NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

Other degrees awarded on completion of study programmes of this length are not to be regarded as intermediate qualifications
but as final qualifications, even if there is a possibility to continue studying. This is also true for the new högskoleexamen,
translated as ‘Diploma of Higher Education’ or ‘University Diploma in...’.
II.2.1. Academic recognition of intermediate
qualifications for purposes of further study
The intermediate degrees mentioned above are given on completion of the first stage of the study programme concerned and
therefore cause no problem for recognition for further studies. The degrees described as final degrees, however, may be
partially or fully recognised for further studies, depending on their aim and character. For example, from the
högskoleingenjörsexamen of 80 points (University Diploma in Engineering/lower level), around 40 points are recognised for
further studies in the long-term engineering programme. On the other hand, studies for the högskoleexamen (80 points) in the
new system may be fully recognised for a kandidatexamen (120 points) if one of the subjects is studied up to the 60 point level
and includes a thesis of 10 points.
II.3. Final qualifications in higher education
II.3.1. Non-university qualifications
Sweden has no non-university sector, i.e. the education system is not a binary system.
II.3.2. Final university qualifications
In the system up to 1993, there were around 100 study programmes leading to degrees either of the kind högskoleexamen på
...-linjen, fil. kand.-examen på ...-linjen (= filosofie kandidat), juris kandidatexamen, teologie kandidatexamen , or they were
named after the profession they led to, for example arkitektexamen, bergsingenjörsexamen, civilingenjörsexamen på ...-linjen,
brandingenjörsexamen, ingenjörsexamen
på ...-linjen, sjökaptensexamen, agronomexamen, ekonomexamen,
internationell ekonomexamen, psykologexamen, socionomexamen,
apotekarexamen, sjuksköterskeexamen, laboratorieassistentexamen, läkarexamen, fritidspedagogexamen, ämneslärarexamen,
idrottslärarexamen, lågstadielärarexamen, mellanstadielärarexamen, musiklärarexamen, etc. The length of these degree
programmes varied from 40 to 220 points.
The minimum requirements for, for example, a filosofie kandidatexamen (fil. kand.) or högskoleexamen på xx-linjen were 120
points with a major in one subject giving eligibility for doctoral studies in the same field. The length of study programmes
leading to such a högskoleexamen or a fil. kand.-examen varied between 120 and 160 points or more. Programmes leading to
ekonomexamen (business administration and economics) and socionomexamen (social work) were 140 points. Other degrees
in engineering, agriculture, law, psychology, medicine, dentistry, etc., required 180 to 220 points.
The system of points (poäng) is based on one academic year being 40 weeks. Successful studies with a workload of 40 hours
per week should yield 40 points per year. However, normally the students need more than four years to reach 160 points since
studies at a higher level, including the thesis, tend to demand more time.
In the 1993 Swedish higher education reform, a new degree system was introduced where only the goals, the length and the
right to award degrees are decided by the government. In this system there are two kinds of degrees: general and professional
degrees.