Universities and Federal Institutes of Technology
There are twelve university-level institutions in Switzerland: ten Cantonal Universities and two Federal Polytechnics. Although they do not all have exactly the same faculties, they are all similar in structure. Most universities have departments in Law and Economics, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences. The Federal Institutes of Technology, on the other hand, concentrate on Engineering, Mathematics and Natural Sciences. There are only a few private universities. The only real alternative and competition are the distance learning universities (like the Study Centre in Brig, in partnership with the Distance Learning University of Hagen) and branches of foreign private universities. Foreign private universities essentially limit themselves to post-graduate and MBA studies.
Entrance Requirements
Students who wish to enrol at a Swiss university must be generally at least eighteen years old and have a good command of the language of instruction. They must also have either a Swiss Matura or a comparable qualification. Except for medicine, there are no additional entrance examinations. Swiss Abroad who have foreign educational qualifications should clarify the entrance requirements of the university of their choice, as each individual university/federal polytechnic is entitled to make their own decision in such cases (there is no central admissions organisation).
Length of Study
The teaching at Swiss universities and polytechnics is organised within the framework of the Bologna process. The creation of two-level Bachelors-Masters courses of study and the introduction of a credit point system make the comparison of diplomas more transparent. A 2-semester "assessment level" aimed at determining competence and aptitude is followed by a two-year specialisation course. After three years the course of study can be completed with a Bachelor's degree. This can be followed up by a Masters course lasting 1 to 2 years. The Bachelors degree primarily represents a basic academic qualification and is the prerequisite for a Masters course. However, the Bachelor's degree is also a first-level qualification for entry to a professional career.
Content
University and federal polytechnic degree courses are research-oriented and the academic aspect is emphasised, therefore more weight is given to theoretic rather than practical education. Career prospects on completion of a degree are good.
