Distance learning graduate students are non-correspondence graduate school, but an original form of cooperation between a graduate student and a university. It has a number of specific features and advantages.
Training in full-time or full-time graduate school occurs in almost the same format as in the master's program: presence in classes, teaching, constant contact with the supervisor, there is a state budget and free enrollment. Extramural requires periodic personal presence. Only distance learning allows you to go through the necessary stages of work on a dissertation research in a mode that will be convenient for the future candidate and will not require direct presence at the university.
What is distance learning in graduate school?
Learning on a remote basis assumes that a significant part of the materials is found and processed by the graduate student independently. This is a good way out of a situation where you need to divide your time between work, family or other obligations and writing a dissertation.
The specific course program for distance learning, its duration, the ratio of lecture hours and independent work will depend on the educational institution and the chosen specialization.
Admission
In some universities, for remote admission, a personal visit and communication with a supervisor is required. In others, this can be done via the Internet. For admission on a distance basis, both domestic and foreign university You will need a qualification level diploma of “master” or “specialist” in your chosen specialty.
Study abroad
Postgraduate education at a distance opens up wide opportunities for studying abroad. Many European universities accept a domestic master's degree for admission to graduate school.
How does distance learning work?
The distance learning course for postgraduate students goes through the same basic stages as the full-time course. As part of the course, graduate students must pass 3 candidate exams:
- History and philosophy of science;
- foreign language;
- profile subject.
Candidate exams are preceded by lectures, which for remote learning are recorded in video format or conducted online - the form of delivery is proposed by the teacher in accordance with his vision of the course and approved by the faculty academic council.
The mandatory program also includes publishing articles in scientific journals and speaking at conferences on a topic related to the topic of the dissertation research.
Important stage before the defense – discussion of the research at a meeting of the department (laboratory, scientific council).
This event is also being moved to an online conference and does not require the direct personal presence of a graduate student. Copies for review are sent in advance (at least 2 weeks) to all discussion participants in electronic or paper format.
Advantages and disadvantages compared to full-time
Preparing a candidate's dissertation on a remote basis does not provide a deferment from the army and does not involve a state budget. The advantage of working on a dissertation remotely is that the graduate student can complete courses at their own pace.
Full-time postgraduate study is required teaching practice at least 50 hours per year, and only work with student audiences counts. There are no such requirements for postgraduate students of distance learning.
Distance graduate school does not provide social benefits and the right to a dormitory, unlike full-time one. For full-time postgraduate studies, the state budget and a paid form are provided; at a distance, you can only study in paid postgraduate courses.
Advantages and disadvantages compared to correspondence
For both remote and correspondence postgraduate studies, it is assumed that the future candidate of science does not interrupt his work activity and devotes time free from other responsibilities to his studies. These forms of training are united by the fact that in most cases they are both paid and not budget-funded (which is a minus), but also do not provide for mandatory teaching practice (a plus).
For correspondence postgraduate study, at least 2 years of work experience in your specialty after completing a master's degree is required. There is no such requirement for remote
Postgraduate students of correspondence postgraduate studies are required to appear at the university to attend lectures before candidate exams and discuss their dissertation research before defense. Those who are training remotely can use the Internet to do this.
GRADUATE STUDENT is a person who has a higher professional education and is studying in graduate school and preparing a dissertation for the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences (Law of the Russian Federation “On Higher and Postgraduate Education”).
Having entered graduate school, graduate students are faced with a large number of problems, which for the most part are related to the fact that graduate students do not have a good idea of what exactly they will have to do in the next 3 years. In their psychology, they are still students, accustomed to the university education system - attending lectures, practical classes, taking tests and exams. However, graduate school is an independent form of education, the purpose of which is to learn how to engage in scientific work.
GRADUATE STUDY- the main form of training of scientific, pedagogical and scientific personnel at higher educational institutions or scientific organizations. Such education provides citizens with the opportunity to improve their level of education, scientific and pedagogical qualifications on the basis of higher professional education, confirmed by a specialist or master’s diploma.
GOAL of postgraduate study- prepare a dissertation, receive a positive conclusion when discussing the dissertation at a department meeting and submit it to the Dissertation Council for subsequent defense before the end of the study period. In case of successful defense of the dissertation at the Dissertation Council and its approval by the Higher Attestation Commission of the Russian Federation, the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences is awarded.
The graduate student must independently, or together with the supervisor, determine the current scientific direction, choose a research topic, study literature related to this topic, obtain and process data, compare your results with those already available in science and draw conclusions. The logical conclusion of postgraduate study is the writing and defense of a Ph.D. dissertation. According to the Regulations on the procedure for awarding academic degrees, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 30, 2002 N 74, clause 9:
THESIS for the scientific degree of Candidate of Sciences must be a scientific-qualifying work that contains a solution to a problem that is significant for the relevant branch of knowledge, or sets out scientifically based technical, economic or technological developments that are significant for the economy or ensuring the defense capability of the country.
An applicant for the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences submits a dissertation in the form of a specially prepared manuscript or a published monograph. The dissertation must be written individually and contain a set of new scientific results and provisions put forward by the author for public protection, have internal unity and testify to the author’s personal contribution to science.
