The crediting system, also known as ECTS, indicates the amount of work each course unit demands in relation to the global workload necessary to successfully complete a year of study. This refers to different types of learning activities: theoretical, practical work, seminars, internships, research, field surveys, personal work (at the library or at home), as well as examinations and other assessment forms.
How to count the credits: The curricular structure of the degrees awarded by the IPB is divided into credits according to the workload required from the student in each scientific field. The credits correspond to a workload, which each student must achieve for each course unit, as well as for the scientific field it integrates.
Allocation of credits: The number of credits given to each course unit is determined according to the following overall principles:
How to count the credits: The curricular structure of the degrees awarded by the IPB is divided into credits according to the workload required from the student in each scientific field. The credits correspond to a workload, which each student must achieve for each course unit, as well as for the scientific field it integrates.
Allocation of credits: The number of credits given to each course unit is determined according to the following overall principles:
- The workload is measured in estimated work performed by the student;
- The total amount of hours includes all the expected types of learning activities, namely contact hours with the teaching staff, internships, project work, field work, individual or group study hours and assessment;
- At the IPB one credit corresponds to 27 hours of work, as such, the workload of a full time academic year is 1,620 hours, except in very specific conditions on a national level also applied to degrees at the IPB. The academic year refers to a total period of 40 weeks;
- One year of full time study represents 60 credits;
- For study periods which are less than a year the number of credits awarded is divided in proportion to the complete full time year of study;
- The amount of credits corresponding to the workload of a degree in full time study corresponds to its normal time length in years (or fractions) times 60;
- Credits awarded for each course unit are expressed in multiples of half a credit;
- The same course unit of a programme in more than one degree in the same school of the IPB should be awarded the same number of credits, regardless of the degree itself.