Structure of Education System
Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 6
Age of exit: 15
Structure of school system:
Primary
Type of school providing this education: Primary
School
Length of program in years: 6
Age level from: 6 to: 12
Primary
Type of school providing this education: Primary
School
Length of program in years: 5
Age level from: 6 to: 11
Primary
Type of school providing this education: Primary
School
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 6 to: 10
Lower Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Lower
Secondary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 12 to: 15
Lower Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Lower
Secondary School
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 11 to: 15
Lower Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Lower
Secondary School
Length of program in years: 5
Age level from: 10 to: 15
Academic Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Academic
Upper Secondary School
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Maturitatszeugnis/Certificat
de Maturité/Baccalauréat/Attestato
Di Maturità
Academic Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Academic
Upper Secondary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 15 to: 18
Certificate/diploma awarded: Maturitatszeugnis/Certificat
de Maturité/Baccalauréat/Attestato
Di Maturità
Vocational
Type of school providing this education: Vocational
Secondary School
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Fähigkeitzeugnis/Certificat
de Capacité/Attestato Di Capacitá
Handelsmaturitat/Maturité Commerciale
Vocational
Type of school providing this education: Vocational
Secondary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 15 to: 18
School education: Primary education
lasts from four to six years depending on the
canton. Secondary school lasts from seven to nine
years, depending on the canton and the length
of primary education. It consists of lower secondary
education, which is the second part of compulsory
education and lasts from three to five years,
and upper secondary education which is post-compulsory
and varies in length between three and four years.
There are various types of upper secondary schools,
such as: academic upper secondary schools, which
prepare students for University entrance; vocational
secondary schools, which prepare students for
a wide range of occupations, and general education
continuation upper secondary schools, offering
further schooling in general education subjects.
Higher education: In Switzerland,
the higher education system at University-level
is provided by ten cantonal Universities and two
federal Institutes of Technology. However, higher
education is also provided by the seven newly
created Fachhochschulen and advanced Vocational
Colleges. This sector is currently being reformed
on a global scale. Private Universities are basically
only to be found in the field of post-graduate
studies. There is no numerus clausus for subjects
studied at University, except for Medicine at
the German-speaking Universities. Studies in Medicine,
Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Chemistry
and Surveying must follow national requirements
and are regulated by the Federal Government.
Main laws/decrees governing higher education:
Decree: Bundesgesetz über die Eidgenössischen
Technischen Hochschulen (ETH-Gesetz) Year: 1991
Concerns: The two Federal Institutes of Technology
in Zürich and Lausanne
Decree: Bundesgesetz über die Fachhochschulen
(FHSG) Year: 1995
Concerns: Fachhochschulen
Decree: Bundesgesetz über die Förderung
der Universitäten und über die Zusammenarbeit
im Hochschulbereich (Universitätsförderungsgesetz,
UFG) Year: 1999
Concerns: Cantonal Universities and Hochschulen,
providing for their co-ordination.
Academic year:
Classes from: Oct to: Jul
Languages of instruction: French,
German, Italian
Stages of studies:
Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational
type):
Non-university level:
Professional people extend their
general education, upgrade their professional
skills and/or qualify in organization and leadership
which are necessary for a career at Advanced Vocational
Colleges. Studies last for two to three years
and lead to a final diploma. Some of the Advanced
Vocational Colleges are being transferred to Universities
of Applied Sciences (UAS) but studies leading
to professional diplomas will be carried out at
Advanced Vocational Colleges. The transfer of
some of the Advanced Vocational Colleges to Universities
of Applied Sciences began in 1997/98. With this
transfer a process of quality improvement was
launched. Since the transfer of Advanced Vocational
Colleges, HTL, HWV, etc. to Universities of Applied
Sciences, Switzerland has a dual university system
with two types of universities: Universities and
Universities of Applied Sciences that include
UAS Schools of Pedagogy, UAS Schools of Art and
Design, UAS Schools of Music and UAS Schools of
Theatre. Studies at the Universities of Applied
Sciences last for three to four years and are
related to the profession and its environment.
The performance of the Universities of Applied
Sciences include the following three sectors:
lecture (diploma studies); further education;
and applied research and development, transfer
of science and technology and services.
University level studies:
University level first stage: Grundstudium:
The first period of long-cycle study is essentially
devoted to broadly-based studies. It takes 2 to
6 semesters and generally ends with intermediate
examinations called Vordiplomprüfungen, Akzessprüfungen,
Demi-licence or Propädeutika (Medicine),
depending on the subject and the university.
