This article is about documents awarded for graduation by colleges and universities. For higher-education diplomas specialized in a particular field, see Academic degree. For the advanced academic degree in German-speaking countries, see Diplom. For the Gloc-9 album, see Diploma (album).
A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies.[1] Historically, it has also referred to a charter or official document of diplomacy.[2][3]
The diploma (as a document certifying a qualification) may also be called a testamur, Latin for "we testify" or "certify" (testari), so called from the word with which the certificate begins;[4] this is commonly used in Australia to refer to the document certifying the award of a degree.[5][6][7] Alternatively, this document can simply be referred to as a degree certificate or graduation certificate, or as a parchment.[8] The certificate that a Nobel laureate receives is also called a diploma.
The term diploma is also used in some historical contexts, to refer to documents signed by a monarch affirming a grant or tenure of specified land and its conditions (see Anglo-Saxon charters and diplomatics).
a "Diploma", a level five qualification (Undergraduate Degree) granted by vocational education and training (VET) sector or university. It is typically completed with 12 to 18 months of full-time study. When accepted for credit as part of a bachelor's degree, it is usually deemed to be equivalent to the first year of the degree.
an "Advanced Diploma", which is equivalent to an Australian "Associate Degree" and is equivalent to the second year of a bachelor's degree.
a "Graduate Diploma", which is undertaken after completing a bachelor's degree (or being deemed to have equivalent knowledge). This can be in a field other than that covered by said degree (e.g., the Graduate Diploma of Education which was historically required to become a schoolteacher in most Australian states, since 2016 the schoolteacher requirement in Australia is now a master's degree in Teaching). It can also be a coursework-only qualification undertaken as additional study in a specialisation within one's degree area.
The Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Graduate Diploma are all forms of Degrees, with a Diploma (Level five) qualification, being the entry level for Higher Education.[9]
The "Vocational Graduate Diploma" was a short lived AQF qualification equivalent to the "Graduate Diploma", intended to be delivered exclusively in the VET sector. On January 1, 2015, all such qualifications being offered lost the word "Vocational" from their title.[10]
Canada
In Ontario, Canada, diplomas are two and three year academic post-secondary programmes taught by colleges and institutes of applied studies, arts, and technology. Two year programmes are referred to as college diplomas, while three year programmes are called Ontario College Advanced Diplomas. Baccalaureate degrees in Ontario are commonly a year longer than an Advanced Diploma and are offered by both colleges and universities. The Canadian school system uses credits to calculate the value of a course load towards a diploma. To graduate and earn a diploma, the school decides how many credits each course contributes towards the diploma. For example, one college course delivered over 14 weeks of a semester counts for 3 credits towards the 60 credits for a complete 2-year program.
Germany and the German academic education system in Europe
For more detailed information about the German Diploma, see Diplom.
In Greece, diplomas can be awarded by educational institutes as a proof of a certain educational level. The diploma in engineering is a degree provided by Greek technical universities and universities after the successful completion of a five-year integrated study programme and it is equivalent to the Master of Engineering degree, which is awarded by the European universities.
Also in Greece there are the Vocational Training Diploma[11] (Post-Secondary Education EQF 5 level) provided by the National Qualifications and Vocational Guidance Organization (E.O.P.P.E.P.) to the Vocational Training Institutes IEK, following certification exams carried out by the E.O.P.P.E.P.[12]
Greek Vocational Training Diploma
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, Diploma or Advanced Diploma/Certificate (Qualifications Frameworks Level 4), Professional Diploma/Certificate (Qualifications Frameworks Level 4), Higher Diploma, and associate degree are below the level of the bachelor's degree.
Certificate (not Post-Graduate Certificate) Qualifications Frameworks Level 3 or below; are below the level of Diploma, Advanced or Professional Diploma/Certificate (Qualifications Frameworks Level 4), Higher Diploma or associate degree.
There are two types of diplomas/certificates that are issued in formal and non-formal education sectors: formal diplomas are issued by government-approved/recognized institutions, colleges and universities and non-formal diplomas are issued by NGOs, companies and societies etc. outside the formal education sector.
Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, a National Diploma was awarded before 2004. It was at the same level as the ordinary bachelor's degree and below the honours bachelor's degree, whilst the Higher Diploma is taken after the bachelor's degree. There is BTEC Extended Diploma also after which one gets progression to a Degree (University). In Ireland a Graduate Diploma is a Level 9 degree, the equivalent of a master's degree, requiring the student to complete 60 credits instead of 90 and usually centring on the completion of a project rather than a written thesis.
In Japan, a diploma may be a Japanese original academic degree or a Certificate of Graduation issued at several levels from elementary school to university.
Latin America
In Mexico and other Latin American countries, a diploma may be awarded for short courses of vocational training. The university-issued diplomas finalizing higher education are most often called título (title) or certificado (certificate). A "Diplomado" can also be a short, specialized executive education program for experienced professionals.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, there are five different types of diploma according to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF):[13]
Diploma level 5, which are level 5 qualifications according to the NZQF. They require a minimum of 120 credit points from level 4 or above and 72 from level 5 or above.
