Titles at the institute. Academic degrees in ascending order - gradations in Russia

We already wrote once about what types of titles exist, what the structure of titles is and how they are awarded to applicants. Let's talk about the peculiarity of the Russian structure of academic degrees.

Why are they needed at all? This is a system of qualification and ranking of scientific employees, their career ladder, so to speak, signs of achieving certain heights in science and/or teaching. Having a degree can raise your profile and influence pay, even in business enterprises that may be able to boost their business reputation with such employees.

Academic degrees

Nowadays a mixed system has developed in Russia. Of course, the country strives to integrate into the international system, so the Bologna process system was partially introduced, according to which graduates from universities bachelors And masters(4- and 6-year courses, respectively), and partly sataraya remained with certified specialists(5 year course). A bachelor's degree is already evidence of receipt higher education, and also gives the right to obtain a PhD degree.

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

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

• PhD
• Doctor of Science

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

To obtain a candidate's or doctor's degree, it is necessary to defend a dissertation at a meeting of a special council that is created at a university or other scientific institution. However, you can become a doctor only after receiving a candidate's degree. Although there is no prohibition to obtain a higher degree in another branch of science or specialty (for example, a chemist can become a Doctor of Economic Sciences, only for medical and veterinary sciences a higher medical education is required).

Academic titles

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

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

All titles are assigned by orders of the Minister of Education and Science on the recommendation of the Higher Attestation Commission. However, each category has different requirements for obtaining it.

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

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

This is the structure of academic degrees and titles for researchers and specialists according to current Russian legislation. As a rule, students, or rather graduates, who want to obtain a scientific degree, need to take a course, at the end of which they pass the appropriate exams and defend a candidate's dissertation. If your goal is not to enrich the world’s treasury of scientific knowledge, such a degree will still be a big plus and will present you as a specialist with deep theoretical knowledge who will be in demand on the labor market. Many people combine graduate school, writing a dissertation, and working in a commercial organization. This, by the way, relates to the question of why and who needs academic titles and degrees.

Academic degrees

Academic degrees awarded in different countries vary significantly in titles, qualification requirements, award and/or approval procedures.

To obtain the degree of candidate or doctor of science, it is necessary to prepare a dissertation and defend it at a meeting of the dissertation council created at a university, research institute or other scientific institution. To defend a dissertation for a doctorate degree, it is currently necessary to have a candidate of science degree; defense of a dissertation for a doctorate degree is not provided for by persons who do not have a candidate degree, in accordance with the current “Regulations on the procedure for awarding academic degrees”. It should be noted that the correspondence or relatedness of branches of science and specialties previously received (sequentially) of higher education, the degree of Candidate of Sciences and the degree of Doctor of Sciences is in fact not regulated in any way, except in cases of seeking academic degrees in medical and veterinary sciences, which are possible only if you have applicant for higher medical (veterinary) education. In fact, in practice, cases of obtaining a higher degree in a branch of science and a specialty unrelated to the existing one are recognized as quite acceptable and are not in any way limited by the Higher Attestation Commission: for example, a candidate of economic sciences by engineers (mathematicians, chemists), a doctorate of economic sciences by candidates, for example, of technical and physical sciences. mathematical sciences, etc.

In parallel, there are similar degrees of Doctor of Law, Theology, etc., awarded by an accredited institution of higher education. Doctor of Law (DL), Doctor of Medicine (DM), Business Administration (DBA) degrees, etc., are considered in many countries to be part of a professional rather than an academic/research doctorate system, i.e. the holder of such a degree is expected to be engaged in general , practical activity, not science. Obtaining such degrees also does not require independent scientific research, so a professional doctorate is not usually considered an advanced degree. Whether a degree is classified as a professional or research doctorate varies by country and even by university; Thus, in the USA and Canada the degree of Doctor of Medicine is professional, and in Great Britain, Ireland and many countries of the British Commonwealth it is research. A number of UK universities (including Oxford and Cambridge) even include the Doctor of Medicine degree as a higher doctorate (roughly equivalent to the Doctor of Science in Russia), which requires a significant contribution to medical science.

