World Library  
Flag as Inappropriate
Email this Article


Article Id: WHEBN0000977277
Reproduction Date:

Title: Licentiate  
Author: World Heritage Encyclopedia
Language: English
Subject: Doctor of Philosophy, Academic degree, Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Manuela Ferreira Leite, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Collection: Academic Degrees, Education in Switzerland
Publisher: World Heritage Encyclopedia


Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree known as a licence or a licentiate.[1] The term derives from Latin licentia, freedom (from Latin licere, to allow), which is applied in the phrases licentia docendi meaning permission to teach and licentia ad practicandum signifying someone who holds a certificate of competence to practise a profession. Many countries have degrees with this title, but they may represent different educational levels. In some universities it is a degree between that of bachelor and master or doctor; in some countries it is comparable to a doctorate of philosophy (PhD).[2]


  • History 1
  • Regional variations 2
    • Argentina 2.1
    • Australia 2.2
    • Belgium 2.3
    • Bolivia 2.4
    • Brazil 2.5
    • Canada 2.6
    • Costa Rica 2.7
    • Denmark and Norway 2.8
    • Dominican Republic 2.9
    • Finland and Sweden 2.10
    • France 2.11
    • Germany 2.12
    • Haiti 2.13
    • India 2.14
    • Mexico 2.15
    • New Zealand 2.16
    • Nicaragua 2.17
    • Peru 2.18
    • Poland 2.19
    • Portugal 2.20
    • Romania 2.21
    • Spain 2.22
    • Switzerland 2.23
    • United Kingdom 2.24
    • Venezuela 2.25
  • Pontifical Universities 3
  • Domain variations 4
    • Heraldry 4.1
    • Medicine, surgery and obstetrics 4.2
      • Canada 4.2.1
      • Great Britain 4.2.2
      • Ireland 4.2.3
  • Theology, canon law, history, and cultural patrimony 5
  • Bologna convention 6
  • See also 7
  • References 8



Over time however, this distinction in nature between the licentia on the one hand and the bachelor, master and doctor degrees on the other began to fade. In the continental European universities the licentia became an academic degree between the bachelor's degree on the one hand and the master or doctor degree on other, in particular in the higher faculties. Moreover, the costs for obtaining the doctorate could be significant - including a grand feast for the entire faculty (Ref?). As a result, most students not intending on an academic career would forego the doctorate, and as a result the licentiate became the common final degree.


Regional variations


In Argentina, the Licentiate degree (Spanish: Licenciatura), by which one becomes a licenciada (female) or a licenciado (male), is a four- to six-year degree.[4] It's equivalent to an M.Sc. or M.A. in North American universities, or Master in any country of Europe given by the Bologna Process. Occasionally, the achievement of the "Licentiate" degree does not require the formal writing of a thesis, although almost always, some amount of research is required. The successful defense of the "Tesis de Licenciatura" automatically habilitates the candidate to apply to a Master's or Doctorate degree in a related field of science.


Currently the only institutions in Australia to grant licentiates, apart from theological colleges, are the Australian Music Examinations Board and the Australian College of Music, which confer licentiate diplomas, including the Licentiate in Music, Australia (LMusA). The status of this award is similar to that of an Australian diploma - currently one year of post secondary education. It is therefore a lesser award than a degree. Similarly, for theological colleges in former times, the licentiate was a specific post graduate award, analogous to a current graduate diploma. It was used specifically because some theological colleges did not enjoy university status, and could not award degrees such as baccalaureates, masters and doctorates. Though this was never the case in Catholic Colleges where the Licentiate cannot be earned until one has completed 7 years of study (5 for the baccalaureate and 2 for the licentiate). In such an instance, it sits well above the level of graduate diploma between that of master's and doctorate.

