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Who is an associate professor, professor, candidate of science? What are academic degrees and their difference from academic titles The title of professor is equal to a doctor of sciences

Continuing the topic raised in the article "Profession, specialty, specialization ... Let's figure it out!", I propose to touch on academic degrees and titles, as well as related positions, in order to better understand these familiar, at first glance, concepts.

Academic degree

A scientific degree is a title that is assigned to an applicant by the scientific community and certifies his competence in a particular scientific field. Most of the CIS countries inherited the system of academic degrees from the USSR (Ukraine is one of them), so today a representative of domestic science can become:

The scientific degree is awarded to the applicant by the authorized state body. In the USSR, it was called VAK (Higher Attestation Commission). As a rule, in the CIS countries the name of this body has not changed. The decision to award the degree of candidate or doctor of sciences is made by the HAC based on the results of the defense of the dissertation (respectively, candidate or doctoral).

The dissertation defense takes place in the scientific specialized council - a community of respected scientists who are engaged in science of a certain subject, and can give a competent assessment of the work of the applicant. As a rule, scientific specialized councils are opened in universities or research institutes so that the personnel working in them can defend themselves "without leaving home." If in your own institution there was no advice on your specialty, you can go to the neighboring one.

PhD

Postgraduate studies are a starting "incubator" for the training of young scientific personnel. As a rule, full-time graduate students become immediately after graduation from the university. You can become a part-time graduate student (or just an applicant) without reference to the date of graduation, but having a diploma of higher education is practically a prerequisite for admission to graduate school.

With a successful combination of circumstances, the main of which is the defense of a candidate's dissertation, a graduate student becomes a candidate of science. Although there are exceptions, and a scientific degree is awarded without defending a dissertation, one can imagine how powerful the contribution of a scientist to science in this case must be.

Candidate of Sciences is the most common scientific degree among the scientific and pedagogical staff of universities and employees of various research institutes. As a rule, a PhD degree entitles you to a small increase in salary (in Ukraine - about 15%), and also opens up prospects for obtaining the position of associate professor (see below) or similar.

Ph.D

A candidate of sciences, who has decided to finally conquer the scientific pedestal, becomes a doctoral candidate. To do this, you can enter a doctoral program, which, theoretically, will allow you to get rid of some job responsibilities (for example, reduce the teaching load at a university). But you can be a doctoral student and "in absentia" - just write a doctoral dissertation without any changes in your work.

It is believed that the degree of Doctor of Science is the highest criterion for the competence and viability of a scientist, therefore the requirements for the preparation of a doctoral dissertation (and its defense) are significantly higher than for a candidate's dissertation. Although in formal terms there are no significant differences between these processes.

Doctor of Science is a much less common academic degree, since not all candidates of science want (strive, can) become doctors. In terms of preferences, a doctoral degree allows a scientist to apply for a professorship (subject to some other conditions), as well as count on a higher salary supplement.

Positions for candidates and doctors of sciences

It is important to understand that an academic degree is not automatically associated with the position held by a scientist. Usually, the “layout” for the positions that scientists occupy at the university (and for which they apply) is as follows.

No position

A graduate student may not have any position and only engage in scientific work at the department. The position is also not needed by a part-time student or applicant.

Assistant

An assistant can be a graduate student or even a Ph.D.

Senior Lecturer

For the position of senior lecturer, former graduate students (who have not become candidates, but have accumulated some experience), or candidates of sciences can work. This position is considered in some way "transitional", when a person without a degree just needs to be morally supported and promoted from assistants.

Assistant professor

As a rule, candidates of sciences work at the positions of associate professor. Sometimes doctors.

Professor

As a rule, professorships are awarded to doctors of sciences. PhDs rarely work as professors (this position is for highly respected scientists).

The real picture of the distribution of posts

It is worth saying that a candidate or doctor of science can apply for any position, but this position is far from always available. In reality, the situation often develops in such a way that candidates work for a long time as assistants or senior lecturers, and doctors of science work as associate professors, since the university does not allocate new staff positions in the departments. This process is highly bureaucratic, and the struggle for "a place in the sun" among scientific and pedagogical workers is a common thing.

There is a widespread practice when, after defending a candidate's dissertation, a position of assistant professor is automatically "opened" for a young scientist. Usually this is the prerogative of the educational institution. But such a temporary position is not permanent, and in order to gain a foothold in this position, a young candidate of sciences should take care of obtaining the academic title of "docent".

Academic title

Academic titles are consonant with some positions from the higher education system, so they are often confused or considered one and the same. An academic title is awarded to a person with a certain academic degree some time after defending a dissertation, if he has fulfilled a number of requirements (for example, he has published a series of scientific papers, written teaching aids, prepared textbooks, etc.).

