Undergraduate
Courses
(Regulations
for extended scheme 2008)
as amended on 03/07/08
Introduction
Over the last decade, Malta has witnessed significant
overall expansion in the higher education sector.
In a knowledge-based economy, it is imperative to
have a strong participation rate in higher education
which leads towards intellectual and economic growth
to society.
High quality undergraduate education is of central
importance to a number of objectives: an ever more
highly skilled workforce and the development of new
fields of study and specialisation. It is a key to
Malta’s economic and social progress and is
essential to many people's continuing professional
development.
Government believes that students may find valid
learning pathways in degree courses which are provided
either through foreign higher education institutions
or through recognised private higher education institutions
in Malta.
The Malta Government Scholarships Undergraduate
Scheme for 2008 aims at providing more opportunities
to promote further choice of undergraduate degrees
up to and including Bachelor and Honours Degrees
(excluding Master’s Degree programmes) classified
as National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 6
or equivalent .
Through this scheme Government is extending the
support available to undergraduate students at
the University of Malta, to those Maltese students
undertaking equivalent studies leading to reputable
and qualitative local and foreign degrees.
1. Aims and Objectives
The key objectives of this Scholarship scheme are:
• To encourage more student participation
at an undergraduate level in Malta;
•
To promote academic excellence in the private tuition
sector;
•
To increase student choice of degrees and institutions.
2. Eligibility
Students eligible for the scheme are students who
have been accepted as regular students in a day course
of studies and registered as full time students in
one of the following:
1. a licensed private higher education institution
or licensed tuition centre in Malta offering tuition
which leads towards a recognised degree;
2. a foreign higher education institution offering
recognised undergraduate degree courses.
For the purposes of this scheme, recognised degrees
include only such degrees as verified by Malta Qualifications
Recognition Information Centre (MaltaQRIC) within
the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport
to be comparable to undergraduate degrees classified
as equivalent NQF Level 6 or equivalent. Those degree
courses provided locally and leading to a recognised
foreign qualification are listed on the official
site of the undergraduate scheme and these courses
shall be exempt from MaltaQRIC verification by the
applicant . In those cases where such degrees lead
to professional careers, the Malta Government Scholarships
Scheme Board may request a report from the designated
authority responsible for warrants. Without prejudice
to these criteria, the Malta Government Scholarships
Scheme Board may reserve the right to withdraw eligibility
of certain courses leading to specific degrees, from
the scheme.
Additionally, in order to apply for
the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme, candidates
should meet the
following eligibility criteria: Candidates must
| (a) |
be a Maltese citizen, or have at
least one parent being a Maltese citizen; |
| |
|
| (b) |
have resided in Malta for a period of not less
than five years prior to the commencement of
the relative course of studies; |
| |
|
| (c) |
have completed their term of compulsory education; |
| |
|
| (d) |
not be more than thirty years of age at the
commencement of the course; provided that students
who are over thirty years of age at the commencement
of the course and who satisfy the above conditions
may, in exceptional cases, be eligible where
the students are the principal breadwinners in
a household and the Malta Government Scholarships
Scheme Board deems that they are deserving of
a maintenance grant; |
| |
|
| (e) |
intend to attend the course regularly and make
satisfactory progress; |
| |
|
| (f) |
be in possession, by application deadline,
of the necessary minimum entry requirements for
the course applied for, as required by the degree
awarding institution; |
| |
|
| (g) |
be in possession by application deadline,
of certified copies of the qualification certificates
and the classification thereof. It is the responsibility
of applicants, in possession of qualifications
awarded by foreign post-secondary or tertiary
education institutions, to produce an evaluation
report on comparability of qualifications issued
by the Malta Qualifications Recognition Information
Centre (MaltaQRIC) within the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Youth and Sport. A copy of the said
report issued by the MaltaQRIC, or the designated
authority in case of warrants, should be attached
to the application. The MaltaQRIC original report
is to be kept by the applicant and presented
only for verification purposes upon submission
of the application at the Customer Care Office,
Human Resources Development Department, Directorate
for Educational Services, Great Siege Road, Floriana.