The Catholic Institute of Sydney is a Pontifical Faculty and as such offers the Licentiate of Sacred Theology which ranks above a master's degree and can only be earned after seven years of study (five years for the S.T.B.; two years for the S.T.L.). The licentiate is part of the three cycles of theological education in the Roman Catholic Church that was instituted in 1931: baccalaureate (STB); licentiate (STL) and doctorate (STD). It is the licentiate that licences faculty to teach in seminaries. See John Paul II's apostolic constitution, Sapientia Christiana.[5]


At Belgian universities, a person titled Licentiate (or Licentiaat in Dutch or Licencié in French, abbreviated lic.) holds the equivalent education of a Master's degree. A female Licentiate was called Licentiate in Dutch and Licenciée in French. The years spent to obtain the degree of Licentiate were called Licentiaat or Licentie in Dutch and Licence in French. It was the second level of university study, after that of Candidate (or Kandidaat in Dutch or Candidat in French, abbreviated cand.). A female Candidate was called Kandidate in Dutch and Candidate in French. The years spent to obtain the degree of Candidate were called Kandidaats or Kandidatuur in Dutch and Candidature in French. Each of those two levels required at least two years (four semesters) of successful study. Licentiates were required to write a thesis (called licentiaatsverhandeling in Dutch and mémoire de licence in French). This candidate-licentiate system is now being replaced by an American-style bachelor-master system. Civil engineer (or Burgerlijk ingenieur in Dutch or Ingénieur civil in French, abbreviated ir.), Doctor of medicine (or Doctor in de geneeskunde in Dutch or Docteur en médecine in French, abbreviated dr. med., until 1992), Physician (or Arts in Dutch or Médecin in French, after 1992), Doctor of law (or Doctor in de rechten in Dutch or Docteur en droit in French, abbreviated dr. iur., until 1972) and Magister (philosophy and theology, abbreviated mag.) were equivalent to Licentiate. Baccalaureus (philosophy and theology, abbreviated bac.) was equivalent to Candidate. The former titles dr. med. and dr. iur. are to be considered as professional doctorates, whereas the title dr., which is the result of third level study and research, is a higher doctorate. The Belgian licentiate was also equivalent to the doctorandus in the Netherlands. At the KU Leuven there used to be a degree Licentiaat-doctorandus in de TEW (Toegepaste Economische Wetenschappen) en in Beleidsinformatica. Apart from the general abbreviation lic., more specific abbreviations, such as LHFW (Licentiaat in de Handels- en Financiële Wetenschappen) and LTH (Licentiaat in de Tandheelkunde) exist.


In Bolivia, a Licenciatura is a professional degree distinct from the Anglo-Saxon Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor in Science, as it requires that the student take more credits for the completion of a professional curricula than those needed in the Anglo-Saxon system. The Licenciatura allows the holder to practice his or her profession in all of Bolivia. The durational requirements to obtain a Licenciatura vary depending on the profession studied, however, most universities require the completion of the curricula within four to five years. Aside from the durational requirements, Bolivian universities also require that all candidates, at the completion of the curricula, complement their studies by writing a thesis or by sitting for an oral examination in which State and University representatives take part by testing the student’s professional knowledge and skills.


In Brazil, the licenciatura is a degree that can be taken during or after a bachelor's degree. There are two types of licentiatura degrees in Brazil, one that qualifies the degree holder to teach in primary and secondary education, and another one that is an equivalent to a doctorate, and gives a professional degree to a professional, for example, psychologists in Brazil must have a licentiatura degree in Psychology in order to become a member of the Psychology Council, and starting the psychological practice. Psychologist will have a BSc in Psychological Sciences, followed by a Licentiatura Degree in Psychology.



