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What is ECTS?
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System is a student-centred
system based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of a
programme, objectives preferably specified in terms of learning outcomes and
competences to be acquired.
What are the key features of ECTS?
ECTS is based on the convention that 60 credits measure the workload of a
full-time student during one academic year. The student workload of a
full-time study programme in Europe amounts in most cases to 36/40 weeks per
year and in those cases one credit stands for 24 to 30 working hours.
Workload refers to the notional time an average learner might expect to
complete the required learning outcomes.
Credit is also a way of quantifying the outcomes of learning. Learning
outcomes are sets of competences, expressing what the student will know,
understand or be able to do after completion of a process of learning, short
or long. Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after completion of the work
required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved.
The allocation of ECTS credits is based on the official length of a study
programme cycle. The total workload necessary to obtain a first cycle degree
lasting officially three or four years is expressed as 180 or 240 credits.
Student workload in ECTS includes the time spent in attending lectures,
seminars, independent study, preparation for, and taking of, examinations,
etc.
Credits are allocated to all educational components of a study programme
(such as modules, courses, placements, dissertation work, etc.) and reflect
the quantity of work each component requires in relation to the total
quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of study in the programme
considered.
The performance of the student is documented by a local/national grade. It
is good practice to add an ECTS grade, in particular in case of credit
transfer. The ECTS grading scale ranks the students on a statistical basis.
Therefore, statistical data on student performance is a prerequisite for
applying the ECTS grading system. Grades are assigned among students with a
pass grade as follows:
A best 10%
B next 25%
C next 30%
D next 25%
E next 10%
A distinction is made between the grades FX and F that are used for
unsuccessful students. FX means: "fail- some more work required to pass" and
F means: "fail – considerable further work required". The inclusion of
failure rates in the Transcript of Records is optional. |
