the traditional form. Application option – relatively the new kind in Russian education.
- The difference in the prevalence of theoretical or practical basis in curriculum. For the academic form, the emphasis on theory is relevant. For the applied option, practical skills are more important.
- Ways to further development as a specialist. Based on the results of the academic form, studying for a master's degree is allowed. Practical education marks the end of the educational process with employment in the specialty.
- Possibility of entering a master's program. The academic form allows you to immediately submit documents for admission to the master's program. After the practical it is required to receive length of service in the chosen specialty, after which master’s studies are permitted.
Note! The main thing that distinguishes applied bachelor's degrees from academic ones is the presence of practical skills, knowledge, and skills. All this is reflected in qualifications and in the possibility of further education to obtain an academic degree.
Useful video: is it worth going to a master's program after a bachelor's degree?
Conclusion
In the Russian education system there are both academic and applied bachelor's degrees. Their difference lies in the amount of theoretical and practical knowledge acquired by students. The choice of form depends on the goals of the future specialist.
In contact with
The needs of modern Russian market The labor market is extremely diverse, but employers agree on one thing: they need highly qualified personnel - from workers to research scientists. In order to focus professional education on solving this problem, the Russian government in 2009 announced an experiment to create an applied bachelor's degree in educational institutions of higher and middle management.
The essence of the applied bachelor's degree is to raise the status of non-university education, equating to higher education some specialties of technical schools and colleges that correspond innovative development economy. “A number of industries and activities have become so complicated that now in some cases it is necessary to train in higher technologies,” Igor Remorenko, director of the Department of State Policy and Legal Regulation in Education of the Ministry of Education and Science, explained the need for the experiment. - If earlier a steelmaker walked with a stick and stirred the molten metal, now he sits at a computer and regulates the welding process using complex technologies. It’s the same with welders.”
Students will study for four years, after which they will receive a diploma of higher education. Tuition is paid for from the federal budget.
The concept for the creation and development of applied bachelor’s degrees, developed at FIRO, states that the qualifications of graduates will correspond to the sixth level of the National Qualifications Framework of the Russian Federation, and they will be unique specialists in the country’s labor market.
According to the plan of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the first two years of the experiment are devoted to the development of appropriate programs and changes to “legitimize this level of education.”
At one time, 125 educational institutions expressed their desire to take part in this promising new business. But only 7 universities and 23 colleges received this honor.
The first and only intake of applicants for applied bachelor's programs took place in 2010. And now the first year of the experiment is coming to an end. What did he show? What conclusions did you come to? Participants in the express survey give their answers to these and some other questions.
- What kind of specialists are trained in applied bachelor's programs at your educational institution?
- How do applied bachelor's programs differ from academic bachelor's and vocational education programs? What advantages do they have?
- What conditions must an educational institution implementing an applied bachelor's degree program meet?
- What did the first year of the experiment show? What conclusions did you come to?
- What challenges did your institution encounter while participating in the experiment? What kind of help and from whom would you like to receive?
1 We have developed an applied bachelor's degree program for the specialty “Power plants, networks and systems.” It assumes that during the training, students will gain knowledge, skills and abilities that will allow them to carry out work on maintenance, operation, repair, adjustment and testing of electrical equipment, organize and ensure the operation of power supply systems for enterprises of any profile. The objects of professional activity of graduates will be power plants, electric power systems and networks, as well as power supply systems in various industries.
2 Applied bachelor's degree - a new level of training. Employers and representatives of the secondary vocational education system proposed its creation. The labor market is not ready to accept a significant portion of graduates from technical schools and colleges, because today their competencies do not meet production requirements. This is one of the reasons for the emergence of an applied bachelor's degree. In addition, technologies in a number of industries are becoming so complex that secondary education is not enough for them. A qualified specialist must not only perform a set of operations, but also good level master theory and practice, understand changes in technology and respond adequately to them. At the same time, he does not need much theoretical knowledge from a university, which means that an applied bachelor’s degree saves time on studying. Applied bachelors are more important for the country, and they, of course, will be in demand on the labor market, unlike managers and lawyers, who are trained in every second university.
In the applied bachelor's program, the volume of practical training of the student (educational and industrial practice, practical classes, laboratory and course work and projects) will be at least 50 percent of the total time allotted for training, and practical training is expected to be carried out directly with employers. An applied bachelor will be able to immediately begin his official duties, because he is focused directly on their implementation. I am convinced that new form training will be more popular than usual.
3 Without the appropriate conditions, we definitely would not have been among the winners. Our college is a very large educational institution, which provides training in 34 basic and 3 specialties. increased levels and 51 programs vocational training. We train accountants, hotel administrators, sales floor cashiers, gas-electric welders, car repair mechanics, plasterers and painters using Knauf technologies, etc. In 2010, we opened a department of distance technologies, where we train 309 people, some of them are students with disabilities. physical capabilities. The resource base also meets modern requirements: 2 educational buildings, an educational hotel, a printing department, 2 workshops with modern equipment, an auto center, a sports complex, 2 dormitories. Created for students with disabilities good conditions, including barrier-free access to buildings.
