15 - Portugal - Certification
After registering their study cycles, ensino superior universitário institutions can award first degrees,
mestrado degrees and doutoramento with the attribution of these degrees being subject to certain
conditions.
A first degree can only be awarded to the student that has accrued the stipulated number of credits for
the respective course after passing all the curriculum units in their study plan.
Similarly, a mestrado degree will only be awarded to the student that has accrued the stipulated
number of credits for the respective course after passing all the curriculum units in their study plan and
has defended their dissertation.
A doutoramento is only awarded to candidates who have successfully defended their thesis.
Higher institutos politécnicos can confer licenciatura degrees and mestrado degrees, as long as the
respective study cycles have been approved by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher
Education under certain conditions.
From this perspective, awarding a first degree is dependent on student having accrued the stipulated
number of credits for the respective course after passing all the curriculum units in their study plan,
while a mestrado degree implies that the student has accrued the number of credits stipulated for the
respective course after passing all the curriculum units in their study plan and has defended their
project or internship report.
The Decree-Law No. 74/06, 24th of March, that instituted the legal basis of degrees and diploma in
higher education, foresees that the institutions can award diplomas in the following cases: completing
no less than 120 credits of a first degree course; conclusion of no less than 60 credits on a mestrado
course; conclusion of a doutoramento course; giving other non-degree courses.
Apart from this, this legislation allows higher education institutions to award degrees and diploma in
association under certain conditions.
Thus, all university and polytechnic institutions adhering to the principles of visibility and comparability
of degrees and diploma and following what was established in Decree-Law No. 42/05, 22nd of
February, regarding the regulating principles for instruments that create European higher education, all
of these institutions emit a supplement to their diplomas, as foreseen in the respective legislation.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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