University level second stage: Hauptstudium:
The second stage (Hauptstudium) is devoted to
in-depth study often with some specializations.
After a further four semesters, a Lizentiat/Licence
is conferred in Arts, Law and Science. A further
five semesters are required for the Diplom/Diplôme
in Engineering. In Medicine, a total of twelve
semesters is required, whereas in Dentistry, Pharmacy
and Veterinary Medicine a total of ten to twelve
semesters are needed.In the course of the implementation
of the Bologna Declaration, several universities
or subjects at individual universities have already
adjusted their curriculum to the Bachelor/Master
system.
University level third stage: Nachdiplomstudium:
Shorter postgraduate courses leading to the award
of a Zertifikat/Certificat or a Diplom/Diplôme
are offered by Universities and other Institutions
of higher education. They are usually part-time
courses and have a vocational orientation. The
Doctorate in Switzerland is regarded as a stage
of Postgraduate education. It is awarded by the
10 cantonal universities and the two Federal Institutes
of Technology in areas of study such as Arts,
Education, Sciences, Engineering, Theology, Law,
Economics, and Medicine. The duration of study
varies. In Science, the Doctorate may take a further
two to five years and in Engineering between two
and four years. In Law, Economics and Social Sciences,
it may take from one to three years in the German-speaking
Institutions and up to four years in the French.
The defence of the Doctoral thesis (Doktorprufung/Examen
de Doctorat) may be viva voce or candidates may
have to sit for an oral and written examination
or have to pass two written examinations and three
oral examinations in the chosen major and minor
subjects.
University level fourth stage: Medical specialization,
Habilitation:
1. Doctors in Medicine and Dentistry (in the field
of Orthodontics) wishing to specialize may prepare
a Diplôme de spécialité after
practical work lasting between five and seven
years as assistant Physicians. Doctors in Medicine
add FMH (Foederatio Medicorum Helveticorum) after
their professional title. Doctors in Dentistry
are given the title Kieferorthopäde SSO/Spécialiste
SSO orthodentie after four years' Postdoctoral
study and an examination. These specializations
are currently being revised. 2. The Habilitation
is the highest academic Degree awarded only in
German-speaking Universities in main fields. After
submitting a thesis (Habilitationsschrift), candidates
must give a public lecture. The Habilitation qualifies
for a Professorship.
Teacher education:
Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school
teachers
In most cantons, primary school teachers used
to be trained in pedagogical upper secondary schools,
Lehrerseminar/École normale, which took
five or six years and led to Primarlehrer-Diplom/Diplôme/Certificat
d'Aptitude à l'Enseignement primaire. However,
teacher education for primary school level is
currently being revised. By the year 2004, the
whole teacher training will be organized at tertiary
level. 15 Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS),
University Colleges of Education (Pädagogische
Hochschulen/Hautes écoles pédagogiques)
are planned or have already opened their doors.
Training of secondary school teachers:
The training of lower-secondary-school teachers
is being transformed. Upper secondary school teachers
must in general first obtain a Lizentiat/Licence
or a Diplom/Diplôme. The studies are held
partly at universities and partly at University
Colleges of Education. These institutions will
offer the following degree courses, the diplomas
of which are being named according to the regulations
of the Schweizerische Konferenz der kantonalen
Erziehungsdirektoren EDK (Swiss Conference of
the Cantonal Ministries of Education):-Lehrerin/Lehrer
für die Sekundarstufe I/Enseignant/enseignante
du degré secondaire I (lower secondary
school teachers): teaching legitimacy from the
5th, 6th or 7th up to the 9th class; training
in two to four (Stufenlehrkraft/enseignant généraliste)
or at least five (Fächergruppenlehrkraft/enseignant
semi-généraliste) subjects.-Lehrerin/Lehrer
für di Sekundarstufe I und für Maturitätsschulen/Enseignant/enseignante
du degré secondaire I et des écoles
préparant à la or 7th up to the
11th (upper secondary) class. These degree courses
are more particularly offered in the French-speaking
part of Switzerland.-Lehrerin/Lehrer für
Maturitätsschule/Enseignant/enseignante des
classes préparant à la Maturité
(upper secondary school teachers): teaching entitlement
for subjects at academic upper secondary schools;
the academic (university) and professional (teacher
training college) training take place one after
the other. The name of the different teacher categories
can vary from canton to canton; however, each
name can be assigned to the overall list above.
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