Candidates not in possession of this report may
still apply, provided that they submit a copy
of the report to the receiving department as
soon as it becomes available and in any case
by not later than one month from the closing
date of the call for applications; |
| |
|
| (h) |
not already be in a course of undergraduate
studies of the same level as that applied for; |
| |
|
| (i) |
not be in possession of a degree at the same
level or higher of that degree for which they
are applying for; |
| |
|
| (k) |
not have been awarded a scholarship in prior
years; |
| |
|
| |
(i) be available, by 1st October of the same
year of deadline, to commence their academic
studies,
and for the entire duration of the intended course,
provided that the Malta Government Scholarships
Scheme Board may accept courses commencing not
later than five months after this date. |
| |
|
| |
(ii) be available to continue academic studies
commenced prior to 1st October 2008. |
| |
|
3. Value of Awards
The Malta Government Scholarships Undergraduate
Scheme will support students following full-time
undergraduate studies leading to general degree courses
throughout the duration of the course. Joint degrees,
split-site programmes and distance learning programmes
shall not be considered.
The awards are classified as follows:
• General award: Students
following courses leading to a general degree shall
be entitled to
an award as indicated in Section (A) of Schedule
I for the entire duration of the course.
•
Prescribed courses: Students following
courses equivalent to the prescribed degree courses
listed in Section
(B) of Schedule I shall
be entitled to an award as indicated in the same
schedule, for
the entire duration of the course. The equivalence
of such courses will be determined by the The Malta
Government
Scholarships Scheme Board.
Undergraduate students from Gozo studying in recognised
private institutions in Malta and eligible for an
award under this scheme shall be automatically eligible
for an additional subsidy from the Ministry of Gozo,
equivalent to that entitled to by students attending
the University of Malta, for the duration of the
course.
4. Selection Criteria
The scheme is limited to the top 150 academic
achievers. These shall be ranked according to their
academic
merit using a point system as prescribed in Schedule
II. All persons ranked in the top 150 will
automatically receive an award subject to the terms
and conditions of the scheme.
For the purposes of the extension in Section 2,
article k (ii), the scheme is limited to 150 scholarships
for every different academic year of study. Candidates
applying under this condition shall specify their
year of studies for academic year 2008-2009. All
persons ranked in the top 150 for every different
academic year of study (2nd yr, 3rd yr, etc) shall
automatically receive an award subject to the terms
and conditions of the scheme.
5. Selection Process
The role of the MGSSB is to verify information submitted,
process the applications, rank candidates according
to pre-established criteria and administer the award.
Awards made by the MGSSB are subject to the final
approval of the Minister responsible for education.
Each application is considered as follows:
| (a) |
the Malta Government
Scholarships Scheme Board shall where and as necessary
appoint an expert with expertise in the subject
area concerned to evaluate the application; |
| |
|
| (b) |
the Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Board itself
shall consider the application and any advice
submitted by appointed experts; |
| |
|
| (c) |
the Minister may be consulted and may give
instructions in writing, to interpret or give
additional rulings for unforeseen circumstances
that may arise. |
6. Tenure and Placement
Awards are tenable at any recognised foreign higher
education institution or private licensed higher
education institution/ licensed tuition centre in
Malta which provide courses leading to an undergraduate
degree. Only those institutions recognised by the
Maltese authorities shall be taken into consideration
by the Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Board.
Institutions and respective courses listed on the
official website http://www.education.gov.mt/mgss_ug.htm will not require MaltaQRIC verification as this would
have been verified in advance with the respective
institutions, and are eligible to the scheme. Should
the courses not be included in the scheme, it shall
be the responsibility of applicants applying for
courses leading to degrees awarded by foreign universities/higher
education institutions through local tuition centres,
to produce an evaluation report on comparability
of qualifications issued by the MaltaQRIC within
the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.
