unlike the united states or bologna process model, russian higher education was traditionally not divided into undergraduate (bachelor's) and graduate (master's) levels. instead, tertiary education was undertaken in a single stage, typically five or six years in duration, which resulted in a specialist diploma. specialist diplomas were perceived equal to western msc/ma qualification. a specialist graduate needed no further academic qualification to pursue a professional career, with the exception of some (but not all) branches of medical professions that required a post-graduate residency stage. military college education lasted four years and was ranked as equivalent to "specialist" degree.