Academic titles

In Russia, academic titles are currently divided into the titles of associate professor (or professor) by specialty And by department. Since 2011, academic titles both in the department and in the specialty are awarded by orders of the Minister of Education and Science on the recommendation of the Higher Attestation Commission. The qualification requirements for applicants for academic titles in the department and in the specialty are somewhat different, for example, to apply for the academic title of professor in the department, you must be the author (co-author) of textbooks or teaching aids, which is not required for the title of professor in the specialty. But a professor in a specialty needs a larger number of people who have defended candidate dissertations under his supervision: for a professor in a department - as a rule, at least two, for a professor in a specialty - as a rule, at least five.

In addition, the requirements differ within each category (professor in the department, associate professor in the department, professor in the specialty, associate professor in the specialty). Thus, it is allowed to assign the academic title of professor in the department to persons who have an academic degree of Candidate of Sciences, and associate professor to persons who do not have an academic degree, but the requirements for them are much stricter than for applicants who have the academic degree of Doctor and Candidate of Sciences, respectively. Special requirements are imposed on applicants for the academic title who are workers in culture and art and have the corresponding honorary titles (People's Artist, Honored Artist, etc.), as well as workers in physical culture and sports who have the title of Honored Trainer. In addition, it is allowed to assign the academic title of professor in the department to major specialists who have received international or Russian recognition in the relevant field of knowledge.

According to the current system in Russia and Belarus, to obtain the academic title of professor it is not necessary to have the academic title of associate professor.

Previous academic degrees and titles

The academic title of senior researcher is currently not awarded in the Russian Federation; it is equivalent to the title of associate professor in the specialty. Previously (and also currently in Ukraine and some other post-Soviet states), the title of senior researcher was awarded to employees of research institutes, and the qualification requirements for applicants for this title did not include teaching work in universities, unlike the title of associate professor.

Until the 1950s in the USSR there was the academic title of “senior laboratory assistant”.

Before the revolution, in the scientific and educational system of Russia there were academic degrees of full student, candidate (more precisely, candidate of the university), master's and doctor, academic titles of adjunct, privat-docent, associate professor, associate professor, extraordinary professor, ordinary professor, emeritus professor. This entire hierarchy was abolished in its entirety in 1918 (although some of the listed degrees and titles were abolished back in the 19th century). Academic degrees in the Russian Empire gave the right to receive ranks of a certain class (see Table of Ranks).

Status of bachelor's and master's degrees in Russia

Before the implementation of the Bologna recommendations, bachelor's and master's degrees in Russia are not considered academic degrees, but qualifications (degrees) of graduates of educational institutions of higher professional education.

Nomenclature of academic degrees

Depending on the specialty in which the dissertation is defended, the applicant is awarded one of the academic degrees.

Honorary degree

An honorary degree of Doctor of Science (Honor Doctor or Honor degree or Doctor honoris causa) is issued by universities, academies or the Ministry of Education without completing a course of study and without taking into account mandatory requirements (for publications, defense, etc.), but who have achieved great success in their work and who have gained fame in any field of knowledge (artists, jurisprudence, religious figures, businessmen, writers and poets, artists, etc.). Such people are attracted to teaching and give lectures at the best universities in many countries around the world. An honorary Doctor of Science degree is not awarded in medicine.

An honorary degree may be awarded or withdrawn.

Non-governmental organizations

Religious organizations can award candidate (doctor) degrees in theological sciences (or theology), assign the titles of professor and associate professor, etc. Other non-governmental organizations can also award various academic degrees and titles, up to academician (see Non-state academies). However, all these degrees and titles are not legally recognized as such in Russia and do not give their holders the rights provided for by the laws of the Russian Federation.

Contemporary discussions

Currently, there is a discussion regarding the possibility of transferring the scientific and qualification powers of the Higher Attestation Commission to the scientific councils of universities and research institutes (including non-state ones), as has been done in many Western countries. Opponents of such a transfer express the opinion of the inevitable devaluation of the system of academic degrees and titles as a result of the loss of state control over the certification of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel.