Assistant professor

The academic title "Associate Professor" is not the position of Associate Professor. As a rule, candidates of sciences are awarded the academic title "associate professor". This title entitles the scientist to heaven O a large increase in salary (in Ukraine it is 15...25%).

Professor

The academic title of "professor" is not a position of a professor. As a rule, the academic title "professor" is awarded to doctors of science. Accordingly, with the receipt of the title of "professor" the salary of a scientist also increases.

I hope that this information shed at least a little light on how the system of state science and education works. Of course, in this system there are many more "intermediate" concepts, positions, titles.

Vitaly Artemov, CEO Dystlab

From the standpoint of statistics, any citizen who works creatively in science has the right to be called a scientist. But do not forget another important truth: "Without a piece of paper you are a bug, but with a piece of paper you are a person." Especially in a society that occupies not the last place in the world in terms of formalism, bureaucracy. So, if you want to be considered a scientist, present a certificate stating that you are a scientist. Such certificates are diplomas and certificates, indicating the presence of an academic degree or title. So, in the beginning it is necessary to sort out these very degrees and titles, the presence of which is confirmed by documented scientific authorities authorized to do so.

In accordance with the legal framework for assessing the qualifications of scientists and the criteria for determining this assessment, provided by the state certification system, the following academic degrees and academic titles have been established in the Russian Federation for scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel of the highest qualification:

· the scientific degree of doctor of science in the field of science according to the nomenclature of specialties of scientists;

· Candidate of science degree in the field of science according to the nomenclature of specialties of scientists.

Doctorate degree is awarded by the Higher Attestation Commission on the basis of a petition from the Dissertation Council, adopted based on the results of a public defense of a dissertation by an applicant with a PhD degree, taking into account the conclusion of the relevant expert council of the Higher Attestation Commission on the compliance of the submitted dissertation with the established criteria.

PhD degree is awarded by the dissertation council based on the results of a public defense of a dissertation by an applicant with a higher professional education.

Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Science should be a scientific qualification work in which, on the basis of the research performed by the author, theoretical provisions have been developed, the totality of which can be qualified as a new major scientific achievement, or a major scientific problem of great socio-cultural or economic importance has been solved, or science-based technical, economic or technological solutions are presented, the introduction of which makes a significant contribution to the development of the country's economy and increase its defense capability.

Thesis for a degree Candidate of Sciences should be a scientific qualification work that contains a solution to a problem that is essential for the relevant branch of knowledge, or scientifically based technical, economic or technological developments that are essential for the economy or ensuring the country's defense capability.

According to Art. 22 of the Federal Law of August 22, 1996 "On Higher and Postgraduate Education" in the Russian Federation, the academic titles of professor and associate professor are established.

The Unified Register of Academic Degrees and Academic Titles, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 30, 2002, established the following academic titles for scientific, technical and scientific workers:

· professors

· associate professor in the department of an educational institution of higher professional and additional professional education;

· professors by specialty according to the nomenclature of specialties of scientific workers;

· associate professor in the specialty according to the nomenclature of specialties of scientists.

According to paragraph 6 of the Regulations on the procedure for conferring academic titles, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 29, 2002, academic title of professor in the department can be awarded to doctors of science who, under an employment contract, fill the positions of a professor, head of a department, dean of a faculty, head of a branch or institute, vice-rector, rector of a university or advanced training institution, if they have published educational, methodological and scientific works, read a course of lectures at high professional level, as well as at the time of submission of attestation documents:

· have at least ten years of experience in scientific and pedagogical work, of which at least five years of pedagogical work in universities or institutions for advanced training;

have trained as academic supervisors or academic advisors, usually at least two students who have been awarded academic degrees.

Academic title of professor in the specialty can be awarded to doctors of sciences who, under an employment contract, fill the positions of a leading researcher, chief researcher, head (head) of a research department (department, sector, laboratory), scientific secretary, deputy director, director in scientific organizations, scientific departments of universities or advanced training institutions and the relevant requirements of clause 11 of the Regulations.

One of the main conditions for conferring the academic title of professor is that the employee has the academic degree of Doctor of Science. However, the academic title of professor in the department can be awarded without defending a doctoral dissertation to candidates of science (as an exception), artists, specialists in physical culture and sports, major specialists who have received international or all-Russian recognition in a particular field of knowledge, if their activities comply with the requirements of paragraph 1 of Art. 6 - 10 Regulations on the procedure for conferring academic titles.

Academic title of associate professor in the department may be awarded to doctors and candidates of sciences who, under an employment contract, fill the positions of associate professor, professor, head of department, dean of a faculty, head of a branch or institute, vice-rector, rector of a university or advanced training institution, if they have published educational, methodological and scientific works, read the course lectures or conduct classes at a high professional level, as well as at the time of submission of attestation documents:

· successfully work in the specified positions during the year;

· have at least five years of experience in scientific and pedagogical work, of which at least three years of pedagogical work in universities or institutions for advanced training;

Academic title of associate professor in the specialty can be assigned to doctors, candidates of sciences, who, under an employment contract, replace the positions of a senior researcher, chief researcher, head (head) of a research department (department, sector, laboratory), scientific secretary, deputy director, director in scientific organizations, scientific divisions universities and institutions for advanced training and the relevant requirements of paragraph 17 of the Regulations of March 29, 2002

Assistant professor, as a minimum, must have a Ph.D. At the same time, if there are conditions specified in paragraphs 13 - 16 of the Regulations on the procedure for conferring academic titles, the academic title of associate professor can be awarded without defending a dissertation, as an exception, to persons with higher education, artists, specialists in physical culture and sports, highly qualified specialists who have received international or all-Russian recognition in a particular field of knowledge.

Thus, academic degrees and titles - a qualification system in science and higher education, which makes it possible to rank scientific and scientific-pedagogical employees at individual stages of an academic career.

An academic degree, like an academic title, guarantees the applicant prestige in the eyes of others, getting a promising job / career advancement and salary increase.

What is an academic degree and academic title

To understand the differences between these two terms, you should familiarize yourself with their main characteristics and definitions.

The award of a scientific degree is carried out after studying according to specially designed programs and successfully defending a dissertation work.

An academic title implies a high level of a position held in a university or other educational institution. It is awarded as a reward for fruitful and long-term labor activity.

Note! Holders of a scientific degree may not associate their main work with teaching, but develop in the chosen scientific field. An academic title, however, does not imply the obligatory presence of a scientific education and is achieved through a personal contribution to the development of a particular educational institution.

Academic degrees in ascending order in Russia

In the Russian Federation, two qualifying academic degrees are awarded - PhD (first) And Doctor of Sciences (second).

PhD

This degree is awarded to the applicant on the basis of postgraduate study or competition. In other countries, the analogue of the "candidate of science" is the degree of Ph.D (in translation - Doctor of Philosophy).

Ph.D

Such a degree can only be obtained by applicants with a PhD in science who have successfully completed doctoral studies and approved by the Council of the Higher Attestation Commission.

Note. It is allowed to become a doctor of sciences not in the main specialty.

Information about academic titles in Russia

There are four types of academic titles - and associate professor in a particular specialty, professor and associate professor in the educational department of the university. To receive the first two titles, the approval of the Higher Attestation Commission (for significant success in research or teaching work) is necessary. The opportunity to work at the department is awarded after a positive decision of representatives of the Ministry of Education (taking into account personal achievements in the position held).

Note! In some educational institutions there is a fifth type of academic title - senior researcher. It is awarded to employees of research institutes and does not oblige them to teach in educational institutions.

How academic degrees are awarded in Russia

To obtain a degree, an applicant must complete four main steps:

successfully complete a bachelor's degree;
pass the competition
defend a master's thesis (the topic is chosen together with the supervisor)
choose the necessary option for further education (postgraduate study, competition)

Postgraduate admission

There are three forms of education: full-time, part-time and distance learning. Paid / free basis - the personal choice of the applicant.

At the full-time department, the applicant for a scientific degree gets access to the library of an educational organization, can participate in various scientific projects and symposiums, and works in tandem with a supervisor on a chosen research topic. In some universities, full-time graduate students are even paid a scholarship and are given a deferment from the army. The average term of study is 3 years.

Correspondence and distance learning is suitable for working graduate students who do not want to spend their own time attending lectures. Trips to the university are carried out twice a year. The duration of study in this case is 5 years.

(full-time, part-time, remote):

submission of an application of the established form
passing three exams (specialty, philosophy of the subject, foreign language)

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Applicant

This way of obtaining a degree or permanently being in a university. The application is suitable for those who want to improve their skills in their chosen specialty and get good career prospects.

How it works:

an applicant for an academic degree is assigned to a specific department of an educational institution
council representatives approve the dissertation topic and select a supervisor
the applicant independently selects and analyzes materials on the subject of research and forms the basis of scientific work in tandem with the curator

Note. The competition does not impose strict time limits compared to postgraduate studies, where 2-3 years are allotted for writing a dissertation.

How to become a PhD

The degree is awarded after passing the "candidate's minimum", the publication of scientific articles in peer-reviewed VAK-editions and the successful defense of the work before the dissertation council of the educational institution.

