Higher education

Students in Danish higher education work independently and exercise their own initiative. As well as attending traditional lectures, they study in small groups where they are expected to make active contributions. Part of their studies consist of independent project and research work. Most degree courses are self-contained, and students choose their field of specialisation when commencing their studies. All programmes include the preparation of either a major project report, a thesis or a dissertation, depending on the level of the degree.

The university sector

As a result of a government initiative, the number of universities was reduced from 12 to 8 through a series of mergers that took effect on 1 January 2007. The 8 universities are:

• University of Copenhagen
  including the Faculty of Life Sciences (previously the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University) and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (previously the Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences)

• University of Aarhus
  including the Aarhus School of Business and the School of Education (the Danish University of Education)

• University of Southern Denmark

• Roskilde University

• Aalborg University

• Technical University of Denmark

• Copenhagen Business School

• IT University of Copenhagen

In addition, there are a 13 specialist university-level institutions in architecture, art, music etc.

Teaching at university sector institutions must be research-based: this is a fundamental principle for all universities aimed at ensuring high standards in all programmes. The university sector proper only comprises institutions offering degrees up to the highest academic level, including doctorates.

The college sector

The college sector offers professionally oriented programmes.

Colleges offering medium-cycle programmes, mainly professional bachelor's degrees, were merged into eight large University Colleges (professionshøjskoler) in January 2008. In 2012 these eight will be reduced to seven. University Colleges offer programmes such as teacher, nurse, mid wife etc.

10 regional Academies of Professional Higher Education (erhvervsakademier) offer short-cycle programmes, mainly 2-year Academy Profession degrees. The academies consist of colleges offering Academy Profession degrees. In order to obtain the status of Academies of Professional Higher Education, the participating colleges must fulfil a number of quality requirements in terms of scope and level.

Admission to higher education

General access requirements to higher education in Denmark are 12 years of education including one of the following secondary school leaving examinations or comparable qualifications:

• studentereksamen (STX) – Upper Secondary School Leaving Examination

• højere forberedelseseksamen (HF) – Higher Preparatory Examination

• højere handelseksamen (HHX) – Higher Business Examination

• højere teknisk eksamen (HTX) – Higher Technical Examination.

Access to Academy Profession programmes is also possible on the basis of a relevant 3-4 year vocational education and training programme supplemented by adequate general upper secondary courses (e.g. maths, physics, English).

In certain Bachelor's degree programmes, alternative entry is possible on the basis of a relevant educational qualification (typically a professional bachelor's degree) combined with 2 or 3 years' work experience. Additional requirements may apply.

Admission to many study programmes depends on the fulfilment of specific requirements. These may either be a specific subject combination or requirements concerning the level of the subjects taken, the grades obtained, work experience etc. Admission to programmes in certain fields such as art and music requires an entrance examination based on talent.

The Ministers responsible for higher education may fix a maximum number of student admissions within certain fields of study. Apart from that, individual institutions may have restricted admission for certain fields of study.

Students apply for admission through a Coordinated Enrolment System (KOT). Each institution selects students according to the general admission regulations. The available places are divided into two quota systems. Places in the first quota are distributed to applicants with Danish and equivalent upper secondary school leaving certificates on the basis of their grade average. Places in the second quota are given to applicants on the basis of individual assessment by the institution.

Examinations and diplomas

Students are required to sit examinations for all courses. All examinations at Danish higher education institutions are administered not only by the teacher, but also by an examiner who, in the case of most examinations, must be external. The external examiners are responsible for assuring the same standard for all examinations and thus for their quality. After completion of a full programme, the student is awarded a diploma, transcript etc.

All higher education institutions are required to issue an English-language Diploma Supplement to all of their graduates free of charge. Use of the Diploma Supplement has been mandatory since September 2002.

The use of ECTS credits has been mandatory in all higher education study programmes since September 2001. It is also used for lifelong learning in adult higher education. The use of ECTS for credit accumulation is possible in most programmes.

Qualification structure

For university programmes, the degree structure is based on three main levels: Bachelor, Candidatus (Master) and Ph.D.