Regis College, University of Toronto offers the degree of Licentiate in Sacred Theology. It is part of the cycle of baccalaureate, licentiate, doctorate in theological formation in the Roman Catholic Church. In can be earned while studying for a civil master's or doctoral degree. It probably sits in rank between the two levels. See John Paul II's apostolic constitution, Sapientia Christiana.[5]

Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, the title is awarded to students after five to six years of study (usually between three and four more semesters with courses after the completion of the bachelor's degree). Students are also required to write a thesis in some universities, attend a graduation seminar, or develop a project in order to graduate, and some degrees involve the same credits are a master's degree. This is also the degree conferred to a practicing physician. The degree is considered terminal, and is sufficient qualification to be a rector of a private university. The Consejo Nacional de Rectores (Council of Rectors) defines a licentiate as lower than a master's degree but higher than a bachelor's degree.[citation]

Further evidence of the difference between a master's degree and a licentiate is that two public universities, the National University of Costa Rica and the University of Costa Rica are phasing out faculty members with licentiate in favor of those who hold graduate degrees. Thus, in summary, a Costa Rican licentiate is higher than the Costa Rican version of a bachelor's degree but technically lower than a master's degree. Still, in some fields such as the teaching of English as a second language, it is the terminal, preferable, and only degree available to the field. [citation]

Denmark and Norway

The Licentiate was formerly awarded in Denmark and Norway, and was roughly equal to the American PhD degree. In Denmark, it has formally been replaced by the PhD degree. The proper doctorates in Denmark are considered higher degrees than the PhD (i.e. higher doctorates).

Dominican Republic


Finland and Sweden

In Swedish and Finnish universities, a Licentiate's degree, recognised as a pre-doctoral degree, is equal to completion of the coursework required for a doctorate and a dissertation which is formally equivalent to half of a doctoral dissertation. In Finland, the extent of Licentiate Degree is 120 ECTS equivalent and it requires two to three years of full-time research. Its prerequisite is a completed 4-year academic degree at advanced level, such as a Master's degree or a Magister's degree.[6] Licentiate degree holders are officially eligible for independent scientific research in Universities, and entitled to the right to supervise Master's and Licentiate degree theses.


The Licentiate of Engineering is an intermediate postgraduate degree used only in a few countries, among them Sweden and Finland, and can be seen as an academic step halfway between a Master's and a PhD. In Swedish, it is called Teknologie Licentiat, usually abbreviated as Tekn. Lic., and in Finnish, tekniikan lisensiaatti, abbreviated as TkL. The Licentiate of Engineering corresponds to 120 ECTS credits (80 workweeks (old credits)), or nominally two years of full-time work, whereas a PhD amounts to 240 ECTS credits (160 workweeks (old credits)), or a nominal period of four years of full-time work (one old credit equals one week of full-time studies). However, as a result of the differences in requirements and individual performance, the time to complete a Licentiate of Engineering degree varies. For the thesis, 2-3 peer-refereed articles (or an equivalent monograph) is usually required, and there is no requirement for original research per se. In contrast, a doctoral thesis requires 4-6 articles and must demonstrate original research.







In Haiti universities, a licenciate (licencié(e)) is the holder of a licence, which is a four-year degree, roughly equivalent to a bachelor's degree. There are two kinds of licence: general and professional.


In India, the Licentiate is a vocational qualification offered by the special vocational boards or professional bodies. These are offered after completion of school education and are somewhat less extensive than a full-fledged university degree. Issuers of the Licentiate degree include but are not limited to the Insurance Institute of India,[8] the Institute of Company Secretaries of India,[9] the Association of Mutual Funds of India, and the Diploma Examination Board of the government of Andhra Pradesh.




In Mexico, a distinction is made between simply passing all the required courses, just being a graduate (graduado or pasante), and actually obtaining the degree diploma (título profesional). Obtaining the diploma means the student completely concluded his or her studies, and has the right of using the title of Licenciado (Licenciate). Statistics show that historically only about 60% of those graduating actually obtain the diploma.[11] At the same time the diploma is awarded, a professional credential (cédula profesional) may be obtained from the National Directorate of Professions (Dirección General de Profesiones, DGP), which serves as a licence to practice and as a national ID card. Some professions do not require the professional credential, but for others, like Medicine, Accounting, Civil engineering, or Social work, it is mandatory by law.[12] The law also establishes penalties for crimes committed regarding the professional practice, including those in which an individual offers professional services without having the proper diploma or licence.[12]

For a number of years, presenting a academic grades.