The new solutions proposed by the author must be strictly reasoned and critically evaluated in comparison with other known solutions. A dissertation that has applied significance must provide information about the practical use of the scientific results obtained by the author, and a dissertation that has theoretical value, - recommendations for the use of scientific findings.
Distance learning in graduate school allows a candidate for an academic degree to conveniently prepare for writing and defending a dissertation. Ideal for people who do not have time to attend classes.
TOP 5 advantages of distance learning
By enrolling in distance learning for postgraduate studies in pedagogy, law and other areas, the student has the opportunity to take advantage of the following benefits.
- (compared to full-time/correspondence form)
- Possibility to combine graduate studies with other activities (work, etc.)
- A chance to test the feasibility of using some theoretical materials, intended for the dissertation.
- Constant communication with the project supervisor without the need to attend lectures.
- Work on the dissertation is carried out at a convenient time.
Correspondence-distance forms of educational directions
In most distance graduate schools, you have the opportunity to study in a number of popular areas:
- psychology in the form of “all inclusive”;
- economic and information technologies;
- personnel management, management.
Distance learning is not offered by all universities - the list of available faculties can be checked with the management educational organization. Medical specialties are only available in full-time internships.
How to enroll in graduate school remotely
The rules for remote work vary - it depends on the requirements of a particular university (personal acquaintance with the future academic supervisor is desirable, but not necessary). Applicants must have a master's or specialist's diploma in their chosen specialty.
Features of distance learning
The stages of distance postgraduate study are in many ways similar to regular full-time study. It is possible to complete the theoretical course early and proceed directly to the preparation of a candidate/doctoral dissertation.
Regardless of the chosen specialty, students are required to take three exams:
- philosophy and history of science;
- foreign language;
- profile specialty.
To successfully pass the candidate exams, the graduate student is invited to listen to the relevant lectures recorded in video format or watch them online. The form of conducting such classes is chosen by the teacher himself, based on his vision of the course, after which it is approved by the academic council of the department.
Opportunities that graduate students receive through distance learning.
- Attendance at webinars on the specialty/topic of scientific work;
- Using all the features of the electronic library;
- Repeated listening to recordings from symposiums and conferences;
- Consultations with teaching staff at a convenient time.
Distance learning in graduate school does not imply a deferment from the army, accrual of social benefits and the right to live in a hostel.
How to prepare a dissertation remotely
Preparation of a candidate/doctoral dissertation on a remote basis is similar to the procedure in regular graduate school. Timely checking of finished text fragments by the supervisor will significantly speed up the process of writing the work.
The graduate student is allowed to choose a dissertation topic that is at the intersection of two related specialties.
The mandatory preparation program for writing a dissertation includes peer-reviewed publications by the Higher Attestation Commission, as well as regular presentations at online conferences with reports on the research topic.
To check your dissertation for compliance with the basic requirements of the Higher Attestation Commission or GOST, as well as to order the writing of a scientific paper on a specific topic “from scratch,” please contact the specialists of our company.
How to defend a dissertation work remotely
Before defending a candidate’s/doctoral research work, the main provisions of the research are submitted for discussion by representatives of the department (scientific council/laboratory) in the format of an online conference. The personal presence of the author is not required. The minutes of the meeting are drawn up in two versions (electronic, paper) and sent to participants for review two weeks before the expected date of defense.
Defending a dissertation on Skype is a successfully practiced innovation that allows you to gather committee members from different parts of the country and abroad.
Formal attire is required! The serviceability of the equipment on the date of the online defense of the scientific work is entirely the responsibility of the dissertation candidate!
A step-by-step algorithm for defending scientific work remotely.
- Before the defense procedure, the applicant configures the optimal operating mode for Skype, ensuring everything the necessary conditions for online mode. You should check the status of the Internet network, prepare a headset (headphones with a microphone) and turn on the camera.
- You should log into your user account in advance, approximately forty minutes before the start of the meeting. This approach is due to technical reasons associated with minor schedule shifts.
- After activating the profile, it is prohibited to make outgoing calls to the commission account on your own - this will be done by the scientific secretary at the appointed time. The dissertation candidate is required to receive an incoming call on time and prepare identification documents (passport).
- The approximate speaking time of the speaker is no more than 20 minutes (depending on the type of dissertation and its topic). To show the prepared presentation, the graduate student places it on the desktop in advance, then opens the file and turns on the Skype “Screen Sharing” function. If there are difficulties showing the presentation from your own computer, the commission must be provided with a printed version of the document, including attachments to the work (if any).
- The estimated time allocated for additional questions is 15 minutes.
If during a call there is an unexpected loss of the Internet connection, it is possible to postpone the protection to another day. The decision to defend the dissertation is made immediately after the meeting or on the date specified by the scientific secretary.
The Dissertation company provides assistance in writing and checking all types of dissertations in full compliance with the requirements of the Higher Attestation Commission and GOST. Each work receives a lifetime quality guarantee and is accompanied right up to the protection procedure. Clients receive an official agreement by mail, which details all the terms of cooperation. We will be happy to help you!