15 - Spain - Certification

University tertiary education

Until universities draw up the new syllabuses in accordance with what is stipulated by the Royal Decree establishing the organisation of official university studies, the description of the certification of university studies that follows corresponds to the current situation.

The Government, at the suggestion of the University Coordination Council establishes the official university degrees that are to be valid nationally. They are included in the Catalogue of Official University Degrees and are issued, on behalf of the King, by the rector of the university in which they are obtained. However, until the relevant official degree is actually issued, students may request temporary certification with the same academic value as the degree itself. Such certifications are vested with full academic effect and qualify the holder to work professionally.

The diplomas and degrees corresponding to non-official studies offered by the different universities are issued by the rector on behalf of the relevant university. They explicitly mention the fact that they are not official in order not to be open to misinterpretation.

The university degrees awarded by Spanish universities are the following:

• Diplomado, Technical Architect or Technical Engineer degrees, which are issued after completion of the first cycle of university studies, or of the first cycle of two cycle university studies leading to the awarding of an intermediate qualification.
• Licenciado, Architect and Engineer degrees, which are obtained on successful completion of the second cycle of university studies.
• The Doctoral degree, which is awarded to students who pass the third cycle of university studies and successfully defend their thesis. On completion of the 32 credits necessary for the presentation and approval of the doctoral thesis, the Diploma of Advanced Studies ( DEA), a certificate accrediting advanced studies and research competence, is granted. The certificate is valid in all Spanish universities

 

The official degrees issued by Spanish universities are recognised in all of them and valid throughout the country.

Validation of degrees from foreign universities or Spanish private universities follows what is established by the international treaties or agreements Spain may have signed or by the validation tables for syllabuses and degrees approved by the Ministry of Education and Science ( MEC), subsequent to a report of the Academic Committee of the University Coordination Council. If these two criteria are not met, the procedure for validation must take into account the academic and scientific curriculum of the candidate, the prestige of the university awarding the degree and the reciprocity bestowed on Spanish degrees in the country where the studies were followed. In those cases in which the studies accredited do not bear equivalence to that granted by the relevant Spanish degree, validation is subject to the passing of an examination regarding the basic knowledge in the Spanish programme that is required for awarding the degree.

As regards the adaptation of the Spanish university system to the European Higher Education Area, Spanish universities are allowed to issue the European Diploma Supplement to the official university Spanish degrees in order to provide national information concerning the level and contents of the studies accredited by the qualification concerned.

As far as the Doctoral degree is concerned, the mention of the "Doctor Europeus" (written on the back of the certificate) may be obtained provided a set of requirements are met. These requirements are, among others, to have spent a period of at least three months abroad in a higher educational institution in another European country carrying out studies or research work during the period of Postgraduate training.

The MEC and universities may establish rules to grant honourable distinctions to those doctoral theses which deserve this. These distinctions may be expressed in the relevant academic certification.

The requirements and procedure for the issuing of the Master and Doctoral official degrees, as established by the 2007 Act modifying the Act on Universities and the October 2007 Royal Decree establishing the organisation of official university studies, have also been regulated.

Non-university tertiary education

The Royal Decree 733/1995 regulates the issuing of academic and professional certificates for all educational levels except for university level. This decree establishes the general aspects that must be included in all academic qualifications, although each Autonomous Community has powers to develop their own certification models from this decree. However, certificates issued by any competent education authority are of an official nature, and academic and professionally valid nation-wide.

The following information must be stated on the certificate: the name of the King of Spain; the competent Autonomous Community; the specific name of the studies taken; the institution and the year of completion; and the final mark in those cases requiring this.

Specific information about the certification awarded in non-university post-secondary studies is available in the following subsections.

Legislation: Real Decreto 733/1995, de 5 de mayo, sobre expedición de títulos académicos y profesionales correspondientes a las enseñanzas establecidas por la ley orgánica 1/1990, de 3 de octubre, de ordenación general del sistema educativo

 

Advanced vocational training

Students who have successfully completed advanced vocational training are awarded the Técnico Superior qualification which is directed towards integration into the professional field. However, for those students who wish to continue their studies, the certificate qualifies them to gain direct access, i.e without sitting an entrance examination, to certain first cycle university education related to the respective field of vocational training. Regulations corresponding to each certificate specify which type of university studies may be entered through direct access. A Técnico Superior certificate also qualifies students for other specialised or complementary training, such as the Enseñanzas de Régimen Especial. Furthermore, validations among módulos profesionales corresponding to different ciclos formativos are also possible.

Besides accrediting the final certificate for all ciclos formativos of advanced vocational training, the possibility exists for recognising the unidades de competencia of certain módulos of a specific ciclo formativo, without requiring completion of the cycle in question.

In addition, the Ley Orgánica de Educación, LOE (Act on Education) establishes the possibility of obtaining the Técnico Superior qualification provided a specific test is passed. This examination, which is organised by the relevant education authorities, acknowledges that the student has achieved the general objectives established for vocational training education as well as those determined within the basic aspects of the curriculum of the relevant ciclos formativos. In order to sit this examination, students must be aged 20, or 19 in the case of those holding the Técnico certificate.

Enseñanzas de régimen especial

The information about the certification of the different enseñanzas de régimen especial is available in the following subsections.

Artistic studies

After completing advanced Music or Dance studies, students are awarded a higher certificate of Music or Dance, respectively, equivalent to all intents and purposes to a university Licenciado degree, which is the necessary requirement to teach the relevant subject areas at any level.

Once students have completed Dramatic Arts studies in the respective specialisation, they are awarded a higher qualification which is equivalent to all intents and purposes to a university Licenciado degree. This certificate qualifies holders to work either in the theatrical field, film or television, as well as to teach in Higher Schools of Dramatic Arts as well as in theatre workshops and in secondary education institutions.

Students who complete advanced studies of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets; advanced studies of Plastic Arts in the specialisations of Ceramics, and Glass; and advanced studies of Design are awarded the higher qualifications in the relevant specialisation. These degrees are equivalent to all intents and purposes to those of a university Diplomado

Students who pass the ciclos formativos of advanced Plastic Arts and Design are awarded the certificate of Técnico Superior of Plastic Arts and Design in the relevant specialisation of the studies followed. The certificate awarded grants students direct access to the following studies: advanced studies of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets; those of Design, Ceramics and Glass; as well as specific higher university studies.

The Ley Orgánica de Educación, LOE (Act on Education) states that education authorities will encourage agreements with universities to provide for the organisation of Doctoral studies in Artistic education. Advanced Artistic education institutions will promote research programmes in their corresponding fields.

Sports studies

The qualification of Técnico Deportivo Superior in the relevant specialisation is awarded once Sports studies, which comprise 755 and 930 hours of training and an end-of-studies project, have been completed. This certificate is equivalent to all intents and purposes to the Técnico Superior certificate of vocational training. 

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