STUDIES AT MSU
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ACADEMIC YEAR
Academic year at Moscow State University traditionally starts on September 1.
For students enrolled in undergraduate and specialist programs, as well as in some master's programs, the academic year is as follows:
Fall semester: September 1 — January 24
Winter examination session: January 3 — January 24
Winter holidays: January 25 — February 6
Spring semester: February 7 — June 24
Summer examination session: June 1 — June 24
Summer holidays: June 25 — August 31
A test session (pass/fail tests) takes place a week before the graded examination session.
Some master's programs have their own schedule because of the specifics of the study field.
We recommend that you check your study calendar with the coordinators from the International office of your faculty.
For students enrolled in undergraduate and specialist programs, as well as in some master's programs, the academic year is as follows:
Fall semester: September 1 — January 24
Winter examination session: January 3 — January 24
Winter holidays: January 25 — February 6
Spring semester: February 7 — June 24
Summer examination session: June 1 — June 24
Summer holidays: June 25 — August 31
A test session (pass/fail tests) takes place a week before the graded examination session.
Some master's programs have their own schedule because of the specifics of the study field.
We recommend that you check your study calendar with the coordinators from the International office of your faculty.
FORMAT AND SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
Classes are held in the form of lectures, seminars, colloquia, workshops, laboratory practice, consultations, and field practice. Depending on the specifics of the study fields and educational programs at the different faculties, other types of training sessions can be implemented.
The duration of one lesson (lecture, seminar, practical/laboratory lesson, etc.) is 2 academic hours of 45 minutes, that is, 1 hour and 30 minutes. Students call such an activity a "pair" (that is, 2 academic hours in a row). There are breaks between the "pairs".
The academic staff of your faculty will communicate your class schedule to you.
The duration of one lesson (lecture, seminar, practical/laboratory lesson, etc.) is 2 academic hours of 45 minutes, that is, 1 hour and 30 minutes. Students call such an activity a "pair" (that is, 2 academic hours in a row). There are breaks between the "pairs".
The academic staff of your faculty will communicate your class schedule to you.
PROGRESS ASSESSMENT
There are two types of exams — tests ("zachet") and examination. Therefore, there are 2 types of exam sessions — test session and examination session.
During the test session, students take tests. There are two type of tests:
During the examination session, students take exams. The exam is a complex form of checking the student's acquisition of knowledge, abilities and skills, as well as the degree of the student's development of the competencies provided for by the curriculum, with a final grade.
During the test session, students take tests. There are two type of tests:
- Regular tests (pass/fail) — the result of their passing is the mark "passed" or "didn't pass"
- Differentiated tests — tests with a grade.
During the examination session, students take exams. The exam is a complex form of checking the student's acquisition of knowledge, abilities and skills, as well as the degree of the student's development of the competencies provided for by the curriculum, with a final grade.
GRADING SCALE
In the transcripts and educational diplomas issued by Moscow State University, grades are put down on the following scale:
"5" — "excellent"
"4" — "good"
"3" — "satisfactory"
The mark "2" ("unsatisfactory") and the mark "didn't pass" are not entered in the record book. Receiving an unsatisfactory grade for the examination means that you have so-called academic debt. The student can liquidate academic debt by retaking the test/exam no more than two times. Thus, each student has 3 attempts to confirm that they have obtained the competencies provided by the curriculum. In the third attempt, the faculty commission of three teachers is making a decision on the student's grade. Students must retake exams and eliminate the academic debt within two weeks from the beginning of the next semester. The retake schedule is set at the faculty academic office.
"5" — "excellent"
"4" — "good"
"3" — "satisfactory"
The mark "2" ("unsatisfactory") and the mark "didn't pass" are not entered in the record book. Receiving an unsatisfactory grade for the examination means that you have so-called academic debt. The student can liquidate academic debt by retaking the test/exam no more than two times. Thus, each student has 3 attempts to confirm that they have obtained the competencies provided by the curriculum. In the third attempt, the faculty commission of three teachers is making a decision on the student's grade. Students must retake exams and eliminate the academic debt within two weeks from the beginning of the next semester. The retake schedule is set at the faculty academic office.
MSU STUDENT VOCABULARY
- ААВТОМАТ (Eng. 'Automatic grade/credit', the so-called 'Automat'; other equivalents: 'exam waiver', 'home free') – a passing grade given to a student by a lecturer without actual examination, usually because of student's perfect attendance, homework assignments and active participation at seminars and workshops.
АКАДЕМИЧЕСКАЯ ЗАДОЛЖЕННОСТЬ/«ХВОСТ» (Eng. 'Failure') – the fact of having an unsatisfactory mark ('unsatisfactory' or 'fail') for the end-of-course assessments.
