University tertiary education
Until the 2007 Royal Decree establishing the organisation of official
university studies was passed, university institutions, in accordance with some
general guidelines proposed by the University Coordination Council and approved
by the State, were autonomous as regards educational and training aspects,
which implied that universities were in charge of organising and establishing
their educational provision, as well as of drawing up and proposing syllabuses
leading to the various university degrees which they intended to provide, once
the latter had been approved by the University Coordination Council.
This Royal Decree, in compliance with the principles established by the 2007
Act modifying the Act on Universities, increases university autonomy by
adopting some measures making the organisation of university studies more
flexible, since they promote a bigger curricular diversification and allow
universities to make innovative proposals.
Universities are thus granted the responsibility of drawing up and proposing
the syllabuses they consider most appropriate to their resources and interests.
These syllabuses will have to be verified by the Council of Universities and
authorised by the relevant Autonomous Community, following the evaluation
report from the Agencia Nacional de Evaluación de
The drawing up of the new syllabuses, in compliance with what is laid down by
the new regulations including the agreements made by the Spanish Government in
the Bologna Declaration is still in
progress, so the description of the structure of the curricula for the
different types of provision that follows corresponds to the current situation.
A) First cycle studies, first and second cycle studies
or second cycle studies.
The contents of the syllabuses are grouped into subject areas, to which a
certain number of education credits are assigned. A credit is defined as the
unit for assessing student performance. Each credit corresponds to ten teaching
hours. Subject areas are classified into:
The subject areas which are
included in the syllabus must not make up less than 4.5 credits in the case of
subjects which last for four months, or 9 credits in the case of those with
year-long duration. Exception is to be made for those common subject areas
which, due to their particular and specific nature, have been assigned 2 or 3
credits.
The duration of university studies is specified in the decrees which approve the
general guidelines of the studies. In general, first cycle studies last two or
three years, and comprise 180 to 270 credits. First and second cycle studies
may last for four or six years. Each cycle lasts for at least two years (two or
three years in the first cycle and two in the second cycle, except for
Medicine, Architecture and Engineering, in which the second cycle also lasts
for three years). These four, five or six years of studies carry 300 to 450
credits. Second-cycle only studies are two years long, during which 120 to 150
credits must be obtained. Credits are broken down into those for the
theoretical, practical provision and for academic recognition of other
activities such as placements in companies, academically directed professional
work, etc.).
The workload for each degree ranges from a minimum of 60 to a maximum of 90
credits per academic year, that is, from 20 to 30 hours a week, including
practical lessons. In any case, the workload may not be more than 15 hours of
theoretical classes a week. On the basis of these standards, the guidelines for
each degree lay down the minimum and maximum number of credits required for
each cycle within these studies.
In addition, universities may establish minimum and maximum attendance
requirements. Thus, each student must attend university for a certain minimum
period of time in order to obtain the chosen degree. The maximum time allowed
to earn degrees is also fixed (at least two years more than called for in the
corresponding curriculum) by the Social Council of each university. In
exceptional circumstances, provision is made so that first year students
(possibly extended to the following two years), who do not pass any of the
subjects on which they are enrolled, are not allowed to continue their studies
in the same institution if they cannot justify such a poor performance.
In some university studies, it is necessary to obtain a degree by presenting an
end- of- studies project, examination or general test or practical training,
which carries a credit value on the student’s curriculum. When the university
considers that a certain number of credits is required to complete the basic
overall first cycle studies, this is a requirement for progressing to the
second cycle referring in all cases to the group of common and compulsory
subjects.
B) Third cycle studies
These studies require that a minimum of 32 credits are obtained, organised into
two periods: the first constitutes a period of studies with a minimum of 20
credits, and a period with a minimum of 12 credits to be spent on research.
Once these two periods have been successfully completed, an assessment is made
of the knowledge obtained by the doctoral student. A positive assessment leads
to the award of the Advanced Studies Diploma, a certificate-diploma accrediting
the completion of advanced studies, which is recognised in all Spanish
universities. This certificate accredits students’ work carried out within a
specific field of knowledge, as well as their research expertise.
Following this, those who wish to obtain the Doctoral degree must present and
obtain approval of their relevant doctoral thesis. The doctoral thesis
comprises an original supervised research work in a subject area related to the
scientific, technical or artistic field included in the Doctoral programme
followed by the doctoral candidate.
The planning of doctoral studies corresponds to the university research
departments and institutes.
C) Professional specialisation courses
Non-official postgraduate qualifications are intended for Licenciados, Architects or Engineers, as well as
for Diplomados, Technical
Engineers or Technical Architects, and are clearly designed to guide them
towards the professional implementation of the knowledge that students have
acquired at university. Those who pass these studies obtain the corresponding
university degree or diploma.
In addition, there are official qualifications in professional specialisations
which are studies not integrated in the Doctorate and are open to students who
have a university degree of any of the different cycles. The successful
completion of these programmes results in the award of the corresponding
official Specialist certificate. The Ministry of Education and Science is
responsible for establishing the requirements to gain access to these studies
and to determine their connection to the rest of the education system, as well
as the nature of the relevant qualifications, and the conditions for obtaining
them, their issue and validation.
Among the measures aimed at the setting up of a European Higher Education Area,
the implementation of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in the
official Graduate and Postgraduate degrees should be noted.
Non-university tertiary
education
The information on the curriculum of non-university higher education is
available in the following subsections.
