Online Guide to. Educational Systems. Around the World Dominican Republic

Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World Dominican Republic Submitted by Barbara B. Glave and Hany Arafat September, 2013

About NAFSA NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a member organization promoting international education and providing professional development opportunities to the field. Hundreds of NAFSA members volunteer to serve the Association and thousands advocate for international education. NAFSA serves international educators and their institutions and organizations by establishing principles of good practice, providing training and professional development opportunities, providing networking opportunities, and advocating for international education. For more information about NAFSA, visit www.nafsa.org. In 1948, NAFSA pioneered the concept of providing professional services for postsecondary exchange students. Early efforts to enhance living and learning environments for exchange students have blossomed into today s active association of accomplished professionals whose numbers continue to grow worldwide. Notice of Liability The information in these documents is distributed on an As is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of each document, neither the submitter(s) nor NAFSA shall have any liability to any persons nor entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in any of these documents. Information about each country was current at the time of upload. Education systems change periodically and updates will be written to reflect significant changes, once known. Please note that while NAFSA periodically verified the Web site links included in these e- Publications, NAFSA cannot guarantee that every link will be current at the time of download. Acceptable Use Guidelines Electronic resources are provided for the benefit of the international education community. However, commercial use, systematic or excessive downloading, or electronic redistribution of these publications are all expressly prohibited. 2013 NAFSA: Association of International Educators. All rights reserved. Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World 1

Instructions for Using the Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World Susan Whipple, Editor May 2011 These documents are updates to those in the 1999 publication A Guide to Educational Systems Around the World (which was an update to The Handbook on the Placement of Foreign Graduate Students, published in 1990 and colloquially known as the "Graduate Handbook.") It is important to note that these documents do not replace either of the earlier publications, which should be used for credentials issued prior to 1999, the period those publications cover. Readers familiar with the original version of A Guide to Educational Systems Around the World will note that these updates use the same format: 1. Each of these publications provides lists of credentials and other data that can be used both for undergraduate and graduate admissions. 2. "Advice for admissions officers" is intentionally not provided. We have attempted to avoid all types of subjective interpretation, relying instead on objective data. Users of these updates should use the information provided in conjunction with other resources to determine their own placement recommendations and possibility of transfer credit. Questions about credentials can be posted on the Admission and Credential Evaluation discussion forum on the Recruitment, Admissions, and Preparation Knowledge Community: http://www.nafsa.org/aceforums. For information on how to subscribe to the network, please visit www.nafsa.org/networksubscribe. Please note that these updates should be supplemented by additional written materials that describe complete foreign educational systems, including data on specific institutions, and by professional training in the theory and practice of credential evaluation. Many of these resources are available from NAFSA, either as printed publications or on-line. The need for institution support for budgetary resources and training for undergraduate and graduate admissions personnel remains important, regardless of the increased availability of resources on the Web. These publications were compiled by many authors using a standardized template and style. Although minor variations among entries do occur, the basic guidelines are explained as follows: Educational Ladder

The year or half-year at which a credential is awarded is the point at which the corresponding credential letter is placed. In the example above, credential A is awarded after the 9th year of education. Note that the corresponding letter is placed directly below the number 9. All normal possibilities of the total number of years of education that a credential might require are indicated on the ladder. This occurs for credential B, in which the credential can be awarded after either 12 or 13 total years of education. An explanation is provided in the description of the credential whenever a letter appears on the ladder more than once. There are a few cases when this multiple-listing style was not used; in these cases, there are explanatory comments. An arrow ( ) is used after a credential letter in cases where no maximum length of study for a particular program is specified, or where the study time is open-ended. For example, a doctor of philosophy degree program may require a minimum of three years of enrollment. The corresponding credential letter with an arrow will appear under the minimum number of total years of education required to earn the Ph.D. Explanations About Documents Credentials are divided into two categories: secondary and postsecondary. The decision to include the credential under one or the other category is not a subjective one a credential is determined to be either secondary or postsecondary according to its designation by the country of origin, regardless of how individual institutions might perceive the level (and recommend transfer credit). Numerical endnotes, placed directly after the complete list of credentials, are used when a lengthy explanation about a credential is necessary. Foreign Terms and Words Foreign terms are used whenever possible, and are translated literally, in most cases. Literal translations are used to avoid subjectivity. We have attempted to be consistent with translations across languages, though readers may notice some differences between countries because of preferences indicated by the submitters. Credential evaluators and admissions personnel should always rely on official foreign language documents, using translations only as guides. Grading lnformation Only the most common grading scales used in each country are listed. Evaluators understand that variations in grading are common and that one should always consult the grading information that may be provided on official transcripts. Rather than making grade equivalency statements, the submitter(s) of the update provided information regarding grading practices within the countries. Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World 3

REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA (Dominican Republic) YEARS OF EDUCATION 0 1 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ½ 15 16 ½ 17 18 19 ½ 20 21 22 23 24 F A B H C D D J K L N S N S Y Y Z a b G E L M O O U Z a b I N P Q V a b O Q R W b R S X T T Y U U Z V V a W W b X Z X Y Z a CREDENTIALS OR DOCUMENTATION Based on Ley Orgánica No. 2909 (General Law No. 2909), dated June 27, 1951, modified by Ley No. 3644 (Law No. 3644), dated October 5, 1953: A B Educación Primaria (Primary Education), ages 6-12, was compulsory and required six years. With Ordinance 1-77, dated April 13, 1977, primary was structured in two cycles, with the first running four years and the second running two years. Estudios Intermedios (Intermediate Studies), ages 12-14, required two years beyond Educación Primaria, and culminated in the Certificado de Suficiencia en los Estudios Intermedios (Certificate of Completion of Intermediate Studies) in the sistema tradicional (traditional system). The two-year Certificado de Suficiencia en los Estudios Intermedios was required for admission to the four-year second cycle (Credential D). C Estudios Secundarios Comunes (Common Secondary Studies), ages 12-16, required four years beyond Educación Primaria (Credential A), constituted the Ciclo Básico de la Educación Media (Basic Cycle of Secondary Education) which emphasized science, and culminated in the Certificado Oficial de Suficiencia en Estudios Secundarios Comunes (Certificate of Completion of Common Secondary Studies) in the sistema reformado (reform system) which, beginning with academic year 1969-70, consolidated educación intermedia (intermediate education / 7 th and D E 8 th grades) into educación secundaria (secondary education). The four-year Certificado Oficial de Suficiencia en Estudios Secundarios Comunes was required for admission to the two-year higher cycle (Credential E). Estudios Secundarios (Secondary Studies) had three basic tracks: Bachillerato Académico (Academic Secondary Baccalaureate program), Bachillerato Técnico (Technical Secondary Baccalaureate program) y Título de Maestro Normal (Teacher Training program). Admission required Credential B. Bachillerato (Secondary Baccalaureate) studies comprised the Ciclo Superior de la Educación Media (Higher Cycle of Secondary Education), which offered a choice of specializations. Students in the academic track earned the Bachillerato en Ciencias y Letras (Secondary Baccalaureate in Sciences and Humanities); students in the vocational track earned the Bachillerato Técnico-Profesional (Vocational-Technical Secondary Baccalaureate); students in the secondary-level teacher training - 1 -

program earned the Título de Maestro Normal Primario (Title of Primary School Teacher) which led to employment as well as further teacher training. Admission required Credential C. NOTES: 1. In the Traditional System, the grade scale was based on 0-100 with 60 as lowest passing grade. In the Reform System, the grade scale was based on 1-5 with 2 as lowest passing grade. 2. During the 1990 s, elementary teacher training was elevated to higher education; in addition, INAFOCAM-- Instituto Nacional de Formación y Capacitación del Magisterio (National Institute for Teacher Training and Education) was created to provide continuing education / further training. Based on Ordenanza 1-86 (Ordinance 1-86) and Ley Orgánica de Educación Nº 66/1997 (General Educational Law No. 66 of 1997), dated April 9, 1997: Preschool / Pre-K / Kindergarten F Educación Inicial (Initial Education) is the first level of Educación Básica Regular (Regular Basic Education) and consists of 3 cycles by age group: Ages 0-2 comprise cycle one; ages 2-4 comprise cycle two; and ages 4-6 comprise cycle three. The last year of initial education is compulsory and equates to Kindergarten in the United States. Primary-Secondary G H I Educación Básica (Basic Education), ages 6-14, is compulsory and requires eight years; divided into two four-year cycles. The first cycle, grades 1-4, is normally begun at age 6, never before age 5. The second cycle, grades 5-8, includes math, natural science, social science, basic foreign language, Spanish language arts, development of knowledge and thinking skills, art, ethics, and vocational guidance. Admission requires the last year of Credential F. Técnico Básico (Basic Technician), a one-year program within modalidad técnico profesional (occupational-technical track; see I below), is generally offered at escuelas laborales (trade schools). Admission requires Credential G. Educación secundaria (Secondary Education), ages 14-18, is free and was not compulsory until 2010; secundaria is divided into two two-year cycles. The first cycle consists of tronco común (common core). The second cycle offers three modalidades (tracks): modalidad general o académica (academic or general track), modalidad técnico profesional (occupational-technical track; see H above), and modalidad artística (artistic track), all three of which lead to the Bachillerato (Secondary Baccalaureate) in the chosen modalidad (track). Admission is based on Credential G. NOTES: 1. The academic year in initial and basic education requires 42 weeks; the academic year in secondary education requires 43 weeks. The elementarysecondary calendar runs August to June. 2. Spanish is the principal language of instruction. 3. The constitution approved by the Asamblea Nacional (National Assembly) on January 26, 2010, states El Estado garantiza la educación pública gratuita y la - 2 - Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World 5

