Transcript The Bologna Process

The Bologna Process
and
Three-Year Bachelor Degrees
Frank Einhellig
January 16, 2008
323 International Graduate
Students, Fall 2007
Reasons for Consideration
International graduate student number is
expanding at MSU
The highest number is from India, followed
by China.
Number students from Europe, especially
Eastern Europe is growing
Missouri State must evaluate credential for
admission to graduate programs
U.S. International Enrollments
from “3-Year” Degree Countries
Students from Europe represented 2.2% of
the total graduate enrollment in the U.S. in
2006-2007
Universities in 26 non-European countries
award a first degree upon completion of a
3-year program
 Graduate students from these countries
represent 2.3% of the total graduate
enrollment in the U.S.
Occurrence of 3-Year Bachelor’s
Programs
India
Europe
26 other non-European countries
Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia,
Brazil, Canada, Chad, Dominican Republic, Guatemala,
Haiti, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico,
Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, and Vietnam
The Burden of Credentials and
Admission Considerations:
Some sharing of decision responsibilities
– International Student Services
– Graduate College
– Program Directors
Outside evaluators may be utilized
– Example: WES = World Education Services
– There are substantial monetary costs
– Costs also exist in terms of time.
The Bologna Process
The Bologna Process is a series of changes being
implemented in Europe to restructure tertiary education
in accordance with the Bologna Declaration.
 European agreement initiated in 1999
 By 2007, 46 countries had signed
 Created a European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
 Purpose of fostering increased mobility of students
and graduates throughout Europe
 Enable European universities to attract international
students in competition with U.S., Canada, and
Australia
Bologna Goal (1)
Restructure the European university degree
into a 2-cycle undergraduate and graduate
sequence
Undergraduate degree must be a minimum
of 3-years
Must qualify for entrance to 2nd cycle
The 2nd cycle degree qualifies for access to
doctoral programs
Common Outcome of
Restructuring
Five year program culminating in a masters
will restructure to:
3 (UG) + 2 (Masters)
or
4 + 1; 3 ½ + 1 ½ ; 3 ½ + 2; 4 + 2
Bologna Goal (2)
Convert institutional university grade
reports to a standardized European credit
transfer and accumulation system (ECTS)
Grades for those who pass are to be
standardized:
A (10%) B (25%) C (30%) D (25%) E (10%)
One year of full-time study represents a
total of 60 ECTS
Typical Degree Credits: Bologna
Process
Bachelor’s:
Master’s:
180-240 ECTS credits
60-120 ECTS credits
Bologna-Compliant Bachelor’s
How will we treat a Bologna-compliant
bachelor’s in terms of admissions?
 Eligibility for admission to a graduate program
in the United States
 Issues in determining if a degree is equivalent
to a bachelor’s in the United States
 Some degrees will be 3 years; others longer
How will U.S. Universities Treat
Degrees from Bologna bachelors?
Some will accept and admit
Some may develop special undergraduate
“bridge” programs
Some may consider other factors, such as
research or employment experience
Some may require completion of a year or
part of the master’s program of the Bologna
compliant credential
Admission to a Graduate Program
in the United States
A Bachelor’s is a common requirement…
…but not a universal requirement.
 Many U.S. universities admit high school graduates
to a Master of (some program – like Architecture or
Engineering). These students may not receive a
bachelor’s on their way to a master’s.
 Most U.S. graduate schools will admit applicants
holding a professional degree (e.g. JD; DDS; MD;
DVM; PharmD) – when no Bachelor’s degree was
ever completed.
Graduate Admission of 3-Year
Bachelor’s
Some U.S. Schools do; some don’t
Often argued that these students have
completed as much course work in the
major as a U.S. undergraduate degree
 General Education is typically the missing
component
Missouri State University
Admissions
Admission with 3-year bachelor’s degree
has been on a case by case basis with
Program Directors having some latitude
Admission of European master-only
students has been a discussion each time
– More problematic, is the student with 4.5 years
of a master’s degree sequence, but not
completed…
MSU International Graduate
Student Admission
Does the current verbiage in the Graduate
Catalog need to be revised?
“Complete academic record including proof of degree
attained. The applicant must have completed all
requirements that are equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate
degree in an accredited, licensed, or recognized college
or university and have appropriate undergraduate
training to pursue the graduate degree of the applicant’s
choice.”
(Page 35, International Student Admission)
Conclusions
Bologna Process is not a single event, but a
process in progress that will harmonize
degree and credit
Implications for Missouri State Program
- We must evaluate degree and credit for
admission
- Evaluate credits for readiness at another level
- Implications for partnership degree programs
Immediate Issues to Consider
Will the program accept students from 3year bachelor’s program? (Europe and
elsewhere)
Does the Graduate Catalog need any
modification in wording concerning
admission criteria?
Some Website Reviews
http://www.wes.org/ewen/bolognaprocess.htm
http://www.wes.org/ewen/04Jan/Feature.htm
http://www.wes.org/ewenr/04March/Feature.htm