Diploma level 6. They require a minimum of 120 credit points from level 5 or above and 72 from level 6 or above.
Diploma level 7. They require a minimum of 120 credit points from level 5 or above and 72 from level 7 or above.
Graduate diploma. To enter a graduate diploma programme a student typically requires another degree (not necessarily a bachelor's degree), or strong evidence of both interest and academic capability.[14] They require a minimum of 120 credit points and 72 from level 7 or above.
Postgraduate diploma. These degrees require a bachelor's degree to enter them. They require a minimum of 120 credit points from level 7 or above and 72 from level 8 or above.
Postgraduate Diploma or PGD are ranked higher than the bachelor's degree as they are completed after graduation. These are normally a year's worth of coursework after a university degree.
In the Kingdom of Spain, university diplomas are issued in the name of the King. As such, they are Public Official documents, strictly regulated and protected by the law. They are internationally recognized by the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961.
United Kingdom
In the UK, diploma can refer to several different types of qualification but is never equivalent to a degree. A degree is higher than a diploma. One can never say that he finished a degree when he is only given a special diploma. A Diploma can be a qualification worth 37 or more credits on the Regulated Qualifications Framework, e.g. Entry Level Diploma, Level 3 Diploma. The Diploma of Higher Education is a higher education award equivalent to the second-year of a bachelor's degree. The Higher National Diploma is a vocational qualification at the same level. A Graduate Diploma is a one-year qualification at bachelor's degree level, normally taken by those who have already obtained a degree. A Postgraduate Diploma is an award at the level of a master's degree, but normally taking less time to complete.[19]
Some universities may offer other qualifications, such as the University of Cambridge's and the University of Oxford's Undergraduate Diploma (a 1-year, part-time course at the same level as a Diploma of Higher Education)[20] and Undergraduate Advanced Diploma.
The document certifying the award of a degree is normally called a degree certificate in the UK, and details are printed in English, not in Latin.[21]
Undergraduate advanced diploma
The advanced diploma (AdvDip) is a FHEQ Level 6 award, equivalent to the final year of a bachelor's degree. They are generally accepted as equivalent to a bachelor's degree or a Graduate Diploma.[22][23][24] An advanced diploma is a qualification that prepares students to enter into a specific career or further study in an advanced degree, like a Master of Arts.[25] Even though they are considered equivalent to a bachelor's degree they usually have a duration of one or two years and they can be offered both on a full-time and a part-time basis.
In the United States, the word diploma usually refers to the physical document, especially in the context of academic degrees earned at the college or university level. That is, Americans normally draw a distinction between a diploma as documentary evidence of the award of an academic degree, and the underlying degree itself (which is not called a diploma).
The reason this distinction matters is that many American universities do not print diplomas until several weeks, months, or even up to a year after the dates on which graduates were formally awarded their degrees on their academic transcripts. In other words, when a diploma says on its face that so-and-so degree was "given at [city] on [date]", the diploma itself was not physically handed to the holder on that date. (For ceremonial purposes, the documents handed out at graduation are simply certificates of participation in the graduation ceremony itself.) Thus, asking alumni when they received their diplomas is usually pointless; what really matters for most purposes (e.g., occupational licensing) is when they received their degrees. This important distinction can lead to some confusion when persons who obtained degrees at American universities are presenting their academic credentials in other countries.[citation needed]
There are two major exceptions where Americans have merged the document with the qualification it represents (as seen in other countries). The first is the high school diploma. Second, the term "diploma" can refer to a specific academic or training award. For example, the Diploma in Nursing was offered by hospital-based nursing schools.
Historically, American universities emulated their European counterparts by issuing diplomas written in the Latin language. That is now the exception today: "While most colleges and universities now issue English diplomas, some prominent holdouts—including Yale, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania—still use Latin."[26] At Harvard University, undergraduate degrees began to be written in English in 1961, leading to a street protest by students known as the "Diploma Riots".[27][28] However, as of 2021, some Harvard graduate schools continue to issue degrees in Latin, including Harvard Law School[29] and the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
The term diplomate (always ending with an e) is used in the United States to refer to a person holding a specialized certification in a professional field, although the documentary evidence of this is traditionally called a "certificate" and not a "diploma". For example, board-certified physicians in the United States traditionally indicate their board-certified status on their letterhead and business cards with the title "Diplomate", a comma, and then the name of their certifying board.
Iran
To get a diploma in Iranian schools, one must first complete 6 years of elementary school, then 3 years of middle school, and then 3 years of high school. When the 12 years of study are over, a diploma is obtained according to the type of study field.
An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The most common undergraduate degree is the bachelor's degree, although some educational systems offer lower-level undergraduate degrees such as associate and foundation degrees. Common postgraduate degrees include engineer's degrees, master's degrees and doctorates.
