Submitting a Spanish master's degree in Korea? Check which type first.

A request to translate a Spanish master's degree for submission in Korea recently turned out to be something we don't see often: a university's own "Título Propio" master's, rather than the standard state-recognized degree. The two look identical on the diploma's face but carry very different academic weight — worth understanding before you translate or submit either one.

Two kinds of Spanish master's degree

Spanish university master's (Máster) programs fall into two categories that share the same word but nothing else administratively: Máster Oficial (the state-recognized degree) and Título Propio (the university's own degree).

Máster Oficial — the state-recognized degree

Accredited by Spain's Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports and recognized across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Built for deep academic research and theoretical grounding, toward an academic career in the field. The diploma itself — the Título Oficial — is issued in the King's name. It's recognized for PhD admission across Spain and Europe, carries public-sector and academic-hiring credibility, and public universities' programs may come with government subsidy.

Título Propio — the university's own degree

Accredited and awarded by the university itself, built for practical skills immediately usable in a specific profession or current industry — case studies and internships feature heavily, taught in part by working industry professionals, admission requirements are more flexible than the official track, and it favors applicants who already have relevant work experience. Under Spain's 2023 legal reform, the official names are now Máster de Formación Permanente (60+ ECTS, a longer practical program), Diploma de Especialización (30–59 ECTS, mid-length), and Diploma de Experto (15–29 ECTS, short-form).

Which one matters for your submission

If you're pursuing a PhD (in Spain or elsewhere), an academic or research career, a public-sector position, or need maximum institutional credibility for a Korean government or public-institution submission — the Máster Oficial is what carries that weight. If your goal was employment and practical skill-building, industry connections, or fast-tracking an existing specialty — and especially in fields like art, design, or an MBA-style program — a Título Propio can actually be viewed more favorably by industry than the label alone suggests.

Why this matters for translation

Which type you hold changes what the receiving institution in Korea expects to see on the certified translation and how it should be described — getting this identification right at the start avoids a translation that reads correctly in Spanish but doesn't land the way the Korean recipient institution needs it to. We identify the degree type first, then translate and issue the Certificado de traducción accordingly.