INFORMATION ON THE NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
At present 22 state and 73 private higher education institutions are operating in the Republic of Armenia, of which 34 are accredited institutions, 31 – non-accredited, 3 branches of the HEI from the CIS countries and 5 branches – of the private HEI of the CIS countries. Higher Education is provided by many types of institutions: institutes, universities, academies and conservatory.
Higher Education Qualifications
Preparation of specialists with Bachelor's, Diploma Specialist and Master's qualifications as well as post graduate studies – researcher and candidate of sciences is implemented within the framework of the Higher Education.
The main education programmes of the higher professional education are conducted through various types of teaching: full-time, part-time, distant or extern education. The academic year, as a rule, starts on September 1st and is comprised of 2 semesters with 20 and 22 weeks duration, respectively.
The main education programme for preparing specialists with Bachelor's qualification includes required courses and practice of general humanities and social- economic, mathematics and natural sciences, and special professional disciplines, as well as may contain elective and optional courses. To enter the first degree of higher education, i.e. Bachelor's degree, at higher education institutions, applicant should have at least (full) secondary general education graduation certificate. The duration of study is at least 4 years, for medical specializations – 5 years. The program ends with summative assessment and final paper defence, and the Bachelor's qualification is awarded in case of its success. The awarded qualification gives a right to practice the specialization (except medical specializations) and continue the education in the next cycle – Master's studies.
The main education programme preparing specialist with Specialist Diploma (the last graduates of this programme will finish their studies at the higher education institutions in 2008-2009 academic year) qualification includes courses of general humanities and social- economic, mathematics and natural sciences, and special professional disciplines, as well as provides graduates with various types of professional skills and specialized theoretical and practical courses preparing for the occupational activity. The duration of study is at least 5 years, and for the arts and physical training professions it lasts 4 years. The program ends with testing, including defending of diploma thesis, and the qualification of Diploma Specialist is awarded in case of its success. It gives the access to continue education in the next cycle – post graduate Doctorate (Aspirantura) studies.
Master's qualification is awarded to persons holding Bachelor's or Specialist Diploma degree based on the test results of a 2-year higher professional education program. Graduates completing Master's programme are fundamentally prepared and have knowledge, capacities and skills necessary for scientific-research and scientific-pedagogical activity, management and self-improvement of their profession independently. It gives the access to continue education in the post graduate Doctorate (Aspirantura) studies based on the results of the entry examinations of applicants.
Post higher professional education qualification of Researcher is awarded to graduates holding Master's or Specialist Diploma degree as a test result of a 3-year post higher professional education programme.
Graduates holding Specialist Diploma or Master's degrees may study in the Candidate of Sciences post graduate qualification degree. The post graduate study is targeted at expanding theoretical professional knowledge of persons and obtaining skills to prepare a scientific thesis independently. Upon the completion of a 3-year post graduate studies, demonstration of analytical thinking and scientific thesis defence, scientific and educational degree of Candidate of Sciences will be awarded to graduates.
Doctor of Sciences is a scientific degree which is awarded to persons holding a degree of Candidate of Sciences as a result of their further independent scientific activity, after successful thesis defence.
Quality Assurance
The existing Quality Assurance system verifies the education quality based on the state educational standards and according to the accreditation criteria. The accreditation certificate is awarded based on the current results of the education programme quality assessment, the conclusion submitted by the accrediting organization and the positive results of summative tests of graduates for two years uninterruptedly. The accreditation process of HEIs and their specializations is conducted by the special Department of the RA Ministry of Education and Science – the Licensing and Accreditation Agency. The first phase of accreditation was performed in 2001.
According to the RA Law on Education, for the state bodies and state non-commercial organizations the document verifying higher education is the final academic document provided by the state or accredited private higher education institutions, if nothing else is stipulated by the Law.
