Magister (also magistar, from lat.: magister = Teacher) is an academic degree used in various systems of higher education.

Central Europe

In Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia, the Magister / Magister (FH) is about equal to a Master's degree. It usually requires four to six years of study including coursework and a final thesis, similar to a Diplom degree. Magisters tend to be awarded in the humanities and the social sciences, while Diploms dominate in the natural sciences and in engineering. Usually, study for a Magister is in one major and two minor subjects which can be freely combined. Coursework is divided about evenly between the major on one hand and the two minors on the other hand, but the final thesis is only in the major. Before the implementation of the Bologna process – which introduced the Bachelor's degree – the Magister was a first degree.^[1]

Denmark and Norway

In Denmark and Norway the Magister is situated between the Candidate (Masters) and doctoral degrees. The degree require 7 years of studies in Norway and 6 years of studies in Denmark, with strong emphasis on the scientific thesis.

It gives the holder the right to use the title mag. art. (abbreviation of the Latin magister artium - "teacher of the arts") if the degree is earned in humanities or social sciences, mag. scient. for Natural Science and (Denmark only) mag. scient. soc. for Sociology. The degree is rarely given today, and only used for humanities.

The degree was introduced in Denmark in 1848 as a supplement to the existing Candidate's degree programs, mainly extending the thesis portion of the Candidate's degree (the Candidate degree being a slightly higher degree than a Master, requiring 6 years of studies). The program was designed to be preparation for finding employment as a researcher. Sometimes the degree was obtained after the Candidate's degree had been obtained. Today most students interested in becoming researchers obtain a higher doctorate or a Ph.D.

The magister degree approximates the current Ph.D. degree used in Denmark. It also approximates the Ph.D. degree used in Norway, albeit to a slightly lesser extent (in Denmark the higher doctorates still exist, while Ph.D. is dubbed the "smaller doctorate").

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and other former territories of Yugoslavia

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and other countries once part of Yugoslavia, before the implementation of the Bologna process, the magistar nauka (Magister of Science) was a research-oriented degree awarded for 2 years of study following the diplom degree and the defence of a magistarski rad (magister's thesis) .^[2][3]. In order to be promoted to doktor nauka (Doctor of Science), a magistar should write and defend a doctoral thesis. Magistar um(j)etnosti (Magister of Arts) was a terminal degree in music performance, acting and visual arts. In Serbia, by decision of the Serbian Parliament (Odredba stava 2.), the status of those graduated before the Bologna process is now equivalent with Masters Degree graduates in the EU.^[4] Magister's degree has been considered as equivalent of the first two years of three years doctoral studies.

See also: Diploma.

France

In France, a magistère was a highly selective three-year course. To enter the course the student was required to obtain top-level grades at his Diplôme d'études universitaires générales (two-year first university degree). Due to the Bologna process, magistères are substitued by master's degrees.

Sweden

In Sweden magister was a 4-year undergraduate university degree (first degree). To become a magister (magisterexamen) the student was required to write a final thesis (D-uppsats). The official Swedish translation of magisterexamen was usually either Master of Arts, Master of Social Science or Master of Science depending on the subject. The oldest and most common magisterexamen was known as filosofie magister. It was typically received in humanities or natural sciences. At some universities, it was also possible to receive a teknologie magister in engineering subjects. This degree was officially translated into English as Master of Science in Engineering.

In 2007, filosofie magister changed to become a 1-year graduate degree. It is officially translated into either Master of Arts, Master of Social Science or Master of Science depending on the subject.^[5]

Before 1863, filosofie magister was a degree equivalent to Doctor of Philosophy.^[6]

References

1. ^ "Austria – Legislative Framework", World Education News & Reviews 17(3), May/June 2004, <http://www.wes.org/ewenr/04May/Austria.htm> 
2. ^ Eurydice – Serbia and Montenegro (2004/2005)
3. ^ "Croatia – Legal Framework", World Education News & Reviews 16(6), Nov/Dec 2003, <http://www.wes.org/ewenr/03Nov/Croatia.htm> 
4. ^ "Службени гласник Републике Србије", број 76/05
5. ^ Swedish National Agency for Higher Education
6. ^ Nordisk Familjebok (1912), pp. 465--666.