translation help

[William Derbyshire]

Dear SEELANGERS,
I am helping a friend translate his academic credentials, and I have come  
across
two terms that have stumped me. Can anyone suggest good translations?
1.) the first has to do with the teaching of foreign as a:    estestvennaya 
spetsial'nost
            Eto chto  takoe??
2.) What would be the American equivalent for:  Vysshaya  Attestatsionnaya 
Kommissiya ?
 
Many thanks in advance.   WWD
 
*************************************************

William W. Derbyshire
Professor Emeritus - Rutgers  University

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