First Cycle Qualifications

The Higher Education Act and the Higher Education Ordinance state that first cycle (undergraduate) programmes must have an academic or artistic basis and be grounded in best practice.

General Qualifications

Higher Education Diploma

Scope
A Higher education diploma is awarded after the student has completed the courses required to gain 120 credits with a defined specialisation determined by each higher education institution itself.

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a Higher education diploma is completion by the student of an independent project (degree project) in the main field of study.

Bachelor of Arts/Science

Scope
A Bachelor of Arts/Science is awarded after the student has completed the courses required to gain 180 credits in a defined specialisation determined by each higher education institution itself, of which 90 credits are for progressively specialised study in the principal field (main field of study) of the programme.

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a Bachelor of Arts/Science is completion by the student of an independent project (degree project) for at least 15 credits in the main field of study.

Qualifications in the Fine, Applied and Performing Arts

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Scope
A Bachelor of Fine Arts is awarded after the student has completed the courses required to gain 180 credits in a defined specialisation determined by each higher education institution itself.

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a Bachelor of Fine Arts is completion by the student of an independent project (degree project) for at least 15 credits in the main field of study.

Professional Qualifications

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Scope
A Bachelor of Science in Engineering is awarded after the student has completed the courses required to gain 180 credits.

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a Bachelor of Science in Engineering is completion by the student of an independent project (degree project) for at least 15 credits.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing [Sjuksköterskeexamen]

Scope
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing is awarded after the student has completed the courses required to gain 180 credits .

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is completion by the student of an independent project (degree project) for at least 15 credits.

Bachelor of Arts in Education [Teaching qualifications]

Scope
A teaching qualification is awarded in the first or second cycle depending on the number of credits attained, the degree of specialisation demanded in a subject or a disciplinary domain and the extent to which second-cycle study is required.

A teaching qualification is awarded after the student has completed the courses required to gain either 180 or 210 credits (first-cycle) or 240, 270, 300 or 330 credits (second-cycle). A requirement for a teaching qualification awarded in the second cycle is inclusion in the programme of at least 60 credits of second-cycle study. Otherwise a first-cycle qualification is awarded.

The programme shall consist of the following three integrated fields that may comprise both first and second-cycle courses: studies in general education for 90 credits consisting of interdisciplinary courses, one or more specialisations of at least 60 credits in a subject or subject area and advanced study for at least 30 credits. At least 15 credits for the studies in general education shall be awarded for a placement. At least 15 credits for each specialisation shall also be for a placement.

At least 180 credits are required to teach vocational subjects in the upper-secondary schools. Instead of a specialisation and advanced study, extensive vocational experience and a relevant higher education qualification of at least 90 credits or the equivalent is required.

At least 210 credits are required to teach or undertake other educational tasks in early years education and extended school programmes as well as for teaching home languages. A specialisation of at least 90 credits in a relevant subject area is required for teachers of home languages.

At least 210 credits are required to teach at  primary level. For the award of a second-cycle qualification at least 240 credits are required,  including second-cycle courses for at least 60 credits.

At least 270 credits including one or two specialisations of at least 90 credits in a relevant subject, subjects or subject areas are required to teach at secondary and upper-secondary level, although not, however, to teach vocational subjects. For the award of a second-cycle qualification the inclusion of second-cycle courses for at least 60 credits is required.

To teach Swedish or the social sciences at secondary level at least 90 credits in subject areas that are relevant for these subjects are required, and at least 120 credits to teach at upper-secondary level.

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a teaching qualification comprising 180 credits or 210 credits is completion by the student of an independent project (degree project) for at least 15 credits.

A requirement for the award of a teaching qualification comprising 240, 270, 300 and 330 credits is completion by the student of an independent project (degree project) for at least 30 credits or two such projects for at least 15 credits each.