Advanced vocational training
Advanced vocational training includes a set of ciclos formativos organised into módulos, which are of varying
length (one or two years), made up of areas of theoretical and practical
knowledge related to different professional fields. The duration of an advanced
ciclo formativo ranges
from 1,300 to 2,000 hours (in one and a half or two academic years), including
from 350 to 750 hours of training and activities in the workplace.
The Royal Decree 15338/2006 which regulates the new organisation of vocational
training established by the Ley Orgánica de Educación, LOEciclos formativos should include a módulo profesional of a project.
It will be drawn up in accordance with the characteristics of the work-related
activity within the field of the ciclo
formativo concerned as well as with aspects related to the
professional undertaking and business management. In addition, this módulo will aim at integrating
the different skills and knowledge as regards the curriculum of the ciclo formativo, and will
require the drawing up of a project in which the technological and
organisational factors are included.
The módulo profesional of
a project will be carried out during the final period of these studies, and it
will be assessed once the módulo
of on-the-job training has been completed. It aims to facilitate the
integration of the competences acquired during the on-the-job training
placement. In order to be awarded the certificate it is necessary to pass the módulo profesional of a project.
The vocational training regulated by the LOE will be
gradually implemented from the academic year 2007/08 to 2009/10.
Enseñanzas de régimen
especial
The information on the curriculum of the different enseñanzas de régimen especial can be found in
the following subsections.
Artistic
studies
The education authorities establish the curriculum for Artistic studies within
their territory taking into account the minimum core curriculum established by
the Government. The curriculum of Artistic studies encourages the pedagogic
autonomy of institutions and favours teachers’ coordination, especially among
those who teach contents related to the same knowledge areas or subjects within
the same specialisation. The Autonomous Communities set up didactic
coordination bodies with the aim of establishing functional coherence and
connections among the different subjects of the curriculum.
Advanced Music studies are organised into the three areas
of basic training included in this type of education: subjects involving
strictly technical aspects of specialisation; music theory and humanities, to
ensure a full education both in music and in other general areas of knowledge;
and subject areas dealing with the various vocal, symphonic and chamber music
ensembles. The purpose of the latter subject areas is to ensure the existence
of solid institutions that serve a dual purpose: student participation; and
integration of the institution’s artistic activities within the surrounding
community.
This provision is made up of a single cycle of four years, with the exception
of Composition, Chorus Conductor and Orchestral Conductor, which the Autonomous
Communities may organise into five years.
Advanced Dance and Dramatic Arts studies are also
organised into a single cycle of four years.
Advanced Plastic Arts and Design studies take three years
each in addition to the presentation of an end-of-studies project, with a total
workload of 273 credits. Of these credits, 270 correspond to training in the
educational institution and the remaining three correspond to the supervised
monitoring of the end-of-studies project. To pass this project students must
obtain a pass in all the subjects which make up the relevant curriculum, both
the common subject areas and the specific ones for each specialisation.
Similarly, advanced studies in Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets
comprise three years, of which the first is general, and the second and third
year are devoted to the corresponding specialisation .
The ciclos formativos of advanced Plastic Arts and Design include the studies followed
at the educational institution, a period of on-the-job training through a
placement in a company, studio or workshop and an end-of studies project. The
provision offered in the institution is organised into theory-based and theory
and practice-based módulos
as well as strictly practical classes, usually given in specific workshops. The
total duration is around 2,000 hours, spread over a two-year period in
accordance with the vocational family studied.
The education authorities, in turn, establish the curriculum for each ciclo formativo and regulate the
requirements for gaining access to these cycles. As regards the drawing up of
the curriculum, the Autonomous Communities take into account the financial and
social needs within their area, as well as the promotion of their cultural
heritage. Thus, the Autonomous Communities encourage the participation of
artistic, professional and business sectors as well as that of the artistic and
cultural institutions, both in the drawing up of the curriculum and in the
development of these studies, especially as regards the organisation and
evaluation of the practical training and the end-of-studies project.
The curriculum also promotes the teaching and organisational autonomy of
institutions as well as their relationship with the social, economic and
cultural environment.
Sports studies
The curriculum for advanced Sports studies is organised into módulos
The common component is compulsory and similar for every specialisation and, as
is the case sports specialisation, and is made up of subjects whose content
have a general scientific nature. The specific component includes those
subjects areas related to technical, didactic and regulatory aspects, which are
specific to each specialisation or, as is the case, sports specialisation. The
practical training is made up of activities in the relevant specialisation or
sports specialisation, related to the formative aims. The teaching of these
studies is organised into módulos
which combine theoretical and associated practical knowledge.
The basic contents of the core curriculum cannot make up more than 55% of the
timetable for those Autonomous Communities having a co-official language other
than Spanish, and no more than 60% for those with no co-official language.
On completion of these studies, the student must submit an end-of-studies
project on the chosen specialisation or sports specialisation. Students must
pass this project in order to be awarded the corresponding certificate.
which include theory and associated
practical knowledge and comprises: a general component; a specific one for the
type of sport or specialisation referred to on the certificate; another
complementary component; and practical training.
Institutions:
CONSEJO DE COORDINACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA
c/ Juan del Rosal, 14 Ciudad Universitaria
28040 Madrid
Tel.:+34.91.453.98.00
Fax:+34.91.453.98.86/91.453.98.86
Website:http://wwwn.mec.es/educa/ccuniv/
MINISTERIO DE EDUCACIÓN Y CIENCIA
c/ Alcalá, 36 28014 Madrid
Tel.:902.21.85.00/
902.21.86.00/+34.91.589.66.08
Fax:+34.91.701.86.48/ +34.91.589.66.14
E-mail: infoedu@mec.es
Website:http://www.mec.es
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