Information on regulated master’s courses
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Academic and professional prospects
All university master’s degrees enable students to acquire a set of skills to prepare them to carry out professional activities in their corresponding fields of specialisation. In addition, master's degrees open the door for admission to doctoral studies. If students wish to make a career in academia and research, master's degrees are the usual access route to doctoral programmes. Having obtained a master’s degree, students can be admitted to a doctoral course, which involves the writing and presentation of a doctoral thesis as an original piece of research.
In addition, this structure will allow the harmonisation of the qualifications awarded at all European universities, which facilitates mobility both for students and teaching staff, and for future professionals, who will be able to undertake their professional activities in European countries more easily, with no additional administrative procedures.
International quality guarantee
Before they are authorised by the Government of Catalonia, all of the master’s degree courses offered at the Catalan universities are evaluated within the framework of the Catalan university programme in order to guarantee both their quality and their relevance and suitability for the needs of Catalan society.
Of particular importance in the evaluation process is the Quality Assurance Agency for the University System in Catalonia, a pioneering State-run institution that belongs to the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and that carries out independent evaluations of courses, teaching staff, services and the overall nature of university institutions in accordance with international standards.
In addition, in recent years the universities of Catalonia have taken very varied actions to ensure the quality of their learning methods in the new context and have progressively updated their systems of work and study.
Objectives and direction of master's degree courses
Master's degree courses can follow different modes of study, according to their educational aims. Essentially, master's degree courses provide advanced education leading to academic or professional specialisation, or they may provide a foundation in research tasks. Once students have obtained a master's degree, if they wish to embark on an academic and research career, they can make the most of the doctoral courses offered by the universities.
As advanced courses of study, in addition to having an appropriate academic and professional profile, to study successfully for master's degrees, it is very important to know at least one foreign language. On occasion, some master's degree courses may be taught directly in another language besides Catalan or Spanish. So, for example, those taught entirely in English are listed below. Before applying for a place on a master’s degree course, prospective students should consult the university that offers the course to find out the specific conditions in terms of the working language or languages and the level of knowledge of these languages required.
A student-based learning model
The methodology applied to this new framework places emphasis on the students as the centre of the learning process and it is measured in ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
The Government of Catalonia was especially concerned with placing emphasis on the fact that all master’s degree syllabuses at Catalan universities contain work placements undertaken in companies or institutions and subjects that guarantee knowledge of English.
Length of master's degree courses
Master's degree programmes require a minimum of 60 credits and a maximum of 120 credits, equivalent to 1 or 2 years respectively. It should be remembered that, according to the educational qualifications listed on the application for admission, the university will set the number of credits and the specific subjects that students are required to study.
Master’s degree courses have been designed so that students who
study full time for one academic year can obtain 60 credits. The university
in question should be consulted to find out what master's degree courses
it offers for part-time students.
General admission
In order to be admitted to a master’s degree course, students must have
an official Spanish university qualification or a qualification issued by an
EHEA higher education institution.
Admission for students from other countries
Students with qualifications pertaining to educational systems that do
not belong to the European Higher Education Area may also be admitted
without the need for their previous studies to be officially recognised,
subject to verification by the university that the level of education
is equivalent to the corresponding Spanish official qualification and
that they provide access to master’s degree courses.
Admission by this route does not imply, under any circumstances, the recognition of the person’s previous qualification beyond permitting access to the master’s degree course.
Admission to a master's degree course
Students will be admitted in accordance with the specific requirements and merit evaluation criteria established by each university.
In the case of public universities and the Open University of Catalonia,
the fees for university master’s degree courses are public, set by
the Government of Catalonia.
For the 2007-2008 academic year, public fees have been set at €15 to €28
per credit, depending on the type of programme. For the 2008-2009 academic
year, these fees will vary as a consequence of annual updates. Exceptionally,
some programmes may modify the aforementioned fees per credit and also for
students that are citizens of non-European Union countries and non-residents
in Spain.
With regard to private universities, the fee for each master’s degree course is established freely, through their governing bodies. These fees may vary according to the institution and the course of study.
Students may receive financial aid to start or continue their university
courses. Certain academic and economic requirements must be complied with
in order to receive a grant.
The Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) of the
Government of Catalonia is responsible for awarding and evaluating financial
aid and grants.
Regulated professional activities
The Spanish Government will establish the conditions to which syllabuses will have to be adapted, which in certain cases will also have to be adapted to European application standards. These syllabuses are designed to enable students to obtain the skills they require to carry out the corresponding profession.
University master’s degrees with the participation of different universities
Some official master’s degrees are organised by two or more universities, which share essentially very similar characteristics, and this can create greater possibilities for mobility. In any case, it is best to consult the specific information about the programme provided by the participating universities.
| Last updated: 30th June, 2008 |