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ECTS and US Credits

European Nazarene College follows the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System(ECTS). This system is one of the key elements of the Bologna Declaration of 1999, signed by 45countries, and intends to develop a comparable educational system across national boundaries.

What is ECTS?ECTS is a student-centred system of giving credit to coursework. It is based on the number ofstudent learning hours needed to accomplish the intended educational outcomes of a certaincourse and of the entire programme. The following link provides further information as provided bythe European Union: http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/socrates/ects/index_en.html

Student Learning HoursOne ECTS is equivalent to 25-30 student learning hours. The student learning hours are all

activities needed to accomplish the intended educational outcomes. These learning activities canbe class sessions, reading, paper assignments, presentations, supervised learning activities,internships, mentoring, or any other activity that will help the student reach the intendededucational outcomes.

Course LoadThe regular courses at EuNC will be offered for 3 or 5 ECTS. The guideline for these courses is thefollowing:

3 ECTS Course (75-90 Student Learning Hours)20-30 Hours of class sessions

45-70 Hours of assignment, learning activities outside of class.

5 ECTS Course (125-150 Student Learning Hours)30-40 Hours of class sessions85-120 Hours of assignment, learning activities outside of class.

Full Time and Part Time StudiesThe criterion for a year of full time studies is 60 ECTS (1500-1800 Student Learning Hours). Everylevel at EuNC consists therefore of 60 ECTS.

EuNC off-campus locations that qualify for part-time location are required to have an annual courseoffering of 20-30 ECTS per year, so students need two to three years to complete the SpiritualFormation Certificate, and four to six years to complete the Christian Ministry Certificate.

Off-Campus Locations that cannot meet this requirement will be listed as location where coursescan be followed that can count towards a certificate from EuNC, but no guarantee is given that thiswill be possible at that location.

http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/socrates/ects/index_en.htmlhttp://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/socrates/ects/index_en.htmlhttp://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/socrates/ects/index_en.html

7/27/2019 About ECTS and US Credits

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Comparison with US College Credit SystemThe major difference between the ECTS and the US College Credit system is that the first is basedon student load and the second on contact hours (Ground rule for US credit system is for everyhour in class students need to spend two outside of class). The first is more oriented towards the

students (the time required for them to meet the intended outcomes); the second towards thefaculty (the time a faculty member needs to teach).

Technically the ECTS has no co-curricular or extra-curricular activities because every activityneeded to meet the intended outcomes of the programme is valued with a certain number ofECTS.

Using an hour rate of 45 hours for 1 US College credit, the 240 ECTS of the Bachelor of Artsprogramme of EUNC is equivalent to 133-160 US College credits.

The conversion used by EuNC between ECTS and US College Credit is the following:

1 ECTS = 0.6 US Credit Hour2 ECTS = 1.2 US Credit Hour3 ECTS = 1.8 US Credit Hours4 ECTS = 2.4 US Credit Hours5 ECTS = 3 US Credit Hours

1 US Credit Hour = 1.67 ECTS2 US Credit Hours = 3.34 ECTS3 US Credit Hours = 5 ECTS

EuNC can generate transcripts in ECTS and US Credit.