The main types of degrees have been described in terms of learning outcomes in a National Qualifications Framework.

Background

As a result of reforms in the late 1980s, Danish higher education has switched from a one-tier qualification structure to a two-tier structure with Bachelor's, Master's (candidatus) and PhD degrees. Before then, all university study programmes lasted between 4 and 6 ½ years, and led to the award of the candidatus (candidata) degree (Master's degree).

From 1988, students completing 3 years of a candidatus programme were awarded the Bachelor's degree and could use the title B.A. (Humanities, Theology, Social Science) or B.S. (Natural Science, Health Science).

The 1993 university reform introduced a general bachelor degree structure. As a result, almost all university programmes now consist of a bachelor programme (BA/BSc), a candidatus programme and a PhD programme. The bachelor programme constitutes a complete programme in itself, but most Danish students still continue in a candidatus programme.

As a result of this new degree structure, the 4-year cand.phil. degree within the Humanities was abandoned in 1995/96.

Subsequent legislation has established the structure based on two main cycles in all university disciplines. The most recent arrangements in this context and linked to the Bologna process are specified in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation's Order No. 338 of 6 May 2004 on university Bachelor's and Master's programmes, which was issued under the Universities Act of May 2003, and the June 2004 Ministry of Culture Order on education in the academies of music and the Opera Academy.

The Bachelor/candidatus structure applies to Roskilde and Aalborg universities as well, even though these institutions offer certain special features. At Roskilde University, a bachelor programme consists of a 2-year general studies programme (basisuddannelse) in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, or the Natural Sciences followed by a 1-year specialised degree programme. At Aalborg University, the social science and technology & science bachelor programmes start with a 1-year general studies programme (basisuddannelse). At Aalborg University, there is also a special 1-year cand.phil. programme after completion of the bachelor programme in social science.

University education

University education encompasses several hundred higher education programmes within a broad variety of fields: humanities, theology, social sciences, health sciences, technical and natural sciences. Study programmes of the university sector are research-based, analytical and theoretical. They provide a broad academic foundation as well as specialised knowledge. A few of the programmes have a strong professional focus, such as Medicine, Dentistry and Psychology.

First level degrees

The Bachelor's degree is awarded after an undergraduate programme of 3 years of study (180 ECTS points). The programmes prepare students for occupational functions and for studies for the Candidatus degree.

All bachelor's programmes have to follow the same national standards, and there are no classifications in honours/ordinary programmes as in the British system. They must be research-based and concentrate on the major scientific subject areas chosen for the degree right from the first year. All programmes require a bachelor's project. The study programmes do not include any components that could be classified as liberal arts.

The titles are, as a rule:

• BA + field of study (English: Bachelor of Arts (BA) + field of study)

• BSc + field of study (English: Bachelor of Science (BSc) + field of study).

In business administration, the title HA may be used. In the field of legal studies, the English title is Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.).

Second level degrees

Candidatus (master)
The candidatus (candidata) degree, i.e. the master's degree of the ordinary education system, is awarded, in most cases, after a total of 5 years of study: a relevant bachelor's degree + 2 years of graduate study (120 ECTS points). A few candidatus programmes are longer: Medicine (3 years, 180 ECTS points) and Veterinary Medicine (2½ years, 150 ECTS points).

The programmes qualify students for assuming occupational functions and scientific work. Each candidatus programme must include one or two of the major fields of study of the Bachelor's programme.

Independent research activities are an important part of the candidatus programme. The speciale (master's thesis) is a major requirement and is normally scheduled for 6 months' full-time study.

The titles are, as a rule, cand. + field of study in Latin, e.g.: cand.mag. (candidatus/candidata magisterii). In English the titles are, in most cases, MA or MSc + field of study.

Mag.art.
A less frequent degree, the mag.art. (magister artium) or magisterkonferens, is awarded following research-oriented studies in one subject and the defence of a thesis. Mag.art. exists within certain fields of the humanities, but it is being phased out, no new programmes beginning after 1 September 2007.

Specialist degrees in Music
Music Academies offer specialist degrees of 2 to 4 years following the candidatus degree.