declara obligatoria en el nivel inicial, básico y medio (The State guarantees free public education and declares it to be compulsory at the initial, basic, and secondary level.). Thus, as of 2010, secondary education is declared to be compulsory. Post-Secondary The Dominican Republic has three main types of higher-education institutions: 1. Institutos técnicos de estudios superiores (technical institutes of higher studies) are authorized to offer carreras a nivel técnico superior [programs of study at the higher technician (intermediate post-secondary) level] which usually run 4 to 6 semesters and may be terminal. 2. Institutos especializados de estudios superiores (specialized institutes of higher studies) are authorized to offer programs of study culminating in títulos (titles / degrees) at the nivel de pregrado (undergraduate level) and nivel de postgrado [graduate level (alternate spelling: posgrado)] but only in the areas of specialization for which the institution was created. Formación de profesores (teacher training) is carried out in the specialized institutes. 3. Universidades (universities) may offer all undergraduate and graduate levels and majors, including títulos de técnico superior (titles of higher technician), títulos profesionales (professional degrees), licenciaturas (licentiates), maestrías (master s degrees), and doctorados (doctorates). Most doctorates are offered in conjunction with a foreign institution; see b regarding doctorates. Information between brackets indicates the Dominican credits and/or clock hours in accordance with Ley No. 139-01 (Law No. 139-01) of August 13, 2001. Program lengths vary from institution to institution; accordingly, some programs may differ from time lengths assigned below. As the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo is the principal nacional university which often sets the standard for other DR institutions, UASD information is added for graduate education. J Certificado de Estudios Superiores en Educación Básica (Certificate of Higher Studies in Basic Education), 4 semesters. Admission requires Credential I. K Certificado de Estudios Superiores en Lengua y Literatura (Certificate of Higher Studies in Language and Literature), 5 semesters. Admission requires Credential I. L Técnico (Technician) / Técnico Superior (Higher Technician) / Tecnólogo Superior (Higher Technologist): Most programs run 2-3 years / 4-6 semesters [minimum of 85 credits]; most are terminal and lead to employment; some lead to further study. Admission requires Credential I. Note: The Título de Profesorado (Title in Teaching) is offered at this level. M Técnico Profesional en Enfermería (Professional Technician in Nursing), 6 semesters. Admission requires Credential I. N Licenciatura (Licentiate) in arts and humanities, 3-5 years [minimum of 140 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. O Licenciatura (Licentiate) in education, social sciences, and economic sciences, 3-5 years [minimum of 140 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. P Título de Tecnólogo Médico (Title of Medical Technologist), 4 years. Admission requires Credential I. Q Licenciatura en Enfermería (Licentiate in Nursing), 8-10 semesters (including supervised nursing practice) and thesis or equivalent course [minimum of 140 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. - 3 -