The experience of the educational institution is widely used in the vocational education system of the region.
Participation in the national project “Education” contributed to the preparation for the experiment. One of the few in Russia, the Novorossiysk College of Construction and Economics has won the competition twice. During the implementation of innovative programs, more than 5 million rubles were spent on equipping electrical power specialties alone. This made it possible to update educational and laboratory equipment and instruments, teaching aids and literature, modernize the entire classroom collection of the electrical engineering department.
The list of purchased equipment was agreed upon with future employers, thanks to which it complies with production requirements. This is evidenced by the expert opinions of leading specialists from specialized enterprises.
The degree of novelty of the educational and methodological support of the disciplines is 100 percent.
Students have access to library collections, educational and methodological complexes in all disciplines of the applied bachelor's degree program, databases on the profile of study, information reference and search systems (Consultant Plus, Tekhnormativ, etc.). Training within the framework of applied bachelor's degree is conducted by teachers with the highest qualification category. A lot of attention is paid to internships and advanced training.
The college was one of the first in the city, and in the region too, to form mechanisms for interaction with the labor market. About 30 leading enterprises of the city are its social partners. Together with them, there is an active search for learning technologies that provide optimal integration of educational and practical activities. The results of this work can significantly increase the mobility of graduates in the labor market.
4 The applied bachelor's degree experiment is being implemented in close cooperation with the South Russian State Technical University (Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute) and employers. Preliminary applications for graduates were received even when the programs were just being compiled. Agreements have been concluded for internships for teachers, practical training for students on the premises and equipment of such well-known enterprises as OJSC Kubanenergo, South-Western Electric Networks, NESK-Electrical Networks, Novorossiysk Electric Networks. It is also planned to attract teachers technical university and leading enterprise specialists for teaching disciplines, management industrial practice, participation in intermediate certification and in the work of the state certification commission.
5 The first year of the experiment is ending. Students enrolled in the applied bachelor's degree program successfully passed winter session, showing a fairly high level of knowledge. But there are certain difficulties associated with conscription into the army. This year 5 students left to serve. Where should these young people study upon their return, since admission to the applied bachelor's degree is carried out once?
All other issues can be resolved. In June we plan to hold a meeting of the coordinating council on the implementation of the main professional educational program of applied bachelor's degree and develop proposals for topical issues concerning experimental problems.
1-5 Our college is one of the largest educational institutions in the system of secondary vocational education, training specialists in the field of high-tech engineering production. Currently, 1,611 people are studying here in 16 specialties.
In 2007, the college created an innovative educational program, which was among the winners of the competition within the framework of the priority national project “Education”. The topic of the program is “Modern secondary vocational education in the field of information technologies to provide life cycle technology of mechanical engineering". Essentially it was modern model interaction between college and social partners, providing for the training of qualified personnel with the necessary set of innovative specialties and specializations. In accordance with this model, the main elements of the college's educational system were radically reorganized: programs, educational and laboratory facilities, specialized workshops. In this new basis Research, development, design and production activities of students and teachers were organized. The idea of creating a system for training specialists capable of solving modern production problems and quickly adapting to the real sector of the economy has been implemented.
In addition, the college has developed, implemented and certified a quality management system (QMS) that meets the requirements international standard ISO 9001:2000. Work in this direction was due to the fact that the base enterprise OJSC Neftekamsk Automobile Plant has an International QMS certificate.
As part of the experiment, the college is implementing a basic professional program in the specialty “Mechanical Engineering Technology”.
When preparing personnel for an applied bachelor's degree program, the integration of vocational education and production is of particular importance. When forming this program, the main types of professional activities contained in the state educational standard were supplemented by two new ones, created jointly with employers. Additional general and professional competencies are also agreed upon with production workers. Employers confirmed with applications the need to train appropriate personnel, indicated the positions that young specialists would occupy, and also guaranteed that they would provide students and graduates with places for educational and industrial practice and subsequent employment.
In agreement with specialists from the Ufa State Aviation University, when forming the main educational program of an applied bachelor's degree, the variable part of the state educational standard of secondary vocational education (50 percent) was used to strengthen the professional theoretical training of students in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard in this area of higher professional education. This significantly distinguishes an applied bachelor's program from an academic one.
The main educational program is implemented by teachers who have a higher education corresponding to the profile of the taught discipline (module) and are systematically engaged in scientific or scientific-methodological activities. For teachers who are responsible for students’ mastery of the professional cycle, experience is a prerequisite practical work at mechanical engineering enterprises. They are trained at the Neftekamsk Automobile Plant under programs created with the participation of enterprise specialists, including representatives of foreign companies Messer, Polimag, Andon, Heisse, Trumpf, Fronius, TransCut.
The approach to selecting training content has changed, since it is specialists and mentors base enterprises identified new types of professional activities and developed a list of professional competencies and modules adequate to the current level of development of technology and technology. Students must master modern methods laser and plasma processing, robotic complexes and automatic lines, high-tech welding, advanced technologies for processing metals on CNC machines, learn to apply energy-saving technologies in the development and serial production of units and components for machines.
