Education programmes and programme areas
Upper secondary education and training is comprised of 15 different education programmes: 5 general studies and 10 vocational.
Your first year you choose an education programme; your second and third years you a choose a programme area from that education programme.
Upper secondary education and training leads to university admissions certification or vocational competence.
Upper secondary education and training is normally provided with 3 years in school or with 2 years in school and 2 years in an enterprise.
5 general studies education programmes
General studies primarily emphasize theoretical knowledge and lead to university admissions certification. If you choose general studies courses, you can take further studies at a university college or university after 3 years.
- Sports and physical education
- Art, design and architecture
- Media and communication
- Music, dance and drama
- Specialization in general studies
10 vocational education programmes
Vocational education and training leads to an occupation and to vocational competence, with or without a trade or journeyman’s certificate. Choosing vocational education/training allows you to enter working life within 3–5 years or you may take further education, for instance at a vocational technical college. You also have the opportunity to take the supplementary programme for general university admissions certification if you want to take further studies at a university college or university.
- Agriculture, fishing and forestry (with the option of general studies Vg3)
- Building and construction
- Crafts, design and product development
- Electrical engineering and computer technology
- Hairdressing, floral, interior and retail design
- Healthcare, childhood and youth development
- Information technology og media production
- Restaurant and food processing
- Sales, service and tourism
- Technological and industrial production
At Vg3 or after achieving vocational competence you can choose the supplementary programme for general university admissions certification on all the vocational education programmes.
Key map
The structure of upper secondary education and training is shown on the key map. The colour code clearly shows the education that takes place at school (yellow) and the training that takes place at a training establishment (green). The blue boxes indicate the level of competence you have achieved after completing your training.