A copy of the said report issued by the MaltaQRIC
should be attached to the application. The MaltaQRIC
original report is to be kept by the applicant and
presented only for verification purposes upon submission
of the application at the Customer Care Office, Human
Resources Development Department, Directorate for
Educational Services, Great Siege Road, Floriana.
Candidates not in possession of this report may still
apply, provided that they submit a copy of the report
to the receiving department as soon as it becomes
available and in any case by not later than one month
from the closing date of the call for applications.
7. Choice of Institution
Many courses have strict admission deadlines and
applicants must take the necessary steps to secure
admission to their preferred institutions in advance
of any scholarship application to the Malta Government
Scholarships Scheme Board. Applicants should check
admission requirements carefully at the time of application.
8. Administration of the Malta Government
Scholarships Undergraduate Scheme
The Malta Government Scholarships Undergraduate
Scheme shall be administered by the Malta Government
Scholarships Scheme Administrative Office within
the Ministry of Education, Culture Youth and Sport.
The Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Board,
set up by the Minister responsible for education,
shall operate the process of selection. The Malta
Government Scholarships Scheme Board shall be responsible
for all matters concerning the selection of awardees.
It shall also oversee that the awardees and the institutions
comply with the scheme regulations.
9. Attendance Records
The Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Board may
request attendance records from scholars, to be obtained
from the institution attended, for compliance purposes.
10. Application Process
Applications and supporting documents for scholarships
are required to arrive at the:
Customer Care Office
Human Resources Development Department
Great Siege Road,
Floriana, FRN 1810
Tel: +356 2598 2563/2460/2461;
Fax: +356 21 225630
Email: ugscholarships.medc@gov.mt
Website: www.education.gov.mt/mgss.htm
The application deadline
is Tuesday 2nd September,
2008 at noon.
11. Application Forms
Interested candidates are invited to apply using
the appropriate application forms which are available
either from the Customer Care Office, Human Resources
Development Department, Directorate for Educational
Services, Great Siege Road, Floriana. FRN 1810 or
on-line from the link www.education.gov.mt/mgss_ug.htm.
Downloadable form are available here
Other documents to be submitted by post together
with a signed copy of the application form include:
i) |
1 copy of your Matriculation, 'A'
Level or Diploma certificates; |
|
|
ii) |
1 copy of the letter of acceptance from the
University or Higher Education Institution applied
for and 1 copy of the letter of acceptance from
the local tuition centre (where applicable); |
|
|
iii) |
1 copy of your birth certificate or identity
card. |
All documents are required to arrive at Customer
Care Office, Human Resources Development Department,
Directorate for Educational Services, Great Siege
Road, Floriana, FRN 1810 in an envelope addressed
as follows:
The Secretary
Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Board
Directorate for Educational Services
Great Siege Road
Floriana. FRN 1810.
