HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM OF GEORGIA
Higher education in Georgia consists of three stages:
Bachelor program, master's program, and doctorate program.
Educational program in the institution of higher education during one educational year includes an average of 60 credits. The educational program of the first stage of teaching (bachelor) consists of no less than 240 credits. The first stage of higher education may include an educational program of teacher training. Only holders of state certificates confirming full general education or persons equalized with them have a right to study in bachelor programs. The second stage of the teaching (master’s) educational program consists of no less than 120 credits. Only bachelors or persons with degrees equalized with them have a right to study in a master's program. A Medical/dentist educational program is a one-stage higher education program that ends with awarding an academic degree of certified physician/dentist. An academic degree received after completing an educational program of a physician with 360 credits or a dentist with 300 credits, is equalized with an academic degree of master's. The third stage of studying (doctorate program) consists of no less than 180 credits. Only masters or persons with degrees equalized with them have a right to study in doctoral programs.
After completing each stage of higher education, a respective diploma is issued. The institution of higher education is authorized to award the student with intermediate qualification, in case of completing a part of the educational program. Awarding an intermediate qualification is allowed after reaching results in studying, defined for completing a part of an educational program which should not be less than half of the credit number defined for an educational program.
Types of higher education institutions:
In Georgia, three types of higher education institutions are active:
- University - the institution of higher education which carries out higher education programs of all three stages and scientific research
- Teaching university - the institution of higher education which carries out higher educational program/programs (except doctorate programs). Teaching university necessarily carries out educational programs of the second stage - master program or programs.
- College - the institution of higher education which carries out only the first stage educational program of higher academic education.
Obtaining the status of the institution of higher education and implementation of respective educational activity is possible only in the case of authorization of higher education institution defined by the rules of authorization provision. Authorization is a procedure of obtaining a status of higher education institution purpose of which is to ensure compliance with standards necessary for the implementation of respective activity required for issuing of education confirming document recognized by the state. Authorization is carried out by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, according to the rules defined by the authorization provision. The state recognizes only diplomas issued by accredited or equalized with their educational institutions.
Acceptance:
In the institutions of higher education, in bachelor, certified physician/dentist educational programs, only those enrollees have the right to study who completed their respective Unified National Exams according to the rule defined by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. In higher educational institutions of Orthodox theologian direction, enrolment of students in bachelor's theologian educational program is carried out on the basis of the proposal presented by Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, according to the rule defined by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, based on the result obtained in a certain subject of Unified National Exams.
National Examinations Center is a legal entity of public law which ensures the execution of Unified National and Joint Master Exams and is authorized to carry out national estimations and international research, carrying out other authorities defined by the Georgian legislation.