Some people will travel to Sweden for their post graduate studies, which are what you pursue after you have completed your Bachelor’s or similar level degree in your country of origin. There are two separate levels of education that you can receive at the post graduate level in Sweden. Let’s take a closer look at each of the levels so that you can determine which you wish to pursue.
Advanced (Master’s) Level
The advanced level of education, also known as the Master’s level when you convert it to the educational systems in other countries, requires a 3 year Swedish degree or the equivalent before you are accepted. Equivalents are bachelor’s degrees, which can last three or four years, depending on the educational system in your home country.
There are two advanced level degree programs that you can pursue.
Degree of Magister
One Year (in Swedish, magisterexamen). This is equivalent to Master’s level certificates that you will see in other countries. They typically take about a year, which equals 60 credits worth of higher education. This requires the completion of a thesis.
Degree of Master
Two Year (in Swedish, masterexamen). This is equivalent to a Master’s degree that you can obtain in other countries. They take about 2 years, which is 120 credits worth of higher education. This requires the completion of a thesis.
Master’s degrees have twofold purposes. Most certificates (Degree of Master – One Year) have the intention of helping you achieve something in the field of study that you are pursuing. They can be a stepping stone to completing your Degree of Master – Two Year, but most times they are used for vocational advancement. The Degree of Master – Two Year is intended to help you vocationally, but it also gives you the option of continuing your education at a doctoral level if that is of interest to you.
External resource: How long does it take to get a Masters Degree
Doctoral level
In order to be accepted into a doctoral degree program, you must have a Degree of Master – Two Year or the equivalent from another country. This can include a Master’s Degree, a Master’s certificate, one year of advanced level work (even without a degree) or a Bachelor’s level degree with equivalent knowledge of that you would receive from an advanced degree (from a job, etc).
There are two types of doctoral degrees that you can pursue in Sweden. Whether or not your university offers one or both is dependent on where you attend.
Degree of Licentiate (licentiatexamen in Swedish)
This degree takes two years to complete, and is similar to a professional degree, like one you would need for law or medicine. You will be considered a “doctor” of whatever you studied, and the letters that indicate your degree will differ depending on the degree that you decided to pursue.
Degree of Doctor (PhD, or doktorsexamen in Swedish)
This degree takes four years to complete, and 240 credits worth of higher education. This requires a dissertation in order to obtain, which is similar to a thesis but with much more research and involvement on your part in order to complete it properly.
When you have obtained your doctoral degree, you are considered to have completed the highest level of education possible in your profession, which means that you will be considered an expert in the profession that you have decided to pursue. This can give you a number of opportunities in the field that you are studying, including allowing you to teach courses at universities around the world. Doctoral degrees are recognized worldwide.
If you are looking to pursue your post graduate studies in Sweden, you can find out more information from the Swedish Higher Education Authority. They are the organization that ensures that all universities adhere to a certain set of rules and regulations within a particular framework, so that no matter where someone attends university in Sweden, they will receive the same quality of education.
You can also contact the universities that you are seeking to pursue your post graduate education at for more information about their programs as well.