12. General Conditions of Award
| (a) |
Students who are required to repeat
a year of their chosen course of studies shall
not be entitled to the award during the year
that they repeat. |
| |
|
| (b) |
(b) Students whose progress, as assessed through
periodical assessment procedures, is deemed to
be unsatisfactory, or who are not attending their
course regularly, shall forfeit the right to
receive the award or part thereof until such
time as the Head of the educational institution,
Institute, or Faculty of the University concerned
certifies that such students have resumed satisfactory
progress or that they are attending regularly. |
| |
|
| (c) |
The fixed four-weekly part of the award is
paid during the academic year, including the
Christmas and Easter recesses, but excluding
the Summer recess. |
| |
|
| (d) |
Where the structure of particular courses so
warrants, the Minister may approve the payment
of an award during the Summer recess. |
| |
|
| (e) |
Students pursuing a second or subsequent
course after having completed or partially followed
another course at the same level shall not be
entitled to receive awards for that period of
time that is equivalent to the period spent in
the previous course if for that previous course
they were in receipt of any award under the same
scheme. Such students shall only be entitled
to an award for the remaining period of time
after termination of the first period without
an award. |
| |
|
| (f) |
Students progressing from a diploma to
a general degree level, or from a general degree
to an honours level, or from a degree to a doctorate
in Laws or in Medicine and Surgery shall not
be deemed to be following a second course for
the purposes of this regulation. Students already
benefiting from this scheme do not need to re-apply
and shall continue to benefit from the scholarship. |
| |
|
| (g) |
The awards shall be administered by the Student
Maintenance Grants Board as established by Part
IV (Student Maintenance Grant Board) of Legal
Notice
372
of 2005. |
| |
|
| (h) |
The Student
Maintenance Grants Board shall also administer
a contingency fund made available by the Minister
responsible
for finance for the consideration of applications
for assistance by students facing extraordinary
circumstances. |
| |
|
| (i) |
Scholars must inform the Malta Government
Scholarships Scheme Board, in writing, beforehand
of any commitment of employment that may interfere
with their course requirements during the duration
of their award. |
| |
|
| (j) |
Scholars whose studies commence later than
the 1st October shall inform, in writing, the
Student Maintenance Grants Board of the respective
start date of the course and shall not be entitled
to any grants prior to the commencement date
of the course. |
| |
|
| (k) |
Students who are in receipt of a scholarship
award whilst they are on paid leave by their
employer for the purposes of a course of studies,
or who accept an offer to enter into a contract
with an employer whereby they bind themselves
to work for that employer following the completion
of their course, and who would therefore benefit
from that pay or the agreed remuneration, shall
be entitled to that pay or remuneration in lieu
of the award as provided for in the Schedule
I. |
| |
|
| (l) |
Scholars retaining full-time or more than
19 hours of employment contemporarily to their
studies shall be deemed to be in breach of their
obligation towards full-time studies resulting
in a cancellation of award and refund of any
awards granted by then, unless they have approved
unpaid leave. Applicants and scholars are responsible
for informing the Malta Government Scholarships
Scheme Board of any such situations in advance. |
| |
|
| (m) |
Scholars who are public service/ sector
employees on full-time employment contracts and
receiving paid leave of absence shall not be
eligible to the scheme. |
| |
|
| (n) |
Similar awards or grants to the Malta Government
Scholarships Scheme for the same course/ programme
of studies must be declared before formally accepting
the award. |
| |
|
| (o) |
The Malta Government Scholarships Scheme
Board reserves the right to publish the names
of applicants provisionally selected for awards
on the Malta Government Scholarships Scheme website.
In applying for an award, the candidate shall
be considered to have given consent for such
publication in the event that her or his application
is successful. |
| |
|
| (p) |
Applicants applying under Section 2, article
k (ii) shall start receiving grants in 2008 for
the remaining part of their course. Grants shall
not cover the completed academic years of the
course up to October 2008. |
13. Additional Requirements
| (a) |
Scholars who are awarded a
scholarship shall receive a letter of confirmation
from the Malta Government Scholarships Scheme
Board and a Student Maintenance Grants form to
fill in and submit to the Student Maintenance
Grants Office. |
| |
|
| (b) |
Scholars who do not start their studies
by the commencement date of the course shall
immediately inform, in writing, the Malta Government
Scholarships Scheme Board and they shall forfeit
their rights to the scholarship award. Scholars
who abandon their studies after the commencement
of the course shall be requested to communicate,
in writing, to the Malta Government Scholarships
Scheme Board their resignation and the reason/s
for such resignation. If the Malta Government
Scholarships Scheme Board deems that such resignation
has no valid justification, scholars shall be
requested by the Malta Government Scholarships
Scheme Board to refund all payments of the scholarship
grant received. Scholars who abandon their studies
due to a valid justification shall be required
to refund the scholarship grant received on a
pro-rata basis from the date of resignation. |
| |
|
| (c) |
Scholars receiving awards for courses with
duration of more than one year shall ask their
faculty supervisor to submit a short statement
confirming progress and attendance of the scholar.
