Get an orientation about the structure of the higher education system in the country of your choice. Understand how universities and their levels are organised.
Structure |
Higher education is established on a binary scheme: university education and non-university education. University education offers long-cycle education only. The non-university higher education institutions are: Hautes Ecoles; Instituts supérieurs d'architecture; and Ecoles supérieures des Arts. The Hautes Ecoles and Ecoles supérieures des Arts can offer both long and short cycle studies. The Instituts supérieurs d'Architecture offer long cycle studies only. The short cycle of non-university education offers technical training leading to a professional qualification in a specific field. The long cycle of both non-university and university educations provides general, theoritical and scientific studies at the undergraduate level that lead to graduate specialized studies at the end of which students have to present and defend a personal work (short thesis for example). |
Stages |
Non-university level (S0)
Hautes Ecoles: Higher education at Hautes Ecoles comprises eight fields: Agronomy; Arts; Economics; Paramedical fields; Pedagogy; Social studies; Technology; and Translation and Interpretation. It offers both short and long cycle studies. The long cycle is at university level. The short cycle is organized in one professional cycle and confers the title of Bachelier. It includes from 180 to 240 ECTS credits to be obtained in 3 to 4 years' study (midwifery). The courses are both practical and theoritical. At the end of this single cycle, specialized studies are offered in some fields and lead to the Grade de Spécialisation after one year's study.
Ecoles supérieures des Arts: Higher education in Ecoles supérieures des Arts comprises four fields: Plastic Arts; Music; Theatre; and Performing Arts and Communication and Broadcasting techniques. It offers short and long cycle studies. The long cycle is at university level. The short cycle is organized in one professional cycle (3 years) and confers the title of Bachelier.
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University level first stage (S1)
: Bachelier
The first stage of university level studies is offered at Universities, Hautes Ecoles, Instituts supérieurs d'architecture, and Ecoles supérieures des Arts. It leads to the title of Bachelier after three years' study and 180 ECTS credits.
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University level second stage (S2)
: Master; médecin; médecin vétérinaire
The second stage of university-level studies is offered at Universities, Hautes Ecoles, Instituts supérieurs d'architecture, and Ecoles supérieures des Arts. It leads to the title of Master after one or two years' study and 60 or 120 ECTS credits; of Médecin after four years' study and 240 ECTS credits; and of Médecin vétérinaire after three years' study and 180 ECTS credits..
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University level third stage (S3)
: DES, DEA, Doctorat
The third stage of university-level studies is offered at universities. At present, it comprises: doctoral training in one year and 60 ECTS credits leading to the research training certificate; work related to the preparation of a doctoral thesis and corresponding to 180 ECTS credits that lead to the academic title of Doctor after the defence of the thesis; training leading to the DEA and the DES (both these two last diplomas will be abandoned in conformity with the Bologna reform).
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