Distance degrees and terms explained
Distance study, distance course, online course: the words blur, the outcomes do not. Here you sort the terms and the full map of qualifications, from certificate to doctorate, measured in ECTS rather than by name.
Untangling the terms, mapping the degrees
Distance study, distance course, online course: three words, three very different outcomes. Knowing the difference leads to a better choice.
Few areas are advertised as vaguely as distance learning. One provider calls its offer a distance study programme, the next a distance course (Fernlehrgang), a third sells an online course, and at first glance they all look equally professional. The difference only shows at the end, on your certificate: one path leads to an academic degree such as a bachelor or master, the other ends with a certificate that is not an academic degree.
The most reliable yardstick is not the name but the workload in ECTS. An academic degree has a fixed order of magnitude: a bachelor usually covers 180 to 240 ECTS, a master 60 to 120. A distance course sits well below that and carries no ECTS at all. Once you know this number, you can tell quickly whether an offer is a full degree or a shorter course of study with an attractive label.
This page first sorts the three terms, then lays out the full map of qualifications from certificate to doctorate, and adds the Swiss formats CAS, DAS and MAS. By the end you will know which qualification fits which goal, and how to read an offer properly before you sign a contract.
The qualification map at a glance
From certificate to doctorate, measured by workload in ECTS rather than by name. This is how you place any qualification correctly.
| Qualification | Workload (ECTS) | Typical duration | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate / university certificate | usually below 60 ECTS | weeks to 2 semesters | often none, sometimes university access |
| Bachelor | 180 to 240 ECTS | 6 to 8 semesters | university access, often without Abitur |
| Master | 60 to 120 ECTS | 3 to 4 semesters | a first degree |
| Doctorate | research, no fixed ECTS | 3 to 5 years | usually a master |
| CAS / DAS / MAS (CH) | 10 / 30 / 60 ECTS | months to 2 years | a degree or work experience |
ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer System and measures the total workload, not just lecture time: one point equals roughly 25 to 30 hours. These figures are guide values; in each case the university's examination rules decide.
Qualifications in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
The Bologna degrees are similar everywhere, but courses and continuing-education tiers differ between the three countries.
Germany
In Germany, bachelor, master and doctorate follow the Bologna system and count as academic degrees when the university is accredited. A distance course (Fernlehrgang), by contrast, does not run through a university but through an academy or training provider and ends with a certificate, not an academic degree. Such courses need approval from the Central Office for Distance Learning (ZFU), which protects consumers. This approval matters, but it does not replace academic recognition: it does not turn a course into a degree.
Austria
Austria uses the same Bologna levels: bachelor, master and a doctorate. Degrees are classified through the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), and foreign degrees through NARIC Austria. Here too a course is not the same as a degree: university continuing-education programmes can award further-education titles, yet many distance courses end with a plain certificate. Check whether an academic degree or a certificate of attendance stands at the end, and whether the programme runs at a recognised institution.
Switzerland
In addition to bachelor, master and doctorate, Switzerland has its own continuing-education tier: CAS, DAS and MAS. A CAS covers around 10 ECTS, a DAS about 30 and a MAS around 60, ending as a Master of Advanced Studies. These formats are part-time and often build on one another. Important: a MAS is a continuing-education master and not identical to a consecutive master from a first degree. Recognition questions go to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI).
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.
How to read an offer correctly in six steps
Six questions that reveal what an offer really is, before the marketing convinces you. They lead you from the term to the right qualification.
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Study or course?
Start with the basic question: do you get an academic degree such as a bachelor or master at the end, or a certificate? A degree runs through a university and awards a grade; a course runs through an academy and awards a certificate. Both can make sense, but they are two different things. This fork decides almost everything else, from recognition to price, so it comes first.
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What ECTS workload?
Look for the ECTS figure in the offer. It tells you more than any sales text how substantial the programme really is. A bachelor sits at 180 to 240, a master at 60 to 120 ECTS. If you find no ECTS at all, it is usually not an academic degree but a shorter course. When the number is missing, ask for it before you read on.
