Upper secondary specialised schools are schools which provide general education at upper secondary level. They offer preparation for tertiary level professional education in specific occupational fields at colleges of higher education (upper secondary specialised school programme) and universities of applied sciences (specialised Baccalaureate programme). They represent an alternative to a Federal Vocational Baccalaureate or Baccalaureate by providing school-based preparation for tertiary level professional education , oriented towards a particular occupational field.