A master's degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. A master's degree normally requires previous study at the bachelor's level, either as a separate degree or as part of an integrated course. Within the area studied, master's graduates are expected to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation, or professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently.
A bachelor's degree or baccalaureate is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years. The two most common bachelor's degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science. In some institutions and educational systems, certain bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate educations after a first degree has been completed, although more commonly the successful completion of a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for further courses such as a master's or a doctorate.
A graduate diploma is generally a qualification taken after completion of a first degree, although the level of study varies in different countries from being at the same level as the final year of a bachelor's degree to being at a level between a master's degree and a doctorate. In some countries the graduate diploma and postgraduate diploma are synonymous, while in others the postgraduate diploma is a higher qualification.
A higher diploma is an academic award in Iraq, Libya, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland and Oman. In Iraq, it's one year after bachelor's degree. In Ireland it is a postgraduate qualification at the same level as the honours bachelor's degree. In the United Kingdom, the diploma is equivalent to higher tier (A*-C) GCSE.
A postgraduate diploma is a postgraduate qualification awarded after a university degree, which supplements the original degree and awards them with a graduate diploma. Countries that award postgraduate diplomas include but are not limited to Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Spain, Kenya, South Africa, Sudan, India, Israel, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Republic of Panama the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Pakistan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe. Level of education and recognition differ per issuing country.
Higher National Diploma (HND), part of the Higher Nationals suite of qualifications, is an academic higher education qualification in the United Kingdom and various other countries. They were introduced in England and Wales in 1920 alongside the Ordinary National Diploma and the Higher National Certificate. A qualification of the same title is also offered in Argentina, Brunei, India, Malta, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and some other countries.
An engineer's degree is an advanced academic degree in engineering which is conferred in Europe, some countries of Latin America, North Africa and a few institutions in the United States. The degree may require a thesis but always requires a non-abstract project.
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) specifies the standards for educational qualifications in Australia. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government's Department of Industry, with oversight from the States and Territories, through the Standing Council of Tertiary Education Skills and Employment. While the AQF specifies the standards, education and training organisations are authorised by accrediting authorities to issue a qualification.
A Certificate of Higher Education (Cert.H.E./CertHE) is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom.
A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom and Sweden.
A postgraduate certificate (abbreviated as PGCert, PG Cert or PGC is a postgraduate qualification at the level of a master's degree.
An academic certificate or tech certificate is a document that certifies that a person has received specific education or has passed a test or series of tests.
The Malaysian Qualifications Framework or the MQF is a unified system of post secondary qualifications offered on a national basis in Malaysia. It is administered by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), a statutory body under the purview of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).
In the UK education sector, there are a wide range of qualification types offered by the United Kingdom awarding bodies. Qualifications range in size and type, can be academic, vocational or skills-related, and are grouped together into different levels of difficulty. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, qualifications are divided into Higher Education qualifications, which are on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and are awarded by bodies with degree awarding powers, and Regulated qualifications, which are on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) and are accredited by Ofqual in England, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in Northern Ireland and Qualifications Wales in Wales. In Scotland, qualifications are divided into Higher Education qualifications, Scottish Qualifications Authority qualifications and Scottish Vocational Qualifications/Modern Apprenticeships, which are on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Scottish Higher Education Qualifications are on both the SCQF and the FHEQ.
A graduate certificate is an educational credential representing completion of specialized training at the college or university level. A graduate certificate can be awarded by universities upon completion of certain coursework indicating mastering of a specific subject area. Graduate certificates represent training at different levels in different countries, for example a graduate certificate is at master's degree level in Ireland, but is at a bachelor's degree level in the United Kingdom. In both cases, the graduate certificate represents less work than a degree at the same level.
Alternative pathways in education are alternative means of obtaining educational qualifications, other than the traditional means of gaining access to or completing the required study to obtain the educational qualifications.
Post-secondary qualifications are qualifications typically studied for after successful completion of secondary school. In Mauritius, this is usually after successful completion of the Higher School Certificate or its equivalent, although select qualifications may permit early school leaving or require additional study. A variety of different post-secondary qualifications are offered in Mauritius.
The national qualification frameworks in the United Kingdom are qualifications frameworks that define and link the levels and credit values of different qualifications.
Post-secondary qualifications are qualifications typically studied for after successful completion of secondary school. In Sri Lanka, this is usually after successful completion of the General Certificate of Education. A variety of different post-secondary qualifications are offered in Sri Lanka.
References
↑ "diploma". Collinsdictionary.com. Collins. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
↑ "Advice and Guidance on Degree Fraud"(PDF). Higher Education Degree Datacheck. Prospects. 2016. It has not been practice for UK providers to issue degree certificates in Latin for at least 10 years. Contemporary certificates are in English. Latin versions are occasionally issued as mementos, but are supplementary to the English version.
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