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Workload of second-cycle/master’s degree programmes: 60/120 ECTS (2-4 semesters), in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) the master’s degree programmes correspond to Level 7. 

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Branches of study

Master’s degree programmes at universities are offered in the following groups of studies:

• arts
• economic sciences
• engineering sciences
• humanities
• law
• medicine and health sciences
• natural sciences
• social sciences
• teacher training
• theology
• veterinary medicine

In general, every degree programme belongs to one of the study groups, which determines the academic degree. Students can also follow an individually designed degree programme (i.e. a combination of different study programmes) with the approval of the institution.

As part of initial teacher training University Colleges of Teacher Education offer bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes to obtain teaching credentials for the primary sector as well as bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes to obtain teaching credentials for the secondary sector (general education as well as vocational education and training). For details please see here.  

Admission requirements

Public Universities

Successful completion of a subject-specific bachelor’s degree programme (a bachelor’s degree of a public university/university of applied sciences or a degree of another equivalent programme at a recognised Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institution) is required for admission to a master’s degree programme. Also the curriculum can define specific quality-related requirements. For programmes in a foreign language, the respective rectorate decides on the number of students enrolled and the admission procedure.

In addition, universities are entitled to lay down specific admission requirements for master’s degree programmes in the curriculum, which already need to be fulfilled before admission. There is also the possibility of admitting students to master’s degree programmes on certain conditions (where they need to additionally acquire an individually defined exam result in the course of programmes). If the applicant has a foreign HE entrance qualification, its equivalency to the Austrian system must be reviewed. In many cases, equivalency is determined by bilateral/multilateral agreements. Otherwise, equivalency is decided on a case-by-case basis; sometimes supplementary examinations are required for admission. 

Universities of Applied Sciences

For admission to a master’s degree programme, completion of a subject-specific bachelor’s degree programme or completion of an equivalent programme at a recognised Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institution is required.

Study places are generally accessible to those meeting the entrance requirements. The number of study places is defined by AQ Austria in the accreditation decree.  An admission procedure shall be conducted at least in those cases, where the number of applicants for a degree programme exceeds the number of available places. 

Private Higher Education Institutions

Private HEIs apply the same general admission requirements as public universities; however, as study places are limited, they apply additional selection procedures. 

University Colleges of Teacher Education

see here.  

Curriculum

Public Universities

A curriculum must be announced for each degree programme offered. It governs, in particular, the qualification profile and the structure of the programme, as well as the examination subjects and the courses required for examinations or exam results (always defined in ECTS credits) and the way examinations have to be taken.

The scope must be defined in terms of ECTS credits. The workload for a master’s degree programme usually has 120 ECTS, in exceptional cases 60 or 90 credits. In order to enforce internationalisation, more and more master’s degree programmes are being offered in English. 

Universities of Applied Sciences

The curricula for programmes at universities of applied sciences are laid down by the providers (usually by a board of experts) and accredited by AQ Austria. The study workload is defined by the Universities of Applied Sciences Act. Master’s degree programmes are designed to have 60-120 ECTS. For accreditation the curricula have to include the following items:

• orientation profiles
• a survey of demand and acceptance
• information on the group of persons entrusted with the development of the curriculum (development teams)
• evaluations of programmes
• occupational fields and profile of professional qualifications
• curriculum and examination regulations
• teaching concept
• entrance requirements
• admission regulations
• information on teaching and research staff
• fields of practise-related research and development
• information on facilities and equipment
• a cost estimate and financial programme

Some master’s degree programmes are also offered in English. 

Private Higher Education Institutions

The curricula of programmes at private HEIs are laid down by the respective institution. For accreditation by AQ Austria, the curricula are examined by international experts to fulfil aims such as quality, international comparability and conformity with the Bologna structure.

The majority of master’s degree programmes at private HEIs have 120 ECTS; however, there are also exceptions (e.g. in music and arts). Some master’s degree programmes are also offered in English or even French. 

University Colleges of Teacher Education

see here.  

Teaching methods

Public Universities

The teaching staff at universities and universities of applied sciences may freely choose the contents and methods of their courses. Basically, the types of courses have not changed in the past few decades. There are

• lectures,
• seminars,
• introductory seminars,
• exercises,
• practical workshops,
• field trips,
• tutorials, etc.

Long-distance study courses have to be explicitly permitted. In addition, one-to-one courses to promote artistic training are offered in arts and music. Several universities provide blended learning in courses, particularly for working students. In programmes with large numbers of students enrolled, the introductory and orientation period is organised almost exclusively online. Universities are also increasingly offering foreign language (mainly English) programmes/courses, especially at master’s and PhD level. 

Universities of Applied Sciences

Freedom in teaching refers to the organisation of courses within the framework of teaching responsibilities, methods and contents. There are no further regulations for universities of applied sciences master’s degree programmes, except the the general examination regulations mentioned in the Universities of Applied Sciences Act.

