Licentiate

Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a license. It exists in various European, Central American, and South American countries and represents different educational levels.

Regional variations

In Belgian universities, a person titled Licentiate (or Licentiaat in Dutch) holds the equivalent education of a master's degree. Students receive a license after 4 or 5 years of successful study. The first two years are known as kandidatuur (candidacy), meaning students are qualifying themselves for study at the licential level. Study is very rigorous. Students in Belgian universities usually take more than 30 hours a week (as opposed to an average of 15 at American universities.) Thus, students are able to complete their degrees in four years, as opposed to the usual six at American institutions.

In Portugal, the Portuguese licenciatura (licentiate degree) is an undergraduate degree but with an automatic licensure for working in a particular profession and an accreditation by the respective professional orders - ordens profissionais. The licenciatura diploma is also required for those applicants who wish to undertake masters and doctorate programs.

In Swedish and Finnish universities, Licentiate's degree equals completion of the coursework required for a doctorate and a dissertation roughly equivalent to half of a doctoral dissertation, likened to a MPhil degree in the British system. The Licentiate's degree is called a filosofie licentiat in Swedish and filosofian lisensiaatti in Finnish (Licentiate of Philosophy), teologie licentiat and teologian lisensiaatti (Licentiate of Theology) etc, depending on the faculty.

In Switzerland most of the University degrees are called licentiate, but mostly used in its abbreviation lic. (coming from Latin licentiatus (m) or licentiata (f)). It is eqivalent to a Master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies. It will be progressively changed for the 'Master' grade, due to the Bologna Convention.

Domain variations

Theology

The Licentiate of Theology was a sub-degree or diploma-level qualification offered by a number of educational institutions. The University of Wales, Lampeter LTh (Licence in Theology), introduced in 1940 by the then St David's College Lampeter, was intended for graduate ordinands, and is one year full-time, or two years part-time. The University of St Andrews also offered the LTh (Licence in Theology), a three-year course open to non-graduates. A three-year LTh is also available from the University of Edinburgh, a four-year qualification from Emmanuel College, Toronto, and a two-year post-graduate qualification (STL) from the Milltown Institute, Ireland.

In Australia in former years theological colleges that were not associated with Universities offered programs that were awarded a Licentiate in Theology, abbreviated to ThL. For many years the ThL was a prerequisite to ordination as an Anglican priest, however nowadays the ThL is a "non award" course; that is it is not recognised by other institutions, and persons wishing to be ordained usually complete a Bachelor of Theology at an accredited university. The Australian College of Theology was established in 1891 by the General Synod of the Church of England in Australia. In 1899, there were four awards of the College - the Associate in Theology, the Licentiate in Theology, the Scholar in Theology, and the Fellow of the College of Theology - and about 30 students.

In New Zealand the LTh is offered by the Ecumenical Institute for Distance Theological Studies and was the standard avenue to ordination in the Anglican Church; it remains the standard for part-time distance ordinands.

In Germany the Lizentiat, abbreviated to Liz., is a first degree after five years of study in Catholic theology. This degree does not exist in other denominations within Germany. It is eqivalent to a Master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies.

Medicine and Surgery

In Britain, several medical degrees are called licentiates. These include:

Until 1999, these degrees were registerable with the General Medical Council, and allowed the bearer to practice medicine in the UK.

Bologna Convention

In 2003, the European Union organized the Bologna convention on higher education - 'The Bologna process' - in order to create uniform standards across the EU 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.

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Regional variations

Domain variations

Theology

Medicine and Surgery

Bologna Convention

See also