«АРГУМЕНТ» (Eng.'Argument') – the name of a bookstore chain located at Moscow State University. One of the stores is situated in В-sector of the Main Building of Moscow State University, addresses of other stores can be found here. - В«ВКР» or «выпускная квалификационная (дипломная) работа» – (Eng. “Graduate qualification work") – independent research work of the graduate student, which confirms the correspondence of the student's qualification with his professional training and is carried out under the guidance of the scientific supervisor.
- ГГЗ is the abbreviated name of the Main Building of Moscow State University (1 Leninskie Gory).
ГУМ (Eng. GUM) is the abbreviated name for the humanities buildings of Moscow State University.
The First GUM is the 1st humanities building of Moscow State University. Located at 1 Leninskie Gory, bldg. 51.
The Second GUM is the 2nd educational building of Moscow State University. Located at 1 Leninskie Gory, bldg. 52.
The Third GUM is the 3rd educational building of Moscow State University. Located at 1 Leninskie Gory, bldg. 46.
The Fourth GUM is 4th educational building of Moscow State University. Located at 1 Leninskie Gory, bldg. 13. - ДДК the abbreviated name for the House of Culture. It is located in the main building of Moscow State University. It is also called the "club part", meaning the entrance to the main building of Moscow State University from the side of Akademika Khokhlova Street (see 'Клубная часть').
- ЗЗАЧЁТ (Eng. 'Credit') is a form of examination within the midterms. Credits can be ordinary (when the result is assed with the mark 'passed' or 'failed') and differentiated (when the result is assed with the graded mark).
ЗАЧЕТНАЯ КНИЖКА (ЗАЧЕТКА) (Eng. 'Academic file') is a document that contains records of the grades received by the student as a result of passing tests, exams and graduation exams, defending theses and graduate works and undergoing practice of all types. The Academic file will be issued to you before the first session. - ИИНСПЕКТОР КУРСА / УЧЕБНОЙ ПРОГРАММЫ (Eng. 'Course/Academic program inspector') – an administrative staff member responsible for organizing the educational process on the course. The inspector manages the dossiers of students, issues academic files for the period of the examination session, organizes students into study groups, monitors attendance, deals with the issues of academic leaves and other aspects of the educational process.
- ККЛУБНАЯ ЧАСТЬ (Eng. 'Club part') – the entrance to the Main Building of Moscow State University from the side of Akademika Khokhlova Street, opposite to the monument to Lomonosov.
КОЛЛОКВИУМ (КОЛЛОК) ('Collock' – short for 'Colloquium') is a form of examination during the academic semester, which is used in some faculties. Within the colloquium individual sections, topics and issues of the course and/or projects and reports of students are addressed.
КУРСАЧ – a term thesis. - ММФК/межфакультетский курс (Eng. IFC or inter-faculty course) — a lecture course of inter-faculty education, which is delivered to students of all faculties by leading professors and teachers of Moscow State University during the semester. One IFC per semester is compulsory for 3rd year undergraduate students, 3rd and 4th year specialist students and 1st year full-time master's degree students. All IFC grades will be indicated on your diploma.
- ННАУЧНИК – a scientific supervisor under the guidance of whom students defend their theses and graduate works.
- ППАРА (Eng. 'Double period') – a class that includes two academic hours of 45 minutes.
ПОСВЯТ – a ceremony of initiation of 1st year freshmen to bachelors. - ССЕССИЯ (Eng. 'Session') – the period when students take tests and exams. There are credit sessions and examination sessions.
СТАРОСТА (Eng. 'Group monitor') – a student selected on each course and in each study group as agreed with the administration of the faculty. The responsibilities of the group monitor include keeping of an attendance register, informing of the educational unit about the absent students, organizing of the textbook supply, timely notifying of classmates about changes in the schedule and ensuring academic discipline in the classroom. - УУЧЕБНАЯ ЧАСТЬ (УЧЕБНЫЙ ОТДЕЛ, УЧЕБКА) (Eng. 'Educational unit/Educational Department of the Faculty') – an office where course inspectors work. Here the current educational issues are addressed and students' examination papers are kept after credits and examinations.
- Ш«ШАЙБА» is a meeting place in the Main Building of Moscow State University between the House of Culture and lift hall, in a room with circular columns.
- Э«ЭКВАТОР» (Eng. 'Mid-term') – a holiday celebrating that the students are already halfway through the whole period of study. If you are a bachelor degree (4 years), then the mid-term is celebrated upon the end of the 2nd year
ЭКЗАМЕН (Eng. 'Exam') is a complex form of knowledge, skills and abilities evaluation and measuring of student's competences set out in the training course program involving giving of the final grade.