University Abbreviations

What is University?

University is an institution of higher education that comprises a set of faculties or higher schools aimed at professional and scientific specialization.

Universities offer teaching, research and extension activities, which are community services in different areas of knowledge. A university must develop at least four stricto sensu graduate programs (master’s and doctorate) with good quality.

The creation of federal universities takes place on the initiative of the Executive Power, through a bill sent to the National Congress. While private universities are created from other existing institutions such as colleges or university centers and that meet the provisions of the relevant legislation

The faculty of a university must be composed of at least one third of masters and doctors. The higher the professors’ degree, the more research time and more experience they will have to pass on to the students.

Other professors are hired to teach few classes, and they usually have less time to attend to students, develop research and extension projects.

According to Decree No. 5773/06, higher education institutions are accredited as universities, university centers and colleges, according to their organization and respective academic prerogatives.

University center

University centers, like universities, have degrees in various areas of knowledge and autonomy to create other courses in higher education. In general, they are smaller than universities and are less demanding in terms of postgraduate programs. They must have at least one third of the faculty with master’s and doctoral degrees, have at least one third of the professors hired on a full-time basis.

College

Colleges of higher education, unlike universities, work with a reduced number of areas of knowledge. They are often specialized and offer only Corsican courses in a certain area, such as health or education or economics, etc. The faculty of a college must have, at the very least, a lato sensu postgraduate degree.

Corporate University

The corporate university is a technical and higher education institution funded by companies and focused on developing the knowledge and skills of the organization’s employees, customers and suppliers.

The need for constant human development within the company, training professionals who are specialists in their areas of activity, with the objective of following market changes, led to the creation of their own universities, seeking strategic goals and results for the development of the organization.

What is higher education?

Higher education is the study undertaken at universities, starting after completing secondary education. Complete higher education gives the student training in a specific area, which allows the performance of a profession that requires its own training.

Training in a higher course improves the professional curriculum and gives more possibilities to enter the job market. The higher level course can be taken at universities, higher education establishments or schools that offer technical courses.

Types of higher education

Higher education is not just a university degree. There are several types of higher education, classified into different levels: undergraduate and graduate (specialization, master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral).

Graduation

Graduation is the course started after completing high school. It is divided into three different types: baccalaureate, licentiate and technical education.

Bachelor’s and Licentiate courses have some points in common. They are usually carried out in periods of four to six years, depending on the course, and offer extensive training in the chosen field of study.

The main difference between them is in the training for the job market after completing the course. The bachelor’s degree allows the choice of different work options in the area of training. The degree, on the other hand, prepares the student for a teaching career in the chosen area, offering specific training in education.

The technical course trains the professional as a technologist, giving him specific and practical knowledge about the performance of a profession. The technical course lasts an average of two to three years and gives the professional the title of technologist.

After graduation is completed, higher education can proceed, with the so-called postgraduate courses: specialization, master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral degrees.

Specialization

Specialization is a type of postgraduate degree classified as latu sensu. This means that it is a course taken after graduation, specifically in one area.

It is a short postgraduate course, which usually lasts a maximum of two years and serves to deepen knowledge in a specific field. Completion of this course makes the professional specialist in the area.

Specialization can be very useful for professionals who do not wish to pursue a career as a researcher, as it grants a specialization without as much research depth, as in other postgraduate courses (such as master’s and doctoral degrees).

At the end of the course, the student must present a dissertation, very similar to the graduation work (TCC).

MBA

The MBA ( Master in Business Administration ) is a specialization aimed at people who have a degree in the area of administration. It is a course suitable for those who intend to pursue a professional career in business administration and in other areas, such as entrepreneurship.

MBA courses are geared towards specialization in a specific area of administration, such as business, project, people or marketing management.

The MBA has an average duration of one to two years and the student must deliver a dissertation at the end of the course. After completing the MBA, the student receives the title of Specialist.

Master’s degree

The master’s degree is the next level to the undergraduate course. It serves to deepen and continue the study in a more specific area within the training chosen at graduation. It is a strictu sensu postgraduate course, as it offers training in a specific area.

The master’s degree can be taken by any student who is interested in pursuing studies in his/her professional area, but it is often the choice of those who intend to follow professionally in the areas of teaching and research.

Usually a master’s course lasts an average of two years and involves a lot of reading and research activities. In the first year, subjects related to the area of further study are taken. In the second year, the master’s student (master’s student) must develop and present a dissertation, which is the final work, the result of his studies during the master’s degree.

At the end of the master’s degree, the researcher receives the title of Master.

Doctorate degree

The doctorate, also called PhD ( Doctor of Philosophy ) must be taken after completing the master’s degree. It is one more level of depth in the area of study chosen by the researcher. It is a strictu sensu course that prioritizes extensive and in-depth research, making the student a researcher in the chosen area.

As with the master’s, the doctorate is more geared towards those interested in research, but can be taken by all professionals who wish to deepen their studies on a specific topic.

In general, a doctorate lasts around four years, between courses taken, research and thesis development. But it can take longer, depending on the progress and complexity of the research carried out.

The doctoral student (who does the doctorate) must carry out an in-depth research on the topic. In this case, the final work is called a thesis and must have an unprecedented character, that is, it must contain an innovative idea, a new form of research or other innovation in relation to the researched topic.

After completing the doctorate, the researcher receives the title of Doctor.

Post doctoral

The post-doctorate (also called post-doc) is the last stage of postgraduate studies and can only be done by those who have already obtained the title of Doctor.

Unlike the master’s and doctorate, in the post-doc, the researcher does not take courses and does not present a thesis. The course is entirely research-oriented, being carried out as a research internship in an institution related to the chosen area of study.

Difference between graduation and technical course

Higher education can be pursued as a degree or as a technical course. Graduation gives the professional a broader training in the chosen area.

The technical course offers a more practical preparation focused on a profession. Even though it has a shorter duration compared to graduation, the technical course is also considered higher education.

List of Acronyms Related to University