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What type of provider?
Check who stands behind the offer. A state-recognised university awards academic degrees; a private academy usually only certificates. Both are legitimate, but the provider type determines what is possible in the end. Look at the institution's official name and whether it is recognised as a university, not just the marketing name of the programme.
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Is it accredited?
Check the accreditation, the independent quality review of a programme. In Germany it runs through the Accreditation Council, in Austria through AQ Austria, in Switzerland through the AAQ. For distance courses in Germany, ZFU approval is also mandatory. Without these stamps a qualification is often worth little to employers and authorities, however good the advertising sounds.
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Does the qualification fit the goal?
Ask yourself honestly what your goal really requires. Some jobs and promotions demand an academic degree; for others a certificate as proof of a course is entirely enough. An expensive master helps little if your goal is a short specialisation, and a certificate does not help when a role formally requires a bachelor. Goal first, then qualification.
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What does the certificate say at the end?
Get it in writing which title or wording appears on the final certificate. Is it a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Science, a Master of Advanced Studies or an academy certificate? This wording is what employers and authorities will later see. Everything before it is the path; the certificate is the result, and that is what you should judge the offer by.
Answer these six questions in order and you will never again mistake a course for a degree, and you will choose the qualification that truly fits your goal.
Frequently asked about terms and qualifications
Distance study, distance course, ECTS, CAS, DAS, MAS: the most important questions answered briefly and clearly.
What is the difference between distance study and a distance course?
A distance study programme runs through a state-recognised university and leads to an academic degree such as a bachelor or master, measured in ECTS. A distance course (Fernlehrgang) runs through an academy or training provider and ends with a certificate that is not an academic degree. Both can be useful, but only the degree gives you a university qualification.
What is an online course?
An online course is the most open format: a learning offer on the web that ends with a certificate of attendance. Anyone can offer one, it usually has no formal requirement and no ECTS. For a first look or to refresh knowledge it is ideal, but as a formal qualification for job applications a plain attendance certificate carries little weight.
What does ECTS mean?
ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer System. It 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, study programmes can be compared across borders and credits transferred more easily. The ECTS figure is the best yardstick for the size of a programme.
What is the difference between bachelor, master and doctorate?
The bachelor is the first academic degree and the requirement for a master. The master deepens a subject and qualifies you for specialist and leadership roles. The doctorate is independent research and leads to a doctoral title. Each level builds on the previous one: bachelor first, then master, then doctorate.
What are CAS, DAS and MAS?
These are Swiss continuing-education formats at university level. A CAS covers around 10 ECTS, a DAS about 30 and a MAS around 60, ending as a Master of Advanced Studies. They are aimed at working professionals and often build on one another. A MAS is a continuing-education master and not the same as a consecutive master from a first degree.
What is a university certificate?
A university certificate is a shorter course offered by a university that often carries ECTS but does not award a full academic degree. It sits between a plain academy certificate and a full study programme. The credits can sometimes be transferred to a later degree. How much it counts depends on the workload and the issuing university.
Is a certificate worth anything?
That depends on your goal. As proof of a focused course a certificate can be very valuable, especially when a recognised institution stands behind it. As a substitute for an academic degree it does not work: where a role formally requires a bachelor, no certificate helps. So check what you actually need before you judge its value.
How many ECTS does a bachelor have?
A bachelor usually covers 180 to 240 ECTS, depending on the subject and standard study period. 180 ECTS equal about three years of full-time study, 240 ECTS around four. Part-time, the same workload spreads over more semesters, but the ECTS figure stays the same. It is a good test of whether an offer is really a full bachelor.
What counts more, the name or the ECTS?
The ECTS count more. A name on a brochure says little about the actual workload, while the ECTS figure is comparable and checked. Two programmes with the same title can differ greatly in size. So always look first at the workload and the awarding provider, then at the name.
Not sure which qualification fits your goal?
Before you commit to a path, an outside view helps. In a free initial consultation, the Studienflüsterer sorts through the terms, the qualifications and your goal together with you, honestly and with no obligation.