Candidate minimum

To prepare and defend a dissertation, you should pass it successfully - this is a prerequisite for all applicants. It is one of the important components of certification.

List of candidate exams:

foreign language
philosophy of the subject (in order to obtain admission to the delivery, it is necessary to prepare and submit the appropriate abstract)
profile specialty

Note! Each educational institution puts forward its methodological recommendations for passing the candidate minimum. Often, it consists of two blocks - a standard program (developed by a leading specialized institution) and an additional one (from the corresponding department).

Information about scientific articles

Before defending a Ph.D. thesis, the applicant is obliged to publish a certain number of articles on the subject of research in peer-reviewed VAK-editions (the number of publications depends on the specifics of the subject). The list of publications can be obtained from representatives of the Higher Attestation Commission.

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Degrees

Degrees awarded in different countries vary significantly in terms of 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 established at a university, research institute or other scientific institution. To defend a dissertation for the degree of Doctor, it is currently necessary to have a PhD degree, the defense of a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Science by persons who do not have a candidate degree, in accordance with the current "Regulations on the procedure for awarding academic degrees", is not provided. It should be noted that in this case, the correspondence or affinity of the branches of science and specialties previously obtained (consecutively) of higher education, the degree of candidate of science and the degree of doctor of science is actually not regulated in any way, except for cases of competition for scientific degrees in medical and veterinary sciences, which are possible only if 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 an existing one are recognized as quite acceptable and are not limited in any way by the Higher Attestation Commission: for example, a candidate of economic sciences by engineers (mathematicians, chemists), a doctorate in economic sciences by candidates, for example, technical and physical mathematical sciences, etc. .

In parallel, there are similar degrees of Doctor of Laws, Theology, etc., awarded by an accredited institution of higher education. The degrees of Doctor of Laws (DL), Medicine (DM), Business Administration (DBA), etc., are considered in many countries as part of a professional rather than an academic/research doctoral system, i.e. it is assumed that the holder of such a degree is usually engaged in practice, not science. These degrees also do not require independent research, so a professional doctorate is not usually considered a degree. The assignment of a degree to a professional or research doctorate depends on the country and even on the specific 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 - research. A number of universities in the UK (including Oxford and Cambridge) even include the degree of Doctor of Medicine in the higher doctorate (the approximate equivalent of a Doctor of Science in Russia), requiring 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 have been awarded by orders of the Minister of Education and Science on the proposal of the Higher Attestation Commission. Qualification requirements for applicants for academic titles in the department and in the specialty are somewhat different, for example, to be nominated for the academic title of professor in the department, you must be the author (co-author) of textbooks or study guides, which is not required for the title of professor in the specialty. But a professor in the specialty needs a larger number of people who 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). So, it is allowed to assign the academic title of professor in the department to persons with the degree of Candidate of Sciences, and associate professor - to persons who do not have a degree, but the requirements for them are much stricter than for applicants with the degree of Doctor and Candidate of Sciences, respectively. Special requirements are imposed on applicants for an academic title who are workers of culture and art and have the appropriate honorary titles (People's Artist, Honored Artist, etc.), as well as workers of physical culture and sports who have the title of Honored Coach. In addition, it is allowed to award 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 system in force in Russia and Belarus, in order 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 equated to the title of associate professor in the specialty. Previously (and 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, in contrast to the title of assistant professor.

Until the 1950s in the USSR there was an academic title "senior laboratory assistant".

Before the revolution, in the scientific and educational system of Russia there were academic degrees of a real student, a candidate (more precisely, a university candidate), a master's degree and a doctorate, the academic titles of an adjunct, a private docent, an assistant professor, an adjunct professor, an extraordinary professor, an ordinary professor, an honored professor. This entire hierarchy was completely abolished in 1918 (although some of the listed degrees and titles were abolished in the 19th century). Academic degrees in the Russian Empire gave the right to receive ranks of a certain class (see Table of Ranks).

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

Prior to the implementation of the Bologna recommendations, bachelor's and master's degrees in Russia do not refer to academic degrees, but to 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

The 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 taking a course of study and without taking into account the mandatory requirements (for publications, defense, etc.), but who have achieved great success in business and who gained fame in any field of knowledge (artists, jurisprudence, religious figures, businessmen, writers and poets, artists, etc.). Such people are involved in teaching activities and give lectures in the best universities in many countries of the world. An honorary doctorate degree is not awarded in medicine.

An honorary degree can be awarded and withdrawn.

