Candidate (Latin ''candidatus'' or ''candidata'') is the name of various
academic degree
An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including unde ...
s, chiefly in
Scandinavia, the
Soviet Union, the
Netherlands and
Belgium. In Scandinavia, it is a higher professional-level degree usually corresponding to 5–7 years of studies, whereas in the Soviet states, it was a research degree roughly equivalent to the American
Doctor of Philosophy degree. In the Netherlands and Belgium, it was an undergraduate first-cycle degree roughly comparable with the
bachelor's degree.
The term is derived from Latin ''candida'', meaning white. In
Ancient Rome, men running for political office would usually wear
togas chalked and bleached to be bright white at
speeches,
debates,
conventions
Convention may refer to:
* Convention (norm), a custom or tradition, a standard of presentation or conduct
** Treaty, an agreement in international law
* Convention (meeting), meeting of a (usually large) group of individuals and/or companies in a ...
, and other public
functions. The term ''candidate'' thus came to mean someone who seeks an office of some sort.
Scandinavia
In
Scandinavia, the term was introduced in the early 18th century and referred to the higher degrees in
theology,
law and
medicine. A candidate's degree in the relevant field (e.g.
Candidate of Law) was a requirement for appointment to higher offices in the state administration (''embede''), including as priests, judges and state officials, and doctors. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden the term "candidate" was eventually used for most higher professional academic degrees, usually awarded after around 5–7 years of studies. In Norway, only a few candidate's degrees (such as
cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ (male), Candidata theologiæ (female), abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six-year higher education in theology in Iceland, Denmark, and Norway. In Norway, the title has re ...
,
cand.med.
Candidate of Medicine ( la, candidatus medicinae (male), ''candidata medicinae'' (female), abbreviated cand. med.) is an academic degree awarded in Denmark, Iceland, and Norway following a six-year medical school education.
Medical students in ...
and
cand.psychol. Candidate (Latin ''candidatus'' or ''candidata'') is the name of various academic degrees, chiefly in Scandinavia, the Soviet Union, the Netherlands and Belgium. In Scandinavia, it is a higher professional-level degree usually corresponding to 5–7 ...
) are still awarded, while in Denmark and Sweden, all candidate's degrees are retained.
Examples of candidate's degrees in Scandinavia:
*
Candidate of Theology (''candidatus theologiae'')
*
Candidate of Law (''candidatus juris'')
*
Candidate of Medicine
Candidate of Medicine ( la, candidatus medicinae (male), ''candidata medicinae'' (female), abbreviated cand. med.) is an academic degree awarded in Denmark, Iceland, and Norway following a six-year medical school education.
Medical students in Ge ...
(''candidatus medicinae'')
There are several dozen such degrees in the three Scandinavian countries as well as Iceland and Finland.
Soviet Union
In the
Soviet Union,
Candidate of Sciences was a degree roughly corresponding to an American-style
PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
Entertainment
* '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series
* ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic
* Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group
** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...
.
The Netherlands and Belgium
In the
Netherlands and
Belgium the "Candidate's diploma" was an undergraduate first-cycle diploma that the university issued to students who passed their candidate's examination. After obtaining the diploma one was entitled to use the academic title "Candidatus" (prenominal abbreviation ''Cand.''). This was the lowest academic degree that could be achieved in these countries, and is roughly comparable with the
bachelor's degree from universities (BA or BSc).
Opleidingen hoger onderwijs en bijbehorende titels
- website of the Government of the Netherlands
The candidate exam took place after the student completed a substantial and pre-determined part of his university education; in the case of a five-year or longer course usually after completion of the third year. Students in a four-year course received the degree at the end of their second or during their third year, depending on the criteria set by the institution.
The candidates degrees were phased out in the Netherlands in 1982, but have been more-or-less replaced by the Bachelor's degree with the introduction of the Bologna Process in Europe in 1999.
References
{{reflist
Academic degrees