Definition: Higher education is divided into three levels of study:
1. The first level (or undergraduate level, usually completed over three years on a full-time basis) generally leads to a bachelor’s degree.
2. There are two types of second, or graduate, levels:
a. a master’s degree issued following completion of a professional master’s program that usually takes two years to complete;
b. a diploma or certificate program that takes one year to complete.
3. The third level (minimum three years of full-time study) introduces students to scientific research and prepares them for a career in research. Students can obtain a doctorate (Ph.D.).