The moscow state university

There are three types of higher educational institutions: universities, polytechnical institutes and specialized institutes. At all the institutes there are full-time, part-time and external students. Part-time or evening and correspondence or extra-mural departments are set up for those who want to combine work and learning. Correspondence training demands great effort from the external students. Part-time students attend classes in the evening.

The universities train research workers in the Humanities and in the Sciences. Teachers are also trained in the universities. The universities offer a four- or five-year course of study and have many faculties.

The Moscow State University (MSU), known as the Lomonosov University, was founded in 1755. The old building of the University stands in the centre of the city not far from the Kremlin in Mokhovaya Street. Many famous people studied and graduated from the University. The MSU is considered to be a real Palace of Science in Sparrow Hills. The different faculties of the University operate in its numerous buildings. They are the Humanities – philology, history, economics, philosophy, law and journalism and the natural sciences faculties – of biology, chemistry, physics etc.

There is a great number of rooms of different kinds, thousands of laboratories equipped with modern apparatus of advanced design. An observatory for astronomers is housed in one of the buildings. They have set up a botanical garden and different experimental plots, a dendrarium and a nursary for the biologists where they carry out various experiments on changing the nature of plants. The University library has a special conveyer system so that the students can get a book in some minutes.

The University’s main building is a 32-storeyed building of 780 feet high. It has some wings of 18 and 12 storeys. The 12-storeyed wings (and some other buildings) are used as the hostels for students, post-graduates and some of the teachers. In front of the building there is an enormous square with shrubs, flower beds, a fountain and a statue of M. Lomonosov whom the University is named after. The University provides the best conditions for scientific research. Research work carried out in its laboratories and its experimental stations helps to solve the problems on the national economy. The MSU plays an important part in developing Russian science and culture.

The moscow teachers’ training state university

The Moscow Teachers’ Training State University is one of the most popular educational establishments in Russia. Every year a lot of applicants come to this University seeking for admission. Early in September those who were lucky to pass entrance exams and to be enrolled in the first year get together to be initiated into students. These are the words addressed to them on this occasion:

“Dear friends. We are happy to have you here at our University. You have entered it, so first of all accept my congratulations. I believe you would like to learn something about the University you are going to study at. Let me first tell you a few words about its history. The Moscow Teachers’ Training State University is one of the oldest higher educational institutions of our country. Its history dates back from November 1, 1872 when the Moscow Higher Women’s Courses were organized and it was the beginning of higher education for women.

Many well-known progressive scientists lectured there. They were Sternberg, Schmidt, Timiryazev, Reformatsky, Fortunatov, Vernadsky, Sechenov and others. The courses gave our country 20,000 talented women-teachers. After the Revolution (October, 16 1918) the Courses were transformed into the Second Moscow State University and later (in 1921) a new faculty appeared – the Pedagogical faculty.

In April 1930 the pedagogical faculty was reorganized into the Moscow State Teachers’ Training Institute which became the greatest scientific centre of methodical and pedagogical activities in the Soviet Union. You know that our University was named after V.I. Lenin not only because the great leader made a speech in its main building but also for the merits in preparing teachers. For the great contribution to the field of education the Institute was awarded two orders.

On the first of August in 1990 the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute became the Moscow Teachers’ Training State University, and in February of 2015 it was decided that our University was going to be united with the Moscow Sholokhov State Humanitarian University.

Now a few words about the course of training, faculties and other things the first-year students are usually interested in. There are 8 departments (institutions) and 4 faculties in our University which train more than 14000 students of day and evening departments in many different specialities. Our Institute trains teachers for primary and secondary schools in different subjects: physics, mathematics, history, the Russian language and literature, geography, biology, drawing, music and so on. It also trains teachers for nursery and boarding schools and special schools for handicapped children.

The curriculum consists of the subjects the students specialize in, social subjects and physical training. Professional training includes educational subjects – psychology, history of education and pedagogics. All the students study foreign languages. Students are to attend different lectures and seminars. Student’s practical work is given much attention to at our Institute and students give lessons at primary and secondary schools and work in different children and youth centres. There is also a students’ research society at the University stimulating their creative thinking and scientific work.

The University course lasts four or five years. An academic year is divided into three terms each ending in an examination session. Those who pass the exams successfully get a scholarship. On graduating the students receive diplomas which give them the right to teach at school. Well, I suppose, this is briefly what you should know about the Institute now. I hope you’ll enjoy studying here and let me wish you success in all your activities.”