The goal of higher professional education is the preparation and re-qualification of highly qualified specialists; meeting the needs of education development of a person on the basis of secondary general and secondary vocational education.

Higher professional education is the professional education provided on the basis of at least secondary education through programs for a Bachelor’s degree, degree of a Certified Specialist and Master’s degree.

Basic programs of higher professional education may be implemented on an uninterrupted basis and (or) with interruptions, as of levels.
A two-level qualification system of higher professional education is established within the Republic of Armenia.
The person having passed the final attestation is granted with:

  1. the Bachelor’s degree — at the first level;
  2. the Master’s degree — at the second level.

The qualification of a certified specialist shall also be retained in the Republic of Armenia.

The duration of instruction of basic education programs of higher and postgraduate professional education constitute:

  1. at least 4 years for obtaining a Bachelor’s degree, whereas for police or military professions — at least 3 years; (Persons having completed their studies and having passed the final attestation, are granted with a diploma of a bachelor’s degree).
  2. at least 5 years for obtaining a qualification degree of a certified specialist, whereas for art and physical education professions — at least 4 years; (Persons having completed their studies and having passed the final attestation, are granted with a diploma of a specialist with higher education)
  3. at least 1 year for obtaining a Master’s degree; (Persons having completed their studies and having passed the final attestation, are granted with a diploma of Master’s degree),
  4. at least 5 years for medical professions under uninterrupted and integrated educational programs, the educational degree granted as a result whereof is equivalent to a Master’s degree.

Persons having not completed the basic program of higher and postgraduate professional education shall be granted with an academic statement of information of a prescribed sample issued by the higher education institution or organization providing postgraduate professional education

Basic programs of higher professional education may be implemented through different forms of instruction — on-site education, off-site education, distance learning, and external studies. The combination of an on-site form of receiving higher and postgraduate professional education with other forms is not prohibited.

The list of professions in respect of which receiving higher professional education by off-site education, distance-learning or external studies, is not permitted, is defined by the Government of the Republic of Armenia

The following types of higher education institutions are established within higher and postgraduate professional education system of the Republic of Armenia:

  1. University
  2. Institute
  3. Academy
  4. Conservatory, etc.