All you need to know about the ECTS - European Credit Transfer System

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Free movement within the European Union provides the citizens of European countries with the freedom to study in all member states. But each country within the EU administers its higher education system differently, presenting a potential obstacle to students who wish to spend some of their time abroad, on programmes such as Erasmus. A common system was needed to translate the learning achievements and work students achieved in different jurisdictions. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) was developed to allow individual students to collect credits in multiple different countries; so that if they wished to study abroad for a period of time, the work they completed there could contribute to a single degree or programme of study. The ECTS forms a crucial part of the Bologna System, a process designed to support the seamless integration of higher education across Europe.

 

What ECTS is used for

Because it allows the direct comparison between different programmes of study, the ECTS has also become a tool that is helping universities modernise their education, and tailor it to individual students. By using this system, universities are also able to make their courses more transparent – so it is easy to see how the teaching that’s on offer compares from course to course, and across international boundaries. ECTS also makes it easier for you, and potential employers, to compare your grades to other students across Europe.

 

What kinds of degrees use ECTS?

The ECTS system is used for a wide variety of different types of degree structures – including part-time courses, online courses, and full time courses. It’s become so popular that now 75% of all courses offered at higher education institutions in Europe use this system.

 

How it works

Credits with ECTS represent both the workload and the outcomes (“what the individual knows, understands, and is able to”) of a given course of study. 60 credits are equivalent to a standard academic year of work, which is then broken down into smaller components or modules. A typical bachelors degree or equivalent earns you 180 or 240 credits, a masters degree will earn you 90 or 120 credits, while a PhD varies depending upon the number of hours completed. One ECTS credit equals on average between 25 and 30 working hours – though this figure varies according to the familiarity with the material held by each student. ECTS also includes a relative grading system, that expresses where you sit with respect to students in other European countries:

  • A: Best 10%
  • B: Next 25%
  • C: Next 30%
  • D: Next 25%
  • E: Next 10%
  • FX: Fail (almost passing)
  • F: Fail

 

Want to know more?

If you require more detailed information about the steps involved in ECTS at your university, there is a guide available online: http://ec.europa.eu/education/ects/users-guide/index_en.htm

 

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