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ECTS
What is a credit system?
A credit system is a systematic way of describing an educational programme by attaching credits to its components. The definition of credits in higher education systems may be based on different parameters, such as student workload, learning outcomes and contact hours.
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 the learning outcomes and competences to be acquired. ECTS was first put into place in 1989 within the framework of Erasmus. It is the only successful credit system used across Europe. ECTS insures the transfer of credits between institutions with academic recognition of study periods abroad and helps to maintain the quality of student mobility in Europe.
Why introduce ECTS?
ECTS makes study programmes easy to read and compare for all students, local and foreign. ECTS facilitates mobility and academic recognition. ECTS helps universities to organise and revise their study programmes. ECTS can be used across a variety of programmes and modes of delivery. ECTS makes European higher education more attractive for students from abroad.
The key features of ECTS
ECTS is based on the principle 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 around 1500-1800 hours per year and in those cases one credit stands for around 24 to 30 working hours.
Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after successful completion of the work required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved. 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, long or short.
Student workload in ECTS consists of the time required to complete all planned learning activities such as attending lectures, seminars, independent and private study, preparation of projects and examinations.
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 to achieve its specific objectives or learning outcomes in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of study successfully.
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. Grades are assigned to students as indicated in the table below:
Mark out of 20 ECTS DEFINITION AND CRITERIA OF PERFORMANCE ECTS GRADE 0 to 7 Bad fail
(considerable further work is required)F 8 to 9 Fail
(minor improvements necessary to achieve a pass)FX 10 to 11 Pass
(the work fulfils the requirements)E 12 to 13 Satisfactory
(an average piece of work , clearly showing some deficiencies)D 14 to 15 Good
(good and sound understanding but some basic mistakes)C 16 to 17 Very good(some mistakes, but overall outstanding work) B 18 to 20 Excellent(an excellent piece of work, only marginal mistakes) A
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.
The key documents of ECTS are the Course Catalogue (available on the website), Learning Agreement, Transcript of Records and Diploma Supplement.
What is the Diploma Supplement (DS)?
The Diploma Supplement is a document attached to a higher education diploma providing a standardised description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were successfully completed by the graduate. The Diploma Supplement provides transparency and facilitates academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates).