9. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the opportunities to get higher education in the UK?

2. How many universities are there in Great Britain?

3. What are the oldest and most famous British universities?

4. How are modern universities called?

5. British universities are private institutions, aren’t they?

6. What is necessary to be admitted to the university?

7. Is there any dress-code in the universities?

8. Is it free of charge to get higher education in the UK?

9. How long does the course of studies last at the university?

10. What is the general pattern of teaching at the universities?

11. What university degrees can graduates be awarded?

12. When is the doctor of Philosophy degree awarded?

10. Divide the text into parts and entitle each one. Give a short summary of each part.

11. Speak on higher education in Great Britain.

Higher education in the usa

1. Practise the pronunciation of the following words from the text.

Graduation, variety, tuition, ballet, circus, chemistry, major, science, title, successfully, to require, beyond, either, curriculum, assignment.

2. Guess the meaning of the following international words. Consult a dictionary if necessary.

System, category, institution, university, fundamental programme, design business, computer programming, medicine, economics, philosophy, qualification, specialization, public, private, re-commendation, academic,

3. Read and translate the text consulting the vocabulary in case of difficulty.

community college	колледж, в котором учатся студенты, живущие дома, и где учеба дешевле, т.к. часть расходов берут на себя местные органы власти
advanced studies	курс повышенного уровня сложности
associate degree	степень ассоциата, первоначальная ученая степень, присваиваемая после двух лет обучения
scores	баллы
Scholastic Aptitude Test	тест на проверку способностей ученика: экзамен из двух частей, предлагаемый поступающим в университет
major subjects	профилирующие предметы
electives	предметы по выбору, факультативные предметы

After graduation from high school over half of American students enter institutions of higher education. The system of higher education in the USA includes 4 categories of institutions: a community college, a technical training institution, a four-year college and a university. Generally speaking, there is not much difference between these institutions of higher education. Usually, a university is larger than a college – it offers a greater variety of subjects to specialize in. Moreover, a university offers special programmes of advanced studies in addition to fundamental programmes.

The community college is normally financed by the local community. So tuition fees are low in these colleges, that's why about 40 per cent of all American students of higher education study at these colleges. After graduation from such colleges American students get "associate degree" and can start to work or may transfer to four-year colleges or universities (usually to the 3rd year).

The four-year college is not a part of a university. The graduates receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS). There are also small Art Colleges, which grant degrees in specialized fields such as ballet, film-making and even circus performance.

The technical training institution where students may take courses ranging from six months to three-four years, and learn different technical skills, which may include design business, computer programming, accounting, etc. The best-known of them are: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Technological Institute in California.

Most university or college courses last three or four years. Courses in such field as medicine may be even longer. During this period students are studying for a degree in chemistry or economics, for example, as they usually major in some specific field (chemistry, economics, philosophy, computer science, physics etc.). Degree is the title showing qualification when a student completes a university or a college course successfully. After four years of studies students receive a Bachelor`s degree - a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS). Then they may take a postgraduate course for another two years in order to get a Master`s degree – a Master of Art (MA) or a Master of Science (MS). The Doctorate Degree covers many fields of specialization and requires a minimum of three to four years of study beyond the Bachelor’s degree; two to four years of study after the Master’s degree.

Institutions of higher education may be either public or private. The public institutions are financed by state. Some of the best-known private universities are Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

It is not easy to enter a college or a leading university in the United States. Successful applicants at colleges of higher education are usually chosen on the basis of their high-school records which include their class rank, the list of all the courses taken and all the grades received in high school, test results; recommendation from their high-school teachers; the impression they make during interviews at the university, which is in fact a serious examination; scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests.

The academic year is usually nine months, divided into two terms. Studies usually begin in September and end in July. Each college or university has its own curriculum. During one term a student must study 4 or 5 different courses. There are courses that every student has to take in order to receive a degree. These courses or subjects are called major subjects or "majors". At the same time there are subjects which the student may choose himself for his future life. These courses are called 'electives". A student has to earn a certain number of "credits" (about 120) in order to receive a degree. Credits are earned by attending lectures or laboratory classes and completing assignments and examinations.

Students are graded on course work completed, and most colleges and universities use letter grades as follows: A being excellent or outstanding; B means above average; C, average; D, below average; and F, failing. Some schools may also use the “Pass/Fail” grading system in which there are only two possible grades. The student either passes and receives credit for the course or fails and receives no credit.