A.V. Kozachek
Tambov State Technical University
(Russia, Tambov)
Degrees of
vocational training
of the
engineer-ecologist
within Bologna
agreements
Task
statement. In Russia of degrees
"bachelor" and "master" is considered introduction one of
the main tasks and one of the most important achievements of modern Russian
educational system. However, by 2010 absence of unity of opinions concerning
the purposes, tasks and essence of a bachelor degree and a magistracy in the
Russian higher education institutions, as within the country, and in comparison
with provisions of Bologna agreements is available. In various higher education
institutions (pedagogical, natural-science, technical and others) in practice
opposite approaches to creation of system of vocational training within a
bachelor degree and a magistracy, including are realized often at the
organization of vocational training of the engineer-ecologist.
"Bachelor" and
"master" and in regulations of the Russian Federation in the field of
education is not observed uniform identification of degrees. Former (on
one of the previous editions of the law «About the higher and postgraduate
professional education») the Russian structure of qualifications included
system «the bachelor (4 years) or the expert (5 years) → the master (2
years)». On new edition of the specified law in the first paragraph of h. 2
Art. 6 are specified «the higher education confirmed by assignment to the
person, successfully passed total certification, qualifications (degree)
"bachelor" - a bachelor degree», and in the second paragraph - «the
higher education confirmed by assignment to the person, successfully passed
total certification, qualifications (degree) «specialist» or qualifications
(degree) "master" - preparation of the expert or a magistracy» [4].
Thus, the law actually equated a magistracy and a specialitet, having put them
above and separately from a bachelor degree that was expressed in a new formula
«the bachelor (4 years) → the master (2 years) or the expert (1 year)».
It is interesting that the order of
the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation from January
25, 2010 of No. 63 [5] of degree «specialist» and "bachelor" were
incorporated in only baccalaureate degrees and are numbered according to the
new list of the directions of preparation of the bachelors, approved earlier
order [6]. Thus, «specialist» and "bachelor" indirectly were
recognized by this document of degree equivalent each other. However as a
result it turns out that these the Federal law and the order of the Ministry contradict
each other at definition of the status of the bachelor.
In this regard we consider necessary
in detail to stop on the theoretical identification of degrees based directly
on provisions of Bologna agreements. It will allow to construct to provide
their correlation with qualifications and the degrees of the engineer-ecologist
accepted in the Russian Federation.
Theoretical
identification of degree "bachelor". In
the Sorbonne declaration of 1998 [10] it is declared that the international
recognition of baccalaureate degree is important for the subsequent work on
creation of uniform European educational space. The Bologna declaration of
1999 [20] notes that the degree awarded after the first cycle of training
(bachelor) will be demanded on a labor market as qualification of an
appropriate level, that is actually the bachelor is the competent expert.
The Salamanca convention [16] specifies that the first degree should deduce the
graduate or to possible employment on a labor market, or to be peculiar
"step" in a magistracy. In other words, the bachelor should become
competent of the area and or work, for example, at the enterprise on the
corresponding position of the expert, or use the knowledge when training in a
magistracy.
On specially devoted to degree of
the bachelor a seminar in Helsinki (Finland) advantages of introduction of a
step of a bachelor degree [7] on January 16-17, 2001 were defined. In
particular, at a seminar it was noted that qualitative and effective
baccalaureate programs and standards at the same time and facilitate
employment of graduates on a labor market, and reduce the general time
of study of the student, promoting, thus, more to his fast exit to a labor
market. According to opinion of participants of a seminar, for receiving
degree of the bachelor it is necessary to receive in the course of study from
180 to 240 credits of ECTS. Degrees of the bachelor are offered to be
received both at classical universities, and in professionally focused higher
education institutions. At Conference of ministers of the higher education in
Berlin [15] situation according to which it is necessary to study and realize possibility
of merge of the reduced course of the higher education with the first level
of Bologna system of degrees - a bachelor degree was entered.
It is very interesting that at these
summits it was directly defined that the bachelor degree should not be
considered only as an intermediate step in longer training, necessary for
receiving degree of the master. The bachelor degree is the independent
level of training allowing the student to choose the real profession. Therefore
the bachelor degree should be focused on concrete professions and the fast
introduction on a labor market, and all its training programs should include
instilling in the student of the key skills necessary for implementation of
professional activity.
During Bologna reforms attempts to
divide degree of the bachelor on three look also were observed: the general,
professional (for example, engineering, architectural) and research. This
process was characteristic till 2001, first of all, for universities of
Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland and Switzerland. However so far Bologna
top-level agreements defined that degree of the bachelor should be uniform
as it is degree of the qualified expert for a labor market, but thus in
educational process it is necessary to provide a variety, equitable
distribution of the credits and a combination of the general,
professional and research modules equal in rights. As it is declared in the
report of «the Tendency of II», degree of the bachelor should differ a
versatility and include both wide base preparation, and necessary skills in
professional areas both scientific and academic specializations [12].
Besides, in the Sorbonne declaration
of 1998 it is noted that the students who are training on a bachelor degree,
should have choice possibility between various diversified educational
programs [10]. At a seminar in Helsinki (Finland) on January 16-17, 2001
[7] it was officially declared that the baccalaureate programs, differing
should be offered students by big individual flexibility. Thus
distinction in baccalaureate programs should consider national variety,
variety of individual and academic requirements, variety of requirements of a
labor market, and baccalaureate programs should have various orientation
and various profiles.
Thus, Bologna agreements accurately
defined need of development of baccalaureate educational programs and standards
not for a certain uniform "average" bachelor with the general
knowledge and competences which only then, in a magistracy, will receive
professional specialization, and for various, baccalaureate
professional specializations. Official documents of Bologna Process
define a bachelor degree as a full and independent step of the higher
education, and the bachelor - as the expert, ready to compete on a labor
market, to work in the specialty and successfully to carry out the professional
activity. Within a bachelor degree professional and research modules
should is equal in rights to be combined.
Degree of
"master" in system of Bologna degrees. At
Total conference of Bologna Process concerning scientific degrees of master
level in Helsinki (Finland) on March 14-15, 2003 [2] it is defined that for
receiving degree of the master it is necessary for student to gather 60-120
credits. Obligatory identical duration and contents of master
programs in different higher education institutions thus are not. Bologna
agreements note that master educational programs and standards as well as
baccalaureate, should have various orientation and different profiles,
considering, thus, variety of individual and university requirements and
requirements of a labor market. As to essence of the concept
"master", here the analysis of Bologna agreements carried out by us
allowed to allocate two official approaches (unlike a bachelor degree).
The first approach (we will
designate its "scientific") is defined in the Sorbonne declaration of
1998 [10] where it is noted that in master and doctor's programs the accent
should be made for research and independent work of the
student. Further this thesis repeats in many Bologna documents. Thus, here
the owner of degree of the master is represented, first of all, as the
scientist-researcher. Such master, for example, in France is called as
"the master focused on scientific work» [9]. Therefore degree
"master" in some countries is appropriated often only after
dissertation writing. Therefore, here it is possible to define degree of the
master as focused on scientific work (research).
The second approach (we will call it
"professional") gained official recognition of conference of Bologna
Process concerning scientific degrees of master level in Helsinki (Finland) on
March 14-15, 2003. In documents of conference it is noted that after training
in a magistracy graduates should be characterized by so high level of
knowledge and understanding of the phenomena and so high level of skill
(we will remind, "master" in a translation from Latin means
"master") that the knowledge received at training in a whole can
synthesize, to solve complex practical challenges, independently to formulate
new judgments and (rather interesting situation) to be able to explain
and prove the conclusions as to experts in this area, and to nonspecialists
[2].
Thus, here the master appears not
simply as the expert and as the highly professional, highly competent expert,
capable to adapt to changing conditions of professional activity, to apply
knowledge earlier received in higher education institution in a new
professional situation. So in France the Ministry of Education, technologies
and researches at official level defined the name of such master in quality
«professionally focused master» [9].
Many Austrian and British
universities appropriate «master» degrees, for example, MAS (Master
of Advanced Studies - the Master of the advanced level) or MVA (Master
of Business Administration - the Master of business administration).
Degrees of "master" are postdegree and are focused on
professional activity [13]. Besides, in the report "Trends I"
existence in Great Britain theoretical master programs with term of training of
12 months and research master programs with longer terms of training [11] is
noted. Therefore, here it is possible to speak about real assignment professional
to the focused degree of the master.
As option, for determination of
distinctions between the different directions of training of masters the
European fund of development of management (EFMD) it is accepted to
allocate the offer three main categories of master degrees: universal degree of
the master of sciences (M.Sc) in the field of management, specialized
degrees of the master in concrete areas, the master of business administration (MBA)
with experience [12]. Also offers the D. McGrow within Bologna system for
engineering education to allocate two types of degrees of masters: scientific
and research. In his opinion, the bachelors arrived and trained in an
engineering magistracy, receive a scientific degree of the master,
should correspond to "the highest standards of engineering education». The
bachelors having high achievements, also can arrive in a research magistracy
and upon termination of training to receive research degree of the master
[3].
Thus, the analysis carried out by us
allows to draw a conclusion, as official documents of Bologna Process, both
scientific community, and professional (management, engineering and others)
public organizations declare need to enter division of degree of the master
into two look: professional (for example, MBA, masters of engineering
sciences etc.) and research.
Place of doctor's degree
as higher education level. Most substantially, in
our opinion, the essence of doctoral studies is allocated in the Declaration
Glasgow of 2005 [18] where as a rod element of doctoral studies receiving
new knowledge by a way of carrying out scientific researches and, at the
same time, compliance of process of preparation of the doctor to labor
market requirements is specified. The doctoral candidate is thus considered
at the same time both as the scientist-researcher, and as the student. In the
Bergen communique [19] proves to be true that a basis of doctoral studies is receiving
new knowledge at the expense of original scientific researches, and the
doctoral candidate also is considered as the student. At this communique
suggests to enter into contents of doctor's programs interdisciplinary
courses and to provide formation at doctoral candidates of the skills
transformed in compliance with requirements of a labor market. Thus, the
traditional status of doctoral studies as structures of scientific researches
and development within Bologna system remains, being supplemented with the
status of educational (third) level, and doctoral candidates become at the same
time both scientists, and students.
The declaration Glasgow and the
Bergen communique also defined training term in doctoral studies approximately
within 3-4 years at a full employment. Thus, in the report «Bologna 2009» is
allocated with eyes of students such unresolved while doctoral studies problem,
as discrepancy of the contents of doctor's programs to Bologna agreements in
many countries [8].
Generally in Bologna documents it is
a question of doctoral studies as about a research step. However, in Great
Britain, the Netherlands and some other countries within additional vocational
training degree of "Doctor of Business Administration" (DBA)
by an example of the USA with a view of giving of higher status to the persons
which have passed the course "Master of Business Administration"
(MBA) was entered and wishing to be improved in management of business
processes further. This degree means not so much scientific researches in the
field of management, how many increase of competence of managing directors by
firms and corporations. Though this degree officially is not a part of the
third level (cycle) of Bologna degrees, it, nevertheless, uses a certain
popularity, both in the market of educational services, and in the market of
professional work. Besides, as it is noted in the report "Trends I",
in the USA, whose educational system was followed as an example for Bologna
reforms, vocational training, for example, on medicine and law will be
organized with assignment of degrees «the doctor of medicine» (M.D) and "Doctor
of Law" (J.D) being not research, but special (professional) [11].
Therefore we suggest to consider that Bologna degree "doctor", also
as well as degree "master", has two types: professional (for example,
DBA) and research (for example, PhD), and research degree
corresponds to the Russian degree "candidate of science".