Non-governmental organizations

Religious organizations can confer PhD (doctor) degrees in theology (or theology), professors and associate professors, etc. Other non-state organizations can also confer various academic degrees and titles, up to and including academician (see Non-State Academies). However, all these degrees and titles are not legally 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 about the possibility of transferring the scientific and qualification powers of the VAK to the academic councils of universities and research institutes (including non-state ones), as is done in many Western countries. Opponents of such a transfer express an opinion about the inevitable devaluation of the system of academic degrees and titles as a result of the loss of state control over the attestation of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel.

Notes

What is a degree

A scientific degree in Russia is a certain degree of qualification of a scientist, a form of attestation of scientists, which makes it possible to establish the ranks of "servants of science" and the sequence of stages of an academic career. To obtain it in the Russian Federation, it is necessary to defend a dissertation for a candidate or doctor of science. In modern times, any researcher knows what academic degrees are and in what gradation they are.

University academic degrees of bachelor and master, borrowed from the European educational system, are not types of academic degrees. These include only Ph.D. and Ph.D. degrees.

Degrees in ascending order

Academic degrees in our country differ from others in terms of types, names, hierarchy, as well as the way scientific degrees are awarded in different countries. For any branches of science and specialties in European countries, a three-level hierarchy of academic career is applied. In ascending order, the elements of its classification are as follows:

Bachelor;
Master;
Ph.D.

The level of "Doctor of Philosophy" does not mean an example of a separate branch of knowledge, but generalizes them as a whole. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy abroad is the highest stage of the academic career of a scientist from the list and is an analogue of the degree of a Russian doctor.

In Russia, scientific degrees are understood as a two-stage gradation of the stages of an academic career. List of species in ascending order of Russian scientific levels:

PhD;
Ph.D.

Conditions for awarding a degree

Currently, the competition for the degree of candidate of science, as well as the degree of doctor of science, is carried out by defending an independently conducted dissertation research by speaking before the dissertation council. It is created under the leadership of the Higher Attestation Commission at a university or other institution. Each dissertation council usually works with no more than three specialties. It consists of at least 19 people, more than half of whom are employees of the institution under which it was created. Only doctors of sciences can be members of the dissertation council.

The defense of a thesis for a candidate or a doctorate does not have to be from the same field in which the applicant has an education, as this is not regulated by a special Regulation governing this activity.

There is no specific list of industries prohibited or allowed for protection, for example, for a candidate of economic sciences. It is possible for him to earn degrees in every industry he chooses. As an example, a graduate of an institute of legal or social sciences in technical specialties can also achieve success and defend a dissertation. In practice, it often happens that a graduate of the Faculty of History becomes a candidate of physical and mathematical sciences and subsequently builds a career as a mathematician or engineer.

A prerequisite is that the author of a dissertation for a degree at any level must provide a diploma of higher professional education.

What is not a degree

The meanings of the concepts of academic degrees and titles differ significantly from each other, although they are often confused. Titles mean the position of a specialist or teacher in a university and other scientific organizations, a qualification level in a career as a researcher. These are associate professor and professor. They are awarded for life for scientific and pedagogical merits to specialists of universities and other organizations specializing in science, according to the documents provided by these organizations.

Participate in the award of academic titles Higher Attestation Commission And Ministry of Education. Only the title of professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences is awarded Russian Academy of Sciences To.

After awarding a certain title, a certificate is issued.

Associate professor and professor are not only academic titles, positions in universities are similarly named, but this is not the same thing. Often, the position of a teacher depends on the type of academic degree. As a rule, a specialist who holds the position of a teacher and has a Ph.D. degree is appointed as an associate professor, and specialists with a doctoral degree most often occupy fairly large positions and are professors. At the same time, teachers who have not yet received such a title can get the position of associate professor or professor. After working in a certain position for some time, they can be nominated for the corresponding rank. It also happens vice versa: an employee with a high rank occupies a lower position.

Degrees in universities

In 2015, the Government of the Russian Federation launched a project, according to which a list of universities was approved that can independently award their own academic degrees. At the moment, it includes about 60 higher educational institutions, which belong to:

National Research Universities;
federal universities;
Universities from the 5-100 program.

These universities must necessarily correspond to the high quality of pedagogical, scientific work and have at least one dissertation council. This means that not all educational institutions have such an opportunity. The first universities included in this list are St. Petersburg State University and Moscow State University (examples of the name are Candidate of Sciences of Moscow State University, Doctor of Sciences of St. Petersburg State University). Bakhtiyor Alimjanov became the first candidate of science at St Petersburg University with a dissertation on history in January 2017. The rest, included in the list, educational institutions can conduct the first defenses only from September of this year.

The successful implementation of this project is necessary to increase the prestige of Russian science among the developed world powers.