What is the average age of graduate students in Poland?

What is the average age of graduate students in Poland (and/or the rest of Europe)

It seems to me that graduate students in Poland seem to be younger than in the US. Is this true? How uncommon is it to see students in their late twenties/ early thirties in Poland?

Here in the states it seems fairly common. A person will get their bachelor and then enter the workforce. After a while they will go back to get the master degree after gaining valuable work experience. Some uni’s will not even accept someone into a master’s program without work experience.

Sometimes when I talk to Polish people or “newly arrived poles” they seem to be surprised that I am still in school. While American friends of mine don’t even bat an eye and consider it normal.

I get the same feeling too. I'll try to find some stats.

However, in Poland there are private and state universities. I think most people who graduate from state schools are younger whilst those graduating from private unis are sometimes older (start uni later, or go part time).


In Poland most students do their bachelor degree (~3 years) and immediately after do their master's degree(~2 years). For some programmes the bachelor/master's degree is all one programme, meaning that students don't always have to apply to a master's programme.

In the USA/Canada, from what i hear anyway, a Polish master's degree is not recognised as being equivalent to a US/CDN master's degree - and rightfully so.

You heard incorrectly.

Difference is you can *get* a job with just a Bachelor's degree in the States, therefore the impetus to complete one's Master studies straight away isn't there. For the same reasons there are more kids who possibly take some time out before entering tertiary study... e.g. the notorious 'gap year' in the UK.

Plus education (I believe) is free in Poland (subsidised) and therefore to make living costs more manageable, kids study straight out of high school and just continue to live at home or take that step to move out with financial help from their parents.

I also think US and other English based Universities attract more foreign students and mature students who may be enhancing their education after having moved abroad, and therefore present a headier mix of student age groups.

A Polish Master's degree will be recognised in the UK as equivalent to an English Master's degree; however, a Magister degree will not be recognised as equivalent, and rightly so.

Magister = Master's degree.

No. The pre-Bologna qualification was the Magister as understood in the Germanic-influenced world - which was a first level qualification. Hence the existence of "post-diploma" courses for second level study. Harry's gone over this thousands of times - the Magister isn't a Masters, but rather something between a BA and MA.

Now, the Polish Masters degree is the same as the British Masters degree - since Bologna.

So what do you call this in Polish?

Masters.

I'm also interested in the recognisable difference between
1. an English MA (studied in the UK) and a Polish MA (magister or not)
2. between an English BA and Polish licencjat.
3. What is the equivalent in Polish of a BA (Honours) (2.1 or 2.2)
I have English qualifications and want to work in Poland, but need to see how these qualifications will be recognised.

A post-Bologna Masters in Poland (still titled Magister, but with a clear, defined, separate 2 year part) is equal to a British MA. Because of this, you should always stress the BA and MA as being separate.


Nothing, they're the same thing. Best to just call it a BA though.


Grades aren't really looked at in Poland unless it's the top grade, so I wouldn't worry about this. I'd actually just stick with the UK description - 2:1, 2:2, 1st, whatever.


I think the only problem for anyone Polish (Polish-born that is) is that they'll be expected to have an MA - Poland really doesn't "get" that a Masters degree is something special in many countries.

Thanks for that - it has cleared things up a bit.
I also have a Post Grad Diploma (ie MA without the thesis) so I'm not sure what that would be classed as in Poland?

I do see Post Grad studies advertised in Poland - but are they the same thing?
Many thanks

It's a mess in this respect - in Poland, Postgraduate Diplomas are "post MA, for professional purposes". From what I understand, they're a relic from when the Magister was a first level qualification - so people needed something in addition without the intensity of a PhD. It could probably be best described as "post-masters, non-doctoral" study.


Hmm, if I recall correctly, there's nothing awarded for this in Poland, so it has no comparison. I'd be personally inclined to simply call it what it is - and let people believe that it's equal to the Polish qualification. You could simply describe it as an MA - if they question further, you can explain that some qualifications in the UK aren't offered at MA level.

(what's the PgDip in?)

PgDip in English language from Uni of Manchester.

:D I go to the uni of Manchester, sorry to interrupt

Hello,

I actually am a Polish MA. I graduated in 2008, the undivided course (without Bachelor degree), which was the most common and often the only available type of course in my country those days. Now I continue my education in Australia, in the system closer to the English one, studying at PhD level.

I would like to clarify several things here:

My "Magister" degree is exactly the same and equal to the new "Magister" (when students do their BA first and than MA). Both are translated to (and equal to) Master. Nobody emphasises what system one went through, whether 3+2 or 5. Magister (old or new)=Master. There is no "Master" word in Polish!

It is true that in the old BA/Masters continuing course there was no entry for MA-because it was considered one course-qualification. Instead there were exams each semester (you could be dismissed if you haven't passed one of them). If you couldn't make it for the whole course, or after 4 years of studying you decided you've had enough education-you still had nothing! Full masters course usually lasted 5-6 years.

At the same time on some majors there were still the less respected BA courses and this is what you could call the first qualification.

So:
English MA = Polish MA (Magister)
English BA = Polish BA (Licencjat)
there is no Honours degree equivalent in Poland

"studia podyplomowe" Polish post-masters courses are for MA graduates to broaden their knowledge in related field to what they were studying. We did have BA before too-just not as popular and respected. Therefore the Post-MA in Poland are NOT as "Delphiandomine" said: "a relic from when the Magister was a first level qualification". Nobody needed this course course to get a job. They were rather for those wanting to get to know more, peel deeper or learning about something slightly different without compleeting a whole degree on it.

we have just a different system and you should respect it guys.

The most common age for people starting masters programs in Poland would be between 21-24, as most students would continue their studies: BA streight after school and MA as soon as graduated BA. There will certainly people of all ages (especially on part time courses) though. There are part-time courses on both public (more prestigious) and private universities. Very often students who didn't manage to get to the full-time studies at a public university (which is free indeed) would go for one of those options (both paid).

We have something called "wykształcenie niepełne wyższe" (incomplete higher education) which was normally referred to a MA degree completed but without thesis completion/submition/defence. I wouldn't state anywhere in Poland that I have a MA qualification if it isn't the full degree with defended thesis. Everybody would have thought this is a complete one and after the fact is found out, you will be treated as a liar. Not worth it. I would describe what you actually have or refer to "wykształcenie niepełne wyższe", with highlighing this is about MA level.

I hope this could help and correct some of the misunderstandings. Good luck!

what age do they graduate??


sorry i just have a project and i need to know