As to the Russian degree
"doctor of science", that, in our opinion, its analog is applied in some
countries of Europe the second (highest) doctor's degree, or so-called «Habilitation»
(for example, «Doctor Habilitation» in Austria and Germany, «PhD
Habillitation» in Denmark and Iceland, «Dphil (Habilitation)» in
Great Britain [1, 12, 13]), differently «Full Doctor» («the stout
doctor»). This degree is scientific focused. As professionally focused highest
doctor's degree in Europe and the USA so far does not exist, we offer instead
of it at this qualifying level to designate the degree (qualification) received
by the specialist of the enterprise after passing of professional retraining
and professional development - «Qualification Upgrade».
Primary and secondary
professional education in Bologna Process.
During Bologna reforms in the countries of Europe level of "short"
(«short») of professional education was entered. It is obvious that
introduction of this level of training is dictated by the following
requirements:
1) need to build in structure of
professional education the applied qualifications appropriated by higher
education institutions (especially technical) and granting the right to
low-qualified or highly specialized work on a labor market; such qualifications
are appropriated after 1-2 years of training in many countries of Europe, for
example, to qualification of "Philosophicum" in Norway, «Brevet
de Technicien Supérieur» in France and other countries;
2) need to provide recognition of
diplomas about primary and secondary professional education and the similar
qualifications appropriated by colleges and various preuniversity courses, and
their integration into uniform European space of the higher education.
For implementation of these
requirements in 2001 the expert of the European association of universities M. O’Mahony
was offered to enter the concept "subdegree" which is meant as
training within about 1-2 years or 60-120 credits of ECTS with
assignment to the graduate of the special certificate or the diploma about such
training [14]. In 2004 level "subdegree" under designation of
"Short Cycle" was entered and into the Dublin descriptors where the structure and the
content of knowledge and competences [17] were developed for it.
Total structure of
Bologna extents of professional education. Now, on the basis of the analysis of essence of degrees
carried out by us we suggest to make the structure of degrees including the
following levels and types of degrees:
1) short level
- Subdegree (subdegree), for example, Diploma Universitario, Philosophicum,
Higher National Diploma, Brevet de Technicien Supérieur
etc.;
2) the first
level - Bachelor (bachelor), for example, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor
of Science, Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor
of Engineering etc.;
3) the
second level - includes two types of degrees:
- Professionally-Oriented
Master (professionally focused master), for example, Master of Arts,
Master of Business Administration;
- Research-Oriented
Master (the master focused on scientific work), for example, by Master
of Philosophy, Master of Science;
4) the third
level - includes two types of degrees:
- Professionally-Oriented
Doctor (professionally focused doctor), for example, Doctor of Arts,
Doctor of Business Administration;
- Research-Oriented
Doctor (the doctor focused on scientific work), for example, by Doctor
of Philosophy, Doctor of Science;
5) the
fourth level - includes two types of degrees:
- the
professionally focused - Qualification Upgrade (professional retraining
and professional development of the employee of the enterprise);
- the
scientifically focused - Habilitation (the highest doctor), for example, Doctor Habilitation, PhD
Habillitation, Dphil (Habilitation).
The terms specified «professionally
focused master» («Professionally-Oriented Master») and «the master
focused on scientific work» are offered for the first time («Research-Oriented
Master») in 2003 by the Ministry of Education, technologies and researches
of France in the report on a course of Bologna reform in the country [9]. Terms
«professionally focused doctor» («Professionally-Oriented Doctor») and
«the doctor focused on scientific work» are offered («Research-Oriented
Doctor») by us by analogy to the French terms designating types of masters.
Conclusions. Thus, the theoretical analysis of Bologna agreements carried out by us
allowed to realize identification of Bologna degrees. It allowed to construct
structure of Bologna degrees and to correlate them with qualifications and the
degrees accepted in the Russian Federation. The matrix developed by us also
allows to understand structure and essence of Bologna degrees of an average and
higher education depending on level (cycle) of training and type of future work
of graduates (professional or research).
In particular, in system of
vocational training of Russia in the conditions of Bologna Process it is
necessary to identify degree "bachelor" as equivalent earlier
existing degree «specialist». As to degree "master", we suggest to
consider it adequate to higher, than «specialist», to level of professional
competence of the graduate, allowing right after higher education institution
to occupy and carry out activity on higher and responsible positions.
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