Status of the Master’s Degree Reform at SDU

Since the Danish Parliament adopted the legal basis for the Master’s Degree Reform, SDU has awaited the detailed framework for the University’s work to implement the reform. The Ministerial Accreditation Order, which describes how restructured education programmes are to be approved, is the first to be submitted for consultation and is expected to come into force on 1 July 2025.

After this, the approval process will begin, where SDU must submit applications to the Ministry for approval of both the new and restructured master's degree programmes.

SDU expects to have the next ministerial orders – the University Programme Order and the Admission Order – for consultation in June. They will outline the specific framework for the types of programmes, including students’ legal entitlements and the employment requirements for students enrolled in master’s degree programmes for working professionals.

‘The first draft of the Ministerial Order gives a clear picture of the framework, and the material we’ve reviewed so far appears sound. It provides us with a strong basis for further work – both in relation to the approval process and the development of the new and restructured master's degree programmes,’ says Pro-rector Helle Waagepetersen.

Fast track for the approval of master’s degree programmes

As part of the reform, the Ministry has introduced a simplified approval process – a fast track – to ensure faster processing of applications for the provision of new and restructured programmes. There is no requirement for extensive needs assessments, which gives universities better opportunities to have changes approved within the timeframe. The prerequisite is a positive institutional accreditation, which SDU last achieved in March 2021.

Ministerial orders on further and continuing education have been postponed

The part of the reform that deals with further and continuing education – e.g. supplementary courses of 45 ECTS credits targeted at graduates from the shortened master’s degree programmes – is not part of the new ministerial orders. The Ministry has postponed this educational track to the next round, and a separate ministerial order is expected to be submitted for consultation at the beginning of 2026.

SDU’s master’s degree landscape submitted to the board

On 23 May, SDU submitted the University’s plan for implementing the Master’s Degree Reform up to 2028 to The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. This means that the parties behind the reform are presented with the master’s degree landscape that was presented internally at SDU back in January .

‘SDU is now entering the next phase of the reform process, where the academic environments will continue to work on the content of both new and restructured master’s degree programmes, and where we will also establish and expand the external partnerships that our plans rely on,’ says Helle Waagepetersen.

Read more about the Master's Degree Reform here.