Magister (degree)

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

1 Austria and Germany
2 Denmark and Norway
3 Serbia, Croatia, and other former territories of Yugoslavia
4 Sweden
5 References

[edit] Austria and Germany

In Austria and Germany, 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. Before the implementation of the Bologna process – which introduced the Bachelor's degree – the Magister was a first degree.^[1]

[edit] Denmark and Norway

In Denmark and Norway the Magister is situated between the Candidate (Masters) and doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees. 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, 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 Master's degree programs, mainly extending the thesis portion of the Master's degree. The program was designed to be preparation for finding employment as a researcher. Sometimes the degree was obtained after the Master's degree had been obtained. Today most students interested in becoming researchers obtain a Ph.D.

[edit] Serbia, Croatia, and other former territories of Yugoslavia

In 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 umjetnosti (Magister of Arts) was a terminal degree in music performance, acting and visual arts.

[edit] Sweden

In Sweden magister is a 4-year undergradudate university degree. To become a magister (magisterexamen) the student is required to write a final thesis (D-Uppsats). The official Swedish translation of magisterexamen is usually either Master of Arts or Master of Science depending on the subject. The most common magisterexamen is known as filosofie magister and is typically received at the humanities or natural sciences faculties. In some engineering faculties it is also possible to receive a teknologie magister, which is officially translated in English into Master of Science in Engineering. Before 1863 filosofie magister was a degree equivalent to Doctor of Philosophy.