Failure to receive this by the Student Maintenance
Grants Office within the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Youth and Sport could lead to a halt
in further instalments of the award. |
| |
|
| (d) |
Awards are to obtain one degree and funding
shall not be extended to enable candidates to
complete an additional or higher qualification
than that for which the selection was made. |
14. Queries
For further queries, please contact:
Ms Pauline Catania
Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Administrative
Office
Directorate for Educational Services
Great Siege Road
Floriana, FRN 1810
Telephone: +356 2598 2230; +
356 2598 2250
Fax: +356 2598 2120
Email: ugscholarships.medc@gov.mt
Website: www.education.gov.mt/mgss.htm
Schedule I, II, III
Schedule I
(A) General Degree Courses
Students who, under the terms established in these
regulations, are granted a scholarship and are following
a full-time day undergraduate, degree, Doctor or
Laws or Doctor of Medicine course qualify for the
following award for the duration of the course of
their studies:
| 1. |
Except for students following
prescribed courses listed hereunder, a fixed
rate of Eur 83.86 every four weeks payable between
the 1st October and the 30th of June; |
| |
|
| 2. |
A sum of Eur 465.87 per academic year to partly
cover expenses related to educational material
and equipment; |
| |
|
| 3. |
A one-time grant of Eur 465.87 payable in the
first year. |
(B) Prescribed Degree Courses
Students who, under the terms established in these
regulations are granted a scholarship and are following
a full-time day undergraduate degree course as prescribed,
qualify for the following award for the duration
of the course of their studies:
| 1. |
A fixed rate of Eur 146.75 every
four weeks payable between the 1st October and
the 30th of June; |
| |
|
| 2. |
A sum of Eur 698.81 per academic year to partly
cover expenses related to educational material
and equipment; |
| |
|
| 3. |
A one-time grant of Eur 698.81 payable in the
first year. |
The prescribed courses are:
| a. |
Bachelor of Science (Hons) -
Biology |
| b. |
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Chemistry |
| c. |
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Mathematics |
| d. |
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Physics |
| e. |
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Statistics & Operations
Research |
| f. |
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Computer Science |
| g. |
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Informatics |
| h. |
Bachelor of Science - Engineering |
| i. |
Bachelor of Science - Information Technology |
| j. |
Bachelor of Science - Business and Computing |
| k. |
Bachelor of Education - Biology |
| l. |
Bachelor of Education - Chemistry |
| m. |
Bachelor of Education - Mathematics |
| n. |
Bachelor of Education - Physics |
| o. |
Bachelor of Education - Computer Studies. |
For those courses that are not available
in Malta, the MGSS Board may prescribe courses subject
to the following considerations:
| 1. |
The lack of specialist
human resources in Malta related to a specific
field of undergraduate study;
and |
| |
|
| 2. |
The level of tuition costs related to the
field of study. |
The MGSS Board shall award the prescribed grants
to all applicants for identified fields of studies
and shall not consider applications on a case by
case basis for this purpose. Prescribed courses by
the MGSS Board shall be valid for one year, and shall
be reviewed annually.
Schedule II
Applicants for the scheme shall be ranked in accordance
with the following point structure, to be applied
automatically for each applicant after application
deadline.
Grade |
Matriculation
Certificate* |
Matriculation
Advanced
(AM) |
Matriculation
Intermediate (IM)** |
A Level Certificate |
4 A Level passes in same session
*** |
Diploma
International
Baccalaureate
**** |
Diploma
(NQF Level 5)
***** |
A |
66 |
16 |
8 |
16 |
+2 |
66
|
66 |
B |
50 |
12 |
6 |
12 |
+2 |
50
|
50 |
C |
34 |
8 |
4 |
8 |
+2 |
34
|
34 |
D |
n/a |
4 |
2 |
4 |
+2 |
n/a |
18 |
* Matriculation Certificate
For the purpose of points
the Matriculation Certificate assumes passes
in a minimum of two advanced, three
intermediate and systems of knowledge examinations.
