Academic system
The Petrozavodsk State Glazunov Conservatoire offers degree programs in the following majors:
- Instrumental Arts (piano , strings, brass and woodwind instruments, percussion, accordion, button accordion),
- Vocal Arts (academic singing, opera),
- Musicology,
- Music Pedagogy,
- Ethnomusicology,
- Composition,
- Conducting, (symphony orchestra, orchestra of folk instruments, academic choir),
- Drama Theatre.
Preparatory Course
One-year Preparatory course is a tailor-made educational program that enables students to get ready for entrance examinations in order to be successfully enrolled for Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree Programs. As per the Russian law the language of instruction for all degree programs is Russian. The Preparatory course contains the number of Russian language lessons required to achieve a certain language level.
Bachelor’s Degree Programs and Specialist’s Degree Programs
The Bachelor’s degree is obtained after 4 years of study and has a work-load of 240 ECTS credits while the Specialist’s Degree can be obtained after 5 years of study and has a workload of 300 ECTS credits. The choice depends on the applicant’s priorities and is based on recommendations of the faculty given after the entrance examinations. Specialist’s Degree is equivalent to the Bachelor’s Degree or the one-tier Master’s Degree in Europe and to the Master’s Degree in China.
Master’s Degree Programs
The Master's degree is obtained after 2 years of study following completion of a Bachelor's degree or a Specialist’s Degree. The workload of the Master's Degree is 120 credits. Important parts of this degree are performance practice and independent research.
Postgraduate Training Programs
Graduates of Specialist’s Degree or Master's Degree can train on assistantships (assistentura-stazhirovka) – the two-year Postgraduate Training Programs in four majors:
- Instrumental Arts (piano , strings, brass and woodwind instruments, accordion, button accordion),
- Vocal Arts,
- Composition,
- Conducting (symphony orchestra, orchestra of folk instruments, academic choir).
Awarding the diploma of completion is based on:
- Approved completion of mandatory courses according to study plan
- Approved independent artistic project (a concert performance)
- Thesis to be defended at the disputation
ECTS credit system
All courses are measured in both academic hours and ECTS credits in accordance with the guidelines from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and within the Bologna Process. The workload for one academic year is equivalent to 60 credits.
Grading scale
| Russian Grade | ECTS Grade | Definition |
| Excellent (Отлично) | A | The student has showed deep comprehension of the subject/outstanding performance |
| Good (Хорошо) | B, C | The student showed good comprehension of the subject/demonstrated a very good or a good performance. |
| Satisfactory (Удовлетворительно) | D, E | The student showed adequate comprehension of the subject/ a satisfactory performance but no more. |
| Non-satisfactory (Неудовлетворительно) | FX, F | The student failed to show sufficient comprehension. Students with non-satisfactory grade are permitted to sit the examination once again. No diploma is given to the student with a non-satisfactory grade in any of the subjects taken. |
| Pass/Fail (Зачет) | No transfer from one grading scale to another | No examination on the subject. The student has fully met the course requirements. |
Junior Academy
Students of 15 years old or above can apply for the four-year Junior Academy Program which provides music education in Instrumental Arts and Choir Conducting. After the completion of the program young musicians become members of orchestras, ensembles and choirs as well as music teachers at schools and children music schools in Russian Federation. The diploma has no equivalents in Europe and is usually obtained by Russian citizens. Most of the Junior Academy alumni continue their education at music institutes or conservatories in Russia and abroad.
