How the LMD System Works in Francophone African Universities
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Education Planning
The LMD system organizes higher education in most Francophone African countries into three levels: Licence (3 years), Master (5 years total) and Doctorat (8 years total), all built from transferable credits.
🎓 Licence: 6 semesters, 180 credits
Master: 4 more semesters, 120 more credits, 300 total
Doctorat: 3 more years of research work
Every semester carries 30 credits you bank and carry to another university
CAMES member states adopted the model in 2006 to replace the older DEUG/Maitrise system
What LMD Stands For
LMD stands for Licence, Master, Doctorat, the three degree levels that structure higher education in most Francophone African countries. The system organizes study around semesters and credits instead of fixed year-long programs, so you build your degree step by step, moving between universities without losing the work you already completed.
Sixteen countries belonging to the Conseil Africain et Malgache pour l'Enseignement Superieur (CAMES) agreed to adopt the LMD model at a meeting in Libreville, Gabon, in 2006, according to a breakdown of the reform . The change aligned Francophone African degrees with the European LMD model already used in France, making it easier to transfer credits and continue studies abroad.
The Three Levels
Licence is the first level. It takes three years, split into six semesters, and awards 180 credits once complete. Most students start Licence right after the baccalaureat or an equivalent secondary school exam.
Master builds on Licence. It adds two more years, or four semesters, and 120 more credits, bringing the total to 300 credits and five years of study since you started.
Master programs specialize into either a "recherche" track that prepares you for a Doctorat or a "professionnel" track built for the job market.
Doctorat is the research level. It typically runs three more years on top of the Master, for eight years total since you began your Licence, and centers on a thesis defended before a jury.
How Credits and Semesters Work
| Level | Duration | Semesters | Total credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | 3 years | 6 | 180 |
| Master | 5 years total | 10 | 300 |
| Doctorat | 8 years total | - | Thesis defense |
Each semester carries 30 credits, spread across several unites d'enseignement (teaching units) that group related courses. You pass a unit by reaching the minimum grade your university sets, and once you hold the credits for a unit, you keep them even if you fail another unit in the same semester.
Credits are capitalizable and transferable. If you switch university or even country within a CAMES member state, the credits you already earned carry over, provided the receiving university teaches an equivalent program.
What LMD Replaced
Before LMD, most Francophone African universities followed the older French colonial-era structure: a DEUG (Diplome d'Etudes Universitaires Generales) after two years, a Licence after three, a Maitrise after four, then a DEA or DESS before a Doctorat. That system measured progress in fixed academic years rather than credits, and it made moving between universities or recognizing partial study abroad harder.
LMD replaced those fixed-year milestones with semester-based credits, which is why a Licence today still takes three years but is described in credits and semesters rather than year names like "DEUG 2" or "Licence 3".
Small Differences Between Countries
The core 3-5-8 structure stays consistent across CAMES countries, but details vary. Some universities call the Master's professional track "Master Pro" while others use "Master Specialise".
Grading scales also differ. Senegal and several West African universities grade out of 20, matching the French system, and universities within that scale weight continuous assessment against final exams differently.
Program duration stretches beyond the standard timeline too. If you repeat a semester or take a break for an internship, your Licence takes four years in practice, even though the credit total stays at 180.
What This Means for You
Check whether your university and program already run under LMD. Almost all CAMES member state universities have converted, though some older programs and professional tracks in health sciences or law moved more slowly.
Keep your semester transcripts and credit records. If you plan to transfer universities, apply for a joint program, or continue study in another CAMES country, admissions officers ask for your credit history, not just your diploma title.
Confirm your Master track early. Choosing between "recherche" and "professionnel" affects whether you continue directly into a Doctorat later, and switching tracks mid-program is not always possible.