What is the difference between a master's degree and professional master's degree?
| Master's degree | Continuig education master's degree | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Advanced specialised or multidisciplinary training designed to hone students' research and professional skills and qualifying them to pursue doctoral studies. | Career-oriented. Aimed at professional development. |
| Admission | Under current Spanish law (Royal Decree 1393/2007 of 29 October) candidates meeting any of the following requirements may apply for admission to a master's degree course: 1. Candidates who hold an official Spanish university degree or any other official university degree issued by a higher education institution in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that qualifies the holder to pursue master's-level training in the issuing country. 2. University graduates of systems other than those of the EHEA may be admitted without the need to homologate their qualifications subject to verification by the University that said qualifications offer a level of training equivalent to the corresponding official Spanish university degree and qualify the holder to pursue master's-level training in the issuing country. Admission by this means shall not, under any circumstances, entail the homologation of the qualification of the interested party or its recognition for any purpose other than to enrol in the master's degree course. |
Candidates who hold a bachelor's degree from another EHEA-member country. University graduates from countries that do not belong to the EHEA through the legalisation of their degree. Professionals who do not hold a university qualification but meet the specific admission requirements for the course in question. In such cases, a certificate of overcoming the program will be issued. |
| Structure | Compulsory subjects, optional subjects, master's thesis. | Modular: The system allows students to take the different parts of master's degree course separately so that they can accommodate their specific needs and schedules. |
| Type of credits | ECTS: One academic year (two semesters) is equivalent to 60 ECTS credits. 1 ECTS credit = 25–30 hours of work. |
ECTS: One academic year (two semesters) is equivalent to 60 ECTS credits. 1 credit = 25 class hours of work. |
| Duration | 60–120 ECTS credits (one or two academic years). | One year (two years in exceptional cases). |
| Workload | Full-time. | Part-time (compatible with professional life). |
| Delivery | Face-to-face. | Face-to-face, blended or distance learning. |
| Faculty | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya teaching and research staff. | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya teaching and research staff and working professionals. |
| Fees | Public fees. The cost is subsidised. | Students pay the full cost. |