Abstract
This article synthesizes national and international research on professional competence in a master’s degree in higher education. The review addressed three questions: how professional competence is defined in recent literature, which constituent components are most frequently posited, and which assessment approaches are employed at universities: methodology and Methods. A structured search covering 2015-2025 was conducted with three sources. Inclusion criteria are peer-reviewed research that explicitly state a definition of professional competence, describe its structural components, and report assessment methods or instruments. Results. Reported assessment practices typically combine practice-based tasks, mentor or supervisor observations, and employer feedback, often supported by rubrics or checklists. Research frequently links measured competence to academic achievement, practicum results, and early employment outcomes. A recurrent problem noted is misalignment between graduates’ competencies and labor-market needs; many institutions report adopting strategies to reinforce competence development and graduate employability, with outcomes varying by the strength of internal innovation and collaboration. Scientific Novelty. The review consolidates a dispersed body of national and international sources into a coherent frame. The study also provides transparent eligibility criteria and flow for included literature, enabling reproducibility. Practical Significance. Across the included research, operational definitions of competence anchored in observable performance and explicit levels make goals and criteria clearer and testable. Aligning competence development with labor-market expectations through employer collaboration and supervised practicum links measured competence to concrete outcomes. Several research reports associations with course achievement, practicum ratings, and early employment. These effects recur in different institutional and disciplinary settings, underscoring the applied value of the documented approaches.