ECTS, the European Credit Transfer System, was developed by the European Commission to provide common procedures to guarantee the full transferability of credits for university studies abroad in order that they might count towards a final qualification in the home country. It provides a way of measuring and comparing academic merits and transferring them from one institution to another.
Each study programme at the Slovak University of Technology is based on study plan which includes 60 ECTS credits for one academic year (1500 - 1800 hours, 1 ECTS credit equals 25~30 hours). One academic year study load of 60 ECTS credits is divided into two equal parts represented by winter semesters and summer semester. Each semester consists of 30 ECTS credits.
STU ECTS credit system is based on the Study regulations (Article 9, Article 17).
Article 9
Credit System
(1) The organization of all degrees and forms of university education at STU is based on the credit system. The credit system uses collection and transfer of credits. It allows to assess the student's workload of completing the course using credits. Details related to the credit system are governed by the generally binding legal regulation issued by the Ministry (hereinafter referred to as the "Decree on Credit System of Studies"). In the case of third degree study, the Decree on Credit System of Studies applies reasonably.
(2) Each course, the completing of which is assessed (see Art. 13 and Art. 32 of the Study regulations), has in the Study Program allocated a number of credits that Students get after its successful completion. The number of credits allocated to the course expresses the proportion of the student workload required for its successful completion in the standard scope of work for one year of study.
(3) Credits are numerical values allocated to the courses, expressing the amount of work of the Student required to acquire the given results of education; one credit corresponds to 25-30 hours of work. The value of credits assigned to one course is an integer.
(4) The standard student’s workload for the whole academic year in the full-time study form is expressed by 60 credits, which mean 30 credits per semester. The standard student’s workload for the whole academic year in the external study form is expressed by not more than 48 credits, depending on the standard length of study of the corresponding study program and the number of credits needed for its completion.
(5) During his/her study, the Student can obtain credits for a particular course only once.
(6) The numbers of credits obtained for the successful passing courses of one study program are added up. One of the conditions that must be met to proceed to the next part of his/her study is the acquisition of the necessary number of credits according to Art. 17 paragraph 2 of the Study regulations.
(7) Transfer of credits means obtaining credits by passing a part of study at another STU faculty, or at another university including any university outside the territory of the Slovak Republic (Art. 7 paragraph 8 of the Study regulations). Formal particulars of the credit transfer to STU in terms of academic mobility are governed by the internal organizational and management standard issued by the rector.
Article 17
Checking of Study and Conditions for Study Continuation
(1) Checking of study as a part of a study program is implemented by means of the credit system.
(2) The number of credits necessary for study continuation is as follows:
a) for the first semester of a study programs of the first degree it is determined by the faculty, nevertheless, the minimum is 10 and the maximum 30 credits;
b) for each year of a study program of the first, second or third degree it is determined by the faculty, nevertheless, the minimum for the full-time study is 30 credits and 24 credits for the external form of study;
c) additional rules for the continuation in studies on the structure and number of credits may be determined by the faculty.
(3) The minimum number of credits in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article shall include credits obtained for courses completed in the given semester or academic year, or transferred under Art. 9 paragraph 7 of the Study regulations.
(4) The minimum number of credits in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article shall not include credits for courses accepted by Art. 10 paragraph 7 of the Study regulations.
(5) The Student meets the conditions for continuing the studies if:
a) if he/she passed all the courses registered for the second time according to Art. 12 paragraph 1 and 2 of the Study regulations;
b) if he/she obtained the minimum number of credits according to paragraph 2 of the Article;
c) if in the next period he/she doesn't exceed the permitted duration of study under Art. 9 paragraph 10 of the Study regulations.
All of the conditions given in letters a) to c) of this paragraph must be met together.
(6) Checking of meeting conditions for continuation in studies according to paragraph 5 of the Article is implemented for the first semester of a study program of the first degree and for an academic year of study programs of the first, second and third degrees. Their non-fulfilment is a reason for expulsion from the study under Art. 23 par. 1 letter c) of the Study regulations.
