NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

The professional studies of the University College of Education are divided into five groups: education, social sciences,
languages, natural sciences and arts and craft. The BEd programme is divided into professional courses in education and 15
different subject specialisations. Practical training in comprehensive primary and lower secondary schools is a part of the
programme.
A general teacher education course of similar content and structure leading to the BEd degree is also offered at the University
of Akureyri.
BPhil Isl próf-BPhil Isl degree
In the Faculty of Arts at the University of Iceland, a special three year programme is offered in Icelandic for foreign students
leading to the degree Baccalaureatus Philologiae Islandicae, the BPhil Isl degree. This degree programme is on the same
level as the BA programme. The first-year course is designed for students with little or no prior knowledge of Icelandic. It is,
however, necessary for students to have some experience in foreign language study and some knowledge of general
linguistics. The main content of the programme is Icelandic language, grammar, literature and history.
Kandídatspróf (candidatus examination/degree)
The kandídatspróf is only offered at the University of Iceland and qualifies the holder for a special office or profession. It is
an academic/professional degree in the fields of theology, medicine, pharmacy, law, business administration, engineering and
dentistry.
Examinations are taken at the end of each semester in the contents of the courses attended by the student. There are a number
of obligatory courses and (in some cases) some courses selected by the student, practical training in appropriate institutions
and thesis or research paper at the end of the course and written (and/or oral) subject examinations.
Candidates who have completed a degree course leading to the kandídatspróf are awarded the degree candidatus/candidata
followed by the Latin title for the relevant subject field. The title is abbreviated, e.g. candidatus/candidata theologiae is
cand.theol. The courses leading to candidatus degrees have a prescribed length of four to six years, the shortest (four years)
being the cand.oecon. degree in business administration and the cand.scient. degree in civil, mechanical and electrical
engineering which is accredited by the Icelandic Society of Chartered Engineers. The longest in duration (six years) is the
cand.med. et chir. degree in medicine and the cand.odont. degree in dentistry. The others are cand.juris. degree in law (five
years), cand.theol. degree in theology (five years) and cand.pharm. degree in pharmacy (five years).
Meistarapróf — Master’s degree — MA/MS/MPaed/MEd
The University of Iceland awards the Master’s degree. Students who have completed a degree course leading to the masters
are awarded the degree Magister Artium and Magister Scientiarium followed by the Latin title for the relevant subject field.
The title is abbreviated, e.g. MA and MS. The Magister’s or Master’s degree follows successful completion of a BA or BS
degree. In some Master’s programmes the admission prerequisite is a first class BA/BS degree and in engineering the
admission prerequisite is a cand.scient. degree in engineering. The Master’s degree is an academic/scientific degree, a
research oriented training course with a prescribed length of two or three years after the BA/BS degree (one year after the
cand.scient. degree in engineering) with courses, seminars, essays, research work and a thesis. There are a number of
obligatory courses and a number of courses selected by the student. Examinations and assessments are at the end of each
semester throughout the programme in the contents of the courses attended and based on essays written by the student. The
MA or MS thesis or research paper is an academic/scientific work that should improve the ability of the student to solve
problems in his field of study in a scientific and scholarly manner. There are also written (and in some cases oral) subject
examinations. Usually about half of the time, though in some cases two thirds, is spent on the MA/MS thesis or a research
project. The disciplines are natural sciences, economics, biomedicine (research degree), humanities and social sciences.
The University of Iceland also offers a degree course in education leading to the degree Magister Paedagogiae, the MPaed
degree. This programme is only offered in Icelandic studies and follows successful completion of a first class BA degree.
The University College of Education offers a degree course leading to the degree Magister Educationis, the MEd degree.