Academicians, Hierarchy and Titles in Russian Science

Russian scientific hierarchy is quite different from Western.

In the USA, having graduated from 4 year college, a student receives an undergraduate degree of Bachelor. To obtain a graduate degree, one has to fulfill a separate 2 or more years graduate program to get Master's, Engineer's, or Doctors's diploma.

In Russia, undergraduate education is only emerging. The predominant majority of higher education institutions bypass it and directly provide graduate education.

A student receives his/her graduate degree of "Engineer" or "Specialist with Diploma" having fulfilled 5 or 6 years of studies. In case of MIPT, it takes 6 years. MIPT curriculum is more fundamental and broader than that in any American university. MIPT Diploma exceeds the American MS Degree standards, and, given a formal presentation of a dissertation to the Department Qualification Committee, roughly corresponds to an American PhD from a state university.

The first academic degree in Russia is called "Candidate of Sciences". It is gained after 3 to 5 years in a post-graduate school. The qualification requirements are noticeably higher than in any US state university, with mandatory publications in peer reviewed journals and approval on the Federal government level. This degree may be compared to American PhD in the Assistant Professor position.

There is a second academic degree in Russia, the "Doctor of Sciences". This Degree may be earned by those, who made a substantial contribution to the Science; an American Full Professor may qualify for this degree.

The top of the pyramid are "Academicians". Academicians are of two classes. "Corresponding Members" approximately have the same standing as the members of the American Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, etc. "Full Members" have the same recognition in Russia as the Nobel Prize winners in the West (Russian scientists could not normally compete for this title in the time of the Cold War)