Due to the 1999 education reforms related to the Bologna Process being implemented throughout Europe, the Italian education system was reorganized in 2004. The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City State, also followed some of these conventions as discussed below.
Pre-university education in Italy became standardized at 5 years of primary education, 3 years of lower secondary education, and 5 years of upper secondary education for a total of 13 years. The Holy See only offers post-secondary education, but is closely aligned with Italy and most of its students are Italian secondary school graduates.
However, students in Catholic seminary programs worldwide may complete programs leading to degrees awarded by universities of the Holy See. Catholic education is split into both minor and major seminaries. Minor seminaries are secondary level institutions designed for high school boys who are interested in becoming priests and may lead to higher education. Major seminaries offer undergraduate and graduate education.
Please note that the names of the cycles do not necessarily correspond to US equivalent degrees of a similar name since the duration of the programs may vary. For example, in some cases the Baccalaureus degree has been a two-year program, while in other time periods and specializations, the Baccalaureus was five years, but it is now primarily a 3-year program. Programs at the major seminaries include philosophy, theology, sacred theology, and canon law.
University qualifications and duration changed significantly after the implementation of the Bologna Process. First cycle degrees, named the Laurea it Italy and the Baccalaureatus/Baccalaureato in the Holy See, became 3-year programs, requiring 180 ECTS credits. Second cycle degrees, or Laurea Specialistica/Magistrale degrees in Italy or Licentia/Licenza degrees in the Holy See, typically required two years of study and required an additional 120 ECTS credits.
Together, these two degrees are considered comparable to a Bachelor and Master degree and require a total of 300 ECTS credits, though sometimes a particular university may offer the first degree at 4 years (240 ECTS credits) and the second at 1 year (60 ECTS credits) or some 5-year combination degrees.
The Bologna Process stipulates a Europe-wide educational structure of three cycles: the first cycle (generally called a Bachelor degree but sometimes retains the indigenous name of the first cycle degree) is 3 or 4 years; the second (generally called Master degree) cycle is 2 or 1 year, so that the total of the first and second cycles together is 5 years; and the third cycle is a Doctoral degree. The Bologna Process also stipulates the usage of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System.
In the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), one year of full-time study results in 60 ECTS credits. In the U.S. semester-based system, one year of full-time undergraduate study represents approximately 30 credit hours. The standard conversion from ECTS credits to U.S. credit hours is 2:1. ECTS is a system for measuring and comparing the study attainment and performance of students based on workload, not on contact hours.
The goal of Bologna-compliant degrees and ECTS credits is to increase transparency and mobility for students traveling within and without Europe by creating a standard system of credits; providing an official native language and English language diploma supplement that identifies subjects, credits, grades, and the educational system; and employing standardized degree nomenclature at set periods.
ECTS credits are inconsistently used with credentials from the Holy See and even less common for seminaries from other countries. Pontifical universities are licensed to grant academic degrees in theology, canon law, philosophy, and other religious-subjects. Pontifical universities have affiliations with approximately 125 seminaries and other religious-based educational institutions around the world.
Within the realm of Catholic education, contemporary ecclesiastical degrees are primarily offered at three levels: 3-year Baccalaureatus/Baccalaureato (Baccalaureate or Bachelor), 2-year Licentia/Licenza (Licentiate), and 3-year Doctoratus/Dottorato (Doctorate) degrees.
Resources:
Higher Education of the Catholic Church. Congregation for Catholic Education: http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/en.html and http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/it/istituzioni-studi-superiori-cattoliche.html and http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/it/studi-superiori-della-santa-sede.html and http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/it/offerta-formativa.html and http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/it/istituzioni---facolta.html and http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/en/ecclesiastical-institutions-of-higher-education/quality/agenzia-avepro.html
ENIC-NARIC: Gateway to Recognition of Qualifications. https://www.enic-naric.net/page-Holy-See
Holy See’s Agency for the Evaluation and Promotion of Quality in Ecclesiastical Universities and Faculties (AVEPRO): https://www.avepro.va/evaluation-reports/?lang=en and https://www.avepro.va/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/E_AVEPRO-Rationale_2019.pdf and https://www.avepro.va/documentation/?lang=en and https://www.avepro.va/links/?lang=en and https://www.avepro.va/glossary/?lang=en
Qualifications Framework of the Holy See: http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/it/studi-superiori-della-santa-sede/quadro-nazionale-delle-qualifiche/qualifications-framework.html and http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/en/ecclesiastical-institutions-of-higher-education/national-qualifications-framework/qualifications-framework.html
Education System: Holy See. UNESCO Asia-Pacific regional Bureau for Education. https://apnnic.net/country-profile/holy-see-2/education-2/education-system-2/
Vatican: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/index.htm and http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/index_it.htm and https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html and http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/sinodo/documents/bollettino_22_xii-ordinaria-2008/xx_plurilingue/b01_xx.html and https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_15081990_ex-corde-ecclesiae.html and https://www.vatican.va/content/romancuria/en/dicasteri/dicastero-cultura-educazione/profilo.html and
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/20220319-costituzione-ap-praedicate-evangelium.html