New Zealand

The Photographic Society of New Zealand awards a Licentiateship, LICENTIATE (LPSNZ), for "proficiency of a high order in practical photography." This means the applicant must demonstrate sound basic technical ability, along with good compositional skill, and awareness of lighting. Proficiency implies skill with the camera and in processing and presenting images. This is the first of three honours available the other two being ASSOCIATE (APSNZ)and FELLOW (FPSNZ).


In Nicaragua, a Licenciatura is awarded to students after undergraduate studies ranging between four to six years. Students are required to write a thesis if studying in the liberal arts, law or science in order to graduate. Students in engineering typically complete modulos, which are additional post-degree requirements before graduating. Additionally, there are Nicaraguan universities that require an internship (internado or pasantia) prior to graduation. The Licenciatura is the degree that segues candidates into both masters and/or PhD programs.


The Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science in the Anglo-Saxon universities are awarded upon completion of studies. In Peru, "Bachiller" is also awarded automatically for having completed all the courses required for obtaining the first academic degree. In Perú, A "Bachiller" degree is the first academic degree and allows one to enroll in a master's degree course. The master's degree is the second degree and it allows you to get a Doctor's degree (equivalent to a PhD).

The "Licenciatura" in Peru is considered an academic degree,[13] but rather a "Professional Title" within a specific profession which allows you to work in positions outside academia and perform as an independent professional in the Republic of Peru. Most professions require the "Licenciatura" or "Professional Title" to be able to register with professional association or society (Colegio Profesional). To obtain a "Licenciatura" it is required to either pass an additional test or defend a thesis. Although most Bachelor courses in Peru require to complete "Thesis work" or "Thesis seminars" modules(usually developing a research project during the last two semesters of the course) to obtain the degree, it is not mandatory to defend it. To obtain a "Licenciatura" or "Título Profesional" the student is required to write a thesis (usually that developed during their bachelor course), and pass their viva voce. Alternatively, it is possible to complete a written exam and then an oral examination in front of a group of professors (who are registered in the professional college/body of that specific profession). With this last option, it is usually required to have at least one year of professional experience in the relevant field of studies.Therefor, for some professions which used to be called "carreras largas" or long careers (e.g. dentistry, law, psychology and medicine), the student requires more than five years of studies or ten semesters to become a member of a professional body.



A licencjat is a degree that was introduced in Poland by the tertiary education reforms. The purpose of these reforms was to bring the Polish university system into line with the Bologna system. It is typically a three- or four-year degree, equivalent to the bachelor's degree in Anglo-Saxon countries. Students completing a licencjat often go on to complete a magister's degree. In theology faculties which use Vatican-regulated degress, licencjat is a degree between that of master and doctor.


A licenciatura or licentiate degree diploma from Portugal

Due to the developments introduced by the Bologna Process in the mid-2000s, in Portugal the licentiate's degree (Licenciatura) may refer to both old and new Licenciaturas, which were awarded before and after the Bologna's reforms, respectively. The length of the old Licenciatura programs would range from four to six years and are now equivalent to the new Master's degrees. In the past, a master's degree would add 2 more years to the 4 to 6 years of the old undergraduate Licenciatura programs, thus taking 6 to 8 years of post-secondary education to obtain a master's degree. The new Licenciatura degrees that are now being awarded in Portugal and in almost all Europe with varying local designations, are usually three-year programs.



