15 - Norway - Certification
Questions concerning degrees, examinations, and the normal length of a study programme, are
decided by the Ministry of Education and Research.
The main structure of degrees and the duration of study programmes are as follows:
● Three-year Bachelor’s Degree, two-year Master’s Degree and three-year Ph.D. is the main
model, introduced in 2002/2003 as part of the Quality Reform. There are some exceptions to
this model.
● In a few professional studies, students will enrol for a five-year integrated Master’s Degree
programme, e.g. engineering, industrial design, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture (five-and-ahalf-
year).
● A limited number of professional study programmes, of duration six years or more, retained
their earlier degrees. These degrees are in medicine (cand.med.), psychology (cand.psychol.),
theology (cand.theol.) and veterinary science (cand.med.vet.).
● In performing music, the Bachelor’s Degrees are four-years. General teacher education has
four-year programmes.
● The earlier university college two-year degree “høgskolekandidat” has been kept. This degree
may be built upon to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree.
● The traditional general doctorate (dr.philos.) is awarded on the basis of high level research
conducted over a number of years, leading to the successful defence of a substantial thesis.
As a means of facilitating and encouraging student mobility between higher education institutions in
the country, degrees can be conferred on the basis of studies from a combination of higher education
institutions. This system generally implies reciprocal recognition of study programmes between higher
education institutions on a time for time basis. There should, however, be no overlap in content or
duplication of exams.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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