Education and training takes place in the form of courses, seminars, project papers and exercises. Courses are also offered by using e-learning and computer-assisted learning methods. 

Private Higher Education Institutions

Teaching methods are chosen autonomously by the private HEI and/or its teaching staff. For accreditation, study programmes are examined by international experts regarding structure, study workload, contents, etc. It is also examined whether teaching methods are suitable for reaching the learning targets and outcomes.

As private HEIs have smaller student cohorts, they also provide more project-based forms of teaching and smaller study groups. In some programmes, e-learning and blended learning are also provided. 

University Colleges of Teacher Education

see here.  

Progression of students

Public Universities

There is no time limit for students to finish their degree programmes, as long as they are registered for the continuation of their studies.

Generally, students are allowed to resit examinations three times. All examinations taken in the same subject (in all relevant study programmes at the same university) count towards the number of resits. The statute of each university may state whether further resits are possible and, if so, how many may be taken. The third repetition must be taken under the supervision of an examination board if it is an individual examination. 

Universities of Applied Sciences

Universities of applied sciences programmes are scheduled in a way that the students enrolled have to attend the courses in a defined order. A specific number of tolerance semesters (or a maximum tolerated duration of studies) has been laid down. Regarding the repetition of examinations, students are entitled to resit failed examinations twice; a year of study may be repeated once. Many universities of applied sciences provide full-time (in the daytime) as well as extra-occupational study programmes, the latter especially for working students. 

Private Higher Education Institutions

At private HEIs the definition of the duration of studies, tolerance semesters, etc. is the responsibility of the respective institution. As private HEI programmes are based on international standards (on-site-expert-review during the accreditation procedure), almost all studies have a modular structure. 

University Colleges of Teacher Education

see here.  

Employability

Public Universities

As part of the performance agreements, the universities provide for measures to enhance employability and support graduates in their entry to the labour market. Related projects that are implemented by universities include in particular graduate surveys, the inclusion of qualification profiles in curricula as well as supporting and advisory measures at the interface to the world of work, such as career fairs, job and career centres, and guidance services on the way towards self-employment. 

Universities of Applied Sciences

According to the Universities of Applied Sciences Act, degree programmes pursue the following objectives:

• ensuring that master’s degree programmes provide a scientifically founded professional education,
• ensuring practice-oriented education at university level, and
• training the ability to solve problems in the respective profession according to the state of the art and practical requirements.

Matching skills with labour market requirements is most important. 

Private Higher Education Institutions

When designing their curricula, private HEIs explicitly consider aspects of employability. This means the qualification objectives are defined for the whole programme as well as for individual modules/courses. The course contents, the knowledge, skills and competences to be acquired are part of the audit by AQ Austria. 

University Colleges of Teacher Education

see here.  

Student assessment

Public Universities

The examination regulations for the curricula are defined by a board. This includes, in particular, regulations concerning the method and purpose of examinations and the way in which they are organised. The final examination is the master’s examination. Moreover, candidates are required to write a master’s thesis.

Results of examinations and scientific/artistic theses are graded as:

• very good (sehr gut)
• good (gut)
• satisfactory (befriedigend)
• passed (genügend)
• failed (nicht genügend)

Intermediate assessments are not allowed. Whenever this type of grading as specified above cannot be made or is inappropriate, the positive grade must be “successfully completed” (mit Erfolg teilgenommen) and the negative grade must read “unsuccessfully completed” (ohne Erfolg teilgenommen). Examinations including several subjects/parts may have a positive grade only when each subject/part is positive.

Examinations taken at other recognised Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institutions must be recognised by means of decision, to the extent that they are equivalent to the examinations required by the curriculum. The examinations taken for a subject at an Austrian university or at a university in the European Union/European Economic Area must be recognised as equivalent to examinations for the same subject in the respective programme if the ECTS credits are the same or differ just slightly.

There are several multilateral and bilateral agreements on the recognition of examinations. 

Universities of Applied Sciences

For universities of applied sciences some general examination regulations are prescribed by law. The specific examination regulations are to be defined from the universities of applied sciences and are a subject of the accreditation by AQ Austria. Universites of applied sciences master’s programmes are completed by a master examination which is supervised by a committee. The positive assessment of a master’s thesis is a condition for the admission to this examination before the committee. The results of the examination are defined in terms of grades:

• passed with highest distinction: for an outstanding performance at the examination
• passed with distinction: for a performance at the examination that is considerably above average
• passed: for a positive assessment
• failed 

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Private Higher Education Institutions

There is no statute that governs examination regulations at private HEIs; the institutions design the examination methods and schedules autonomously. Examination regulations are verified within the scope of accreditation (by international experts).  

University Colleges of Teacher Education

see here.  