Candidates with more examination passes shall be
awarded additional points according to the examination
type and grade. The exams with the highest marks
shall be included in the Matriculation Certificate
points.
** Systems of Knowledge
To be treated as an extra
intermediate qualification.
*** A Level passes
Considered to be equal to or
higher than grade D for the purposes of ranking.
Two extra points are
awarded for candidates who have four A Level
certificate passes or more in the same examination
session.
**** Diploma of International Baccalaureate
The
Diploma of International Baccalaureate is awarded
according to a point system in which students need
to gain at least 24 points to be awarded. The highest
total that a Diploma Programme student may be awarded
is 45 points. Therefore for the purpose of ranking
the points have been distributed to reflect the
grades as follows:
| |
A: 39 - 45 points
B: 32 - 38 points
C: 24 - 30 points |
***** Diploma (NQF Level 5)
Undergraduate Diploma
from the University of Malta or comparable qualifications
verified by MALTAQRIC,
and comparable to Level 5 on the National Qualifications
Framework.
Schedule III
The International Standard Classification of Education
(ISCED)
The International Standard Classification of Education
(ISCED) was designed by UNESCO in the early 1970’s
to serve ‘as an instrument suitable for assembling,
compiling and presenting statistics of education
both within individual countries and internationally’.
It was approved by the International Conference on
Education (Geneva, 1975), and was subsequently endorsed
by UNESCO’s General Conference when it adopted
the Revised Recommendation concerning the International
Standardization of Educational Statistics at its
twentieth session (Paris, 1978).
Experience over the years, with the application
of ISCED by national authorities and international
organisations, has shown the need for its updating
and revision. This would further facilitate the international
compilation and comparison of education statistics
and take into account new developments and changes
in education and anticipate future trends in the
various regions of the world, such as:
 |
the multiplication and growth of
different forms of vocational education and training, |
| |
|
|
the increasing diversity of education providers,
and |
| |
|
|
the increasing recourse to distance education
and other modalities based on new technologies. |
The present classification, now known as ISCED 1997,
was approved by the UNESCO General Conference at
its 29th session in November 1997. It was prepared
by a Task Force established by the Director-General
to that effect and is the result of extensive consultations
of worldwide representation. ISCED 1997 covers primarily
two cross-classification variables: levels and fields
of education.
UNESCO's data-collection programme will be adjusted
to these new standards and Member States are invited
to apply them in the reporting of education statistics
so as to increase their international comparability.
To this end, an operational manual, aimed at giving
guidance on the interpretation and practical application
of ISCED 1997, will be prepared in close collaboration
with national experts.
During the 1998/99 biennium work on additional aspects
such as types of education and education providers
will be undertaken and incorporated in the present
classification.
LEVEL 5 - FIRST STAGE OF TERTIARY EDUCATION
(NOT LEADING DIRECTLY TO AN ADVANCED RESEARCH QUALIFICATION)
Principal
characteristics
80. This level consists of tertiary programmes having
an educational content more advanced than those offered
at Levels 3 and 4. Entry to these programmes normally
requires the successful completion of ISCED Level
3A or 3B or a similar qualification at ISCED Level
4A.
81. All degrees and qualifications are cross-classified
by type of programmes, position in national degree
or qualification structures (see below) and cumulative
duration at tertiary.