Third level degrees

Doctoral degrees are awarded at two levels:

PhD

Following a 1993 reform, the ph.d. degree 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 admission requirement is a candidatus degree.

The standard components of a PhD programme are:

• a scientific project (i.e. the PhD thesis) involving independent application of the scientific methodology of the relevant field;

• participation in research courses and seminars corresponding to six months' work;

• mobility to ensure integration in two or more active research groups and networks (mobility abroad is given a high priority);

• experience in teaching or other kinds of communication of research results;

• public defence of the PhD thesis.

A PhD degree is awarded in recognition of the fact that the recipient has successfully completed a PhD programme and by means of a dissertation has demonstrated a capacity to carry out a scientific project involving independent application of the scientific methodology of the field in question, thereby contributing to research at a level corresponding to the international standards of a PhD degree in that field.

Mature researchers may obtain the traditional higher Danish doctoral degree (doktorgrad), usually after a minimum of 5-8 years of individual and original research (following a candidatus degree, a mag.art. degree or a ph.d. degree in the relevant field of study) and public defence of a dissertation.

There is no formal study programme for this award.

The titles are dr. + field of study in latin.

College education

Professionally oriented higher education programmes are offered at colleges. Whereas in other countries, similar programmes may be offered by universities, in Denmark they have traditionally been offered by specialised colleges. Very often these institutions are engaged in theoretical and practical developmental work, and many of them participate in international cooperation, e.g. through the EC mobility programmes.

Short-cycle professional higher education qualifications

The Academy Profession degree (AP degree) (Danish title: profession + AK) is awarded after 2 years of study (120 ECTS credits) with the exception of the datamatiker programme in computing, which takes 2¼ years (135 ECTS credits). Admission is possible on the basis of either general upper secondary education or relevant vocational education and training supplemented by adequate general upper secondary courses (e.g. maths, physics, English).

The Academy Profession programmes (erhvervsakademiuddannelser) exist mainly in the fields of business, IT and technical studies. They prepare the student for performing practical, vocational tasks on an analytical basis and may lead to employment in middle-management positions. Apart from theoretical subjects, programmes are usually completed with a project of 3 months' duration. Students may, on certain conditions, be awarded credits when they continue in a medium- or long-cycle higher education programme.

Background
In August 2000, a new act on the short-cycle higher educations (Act no. 1115 of 29 December 1997) was implemented, making the access routes broader and more transparent, with better possibilities for the students of being awarded credits in a medium- or long-cycle higher education programme.

13 study programmes were set up in the following fields: Agriculture, Textile, Clothing and Design, Food Industry, Hotel and Tourism, Finance, Construction, Technology and Energy, IT and Electronics, Media and Communication, Industrial Production, Laboratory Technician, Retail Trade, International Marketing. The programmes in Computer Science (datamatiker) and Transport Logistics were continued.

These 15 programmes replaced the previously existing 70 short-cycle programmes of varying lengths between 1 and 3 years. In many cases, this meant extending the course from 1½ to 2 years.

Medium-cycle professional higher education qualifications 

Professional bachelor's degrees are first cycle degrees awarded after 3 to 4½ years of study (180-270 ECTS points) at a level corresponding to that of university Bachelor's programmes, but with a stronger focus on professional practice.

Professional bachelors' programmes exist in the technical, educational, social, creative and health-related fields. They provide students with knowledge of theory and the application of theory to professions and industries. All programmes include periods of practical training and require the submission of a project paper.

Most programmes give access to further studies in the same field, typically a Master's programme within Adult Education and Continuing Training or, on certain conditions, specific candidatus programmes.

In 2000, the Act on medium-cycle higher education created a common framework for all of these programmes. One of the main features of this reform was the creation of the title of professional bachelor (professionsbachelor) indicating, in relation to university bachelor's degrees, a similar level of education combined with a stronger focus on professional practice.

University Colleges may award the professional bachelor titles on completion of programmes that have been approved to meet a number of criteria. Among other things, the teaching must be rooted in the profession and its development and it must include links to national and international research.

Other college qualifications
In certain fields, other types of specialised higher education are offered, including 4-year degrees in film and theatre.