Higher Education

See also: List of universities in the Netherlands and Academic Degree

Higher education in the Netherlands is offered at two types of institutions: universities of applied sciences (hogescholen; hbo) and research universities (universiteiten; wo). The former comprises general institutions and institutions specialising in a particular field, such as agriculture, fine and performing arts, or teacher training; the latter comprises general universities and universities specialising in engineering and agriculture.^{[citation needed]}

Since September 2002, the higher education system in the Netherlands has been organised around a three-cycle system consisting ofbachelor's, master's and PhD degrees, to conform and standardize the teaching in both the hbo and the wo according to the Bologna process.^{[citation needed]} At the same time, the ECTS credit system was adopted as an way of quantifying a student's workload (both contact hours, and hours spent studying and preparing assignments). Under Dutch law, one credit represents 28 hours of work and 60 credits represents one year of full-time study.^{[citation needed]} Both systems have been adopted to improve international recognition and compliance.

Despite these changes, the binary system with a distinction between research-oriented education and professional higher education remains in use. These two types of degree programmes differ in terms of the number of credits required to complete the programme and the degree that is awarded. A wo bachelor's programme requires the completion of 180 credits (3 years) and graduates obtain the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Laws degree (B.A./B.Sc./LL.B.), depending on the discipline. An hbo bachelor's programme requires the completion of 240 credits (4 years), and graduates obtain a degree indicating their field of study, for example Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng.) or Bachelor of Nursing (B. Nursing). The old title appropriate to the discipline in question (bc., ing.) may still be used.

Master's programmes at the wo level mostly require the completion of 60 or 120 credits (1 or 2 years). Some programmes require 90 (1.5 years) or more than 120 credits. In engineering, agriculture, mathematics, and the natural sciences, 120 credits are always required, while in (veterinary) medicine or pharmacy the master's phase requires 180 credits (3 years). Other studies that usually have 60-credit "theoretical master's programmes" sometimes offer 120-credit technical or research masters. Graduates obtain the degree ofMaster of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Laws or the not legally recognized degree Master of Philosophy (M.A./M.Sc./LL.M./M.Phil.), depending on the discipline. The old title appropriate to the discipline in question (drs., mr., ir.) may still be used. Master's programmes at the hbo level require the completion of 60 to 120 credits, and graduates obtain a degree indicating the field of study, for example Master of Social Work (MSW).

The third cycle of higher education is offered only by research universities, which are entitled to award the country's highest academic degree, the doctorate, which entitles a person to use the title doctor (dr.). The process by which a doctorate is obtained is referred to as "promotion" (promotie). The doctorate is primarily a research degree, for which a dissertation based on original research must be written and publicly defended. This research is typically conducted while working at a university as a promovendus.