Classification criteria
82. For the definition of
this level, the following criteria are relevant:
|
normally the minimum entrance requirement
to this level is the successful completion of
ISCED level 3A or 3B or ISCED level 4A; |
| |
|
|
level 5 programmes do not lead directly to
the award of an advanced research qualification
(level 6); and |
| |
|
|
these programmes must have a cumulative theoretical
duration of at least 2 years from the beginning
of level 5. |
Complementary dimensions
83. Three complementary
dimensions are needed to subdivide this level:
|
the type of programmes dividing
programmes into theoretically based/research
preparatory/giving access to professions with
high skills requirements programmes on the one
hand, practical/ technical/ occupationally specific
programmes on the other hand; |
| |
|
|
the cumulative theoretical duration in full
time equivalence; and |
| |
|
|
the position in the national degree or qualification
structure (first, second or further degree, research). |
Combining these three
independent dimensions is the only way to capture
the
broad variety in the
provision
of tertiary education. The choice
of the combination depends on the problems
to
analyse.
Type of programmes
84. The first dimension to be considered is the
distinction between the programmes which are theoretically
based/research preparatory (history, philosophy,
mathematics, etc.) or giving access to professions
with high skills requirements (e.g. medicine, dentistry,
architecture, etc.), and those programmes which are
practical/technical/occupationally specific. To facilitate
the presentation, the first type will be called 5A,
the second, 5B.
85. With the increasing demand for tertiary education
in many countries, the distinction between long streams
and short streams is very important. The long stream
programmes are more theoretical and can lead to advanced
research programmes or a profession with high skills
requirements. The short streams are more practically
oriented.
86. As the organisational structure of tertiary
education programmes varies greatly across countries,
no single criterion can be used to define boundaries
between ISCED 5A and ISCED 5B. The following criteria
are the minimum requirements for classifying a programme
as ISCED 5A, although programmes not satisfying a
single criterion should not be automatically excluded.
If a programme is similar in content to other programmes
meeting each of these criteria, it should be classified
at Level 5A.
87. ISCED Level 5A programmes are tertiary programmes
that are largely theoretically based and are intended
to provide sufficient qualifications for gaining
entry into advanced research programmes and profession
with high skills requirements. They must satisfy
a sufficient number of the following criteria:
|
? they have a minimum cumulative
theoretical duration (at tertiary) of three years
full-time equivalent, although typically they
are of four or more years. If a degree has three
years full-time equivalent duration, it is usually
preceded by at least thirteen years of previous
schooling (see paragraph 35). For systems in
which degrees are awarded by credit accumulation,
a comparable amount of time and intensity would
be required; |
| |
|
|
they typically require that the faculty have
advanced research credentials; |
| |
|
|
they may involve completion of a research project
or thesis; |
| |
|
|
they provide the level of education required
for entry into a profession with high skills
requirements (see paragraph 84) or an advanced
research programme. |
88. Qualifications in category 5B are typically
shorter than those in 5A and focus on occupationally
specific skills geared for entry into the labour
market, although some theoretical foundations may
be covered in the respective programme.
89. The content of ISCED Level 5B programmes is
practically oriented/occupationally specific and
is mainly designed for participants to acquire the
practical skills, and know-how needed for employment
in a particular occupation or trade or class of occupations
or trades - the successful completion of which usually
provides the participants with a labour-market relevant
qualification.
90. A programme should be considered as belonging
to Level 5B if it meets the following criteria:
|
it is more practically oriented
and occupationally specific than programmes at
ISCED 5A, and does not provide direct access
to advanced research programmes; |
| |
|
|
it has a minimum of two years’ full-time
equivalent duration but generally is of 2 or
3 years. For systems in which qualifications
are awarded by credit accumulation, a comparable
amount of time and intensity would be required; |
| |
|
|
the entry requirement may require the mastery
of specific subject areas at ISCED 3B or 4A;
and |
| |
|
|
it provides access to an occupation. |
Cumulative theoretical
duration
91. For initial programmes at tertiary, the cumulative
theoretical duration is simply the theoretical full-time
equivalent duration of those programmes from the
beginning of Level 5.