It is also planned that leading specialists from base enterprises will take an active part in shaping the topics and content of coursework and theses students will relate them to the innovative requirements of production.
The first year of the experiment revealed the following positive aspects:
- the possibility of effective integration of higher and middle-level institutions while maintaining the independence and uniqueness of secondary vocational education at the federal level;
- active dialogue between the educational community and employers in determining types of professional activities, general and professional competencies;
- the readiness of the engineering and teaching staff of the college to solve assigned problems, the ability to self-improvement.
Problems also appeared:
- lack of a coordinating body to control the progress of the experiment;
- weak normative and methodological support for educational institutions;
- lack of stimulation for experimentation;
- loss of a contingent of students due to conscription into the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the inability to train them in the future under the applied bachelor's degree program;
- unclear mechanism for conducting final state certification together with the university.
1-5 The concept of “applied bachelor’s degree” is relatively new and has not yet been formalized by law, like the experiment itself, announced on August 19, 2009 by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 667 “On conducting an experiment to create an applied bachelor’s degree in educational institutions of secondary vocational and higher professional education "
Judging by the draft concept, the experiment is carried out to solve the following problems:
- not to lose practice orientation when introducing level higher education;
- to exclude excess of the permissible level of costs of employing organizations associated with the further education of graduates;
- to form the focus of educational programs of universities on practice-oriented results and experience in their adaptation to requirements professional standards;
- reduce the time it takes young people to enter the labor market in conditions of the demographic crisis;
- reduce the risk of employment of graduates;
- expand the variability and reduce duplication of educational programs at the levels of secondary and higher professional education.
When designing an experimental program in the specialty “Economics and Accounting (by Industry)”, we took into account that we should not mechanically combine programs developed on the basis of state educational standards HPE and SPO. We took the Federal State Educational Standard for Higher Professional Education (undergraduate) as a basis and included in the program the disciplines that are regulated by it, as well as professional modules aimed at developing the graduate’s readiness to perform certain types professional activities (due to the hours of the variable part). Based on analysis regional market labor and the specifics of the college chose the areas (industries) - construction and housing and communal services. The program was developed taking into account new forms of management and modern trends in these industries.
The applied bachelor's degree program refers to first-level higher professional education programs leading to obtaining professional qualifications.
The fundamental difference between applied bachelor's programs and advanced secondary vocational training programs is the strengthening of theoretical training to the level of higher education. Theoretical training is carried out on the basis of the Kaliningrad State Technical University and by the teaching staff of this university. Qualification, in contrast to an academic degree, is the result of mastering an applied bachelor’s degree program, and its distinctive feature is achieved through the special content of the program. Requirements are determined depending on the needs of the labor market. Currently, the college is actively cooperating with the regional Union of Builders to monitor professional competencies as part of the general monitoring of the experiment.
Experimental programs are being implemented in difficult conditions of the transition to third-generation standards, the absence of a regulatory framework and centralized control of the experiment.
That is why we have to talk about difficulties rather than successes. In some regions, half of the recruited group of 30 people remained, as students were drafted into the ranks Russian Army and are deprived of the opportunity to continue their studies in the applied bachelor's program upon completion of service. The constitutional right to education is being violated.
The package of normative legal documentation regulating the implementation of applied bachelor's degree programs has not been approved. The mechanisms for interaction between participants in the experiment and the financing of the program have not been fully developed; there are a number of legal incidents. If officials are “impenetrable,” this could threaten negative consequences for a student. Remains open question about the form of the diploma, since it is not approved. The applied bachelor's degree program is more expensive than existing bachelor's degree programs. You have to pay for advanced training, program supervision, computerization, additional payments to teachers and much more. Payments are made from extra-budgetary funds of the college. In the future, costs are planned for the examination of programs, CIMs, peer review, publication of literature, etc. In our opinion, it is necessary to provide additional funding for the experiment.
In addition, the general problems that educational institutions in other regions encountered in the first year of the experiment include the following:
- the formal desire of employers to participate in the implementation and monitoring of the program, the formalism of agreements;
- lack of productive mechanisms for interaction between all subjects of the experiment. Thus, we have a number of problems that require immediate solutions.
On April 20-21, an interregional seminar-workshop “Development of mechanisms for implementing applied bachelor’s degree programs” was held at the Technological College No. 14 in Moscow. The discussion showed that the problems listed above are of a general nature. However, the seminar participants unanimously noted that despite the difficulties they encountered during the implementation of the project, applied bachelor's degree has a future. A year of work under experimental conditions significantly increased the level of competence of both teachers and managers. New generation educational materials have been developed, and innovative ones are being tested pedagogical technologies. Approaches to social partnership are changing, the role of the employer in educational process. Educational institution independently determines the trajectory of program implementation. All of the above allows us to hope that the mission of the applied bachelor’s degree will be fulfilled, and the experiment, with appropriate organizational and scientific support, has a good future.
Loading...