Notes

Related links

• Website of the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation
• Baleevskikh L.S., Muranov A.I. Domestic history of normative regulation of nomenclatures of specialties of scientific workers in relation to jurisprudence // Jurisprudence. - 2008. - No. 5. - P. 243-259.

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

Who is awarded the title of associate professor?

Being in the position of associate professor at a university does not mean having one, which is assigned by the academic council of a scientific institution (or higher education institution) and approved by the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science. This degree is awarded for life.

Criteria for awarding the position and title “Assistant Professor”:

• the position is assigned to university teachers, who, as a rule, have the title after competitive election by the academic council;
• Research workers are awarded the degree of associate professor in their specialty (previously - “Senior Researcher”);
• Lecturers and teachers of higher educational institutions who have worked for 5 or more years, who have worked for at least one year as an assistant professor and who have scientific works, can also receive this title.

What does an assistant professor do?

Thus, an associate professor is a position at a university or an academic title that can be obtained by lecturers, researchers and persons with an academic degree “Candidate”.

What are his responsibilities?

1. Associate Professor of Sciences conducts methodological and educational work.
2. Supervises students' own studies and scientific research.
3. Gives lectures, conducts classes and introduces their results into the national economy.
4. Prepares scientific and teaching personnel.

Who is a "professor"?

Translated from Latin, “professor” means “teacher.” He is engaged in teaching at universities, conducting scientific research, introducing their results into the national economy, training teaching and scientific personnel, directing students' scientific research and his own studies. Professor is both a title and a position in a higher educational institution. To get the first one you need:

• Have a Doctor of Science degree, own inventions or scientific works. Be selected by competition for the position of “Head of the Department” or successfully work for a year in this position.
• Work as a professor for at least a year, have extensive research and teaching experience, and have your own works.
• Be without any scientific title, with extensive industrial experience. The position may be assigned by the Academic Council on a competitive basis.

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

Research staff and university teachers, as a rule, have an academic degree and academic title. What are the specifics of these regalia?

What is an academic degree?

Under scientific degree It is customary to understand the level of qualification of a representative of the scientific field assigned to him after completing training in special programs. In Russia, two academic degrees have now been established - candidate of sciences and doctor of sciences.

The first is assigned to a person who has successfully completed graduate school and defended his Ph.D. thesis. The degree of Doctor of Science is awarded to a scientist who undergoes doctoral studies, defends a doctoral dissertation, and also receives the approval of the Council of the Higher Attestation Commission.

Only candidates of science can receive a doctorate degree. Moreover, the specialization in which a person studied in graduate school often does not coincide with the one in which he intends to study in doctoral studies. For example, a candidate of economic sciences may well become a doctor of sciences in physics.

What is an academic title?

Under academic title It is customary to understand the level of position of a representative of the scientific field assigned to him in the process of carrying out labor activities at a university or scientific institution. In Russia there are two academic titles - associate professor and professor.

An important nuance - a person can be an associate professor or professor not because he has the corresponding academic title, but because of his position. In turn, a person who has a documented title of associate professor or professor may not hold corresponding positions at the university.

A scientist can receive the title of associate professor (if we talk about its official assignment) for success in research or teaching work. The title of professor can be awarded to a university employee for success in teaching work, as well as in the training of graduate students.

The title of associate professor and professor is confirmed by a special certificate. In practice, a scientist can most often become a professor only if he has experience as an assistant professor.

Comparison

The main difference between an academic degree and an academic title is that a person receives the first regalia based on the results of training in special programs - in graduate school or doctoral studies, and the second - in the process of working at a university or scientific institution.

Moreover, both concepts are closely related in practice: as a rule, scientists with a candidate's degree become associate professors, and doctors of science become professors. Although, if a person achieves outstanding achievements in science, he can receive an academic title without the corresponding degree. But this is a rather rare case.

Having determined what the difference is between an academic degree and an academic title, we will record the main conclusions in the table.

The Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of October 24, 1994 approved the Regulations on the procedure for awarding academic degrees to scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers and assigning academic titles to scientific workers.

In Russia the system is at the moment mixed: partly the new system is used with the graduation of bachelors (4 years) and masters (6 years), partly the old one with the graduation of certified specialists (5 years). The German-style system inherited from the Soviet Union is used, in which there are two degrees:

PhD,

Doctor of Sciences

Currently, the academic degree of both candidate and doctor of sciences is awarded by the dissertation council. However, if to obtain a Candidate of Sciences diploma a positive decision of the council is sufficient, then to obtain a Doctor of Sciences diploma it is also necessary to have a positive opinion of an expert council in the relevant field by the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. Persons to whom academic degrees were awarded in violation of the established procedure may be deprived of these degrees by the Higher Attestation Commission, as a rule, on the basis of petitions from dissertation councils, at the meeting of which the dissertation defense took place.

To obtain a candidate or doctorate degree, it is necessary to prepare a dissertation and defend it at a meeting of the dissertation council created at a university, research institute or other scientific institution. To defend a dissertation for a doctorate degree, it is currently necessary to have a candidate of science degree; defense of a dissertation for a doctorate degree is not provided for by persons who do not have a candidate degree, in accordance with the current “Regulations on the procedure for awarding academic degrees”. It should be noted that the correspondence or relatedness of branches of science and specialties previously received (sequentially) of higher education, the degree of Candidate of Sciences and the degree of Doctor of Science being sought is in fact not regulated in any way, except in cases of seeking academic degrees in medical, veterinary and legal sciences, which are possible only if the applicant has a higher medical, veterinary or legal education, respectively. In fact, in practice, cases of obtaining a higher degree in a branch of science and a specialty unrelated to the existing one are recognized as quite acceptable and are not in any way limited by the Higher Attestation Commission: for example, a candidate of economic sciences by engineers (mathematicians, chemists), a doctorate of economic sciences by candidates, for example, of technical and physical sciences. mathematical sciences, etc.

Until the end of 2013, in the Russian Federation, the academic titles of associate professor in the department and professor in the department in higher educational institutions, associate professor in the specialty and professor in the specialty in research institutions were awarded. The academic titles of associate professor and professor in a specialty were also awarded to persons holding positions as research assistants in higher educational institutions (that is, those engaged mainly in scientific, rather than scientific and pedagogical activities). The academic title of associate professor is usually awarded to candidates of science, and the academic title of professor is usually awarded to doctors of science.

Since December 2013, the academic titles of professor and associate professor have been introduced without indicating “by department” or “by specialty”; previously existing titles are equated to them. At the same time, the procedure for obtaining academic titles is becoming more complicated. Thus, one of the mandatory conditions for conferring the academic title of professor is now having held the academic title of associate professor for at least three years. Previously, the academic title of professor could be assigned to persons who previously did not have an academic title at all.

Academic titles both in the department and in the specialty were awarded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, based on the conclusion of the Higher Attestation Commission. The academic title of senior researcher is currently not awarded in the Russian Federation; it is equivalent to the title of associate professor in the specialty. Until 2006, in the Russian Federation (and also currently in Ukraine and some other post-Soviet states), the title of senior researcher was awarded to employees of research institutes, and the qualification requirements for applicants for this title did not include teaching work in universities, unlike title of associate professor.

The academic titles of associate professor and professor (as well as senior researcher and others listed below) should not be confused with positions in universities and research institutes that have similar names. As a rule, an academic title is awarded after a certain time of work in the corresponding position (if a number of other necessary conditions are met), however, the title is assigned for life and is retained by its holder even when changing position, place of work, or after retirement. For example, a teacher who has the academic title of associate professor can hold the position of professor, a professor by title can work as a dean or senior researcher, etc.

The presence of an academic title (as well as an academic degree) gives the right to a statutory increase in official salaries (rates) for employees of a number of federal law enforcement agencies and for contract military personnel (10% for the title of associate professor, 25% for the title of professor), for employees of the prosecutor's office ( 5% and 10%, respectively).