Bachelor, master, CAS, university certificate: the names sound similar yet say little about how substantial a qualification really is. Anyone who wants to compare offers is better off sorting them by their workload than by their title. The reliable measure for that is the ECTS figure. It shows how much work sits behind a programme and makes qualifications comparable across borders and providers.
Qualifications make sense through ECTS
ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer System and measures the total workload of a programme, not just lecture time. One point equals roughly 25 to 30 hours of work. Because the system applies across Europe, qualifications can be compared across borders and credits transferred more easily. Anyone who sorts qualifications by ECTS sees at once how substantial they are, regardless of how they are advertised.
The Bologna levels build on one another: first the bachelor as the first academic degree, then the master to deepen a subject, then the doctorate as independent research. Before and alongside them sit shorter formats such as certificates, which prove a focused piece of continuing education but do not award a full degree. This order helps you place an offer before the name leads you astray.
From certificate to doctorate
Four levels cover most of the education landscape. Each has a typical workload and its own role. Anyone who knows them in this order can place almost any offer.
Certificate
A certificate is the shortest format. It proves a focused piece of continuing education and usually sits well below 60 ECTS, and some certificates carry none at all. It does not award an academic degree, but it can be very valuable as proof of a qualification, especially when it matches a concrete professional goal.
Bachelor
A bachelor is the first academic degree. It usually covers 180 to 240 ECTS and takes about six to eight semesters. It teaches the subject foundations, is the requirement for a master and opens the way into many professions.
Master
A master deepens a subject, covers 60 to 120 ECTS and builds on a bachelor. It qualifies you for specialist and leadership roles and is usually the requirement for going on to a doctorate.
Doctorate
The doctorate is independent research and leads to a doctoral title. It has no fixed ECTS figure but is measured by the academic work itself. It therefore sits outside the ECTS grid that orders the three earlier levels.
These four levels form the framework against which almost any offer can be measured. If you want the full map with duration, requirements and a country comparison, our page on how terms and qualifications fit together lays it out in a clear table.
The university certificate as a special case
A special case between certificate and degree is the university certificate. It is offered by a university, often carries ECTS and therefore sits above a plain academy certificate, but it does not award a full academic degree. Such credits may sometimes be transferred to a degree later. How much they count depends on the workload and the issuing university.
CAS, DAS and MAS in Switzerland
In addition to the Bologna degrees, Switzerland has its own continuing-education tier for working professionals. CAS, DAS and MAS are continuing-education formats at university level. A CAS, Certificate of Advanced Studies, covers around 10 ECTS. A DAS, Diploma of Advanced Studies, sits at about 30 ECTS. A MAS, Master of Advanced Studies, covers around 60 ECTS and ends with a continuing-education master. The three tiers often build on one another, so a CAS can later be extended into a DAS or MAS.
One important point remains: a MAS is a continuing-education master and not identical to a consecutive master from a first degree. Both are called master, but they differ in structure and purpose. For questions of recognition, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation is responsible in Switzerland. So always place a qualification by its workload and its type, not by the word in the title alone.
Frequently asked questions
Which academic qualifications exist?
The central academic degrees are bachelor, master and doctorate, following the Bologna system. Before and alongside them sit shorter formats such as certificates and university certificates that prove continuing education. In Switzerland, CAS, DAS and MAS are added as a separate continuing-education tier. Academic programmes are measured in ECTS, which makes them comparable.
How many ECTS does each qualification have?
A bachelor usually covers 180 to 240 ECTS, a master 60 to 120. A certificate mostly sits below 60 ECTS or carries none. In Switzerland a CAS has around 10 ECTS, a DAS about 30 and a MAS around 60. The doctorate has no fixed ECTS figure; it is measured by the research work.
What is the difference between bachelor and master?
The bachelor is the first academic degree and the basis for the master. It teaches the subject foundations and covers 180 to 240 ECTS. The master builds on it, deepens a subject and covers 60 to 120 ECTS. It qualifies you for specialist and leadership roles and is usually the requirement for a doctorate.
Are CAS, DAS and MAS academic degrees?
They are Swiss continuing-education formats at university level. A MAS ends as a Master of Advanced Studies but is a continuing-education master and not identical to a consecutive master. CAS and DAS are shorter tiers with around 10 and 30 ECTS. They are aimed at working professionals and often build on one another. Recognition is handled by the SBFI.
Is a certificate an academic qualification?
Usually not. A certificate proves a focused piece of continuing education but does not award an academic degree such as a bachelor or master. A university certificate can carry ECTS and therefore ranks higher, but it stays below a full degree. For a goal that formally requires a degree a certificate is not enough; as proof of continuing education it can be very valuable.
The information on this page is general in nature and is meant as orientation. It does not replace an official credit transfer or recognition decision by the relevant university and is not legal advice. The universities and the responsible bodies decide: the ZAB in Germany, the BMBWF in Austria and the SBFI in Switzerland. Always check your specific case directly with the university before you enrol.