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The Pedagogical Institute of Yaroslavl was founded in 1908. It had three faculties then: History and Philology, Physics and Mathematics, Natural Science. There were only twenty-nine students in the first year of studies. Nowadays the University has become the biggest educational institution.
The University houses seven buildings. The main building is situated in the centre of our city in Respublikanskaya Street. Before becoming an Institute the building was the private residence. This residence was built in 1819 by a rich merchant Alexander Karnowitch. In 1890 because of financial problems his grandchildren sold it to the Eparchial Ministry. Later the authorities established the Eparchial school for women in this building. In 1908 the Eparchial school was transformed into the Pedagogical Institute, the first pedagogical educational establishment in Yaroslavl. In 1946 it was named after the great Russian educationist and scientist K.D. Ushinsky. In 1993 the Institute was given a status of University.
The University has eight faculties. They are as follows: the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Geography, the Faculty of Primary Education, the Faculty of History, the Faculty of Russian Philology and Culture, the Faculty of Foreign Languages, the Faculty of Physical Training, the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology. Six thousand students study at the University.
The period of studies is generally four or five years, it depends on the faculty. The academic year is divided into two terms. At the end of each term students take their oral and written tests and examinations.
The tuition is free and the majority of students get monthly state scholarships and grants. Those students who are not from Yaroslavl may live in the University hostels.
The students have all kinds of well-equipped laboratories, good libraries and reading-halls at their disposal. The laboratories are provided with the most up-to-date equipment. The students make different experiments and carry out research work there.
While at the University students join various clubs and societies, take part in scientific conferences and sport competitions, they also have teaching practice at school. They visit museums, exhibitions, go to the concert hall and drama theatre. In summer after the examinations the students work in children camps.
At the end of the course of studies the students take their graduation exams and get diplomas. After that if they are interested in research work students take a post-graduate course. During three years in the post-graduate course they work on the thesis in order to receive a candidate degree.