First-cycle programmes should provide learners with the ability to solve hard specialised problems in a certain field of professional activity. Ukrainian universities, academies, institutes and some colleges offer first-cycle programmes.

There are diverse forms of Bachelor's degree studies in Ukraine. They include in-person classes, hours of independent studies and practical sessions, distance, dual, and/or blended learning formats, etc.

University, institute and academic programmes are more focused on universal general education, theoretical knowledge and professional competences of the highest level. College programmes are more focused on preparing students for professional activities.

After completing the first-cycle programmes, graduates receive a Bachelor's degree in the relevant branch of study or speciality. They may also receive a Bachelor's degree and professional qualification(s). 

The various types of higher education institutions (HEIs) offer a range of different educational programmes. Depending on the classification criterion, there are several types of these programmes. 

1. By the level of higher education: primary (short cycle) level; first (Bachelor's) level; second (Master's) level; third (scientific/creative) level.

2. By the degree of higher education: for the training of Junior Bachelors, Bachelors, Masters, and Doctors of Philosophy. Starting from 2024, there is no admission to Junior Bachelor's programmes.

3. By the regulatory requirements: educational professional and educational scientific/educational creative. The first-cycle (Bachelor's) and the second-cycle (Master's) for applied studies have the educational professional programme. 

The second (Master's) level with academic direction has the educational scientific programme. It includes a research component. 

The third (educational scientific) level programme includes both research and innovative components. The creative postgraduate programmes have educational creative programmes. They offer an opportunity to obtain a degree of the Doctor of Arts.

4. By compliance with quality standards: 

• accredited that have national and/or international accreditation;

• not accredited new programmes without any graduates yet;

• certified with certificates of conformity from Ukrainian and/or international professional organisations and/or certification/qualification centres, certificates from employers;

• with internal documents of recognition and/or quality assessment. They include conclusions of international or Ukrainian independent expertise, supervisory and management boards, employers, etc.

5. By suitability for persons with special educational needs (SEN): adapted for teaching persons with SEN, considering their health status and individual capabilities, and non-adapted. Special needs are not limited to disability. For example, higher education students with children may need additional support.

6. By models of educational process organisation: 

• traditional model of organising the educational process with direct contact between teachers and students in classrooms;

• distance model with an individualised process of educational activity for students. It implies indirect interaction of remote participants in the educational process in a specialised environment;

• blended model with contact classes of teachers with students or during the student's independent study with interaction in the virtual learning environment of the university. It uses other technologies, services, and platforms (e.g., Google Classroom, Moodle, Microsoft Teams, etc.), if necessary.

7. By affiliation (place of implementation): 

• implemented in one university unit; 

• inter-institutional/inter-faculty, implemented in parallel in two or more university units; 

• joint, implemented by the university in full or in part with other organisations, including foreign ones.

8. By the form of education: institutional (full-time, daytime, evening), part-time, distance, network and dual education. The model of training, the list of courses, the amount of workload, assessment and individual assignments must be identical for the institutional educational programmes. They should take into account the amount of classroom classes and individual assignments, and the schedule of the educational process. 

Full-time students participate in dual studies using on-the-job training at enterprises, institutions and organisations. They acquire a certain qualification. On-the-job training should amount from 25% to 60% of the total volume of the programme depending on a contract. 

For dual-form programmes, there is a separate educational programme. It covers the entire period of study and must meet the requirements for the duration of practical training for this type of education. It includes a schedule of the educational process alternating periods of study at the university and at the workplace.

9. By subjects of study: for one subject area or interdisciplinary. Interdisciplinary educational (educational and scientific) programmes (IEESPs) involve the knowledge bordering the branches of studies. It may belong to several specialities, which determine its subject area. IEESPs comply with several regulations: 

• Law on Higher Education;

• List of Knowledge Branches and Specialities for Higher Education (Перелік галузей знань і спеціальностей); 

• Requirements for Interdisciplinary Educational (Educational and Scientific) Programmes (Вимоги до міждисциплінарних освітніх (наукових) програм). 

IEESPs must comply with the requirements for the creation of educational programmes in a knowledge branch, two knowledge branches or a group of specialities. The approved higher education standards (HESs) list those requirements. 

The certificate on higher education contains information about the relevant fields and specialities. The HEIs issue it upon completion of the programme. It is an element of the description of educational qualification. The content of the interdisciplinary educational programme must correspond to the subject area defined by these branches and specialities. 

The programme is interdisciplinary if the number of educational components of the relevant specialities (branches) is nearly the same. It is measured in credits of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. If one of these components is much larger, the programme is not interdisciplinary. It belongs to the relevant speciality (branch). 

 An interdisciplinary educational programme may involve all branches and specialities in the subject area. The exceptions are in the List of Specialities, Obtaining a Degree in Which is Required for Access to Professions Subject to Additional Regulation.

IEESPs may belong to all levels of higher education within an interdisciplinary subject area. IEESPs involve the knowledge bordering the branches of studies. It may belong to several specialities, which determine its subject area. 

The certificate on higher education contains information about the relevant fields and specialities. The HEIs issue it after completing the programme. It is an element of the description of educational qualification. The content of the interdisciplinary educational programme must correspond to the subject area defined by these branches and specialities. 

The interdisciplinary programme should ensure selected core learning outcomes, stipulated by the standards of the specialities within its subject area. They should give competencies corresponding to the qualification level of the National Qualifications Framework. 

They offer the relevant higher education degree in the interdisciplinary field. They do not offer degrees in each of its individual specialities. They ensure that their graduates enjoy all professional rights defined by legislation. They also give full academic rights for the same level in the fields and specialities that constitute its subject area.

 The choice of the form of the IEESP has several restrictions stipulated by the HESs for the respective specialities (fields) and levels of education. IEESP accreditation complies with the law. At the first level of higher education, there are several types of IEESPs: 

• by a group of specialities belonging to the same branch of knowledge;

• by one branch of knowledge;

• by a group of specialities belonging to two branches of knowledge;

• by two branches of knowledge.

The IEESPs at this level of education should ensure the achievement of learning outcomes common to a group of specialities within one or two branches of knowledge. They should facilitate the learner's informed choice of a specific major for further study. 

The IEESP does not guarantee the achievement of all learning outcomes defined by the HESs of the relevant levels for all specialities defining its subject area. It should ensure a minimum set of competences necessary for further study at the first level in any of the specialities within its subject area. 

To facilitate individual tracks and enable learners to choose courses for the IEESP, it has an elective educational component. They give general or professional competencies relevant to any of the specialities within its subject area.

This should help learners to make an informed choice of the speciality. At the second and third (scientific) levels of higher education, IEESPs may include two to four specialities within the same or different branches of knowledge.

The IEESPs at higher levels of education should train specialists capable of solving complex problems under uncertainty. They should ensure the further development of scientific knowledge. The IEESPs for Master’s and scientific level must comply with the standards for the respective level and speciality within the subject area.