In Romania, before the Bologna process, a license (Rom. licenţă) was an academic degree awarded after four to six years of study, finalised by a thesis. It was a degree higher than the graduate diploma obtained after three years of study, which was mostly used in pedagogical institutes that trained secondary education teachers, and was considered inferior to the doctorate. A Romanian license was the equivalent of a French maîtrise or a German Diplom. There are some Romanian licenses (obtained before the Bologna process was of application) which have been recognized as mr. and drs.[14] in the Netherlands, i.e. at the LLM and MA level.[15] Now, after the Bologna process, the Romanian license is similar to a Bachelor's degree.[16]


In Spain, the Licenciatura degree was one of the major higher-education degrees previous to doctoral studies, and is equivalent to a Master's degree in the anglophone system. This degree is currently being phased out at Spanish universities, replaced by the 'Grado' (Bachelor) and 'Master' system due to the implementation of the Bologna Declaration on the European higher education area.

The Licenciatura academic degree is academically equivalent to the Ingeniero or Arquitecto degrees. A Licenciatura typically required from four to six years of University courses, and had a typical credit workload of 300 to 400 credits. It usually had two or three introductory years (first cycle, after which the candidate could obtain a Diplomatura or Bachelor's degree in that field of studies) and two additional years (second cycle) for specialization (but this could vary from one to three). In addition, there existed a third cycle, comprising PhD degrees (doctorado, which included one or two years of research oriented courses and the completion of a thesis towards the same doctor diploma). When studying for a Licenciatura, completion of the first cycle did not automatically lead to the award of a diploma. However, students could elect to study specialized three-year degrees from the outset (diplomaturas, and arquitecturas técnicas—technical engineering), which, after successful completion, would give access to the second cycle of a number of Licenciaturas. A Licenciatura degree also provided direct access to professional practice or membership in professional associations such as Bar Associations for lawyers (Colegio de Abogados, until Bar membership requirements were changed to include a minimum amount of legal work experience and passing an exam), medicine, economics, and other regulated professions.

The third cycle was sometimes called postgrado. Note, however, that the label "undergraduate" may be misleading to an anglophone audience, since while a Spanish Diplomatura may be likened to an undergraduate Bachelor's degree, a Spanish Licenciatura is comparable in scope to a postgraduate Master's degree, as the anglophone distinction between "undergraduate" and "postgraduate" degrees does not properly apply to the traditional higher-education system of Spain. Many Spanish licenciados, when translating their CVs into English, use the formula BA+MA (or BSc+MSc) to indicate that a Licenciatura is equivalent to a master's degree. Depending on the degree and study plan, some Spanish universities require a small thesis or research project to be submitted in the last year before the student can finally claim his or her degree.

After the Bologna process, all official university degrees will fall into one of these three categories: Grado (Bachelor), Master or Doctor. Most Grados will consist of three or four years (240 ECTS credits), unless it is otherwise ruled by an EU Directive (like Pharmacy, five years, or Medicine, six years). All university students completing these four years will get a Grado and may then go on with Master's studies (one to two years, 60-120 ECTS credits). Doctorate studies will in most cases require a research-oriented master's degree and may or may not include specific courses.


It should be noted that, prior to the Bologna process, the master's degree was not considered an official academic degree in Spain, as the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate studies could only be done directly from a Licenciatura to doctoral studies.


At Swiss universities, until the adoption of the Bologna Convention, the Lizentiat/licence was the equivalent of a master's degree (there being no prior degrees) and qualified the holder for doctoral studies. The degree names are followed by the field of study (e.g. lic. phil., lic. ès lettres, lic. oec., etc.). In line with the Bologna Process, the degree has now been replaced by master's degrees (with bachelor's degrees being newly introduced).

United Kingdom

The University of Wales, Lampeter offers Licences in Latin and Greek. They are postgraduate diplomas – meaning that the student would normally have completed a (typically three-year) Bachelor's degree first – and can be completed in either two years or three. The City and Guilds of London Institute Licentiateship award is at a supervisory/junior management level and mapped to NVQ/IVQ level 4 and National Qualifications Framework (NQF) revised levels 4 & 5. Trinity College London awards Licentiate in Performing Speech and Drama, which is tagged at Level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).[18] The Landscape Institute offers Licentiate membership to those who have completed a bachelor's degree and a postgraduate Diploma in the field of Landscape Architecture. The College of Teachers also offers a Licentiateship. This program, which is offered at the degree level, is for individuals with a B.Ed (three-year program) who wishes to do in-service advanced training in education or a related learning field. In music, a licentiate is the qualification which follows the diploma and is offered by Trinity College London (LTCL), Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM) and London College of Music (LLCM); candidates may choose to specialize in performance or teaching, depending on the examination board.