92. For programmes that require completion of other
tertiary programmes prior to admission (see national
degree and qualification structure below), cumulative
duration is calculated by adding the minimum entrance
requirements of the programme (i.e. full-time equivalent
years of tertiary education prerequisites) to the
full-time equivalent duration of the programme. For
degrees or qualifications where the full-time equivalent
years of schooling is unknown (i.e. courses of study
designed explicitly for flexible or part-time study),
cumulative duration is calculated based on the duration
of more traditional degree or qualification programmes
with a similar level of educational content.
93. The categories to be considered would be:
|
and less than three years (particularly
for ISCED level 5B); |
| |
|
|
and less than four years; |
| |
|
|
and less than five years; |
| |
|
|
and less than six years; |
| |
|
|
seven years and more. |
National degree and qualification structure
94. This dimension cross-classifies both ISCED 5A
and 5B qualifications by their position in the national
qualification structure for tertiary education within
an individual country.
95. The main reason the national degree and qualification
structure is included as a separate dimension is
that the timing of these awards mark important educational
and labour market transition points within countries.
For example, in country A a student who completes
a three year Bachelor’s degree programme will
have access to a wide range of occupations and opportunities
for further education, whereas the same student studying
in country B (which does not distinguish between
a first and second university degree) will only obtain
a labour market relevant qualification after the
completion of a full four or five year degree programme,
even though the content may be similar to that of
a second (Master’s) degree programme in country
A.
96. The ‘position’ of a degree or qualification
structure is assigned (first, second or further,
research) based on the internal hierarchy of awards
within national education systems. For example, a
first theoretically based degree or qualification
(cross-classifying ‘theoretically based’ type
of programme 5A with ‘first’ in the national
degree and qualifications structure) would necessarily
meet all of the criteria listed above for a theoretically
based programme and lead to the first important educational
or labour market qualification within this type of
programme. The research degree is intended for the
countries which have a non-doctoral research degree
such as the Master of Philosophy in some countries
and want to have it clearly distinguished in international
statistics.
97. When ‘theoretically based’ programmes
are organized and provide sequential qualifications,
usually only the last qualification gives direct
access to Level 6, but all these programmes are allocated
to Level 5A.
98. Bachelor’s degrees in many English-speaking
countries, the ‘Diplom’ in many German-speaking
countries, and the Licence in many French-speaking
countries meet the content criteria for the first
theoretically based programmes. Second and higher
theoretically based programmes (e.g. Master’s
degree in English-speaking countries and Maîtrise
in French-speaking countries) would be classified
separately from advanced research qualifications,
which would have their own position in ISCED 6 (see
below).
99. Degrees or qualifications with a different numerical
ranking in two countries may be equivalent in educational
content. For instance, programmes leading to a ‘graduate’ or
second degree in many English-speaking countries
have to be classified at Level 5 as is the case for
long first degrees in many German-speaking countries.
It is only by combining national degree structure
with other tertiary dimensions, such as cumulative
theoretical duration and programme orientation, that
enough information is available to group degrees
and qualifications of similar education content.
| How the three complementary dimensions
work at level 5 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Theoretical |
LEVEL 5 |
| Cumulative |
5A Programmes |
5B Programmes |
| duration at |
|
|
|
|
|
| tertiary level |
First degree |
Sec. and further degree |
Research |
First qualificat. |
Second qualification |
| 2 and < 3 years |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 and < 4 years |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 and < 5 years |
|
|
|
|
|
| 5 and < 6 years |
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 years and + |
|
|
|
|
|
Includes also:
100. This level includes all the
research programmes which are not part of a doctorate,
such as any
type of Master’s degree.
101. In some countries,
students beginning tertiary education enrol
directly for an advanced research
qualification. In this case, the part of the
programme concentrating on advanced research should
be classified
as level 6 and the initial years as level 5.
102.
Adult education programmes equivalent in content
with some ISCED 5 programmes could be
included
at this level.
Downloads
