I notice some people from Mexico refer to me as Licenciado. Is that term used for someone who has a B.S. or above in Business, or just in general? Thanks, Abner
I've seen Univision translate the term "bachelor's degree" to licenciado, so I think it's reasonable to assume that to be the best translation. There may be some differences in the named programs overseas, though. The impression I get is that "licenciado" not only implies "licentiate" but also "licensed" and it seems to require terminal exams and may be the minimum level to practice in certain fields (moreso than here in the US). Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Thankfully, maestria is pretty much a straight-across translation to "master's" and implies an equivalent program to what is done here, from everything I've been told.
Isn't "Maestro" the Spanish word for teacher? OK, magister also means teacher and I think the Spanish word is even derived from its Latin couterpart, but the Mexican Master's degree is actually called "Maestría". Additionally, the Master's degree has different names in different Spanish speaking countries. It is called "Maestría" in Bolivia, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador; "Máster" in Guatemala, Spain, and Paraguay; and "Magíster" in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, and Ecuador. I think it is possible to see it that way. Some fields are unregulated in the US but regulated in many Spanish speaking countries. The minimum requirement in these regulated fields is the licenciado degree. That makes the licenciado degree some kind of de facto license in these fields. By the way, Keiser University offers a BA in Business Administration and an MBA in Spanish. The BA is called "Licenciado con Especialización en Administración de Empresas en Línea", and the MBA is called "Maestría de Administración de Empresas". I think this is some kind of proof that these are the appropriate translations. See: Keiser University En Línea - Online Education in Spanish at Keiser University and Maestra de Administracin de Empresas | Keiser University
Interesting, I don't really know much about higher education in Spanish speaking countries, but in Brazil the equivalent portuguese term, "Licenciado" means someone that holds a "Licenciatura", a four year degree that also gives you the "license" to teach. It is not the same as a Bachelor degree that is called "Bacharelado" (and it's holder a "Bacharel"). In my case I was awarded both degrees in History, so I'm a "Bacharel" and a "Licenciado" in History. Curiously, a lot of the regulated professions, the ones that need a "license", like Law, Engineering and Medicine are taught as "Bacharelados", not "Licenciaturas". If I'm not mistaken, Portugal used to have a similar system until the Bologna process - now all undergrad degrees are "Licenciaturas"(and it's holders, "Licenciados").
Until 2010, Spain had a degree called "Maestro" (in full: "Diplomado de Maestro Especialista"), which is the Spanish counterpart to the old Portuguese and current Brazilian "Licenciaturas". Yes, and one of the official justifications for that change was the fact that France calls its new Bachelor's degrees "Licencié", the equivalent French term. By the way, Poland calls its Bacherlor's degrees (except those in engineering) "licencjat", also an equivalent term. Spain, however, abolished the Licenciado degree! The new Spanish Bachelor's degrees are simply called "Grado" (literally: "degree"), or in full: "Título Universitario Oficial de Grado".