A Licenciatura is awarded to students after five years of study. They are required to write a thesis and/or do an intership and/or develop a research project in order to graduate.

Pontifical Universities

The licentiate degree is offered by many institutions of higher education sponsored by the Catholic Church around the world for specialized subjects. This is the intermediate degree between the bachelor's and the doctorate: "Nobody can be admitted to the doctorate unless first having obtained the licentiate."[19] For example, the Licentiate of Canon Law (JCL), the Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL), or the Licentiate of Philosophy (PhL) is granted by pontifical universities such as the Pontifical Gregorian University, Pontifical Salesian University, Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum in Rome, and The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Some Protestant institutions also grant similar non-degree programs using the term "licentiate" in theology, divinity and ministry.

Domain variations



Medicine, surgery and obstetrics



Great Britain








Theology, canon law, history, and cultural patrimony


A qualification similar to the LTh is the two-year postgraduate Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL), available from many Pontifical universities and Pontifical faculties of theology, possessing the authority to grant Pontifical degrees. This compares with, for example in North American institutions, the four-year program for a B.A. at many universities, a two-year program for an MA, and the writing and successful defense of the doctoral dissertation for the PhD, ThD, or STD (an additional two to three years).

The degree of Licentiate of Canon Law (JCL) is similarly awarded at Pontifical universities and faculties. Other qualifications for canon law include an inter-denominational LLM program at least one university (Cardiff), though this degree would not have canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church.

The Faculty of the History and the Cultural Patrimony of the Church at the Gregorian University also awards the Licentiate in the History of the Church, and the Licentiate in the Cultural Patrimony of the Church.[20]

Bologna convention

In 2003, the Bologna Convention for the European Higher Education Area under the Lisbon Recognition Convention, more commonly known as the Bologna Process, in order to create uniform standards across the European Union in that field. The resulting conclusions called for all European universities to change their degree programs to an undergraduate degree and a master's degree.

See also


  1. ^ Accessed September 16, 2012
  2. ^ "Definition". Oxford Dictionary. Retrieved 2009-11-04. 
  4. ^ "Coneau". Ministerio de Education Republica Argentina. Retrieved 2009-06-08. 
  5. ^ a b Sapienta Christiana
  6. ^ "Högskoleförordning". Utbildningsdepartementet. 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2012-07-03. 
  7. ^ "Degree of Licentiate". Chalmers. Retrieved 2009-06-08. 
  8. ^ "Welcome to Insurance Institute of India". Insurance Institute of India. Retrieved 2012-05-05. 
  9. ^
  10. ^ "BY THE OLD MOULMEIN PAGODA". Bharatiya Vayu Sena. Retrieved 2009-06-08. 
  12. ^ a b "Ley Reglamaentaria del Artículo 5º Constitucional, relativo al ejercicio de las profesiones en el Distrito Federal" (in Spanish). Regulatory Law for the 5th Article in the Constitution, relative to the practice of professions in the Federal District, last reform 22 December 1993, law published on 26 May 1945.
  13. ^
  14. ^ See Doctorandus.
  16. ^ Cf. Landenmodule Roemenie by Nuffic.
  17. ^ "Équivalence entre licence / diplôme et master". Retrieved 2009-06-08. 
  19. ^ John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution Sapientia Christiana, 49.2.
  20. ^ Pontificia Università Gregoriana (2007), Facoltà della Storia e dei Beni Culturali della Chiesa, Rome: Gregoriana Publicità.
