15 - Austria - Certification

Colleges and other training institutions for health occupations

Upon successful completion, paramedical colleges issue officially recognised diplomas. These certificates specify the activities for which they are valid as well as the professional titles in the given branches (physiotherapist, medical/biomedical laboratory technician, radiographer/radiotherapist, dietician, occupational therapist, speech therapist, orthoptist).

Midwifery colleges issue a certificate on the successful completion of midwifery training, which mentions the professional title of 'midwife'. This diploma is officially recognised and in line with EU Directive 80/154/EEC on the mutual recognition of diplomas, examination reports and other certificates for midwives and on measures to facilitate the practical application of the freedom of settlement and the freedom of service.

Students who have completed the training programme for cardiology technicians and have passed the final Diplomprüfung (diploma examination) are awarded a diploma by the "Kardiotechnikerbeirat" (advisory board of certified cardiology technicians) which lists final exam results and the professional title of "certified cardiology technician".

Universities

Academic degrees

For the conferment of an academic degree the university issues a document indicating the type of studies accomplished, the curriculum followed, the academic degree that is being conferred and the applicable laws. Upon completion of all examinations and academic/artistic work stipulated by the relevant course curricula, graduates are awarded their degree by written decision.

Based on the 2002 Universities Act, the following academic degrees are currently conferred:

• Bachelor’s degrees:
• Bachelor der Naturwissenschaften (natural science) B. rer. nat.
• Bachelor der Philosophie (humanities and cultural studies) B. phil.
• Bachelor of Arts BA or B.A.
• Bachelor of Engineering B.Eng.
• Bachelor of Laws LL.B
• Bachelor of Science BSc or B.Sc.
• Master’s degrees:
• Diplom-Ingenieur/Diplom-Ingenieurin (engineering science) Dipl.-Ing. or DI
• Master der Naturwissenschaften (natural science): MA. rer. nat.
• Master of Arts: MA or M.A.
• Master of International Business Informatics MIBI
• Master of Science MSc
• Master of Science in Mountain Forestry MScMF
• Master's degrees in continuing education, e.g.
• European Master in Human Rights and Democratisation EMHRD
• Executive Master of Business Administration MBA
• Master of Advanced Medical Sciences Alpe Adria MMedScAA
• Master of Advanced Studies MAS
• Master of Arts MA
• Doctoral degrees
• Doctor of Philosophy PhD
• Doktor / Doktorin der Bodenkultur (agriculture) Dr. nat. techn.
• Doktor / Doktorin der gesamten Heilkunde und der medizinischen Wissenschaft (therapeutics and medical science) Dr.med.univ.et scient. med.
• Doktor / Doktorin der medizinischen Wissenschaft (medical science) Dr. scient. med.
• Doktor / Doktorin der montanistischen Wissenschaften
• (mining and metallurgy) Dr. mont.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Naturwissenschaften (natural science) Dr. rer. nat.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Philosophie (humanities and cultural studies) Dr. phil.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Philosophie einer Katholisch-Theologischen Fakultät (Catholic theology) Dr. phil. fac. theol.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Rechtswissenschaften (law) Dr. iur.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften (social science and economics) Dr. rer. soc. oec.
• Doktor / Doktorin der technischen Wissenschaften (technical sciences) Dr. techn.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Theologie (theology) Dr. theol.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Veterinärmedizin (veterinary medicine) Dr. med. vet.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Zahnmedizin und der medizinischen Wissenschaft (dentistry and medical science) Dr. med. dent. et scient.med.

The degrees below continue to be conferred according to previous law:

• Bachelor's degrees
• Bachelor der Naturwissenschaften (natural science) B. rer. nat.
• Bachelor der Philosophie (humanities and cultural studies) B. phil.
• Bachelor of Arts BA oder B.A.
• Bachelor of Engineering B.Eng.
• Master's or diploma degrees
• Diplom﷓Ingenieur / Diplom ﷓Ingenieurin (engineering science) Dipl.-Ing. or DI
• Diplom-Tierarzt / Diplom-Tierärztin (veterinary medicine) Mag. med. vet.
• Doktor / Doktorin der gesamten Heilkunde (medicine) Dr. med. univ.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Humanmedizin und der Zahnmedizin
• (human and dental medicine) Dr. med. univ. et med. dent.
• Doktor / Doktorin der Zahnheilkunde (dental medicine) Dr. med. dent.
• Magister / Magistra der Architektur (architecture) Mag. arch.
• Magister / Magistra der Künste (art) Mag. art.
• Magister / Magistra der Naturwissenschaften (natural science) Mag. rer. nat.
• Magister / Magistra der Pharmazie (pharmaceutics) Mag. pharm.
• Magister / Magistra der Philosophie (arts) Mag. phil.
• Magister / Magistra der Philosophie der Theologischen Fakultät
• (theology) Mag. phil. fac. theol.
• Magister / Magistra der Rechtswissenschaften (law) Mag. iur.
• Magister / Magistra der Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften
• (social science and economics) Mag. rer. soc. oec.
• Magister / Magistra der Theologie (theology) Mag. theol.
• Magister / Magistra des Industrial Design Mag. des. ind.
• Magister / Magistra des Rechts der Wirtschaft (business law) Mag. iur. rer. oec.
• Magister / Magistra [individual studies]Mag.

Upon completion of a "dual diploma" programme (degree programme which is jointly conducted under agreements between one or more Austrian university/-ies and one or more recognised post-secondary educational institution/s abroad), the award of the degree may be evidenced by a certificate which is jointly issued by all partner.

Graduates are entitled to request that the official documents conferring their academic degrees be accompanied by "Diploma Supplements". These are to promote international mobility as laid down in Art. IX 3 of the "Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in the European Region".

The Diploma Supplement is issued ex-officio. It must contain general information on the relevant study programme and specific information on the involved graduate’s academic performance:

• information identifying the holder of the qualification
• information identifying the qualification
• information on the level of the qualification
• information on the contents and results gained
• information on the function of the qualification
• additional information
• certification of the supplement
• information on the Austrian higher education system.

Fachhochschulen

Academic degrees at Fachhochschulen are awarded upon completion of all course work and examinations specified by the curricula in question, with an addition specifying the group of subjects.

These academic degrees are as follows:

• "Bachelor" ... – for bachelor's degree programmes
• "Master" or "Diplom-Ingenieur/Diplom-Ingenieurin" ... – for master's programmes
• "Magister" ... (FH)/"Magistra ... (FH)"or "Diplom-Ingenieur" ... (FH)/"Diplom-Ingenieurin ... (FH)"– for diploma study courses.

In accordance with Art. IX 3 of the "Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in the European Region", "Diploma Supplements" are issued on a mandatory basis together with the official documents confirming degree conferment in order to promote graduates’ international mobility.

Federal Ministry of Science and Research
Minoritenplatz 5 1014 Wien
Tel.:+43/1/53120-0

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