Credit System of Education at Faculty of Law
Faculty of Law applies a credit system of education based on the principles of the internationally recognized European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). The credit system brings several advantages to students:
• Fairer assessment of student’s effort
• Possibility for a student to create their own study programme
• Possibility to choose individual pace of study
• Facilitates mobility:
•more information about study programmes and possibilities
•academic recognition of study programme completed outside home institution
All activities undertaken by students in order to complete their course in which they had enrolled (not only attending lectures, seminars but also independent and private study, preparation of projects, semester assignments etc.), are measured by so called credits. The total student workload per academic year is set at 60 credits. Credits achieved by a student for successful completion of a study programme are accumulated (credit accumulation). One of requirements for successful completion of a three-year bachelor’s study is to gain at least 180 credits in the courses required by the study programme. In case of a consequent two year master’s study, another 120 credits are added, i.e. the student finally accumulates at least 300 credits altogether.
Each study programme requires students to complete a certain number of courses, which include compulsory, optional and facultative ones. Then the students themselves, or with their advisors‘ /tutors‘ help create their individual study curriculum for each year of their studies. In this way they can channel their preparation for their future career.
Study regulations set up so called check periods at the end of which the students have to gain certain amount of credits. Within this period the students can adjust their pace of study to their needs, and take the most suitable number of courses for each semester.
The possibility for students to complete part of their studies at a host university abroad or in Slovakia is guaranteed by a law on higher education (Law 131/2002 Z.z.). The credit system helps student mobility in two ways. Because every university participates in ECTS, it has to provide information about study programmes (Information Packages, Course Catalogues), the students can get a better idea about where they can enrol in the courses they are interested in. Another important contribution is the so-called ´Learning Agreement´ that is agreed by the home institution, the host institution, and the student. It means a guarantee for the students that after they complete part of their study at a different institution of higher education, their home institution will recognize the completed course and credit transfer.
