The Bologna process and the three-cycle structure

The Bologna process

The Bologna process, following the Bologna Declaration of 1999, is a process of harmonising the systems of higher education in Europe, also with a view to facilitating student and staff mobility. The aim of the Bologna process was the establishment of a single European Higher Education Area by 2010, with structural uniformity, transparency and quality assurance as key objectives. In 1999, the Bologna declaration had 29 signatories; meanwhile, their number has risen to 46.

The Bologna process has brought about far-reaching structural changes in national higher education systems. The basic framework for a common higher education structure consists of three cycles: Bachelor, Master and doctorate.

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a system for measuring student workload and provides a standard for comparing student attainment. The recently introduced Diploma Supplement is a document attached to a higher education diploma, specifying the nature, context, level, status and content of the studies successfully completed.

The official Bologna process website provides extensive information and documentation on the Bologna process.

The three-cycle structure at the Dutch research universities

The Dutch research universities began introducing the three-cycle structure (Bachelor, Master and doctorate) already in 2002, and all study programmes have by now been organised accordingly.

The first cycle, Bachelor's degree programmes leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BSc), takes three years and 180 ECTS credits.

The second cycle, Master's degree programmes leading to a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Science (MSc), takes one to two years and accordingly between 60 and 120 ECTS credits.

The third cycle, the doctorate, in the Netherlands usually takes four years. No ECTS credits are given during the third cycle. Although attending courses may be part of a doctorate, a PhD in the Netherlands mainly involves carrying out research.