SOVIET ACADEMIC DEGREES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R001300720001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 4, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 28, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 1999/09/10: CIA-RDP83-00423R00,T~(41#2g
Country: USSR
Subject: Soviet Academic Degrees
Place Acquired: - - -
Date Acquired: 1953 and prior
Date of Info: 1953 and prior
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1. The Soviet degrees or titles of "aspirant", "kandidatit and "doktorit, are not com-
parable to the US degrees of "bachelor", "master" and "doctor". Generally speaking,
the Soviet titles are not given in recognition of the accomplishment of a prescribed
course of study, but rather constitute appointments by university faculties of re-
search students who show promise of further progress in a particular field of research.
2. No degree is given following the completion of the usual five year course of under-
graduate work in a Soviet university. Consequently, there is no Soviet degree com-
parable to the US "bachelor" degree. The Soviet "aspirant" is selected by a board
appointed by the Ministry for Higher Education following a course of post-graduate
study in a particular field of endeavor. An "aspirant" receives a monthly stipend
from the government and it is assumed that he will continue his career for the
remainder of his active life.
3. The Soviet "kandidat" was originally a title used in only certain fields of study,
such as law. However, it is now used in all academic fields and is most comparable
to the US "PhD". The student has completed all of his preliminary work in a
specialized field and he is then selected by the same board as a "kandidal", prior
to a final oral examination. A "kandidat" is given a higher monthly stipend than
the "aspirant".
The Soviet "doktor" is, in reality, an honorary designation in recognition of out-
standing research work in academic fields. The degree of honor involved, and its
indication of ability, is dependent to a great extent on the standing of the in-
stitution granting the degree. Many Soviet academic institutions grant these doc-
torate degrees and not all of these institutions are of equal standing in the
academic field. A Soviet "doktor" would be somewhat the equivalent to an established
US "PhD" who shows outstanding promise in his academic field; it is a stamp of
approval on his accomplishments. Oftentimes, however, political and personal in-
fluences are brought to bear so that not all Soviet doctors are of equivalent ac-
complishments.
5. A typical Soviet scientific laboratory is headed by a doctor of science or a professor.
If the doctor of science holds a teaching appointment concurrently with his position
in the institute of which the laboratory forms a part, he is given the title of "pro-
fessor". He will have a number of assistants in his laboratory who are designated as
either senior or junior laboratory workers. The senior worker would correspond roughly
to the ho rooie,d IReie 1aB91A9/$Qr!iCdA 8$e0 t3DDZ20 7 of the
"Master's" level. - end -