Principal characteristics
Programmes at ISCED level 6, or Bachelors or equivalent level, are often designed to provide participants with intermediate academic and/or professional knowledge, skills and competencies, leading to a first degree or equivalent qualification. Programmes at this level are typically theoretically-based but may include practical components and are informed by state of the art research and/or best professional practice. They are traditionally offered by universities and equivalent tertiary educational institutions.
Instruction at this level often takes the form of lectures by staff who are typically required to have attained ISCED levels 7 or 8 or have achieved experience as a senior professional in the field of work. Programmes at this level do not necessarily involve the completion of a research project or thesis, but if they do, it is less advanced, less independent or is undertaken with more guidance than those at ISCED level 7 or 8.
Entry into these programmes normally requires the successful completion of an ISCED level 3 or 4 programme with access to tertiary education. Entry may depend on subject choice and/or grades achieved at ISCED levels 3 and/or 4. Additionally, it may be required to take and succeed in entry examinations. Entry or transfer into ISCED level 6 is also sometimes possible after the successful completion of ISCED level 5. Upon completion of ISCED level 6 programmes, individuals may continue their education at ISCED level 7 (Masters or equivalent level), although not all ISCED level 6 programmes provide access to ISCED level 7. ISCED level 6 programmes do not usually give direct access to programmes at ISCED level 8 (doctoral or equivalent level).
Programmes classified at ISCED level 6 may be referred to in many ways, for example: Bachelors programme, licence, or first university cycle. However, it is important to note that programmes with a similar name to bachelor should only be included in ISCED level 6 if they satisfy the criteria described in the paragraph below. For international comparability purposes the term Bachelors or equivalent level is used to label ISCED level 6.
Classification criteria
For the definition of Bachelors or equivalent level, the following criteria are relevant:
Main criteria
a) Theoretically- and/or professionally-based content;
b) Entry requirements;
c) Minimum cumulative duration of (first degree) programme; and
d) Position in the national degree and qualification structure.
Subsidiary criteria
a) Staff qualifications; and
b) No direct access to ISCED level 8 programmes.
First degree programmes at this level typically have a duration of three to four years of full-time study at the tertiary level. For systems in which degrees are awarded by credit accumulation, a comparable amount of time and intensity would be required.
Programmes at this level typically lead to first degrees and equivalent qualifications in tertiary education (although individuals may have completed an ISCED level 5 qualification prior to enrolling in an ISCED level 6 programme). They may include practical components and/or involve periods of work experience as well as theoretically-based studies. Long first degrees of more than four years duration are included at this level if equivalent to Bachelors programmes in terms of complexity of content. In addition, programmes leading to a second or further degree may be included in ISCED level 6 if they are equivalent in complexity of content to programmes already classified at this level in the same education system and fulfil the other main criteria. Second or further degree programmes at this level are typically of one to two years duration, often professionally-oriented offering more specialisation than the first degree, but do not include substantially more complex content. Programmes at ISCED level 6 do not necessarily require the preparation of a substantive thesis or dissertation.
Where appropriate, the requirement of ISCED level 8 qualifications for some of the teaching staff may be a good proxy criterion for education programmes at this level in education systems where such a requirement exists. This serves to distinguish ISCED level 5 programmes from ISCED level 6 programmes.
Other programmes included in ISCED level 6
This level includes adult or continuing education programmes equivalent in complexity of content to the education given in programmes already classified at this level.
Complementary dimensions
Two dimensions may be used to differentiate education programmes at ISCED level 6:
Programme orientation; and
Programme duration and position in the national degree and qualification structure.
Programme orientation
The following two orientation categories are available:
Academic; and
Professional.
Programme duration and position in the national degree and qualification structure
The following four sub-categories for programme duration and position in the national degree and qualification structure are defined for ISCED level 6:
Stage (or programme) within a first degree at Bachelors or equivalent level with a cumulative theoretical duration (at tertiary level) of less than three years, therefore insufficient for completion of ISCED level 6;
First degree programme at Bachelors or equivalent level with a cumulative theoretical duration (at tertiary level) of three to four years;
Long first degree programme at Bachelors or equivalent level with a cumulative theoretical duration (at tertiary level) of more than four years; and
Second or further degree programme at Bachelors or equivalent level (following successful completion of a Bachelors or equivalent programme).