R Licenciatura (Licentiate) in hard sciences, most 4-5 years [minimum of 140 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. S Licenciatura en Medicina Veterinaria (Licentiate in Veterinary Medicine), 9-12 semesters and thesis or equivalent course [minimum of 200 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. T Licenciatura en Farmacia (Licentiate in Pharmacy), 4-5 years (including supervised pharmaceutical practice) and thesis or equivalent course [minimum of 200 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. U Título de Ingeniero (Title of Engineer), 4-6 years [minimum of 200 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. V Título de Arquitecto (Title of Architect), 4-6 years [minimum of 200 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. W Licenciatura en Derecho (Licentiate in Law), 4-6 years including thesis [minimum of 200 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. X Título de Doctor en Odontología (Title of Doctor of Dentistry), 4-6 years [minimum of 200 credits]. Admission requires Credential I. Y Título de Doctor en Medicina (Title of Doctor of Medicine), 10-15 semesters with a rotating internship and thesis or equivalent course [minimum of 5 years; pre-med requires a minimum of 90 credits]. Admission requires Credential I unless based on pre-med. Z Especialidad (Specialization) [minimum of 20 credits / 300 clock hours of instruction; approximately 1-2 years full-time or equivalent part-time]; admission requires prior completion of a título universitario de ciclo largo [full undergraduate degree (licenciatura; título profesional)]. Admission requires Credentials N through Y. a NOTES: 1. At UASD, a specialization requires 20 to 30 credits beyond a qualifying full undergraduate degree. A thesis is required although in certain situations some programs may establish training and a monograph not to exceed 5 credits. Each cohort is not to exceed 40 participants. Course codes begin with 7. 2. According to Ley No. 139-01 (Law No. 139-01) of August 13, 2001: -- Las especialidades médicas cursadas en Hospitales Docentes, conocidas como Residencias Médicas, son equivalentes a la Maestría (Medical Specializations carried out in Teaching Hospitals, known as Medical Residencies) are equivalent to a master s degree) in the Dominican Republic. -- Las especialidades en Ciencias de la Salud cursadas antes de la puesta en vigencia de este Reglamento, debidamente documentadas por la institución correspondiente, serán consideradas con la categoría de Maestría (Health-Science specializations carried out prior to the implementation of this Regulation, duly documented by the corresponding institution, shall be characterized as a master s degree) in the Dominican Republic. Maestría or Master or Magíster (Master) [minimum of 40 credits / 600 clock hours of instruction; approximately 2-3 years full-time or equivalent part-time]; admission requires prior completion of a título universitario de ciclo largo [full undergraduate degree (licenciatura; título profesional)]. Admission requires Credentials N through Y. NOTE: At UASD, a master s degree requires 30 to 50 credits (including training if required) beyond a qualifying full undergraduate degree. A thesis based on original research is required (12 credits). Each cohort is not to exceed 30 participants. Course codes begin with 8. - 4 - Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World 7

b Doctorado (doctorate, Ph.D.): No true fourth-level doctorates are offered by Dominican Universities although standards have been set by SEESCyT. NOTES: 1. Some doctoral programs are offered in conjunction with a foreign institution. For example, the Universidad Central del Este / UCE (Central University of the East) offers the título de Doctor en Ciencias de la Educación (title of Doctor of Educational Sciences) under the auspices of the Universidad de la Habana (University of Havana); the program, taught at UCE, requires 3-4 years; admission requires a full undergraduate degree legalized by MESCyT, that is, credentials N through Y. 2. At UASD, the Reglamento General de Posgrado (General Graduate Regulations), Resolución 2001-117 (Resolution 2001-117) of August 8, 2001, issued September, 2008, indicates the following requirements for a 4th-level doctorate at UASD: -- Admission will require a master's degree [credential a], two years of high-level experience in the target field, a broad scientific body of work, and the ability to further national strategies for scientific-technical and social progress; -- 80-90 credits will be required; some credits may be transferred from qualifying specializations and master s degrees, even from other public DR institutions and from foreign countries if completed at institutions with UASD agreements; -- Each cohort will not exceed 20 participants; -- Course codes will begin with 9. ADDITIONAL POST-SECONDARY INFORMATION Spanish is the language of instruction although English may be used in some medical programs. Academic calendars vary, with períodos (periods of study), trimestres (trimesters / 3-month terms, e.g., January to March), cuatrimestres (4-month terms, e.g., January to April), and semestres (semesters); the last two are very common. Examples include: January to December (January-May; August-December); January to December (January-April; May-August; September-December); January to December (January-March, April-June, July-September, October- December); September to May (September-December; January-May); September to August (September-December; January-May; June-August); The literacy rate for adults is approximately 87%; for ages 15-24, the rate is approximately 95%. GRADING SCALES Grading scales in the Dominican Republic vary widely. Below is a list of the more commonly used grading scales although others may also be in use: - 5 -

Secondary The principal grading scale used at the secondary level in the Dominican Republic is: Dominican Republic A = 90-100% or Excelente B = 80-89% or Muy Bueno C = 70-79% or Bueno D = 0-69% or Deficiente Equivalent A B C F The following grading scale was used in the reform system: Dominican Republic Equivalent 5 A 4 B+ 3 B 2 C 0-1 F Post-Secondary There are two principal post-secondary grading scales used in the Dominican Republic: Percentage Scale Dominican Republic A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 0-69% Equivalent A B C F Letter Grades/Numerical Grades: Dominican Republic Numerical Letter Grade Equivalent Grade A 4 A B 3 B C 2 C D 1 D F 0 F - 6 - Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World 9

