10 universities will offer 24 new 3-year degrees in September
The one known as 3 + 2 at the university is about to arrive. Specifically, for the next academic year 2016-2017, 10 universities have already requested authorization to implement 24 new university degrees, according to the Ministry of Education.
The public universities that have applied for these new "short" degrees are the University of Barcelona (UB), the Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and the Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). Private universities include Antonio de Nebrija, Alfonso X el Sabio and Universidad Europea, in Madrid; the Catholic University of San Antonio, in Murcia; the European, Miguel de Cervantes and the International Isabel I de Castilla, in Castilla y León; and the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) that teaches its courses through the Network.
New careers with fewer credits
The Council of Universities has already given final approval for universities to include three-year degrees in their offer for the next academic year. These 24 new degrees will teach 180 credits each, which will coexist with the current 240 credit degrees. The three-year degrees are covered by the decree known as the 3 + 2, which implies a reform of the structure of university studies in force in Spain since the Bolonia plan was introduced in 2009.
Among the new titles that the universities will offer for the 2016-2017 academic year, several of the private universities have requested accreditation to give in three years degrees that they now teach in four. It is the case of tourism at the Antonio de Nebrija University, Protocol and Design at the European University, and Humanities and Social Work in the International of La Rioja. If finally implemented in September these universities would violate the moratorium agreed by the rectors until 2017.
Public universities, for their part, have requested verification for these degrees:
- Degree in Design and digital creation, at the UOC.
- Degree in Digital Production, in the UB
- Degree in Global Studies, which will be given in part in English, at UPF
- Degree in Bioinformatics, where the UPF will be the main headquarters in collaboration with the UB and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
The 3 + 2, more attractive for foreign students
A generalized thought is that the new degrees will serve to attract international students, since in the majority of European countries the degrees are three years. For students it is different, since four years of study abroad affects families and the family budget more. And it is that Spain, in spite of being the country that more students of Erasmus receives of all Europe for years, does not count on international students. According to a recent study by the Rectors' Conference, less than 3 percent of Spanish university students are foreigners, which is one of the great problems of the Spanish university system.
Marisol Nuevo Espín