Certification

Public Universities

After meeting all requirements as laid down in the curriculum, the respective academic degree is awarded by an official notification at the latest one month after completing the study programme. The official notification indicates the completed study programme, the academic degree and the legal basis.

In Austria, the following master's degrees are awarded:

• Master [individually designed degree programme]: MA
• Master of Philosophy (der Philosophie): M.phil.
• Master of Law, Business and Economics (der Rechts- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften): LLM. oec.
• Master of Statistics (der Statistik): MStat
• Master of Theology (der Theologie): M.Theol.
• Master in Critical Studies: M.A.
• Master of Architecture: MArch
• Master of Arts: MA or M.A.
• Master of Arts and Education: MAEd
• Master of Arts in Arts and Design: MA
• Master of Arts in Economics: M.A.(Econ.)
• Master of Education: MEd
• Master of Education – University : M.Ed.Univ.
• Master of Environmental Science: MSc
• Master of International Business Informatics: MIBI
• Master of Laws: LL.M.
• Master of Legal and Business Aspects in Technics: MLBT
• Master of Science: MSc or M.Sc.
• Master of Science in Mountain Forestry: MScMF
• Master of Social Sciences: MSSc
• Master of Theology: MTh

If a degree programme is done within a joint degree programme, the academic degree can be awarded together with the partner institution.

For the purpose of supporting the graduates’ international mobility, students are entitled to be issued a Diploma Supplement pursuant to Article IX.3 of the Lisbon Recognition Convention, in connection with the official notification of the academic degree.

If an (Austrian) academic degree is indispensable in Austria for the practice of the profession or the continuation of the education of the applicant (e.g. for a professional activity if the activity belongs to an area with statutory regulations and the professional recognition does not comply with EU law), degree holders may apply for nostrification of their foreign academic degree. The nostrification is an administrative procedure. In a few cases (e.g. regarding many students from Italy or Croatia), bilateral agreements allow equivalency to be established by the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy. 

Universities of Applied Sciences

After completion of a study programme at universities of applied sciences, students are awarded a degree. For an application for nostrification of an academic degree earned at a foreign university of applied sciences, proof shall be furnished that the nostrification is indispensable for the practice of the profession or for the continuation of the applicant’s education in Austria.

The academic degree for universities of applied sciences master’s degree programmes is Master with a suffix describing the discipline. Admissible degrees, suffixes and abbreviations of degrees are determined by the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria), being subject to approval by the Federal Minister. For individual universities of applied sciences programmes, the respective degrees together with the additional designations must be laid down by AQ Austria in the accreditation decree:

• Master of Engineering for Technical and Scientific Professions: Dipl.Ing.
• Master of Arts in Arts and Design: MA or M.A.
• Master of Arts in Business: MA or M.A.
• Master of Arts in Military Leadership: MA or M.A.
• Master of Arts in Police Leadership: MA or M.A.
• Master of Arts in Social Sciences: MA or M.A.
• Master of Science in Engineering: MSc or M.Sc.
• Master of Science in Health Studies: MSc or M.Sc.
• Master of Science in Natural Sciences: MSc or M.Sc. 

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Private Higher Education Institutions

After accreditation by AQ Austria, private HEIs are entitled to award academic degrees (which are recognised in Austria) to their students (doctoral degrees are limited to private universities).

• Master of Engineering in Biomedical Informatics (Diplomingenieur/in der Biomedizinischen Informatik): Dipl.-Ing.
• Master of Engineering (Diplom-Ingenieur): Dipl.-Ing.
• Doctor of General Medicine (Doktor / Doktorin der gesamten Heilkunde): Dr. med. univ.
• Doctor of Dental Medicine (Doktor / Doktorin der Zahnheilkunde): Dr. med. dent.
• Master of Health Sciences (Magister / Magistra der Gesundheitswissenschaften): Mag. sc. hum.
• Master of Psychology (Magister / Magistra der Psychologie): Mag. Psych.
• Master of Psychotherapy (Magister / Magistra der Psychotherapiewissenschaft): Mag. pth.
• Master of Religious Education (Magister / Magistra der Religionspädagogik): Mag. rel. paed.
• Master of Theology (Magister / Magistra der Theologie): Mag. theol.
• Master of Arts : MA or M.A.
• Master of Arts and Education: MA
• Master of Arts in Music: MA-M
• Master of Arts in Music Education: MA-ME
• Master of Arts in Psychology with an Emphasis on Counseling: M.A.
• Master of Business Administration: MBA or M.B.A.
• Master of Business Administration in Sustainable Development and Management: MBA
• Master of Philosophy: M.Phil.
• Master of Science: MSc or M.Sc.
• Master of Science (Master of Science der Pflegewissenschaft): MSc
• Master of Science in Nursing: MSc
• Master of Science in Gerontology (Master of Science der Gerontologie): MSc
• Master of Science in Psychology (Master of Science der Psychologie): MSc.  

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University Colleges of Teacher Education

see here.

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