Lecture
The word “magister” is of Latin origin and therefore has ancient roots. It means “mentor”, “teacher”, “leader”. Translated, the word magister denotes “master of one's craft”. From this word, for example, the term “maestro” was formed, which denotes a great master, a recognised specialist in the field of music.
In ancient Rome, the word “magister” denoted an important official post and corresponded to more than fifty different positions. Thus, the post of ship's captain was called “magister navis”, and the post of cavalry commander “magister equitum”. The Roman state also had a special title, “magister populi”, meaning “teacher of the people”, in the sense of dictator.
In Byzantium, “magister” was the highest title of the service nobility, which could be held only by the most important people in the state.
In the Middle Ages, “magister”, as a special rank, was so honourable that it was bestowed on the heads of secular and church institutions, and the heads of the Teutonic Order, the Order of the Hospitallers and the Order of the Templars held the title of “Grand Master”.
In more recent times, “magister” was the academic degree lower than the doctorate at the philosophy faculties of Western European universities.
In the modern Anglo-American system of higher education, the master's degree occupies an intermediate position between bachelor's and doctoral degrees. It is awarded to persons who have graduated from a university or an equivalent educational institution, who hold a bachelor's academic degree, who have completed an additional course lasting 1-2 years, who have passed special examinations and who have defended a master's thesis. The list and content of the disciplines for the examinations are established by the universities themselves.
In the Russian Empire, the academic degree of master, alongside the academic degrees of candidate and doctor of sciences, was introduced by a special imperial decree in January 1803. This degree was introduced at all university faculties except the medical faculty. It was awarded to persons who had completed the full university course, who had passed special oral examinations in a particular branch of science, and who had publicly defended a dissertation approved by the relevant faculty. Persons who received this degree had the right to head a department.
Starting from the second half of the 19th century, master's dissertations (like doctoral ones) were published in the “Academic Notes” of universities, and their defence was conducted publicly. For the defence of a master's dissertation, two special opponents were usually appointed, as a rule from among the professors of the given faculty. Official opponents could even be faculty members who did not hold a master's degree themselves. The defence was conducted according to a specially developed procedure.
Masters of science in Russia gained the right to the 9th class rank upon entering civil service, could be appointed to the position of extraordinary professor of a university, and could petition for enrolment in hereditary honorary titles. Masters received the same academic insignia as doctors, only silver rather than gold.
Thus, the degree of master held a very high scientific status in Russia, and the master's dissertations themselves were serious scientific works, many of which formed the basis of entire scientific fields.
After the Revolution of 1917, the academic degrees that had existed in Russia up to that time were abolished. Only in 1934 were the academic degrees of candidate and doctor of sciences restored, while the degree of master was not. It was restored in Russia and Ukraine only in 1993.
Comments