This page gives an overview of the qualification structure of Danish higher education.
| Danish level | Ordinary Higher Education | Adult/ Continuing HE |
EHEA QF (Bologna) | NQF /EQF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Profession | Academy Profession degree (90-150 ECTS) | Academy Profession degree (akademi-uddannelse) (60 ECTS) | Short cycle | Level 5 |
| Bachelor’s | Professional Bachelor’s degree (180-240 ECTS)* |
Diploma degree (60 ECTS) |
First cycle | Level 6 |
| Bachelor’s | Bachelor’s degree (within the arts) (180 ECTS) | First cycle | Level 6 | |
| Bachelor’s | Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS) | First cycle | Level 6 | |
| Master's | Master’s degree (within the arts) (120-180 ECTS) |
Master degree (60-90 ECTS) |
Second cycle | Level 7 |
| Master's | Master’s degree (120 ECTS)** | Second cycle | Level 7 | |
| PhD | PhD degree (180 ECTS) | - | Third cycle | Level 8 |
* Can be obtained through a full regular Bachelor’s programme (180-240 ECTS) or a top-up Professional Bachelor’s programme following an Academy Profession degree.
** A few Master’s programmes are up to 180 ECTS.
See also:
On the basis of learning outcomes, the levels of Danish higher education qualifications have been defined in two national qualifications frameworks:
Read more about the Danish qualifications frameworks:
The Academy Profession degree (Danish: erhvervsakademigrad) is awarded after 1½ - 2½ years of studies (90, 120 or 150 ECTS) and includes a period of work placement of at least 3 months (15 ECTS). Most programmes are 2 years (120 ECTS).
Access requires the completion of either general upper secondary education or relevant vocational education and training supplemented by adequate general upper secondary subjects (e.g. maths, physics or English).
The programmes are development-based and combine theoretical studies with a practical approach. Programmes are, among others, offered within the areas of marketing management, computer science and chemical and biotechnical science.
In some fields students with an Academy Profession degree have the possibility to obtain a Professional Bachelor's degree by way of a top-up programme. The top-up programme is approximately 1½ years of study (90 ECTS) and is usually within a pre-specified field or one related to the AP degree they have acquired.
The titles are:
See also:
The Academy Profession degree (Danish: akademiuddannelse) within adult/continuing higher education is awarded after 2 years of part-time study (60 ECTS). These AP programmes were previously called Further Adult Education (Danish: videregående voksenuddannelse, VVU).
Entry requirements are a relevant educational qualification (at upper secondary level or higher) and at least 2 years of relevant work experience.
The programmes are development-based and combine theoretical studies with a practical approach. They prepare students for assuming occupational functions at specialist or middle management level and give access to relevant diploma programmes (adult/continuing higher education).
See also:
The Professional Bachelor's degree (Danish: professionsbachelorgrad) is awarded after 3 to 4 years of study (180, 210 or 240 ECTS) and includes a period of work placement of at least 6 months (30 ECTS). In some fields the degree may be awarded after a 1½ year top-up programme following an Academy Profession degree.
Access usually requires the completion of general upper secondary education. For some programmes access is also possible on the basis of relevant vocational education and training supplemented by adequate general upper secondary subjects (e.g. maths, physics or English).
The programmes provide students with knowledge of theory and the application of theory to professions and industries. They are development-based and combine theoretical studies with a practical approach. They include periods of practical training and require the submission of a project paper. Examples of degree holders are nurses, primary and lower secondary school teachers and certain types of engineers.
Most programmes give access to further studies in the same field, typically a Master degree programme within adult and continuing higher education, and some programmes give access to specific Master's degree (MA/MSc) programmes directly or in combination with certain supplementary bachelor's level subjects.
The titles are:
See also:
The Bachelor's degree (Danish: bachelorgrad) from a university is awarded after 3 years of study (180 ECTS).
Entry requires completion of general upper secondary education.
The programmes are research-based. They do not include any components that could be classified as liberal arts. All programmes include a bachelor's project. The programmes are offered in all scientific fields.
The programmes prepare students for occupational functions and for studies for the Master's degree (MA/MSc).
The titles are:
See also:
The bachelor's degree within the arts is awarded after 3 years of study (180 ECTS)
Admission is usually conditional on passing an entrance examination.
The programmes are based on research and artistic research. Programmes are offered within the fine arts: architecture, design, music, etc.
The degree normally gives access to a Master's (MA/MMus/MFA) programme in the same field.
The titles are:
A higher education degree within theatre or filmmaking is awarded after 4 years of study (240 ECTS).
See also:
The Diploma degree (Danish: diplomuddannelse) is awarded after 2 years of part-time study (60 ECTS).
The programmes are development-based and combine theoretical studies with a practical approach.
Entry requirements are a relevant educational qualification (at Academy Profession level or higher) and at least 2 years of relevant work experience.
The programmes prepare students for assuming highly qualified occupational functions and give access to relevant Master programmes (adult/continuing higher education).
See also:
The Master's degree (Danish: kandidatgrad) degree is awarded after 2 years of study (120 ECTS points). A few Master's programmes are longer: Medicine (3 years, 180 ECTS points) and Veterinary Medicine (2½ years, 150 ECTS points).
The programmes are research-based and prepare students for assuming occupational functions and scientific work. Each programme builds on a relevant bachelor's degree. The programmes are completed with a Master's thesis of 30 ECTS (or up to 60 ECTS if it is of an experimental nature). The programmes are offered in all scientific fields.
The titles are:
See also:
The Master’s degree within the arts is awarded after 2 to 3 years of study (120-180 ECTS).
Entry requires a relevant bachelor's degree.
The programmes are based on research and artistic research.
The titles are:
Music Academies offer a specialist degree of 2 to 4 years following the Master’s degree.
See also:
The Master's degree (Danish: masteruddannelse) is awarded after 2 (in certain cases 3) years of part-time study (60 ECTS, in certain cases 90 ECTS).
The programmes are research-based and prepare students for assuming highly qualified occupational functions.
Entry requirements are a relevant educational qualification (at bachelor's level or higher) and at least 2 years of relevant work experience.
The titles are:
See also:
The PhD degree (Danish: ph.d.-grad) is awarded after a total of normally 8 years of higher education and research. The PhD programme itself normally lasts 3 years (180 ECTS points).
The standard entry requirement is a Master's degree (MA, MSc, etc.).
The programme is completed with the public defence of a PhD thesis demonstrating a capacity to carry out a scientific project involving independent application of the scientific methodology of the field in question.
See also:
Mature researchers may obtain the traditional higher doctoral degree (Danish: doktorgrad), usually after a minimum of 5-8 years of individual and original research (following a Master's (MA/MSc) degree, a mag.art. degree (see "Reforms and previous systems") or a PhD degree in the relevant field of study) and public defence of a dissertation.
There is no formal study programme for this award.
Titles are: dr. + field of study in Latin.