The following alternative 100-point grading scales are less-commonly used: Dominican Republic A+ = 97-100% A = 94-96% A- = 90-93% B+ = 87-89% B = 84-86% B- = 80-83% C+ = 77-79% C = 74-76% C- = 70-73% D+ = 67-69% D = 64-66% D- = 60-63% F = 0-59% Equivalent A B C D F Dominican Republic Equivalent 90-100% A 80-89% B 70-79% C 60-69% D 0-59% F Some graduate programs in the Dominican Republic may use different grading scales or a minimum acceptable passing grade that is higher than a typical undergraduate program. At the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), the following 100-point scale is used at the graduate level (80% as the minimum acceptable passing grade): Dominican Republic Numerical Grade Percentage 5.0 100% 4.5 95% 4.0 90% 3.5 85% 3.0 80% Equivalent A B PRINCIPAL ENTITIES FOR RECOGNITION Elementary-Secondary Secretaría de Estado de Educación (State Secretariat of Education), formerly Ministerio de Educación (Ministry of Education) Av. Máximo Gómez esq. Santiago, Gazcue Santo Domingo, República Dominicana Phone: 809-688-9700 www.see.gob.do - 7 -

Post-Secondary Ministerio de Educación Superior, Ciencia y Tecnología / MESCyT (Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology); also goes by Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia y Tecnología / SEESCyT (Secretariat of Higher Education, Science and Technology); formerly, Consejo Nacional de Educación Superior / CONES (National Council for Higher Education). Av. Máximo Gómez No. 31, esq. Pedro Henríquez Ureña Santo Domingo, República Dominicana Phone: 809-533-3381; Fax: 809-535-4694 www.seescyt.gov.do Asociación Dominicana para el Autoestudio y la Acreditación / ADAAC (Dominican Association for Self-Study and Accreditation); non-profit private association for public benefit (Law 122-05) providing voluntary accreditation process. Avenida M. Cabral 11 Santo Domingo, República Dominicana Phone: 809-686-5264 http://www.adaac.org.do (website does not appear to be functional) Asociación Dominicana de Rectores de Universidades / ADRU (Dominican Association of University Rectors): Apartado Postal 2465 Santo Domingo, D.N. Phone: 809-683-0003; Fax: 809-565-4933 http://www.adru.org; email: adru@verizon.net.do RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Printed A Guide to Educational Systems Around the World, edited by Shelley M. Feagles, NAFSA C 1998, pages 130-132. Dominican Republic: A Study of the Educational System of the Dominican Republic and a Guide to the Academic Placement of Students in Educational Institutions of the United States, Kathleen Troxell Sellew, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 1987. The New Country Index Volume 2: Making Sense of International Credentials, International Education Research Foundation, C 2011, pages 183-187. Online Association of International Universities: Dominican Republic, 2008-09, with institutional descriptions: http://archive.www.iau-aiu.net/onlinedatabases/pdf/dominicanrepublic.pdf Centro de Desarrollo Interuniversitario (Center for Inter-University Development), Informe 2006 La Educación Superior en la República Dominicana (2006 Report Higher Education in the Dominican Republic), 99 pages: http://www.universia.net/wp-content/uploads/informe-republica-dominicana.pdf - 8 - Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World 11

Dominicana On Line (detailed list of HEI s, with address / phone / fax / web, founding date, degrees and majors, most with links): http://www.dominicanaonline.org/portal/espanol/cpo_universidades.asp http://www.dominicanaonline.org/portal/english/cpo_universidades.asp Instituto Cultural Domínico-Americano / ICDA (Dominican-American Cultural Institute; contact for EducationUSA Advising Center); phone: 809-535-0665; fax: 809-533-8809; www.icda.edu.do La Educación Superior en la República Dominicana OECD 2012. (Higher Education in the Dominican Republic, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2012), 187 pages: http://www.seescyt.gov.do/documentos Mix 2010/OCDE listo para diagramación (2).pdf SEESCYT list of universities: http://www.seescyt.gov.do/educsuperior/default.aspx Sistemas Educativos Nacionales (National Educational Systems); Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos (Organization of Ibero-American States): http://www.oei.es/quipu/dominicana/index.html. Links to Datos Mundiales de Educación (World Data on Education), UNESCO, 2010-2011. Submitted by Barbara B. Glave Credential Consultants, Inc. Hany Arafat SDR Educational Consultants, Inc. Credential Consultants, Inc. September, 2013-9 -