ECTS credit allocation based on the student workload needed in order to achieve expected learning outcomes
ECTS is a learner-centred system for credit accumulation and transfer based on the transparency of learning outcomes and learning processes.
ECTS credits are based on the workload students need in order to achieve expected learning outcomes.
Workload indicates the time students typically need to complete all learning activities.
60 ECTS credits are attached to the workload of a fulltime year of formal learning (academic year) and the associated learning outcomes. In most cases, student workload ranges from 1,500 to 1,800 hours for an academic year, whereby one credit corresponds to 25 to 30 hours of work.
Study programmes of Trnava university in Trnava published on ECTS website are compiled in terms of the comprehensive accreditation from 2008. The preparation of new programmes for the evaluation within the complex accreditation, which will take place in June 2014, is currently running at the university. All the requirements for ECTS assessment, especially in terms of the student’s credit workload, are already included in the preparation of these study programmes.
The credit allocation is specified in Article 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 of CODE OF STUDIES OF TRNAVA UNIVERSITY IN TRNAVA (27 JUNE 2013) published on the official notice board of Trnava University in Trnava on 9 July 2013, as well as specified in detail in internal regulations of individual faculties.
Article 7
Course of Study
- The study in study programmes in all the levels of higher education studies is based on the credit system.
- Each academic year the student is entitled to enrol for the courses in accordance with the regulations and rules stipulated by the study programme.
- The course is a one-semester unit. Each course has its code, name and the number of credits.
- Courses belonging to the study programme are divided according to the binding of their accomplishment into: a)compulsory courses, b)compulsory elective courses, c) selective courses.
- Compulsory courses are those whose successful accomplishment is a prerequisite for a part of the study or the whole study programme.
- Compulsory elective courses are those for which the prerequisite for a successful completion of a part of the study or the whole study programme is the accomplishment of a set number of these courses or the acquisition of the given number of credits according to the student’s decision in the structure stipulated by the study programme.
- Selective courses are other courses in the study programme, or the courses of another study programme or the courses of the study programme of another faculty or university. The student enrols for them to complete their studies and to acquire the sufficient number of credits in the given period of study.
- The selective course from another study programme can be enrolled for only after the study guarantor’s approval.
- Courses included in the study programme are divided according to their sequence as follows: a) courses without a sequence, b)courses subject to a successful completion of other courses.
- A standard student’s workload in the whole academic year in a full-time form of study is expressed by the number of 60 credits, 30 credits for one semester. A standard student’s workload for the whole academic year in a part-time form of study is expressed by the number of 48 credits, depending on the standard length of study of the respective study programme and the number of credits necessary for its due completion.
- The courses for which the student enrolled in accordance with the study programme regulations, constitute the student’s study plan based on their time sequence.
- The course grades are recorded in the Modular academic information system (hereinafter only ‘MAIS’). The faculty can determine that the course grades shall be published also in the student’s grades record card (so called ‘index’).
Article 8
Credits Accumulation and Courses Accomplishment
- Credits are numeric values allocated to the courses and they express the amount of work necessary for the accomplishment of the stipulated study achievements.
- Each course that was completed, and if it is graded, has the number of credits allocated in the study programme that the student acquires after its successful accomplishment. The number of credits allocated to the course determines the proportion of the student’s work necessary for its accomplishment.
- The student acquires credits for the successful accomplishment of the given course. It is possible to get credits for the respective course only once throughout the study.
- Credits acquired for the course accomplishment are accumulated. One of the conditions for the continuation in study is the acquisition of the necessary number of credits stipulated by the study programme.
- Credits acquired at another university, after acquiring of which no more than 3 years have passed, can be recognized by the Rector or the dean, if the study programme is realized at the faculty, on the grounds of recommendation of the course guarantor and the head of a department.
- The compulsory course enrolled for but not completed successfully can be enrolled for once more during the study. After the second unsuccessful attempt to complete the compulsory course, the student is expelled from higher education studies for non-fulfilling the requirements resulting from the study programme, this Code of Studies and the Act.
- The compulsory elective course enrolled for but not completed successfully can be enrolled for once more during the study, or the student can choose a different compulsory elective course instead. After the second unsuccessful attempt to complete the compulsory elective course, the student is expelled from higher education studies.
- The selective course enrolled for but not completed successfully can be enrolled for once more during the study, or the student can choose a different selective course instead. In case the student has collected the sufficient number of credits they are not obliged to enrol for any selective course.
- The teacher is obliged to publish a detailed syllabus of the course and the conditions of the credits acquisition at the beginning of the semester in the MAIS and they shall not change them throughout the semester.
- Only credits allocated in the same level of study can be acknowledged.
- The student is obliged to request for the acknowledgement of credits by 31 October in the respective academic year unless stipulated otherwise by the University.
- The acknowledgement of credits allocated within the programme Erasmus are regulated by the internal regulations of the University.
Article 9
Assessment of Study Achievements
1. The assessment of the student's study achievements within the study is organised mainly by:
a) continuous verification of study achievements during the teaching part of the given period of study,
b) examination for the given period of study,
c) combination of a continuous verification and the examination
2. The date of the student’s study achievements verification is determined by the examiner and it shall be published.
3. Students enrol for examinations the way stipulated by the Dean of the faculty.
4. Every student is entitled for one ordinary date and two re-sit dates. When re-enrolling for the unsuccessfully accomplished course the student is entitled for one ordinary date and one re-sit.
5. The percentage ratio of the continuous and the final assessment shall be published with the syllabus of the course.
6. The assessment of learning outcomes is carried out using a grading scheme consisting of the following six grades:
A – excellent (able achievements) = 1,
B – very good (above-average achievements ) = 1.5
C – good (average achievements) = 2,
D – laudable (acceptable achievements) = 2.5,
E – satisfactory (achievements fulfil only the minimum criteria) = 3,
FX – unsatisfactory (achievements do not fulfil even the minimum criteria) = 4.
7. The grade point average is used for the assessment of the student's overall achievements. It is calculated by summing up multiples of credit assessment and the numeric values under paragraph (6) for all the enrolled courses and the score is divided by the overall number of credits registered by the student for the given period. The courses which the student enrolled for but did not accomplish successfully are graded with the ‘4’ grade within the grade point average. The courses that are not graded are not calculated within the grade point average.
Article 10
Suspension of Study
- The study of the study programme may be suspended by the Rector or the Dean , if the study programme is realized at the faculty, upon the written well-founded justified application of the student.
- The study may be suspended for one semester or its integral multiples. The study may be suspended repeatedly. The student may ask for the suspension of study throughout the whole studies together for a maximum of two years, in case of maternity and parental leave for a maximum of three years.
- The student ceases to be the student of the University the day of the suspension of study and the periods for the accomplishment of the study duties cease to run. After the period of the suspension of study the Rector or the dean decide, if it is necessary, on the inclusion of the student into the respective part of study. If the study programme, in which the student studied, was modified during the period of the suspension of study, the student is obliged to accomplish differential examinations under the study programme.
- The dean does not suspend the study to the student who is executing a part of study at the home university or the university abroad, if this part of study is part of the respective study field of the faculty under its study programme.
- The suspension of study to the doctoral’s level student who registered to the dissertation topic published by the external educational institution is allowed, in accordance with paragraph (1), by the dean or the Rector after the consent of the director of the external educational institution.
- The student whose study was suspended becomes the student again after the re-enrolment.
Article 12
Due Completion of Study
1. For a due completion of study in the credit system it is necessary for the student during his studies to:
a) accomplish successfully all the compulsory courses and to acquire the stipulated number of credits for the compulsory elective courses,
b) acquire the stipulated number of credits determined by the University for the respective level of study, to accomplish successfully the final state examinations stipulated by the study programme and to defend successfully the final thesis which belongs to the final state examinations.
2. The study terminates by the accomplishment of the study under the respective study programme. The day of the termination of study is the day when the last condition stipulated for a due completion of study was executed.
3. The study under the study programme shall not exceed the standard length of study for more than two years.
4. The Bachelor’s study graduates are conferred an academic degree ‘Bachelor‘ (abbr. ‘Bc‘ preceding the name).
5. The Master’s study graduates are conferred an academic degree ‘Master‘ (abbr. ‚‘Mgr.‘ preceding the name).
6. The Master’s study graduate can apply for the rigorous examination. After its successful accomplishment and the rigorous thesis defence, he is conferred an academic degree in the respective field of study under the Act.
7. The doctoral’s study graduates are conferred an academic degree ‚‘doctor‘ (philosophiae doctor, abbr. ‚‘PhD.‘ following the name).
8. The doctoral’s study graduates in the field of study of Catholic Theology are conferred, after the completion of the first part of the doctoral’s study, an academic degree “licence in theology” (‘theologiae licentiatus’, abbrev. “Thlic.”); the university issues the certificate of its conferment. The PhD study programme graduates in these fields of study are conferred an academic degree “philosophiae doctor” (abbrev. “PhD.” following the name).
Source: Code of Studies of TU in Trnava, 27 June 2013
