Английский язык для аспирантов и соискателей. Минакова Т.В. - 21 стр.

can be a far longer program than four years. In the end you get a M.D., Doctor of
Medicine degree. Medical schools are run by the American Medical Association,
A.M.A. and law schools by the American Bar Association, A.B.A. It’s a three year
program and you get a J.D., Juris Doctor degree.
      Q: And if you go to a graduate school, how many years does it take to get a
master’s and a doctorate?
      A: I think it depends on the program and every program is different. Usually a
master’s is a couple of years and a doctorate is another two or three years. Usually
Ph. D. and master’s programs are in the same place and you simply continue. The
master’s degree is not very important, it’s a step on the way to get a Ph. D. You
simply stay on the same program and continue. But you can change. You can get a
master’s degree in one place and then change schools and get a Ph. D. degree in
another one.
      Q: What do you know about honorary degrees?
      A: I don’t know much about that. But I do know that my college gives honorary
degrees. For example at the graduation ceremony when I got my bachelor’s degree
they awarded some very accomplished elderly man a Doctor of Letters degree. It’s an
honorary degree and it means the institution recognizes that person.
      Q: What is the most important division at an American university?
      A: It’s a department. But you don’t belong to a department. You’re a student and
you have a major. Your major is in one department and usually your advisor is also in
that department. So the department requires certain courses. In order to major you
have to do these certain courses. Perhaps a quarter or a half of your courses are in the
direction of your major department.
      Q: Could you name the positions which are occupied by the university teachers?
      A: O.K. I’ll start with the bottom. A private institution can hire anyone. The
lowest rank is instructor. Actually he teaches anything they need. For instance, you
can have a native speaker who teaches some conversation courses. You hire that
person and he may have no advanced degree whatsoever. I think the assistant
professor is the next highest. Usually when you hire an assistant professor that’s
someone who is likely to be on a tenure track. That’s a lower rank and it’s assumed
you eventually would achieve a higher rank. They do anything, they do whatever the
department decides. An assistant professor usually has a master’s degree. Now when
there are so few university jobs they are usually people who have almost a Ph.D. or
already have a Ph.D., people who are writing their dissertations or are close to a
Ph.D. and it’s assumed they will finish their Ph.D. They couldn’t move you up until
you get your Ph.D. You really have to have it before you get an associate professor or
full professor.
      Q: What is a tenure position?
      A: Each department has some tenure positions which are lifetime positions. It’s
an academic protection. You can’t fire that person. An associate professor who after a
number of years has done his Ph.D. is considered for tenure. Say, there are four
tenure positions and someone is retired and if you’re considered qualified enough you
get tenure. It’s a very long and difficult process because the college or university is

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