International Student
Exchange Program
ISEP
Transcript
Evaluation
Guidelines
Revised 2001
Foreword
We are pleased to present the Revised 2001 edition of the ISEP Transcript Evaluation Guidelines. We
have compiled the following information on the academic systems abroad of many of our ISEP countries
to assist United States ISEP coordinators in transcript evaluation. While our primary purpose in creating
this document was to help you evaluate work done abroad by your US students, we also hope you will
find it useful when evaluating the transcripts of incoming international exchange students.
The information presented on each country’s education system has been gathered from a variety of
sources, including the experience of Program Officers at ISEP central, the education section of embassy
websites, and ISEP member institutions. Please note that most credential guides, such as the AACRO and
WES guides, currently used in the United States are designed for admissions officers. They are used to
evaluate transcripts of international students applying for admission to US institutions degree programs.
The guides are not primarily intended for study abroad advisors, registrars and faculty who evaluate the
transcripts of US students returning to the home campus after a semester or year of study abroad. The
ISEP Transcript Evaluation Guideline attempts to provide transcript evaluators information to translate
grades/marks and to transfer credits from host institutions to home institutions.
The approach to grading in many non-US institutions is quite different from the US system. US
institutions tend to use letter grades to show a student’s performance in a particular course, while most
non-US institutions use numbers or terms such as très bien, sehr gut, aprobado etcetera. You will come
across a number of these terms and others when you go through this guideline. There is also a difference
in how grades or marks are awarded for courses completed. Spanish and French institutions are known
for their very strict grading methods. An ‘A’ average student should not be expected to return from a
French institution with marks of 16 and above. 16 is a very high mark and is not easily dispensed by
French professors.
A number of European ISEP member institutions use a system called ECTS credits. ECTS - ‘European
Community Course Credit Transfer System’ - was developed by the Commission of the European
Community in order to provide common procedures to guarantee academic recognition for studies
abroad. ECTS is a credit system based on student workload. Student workload refers to the time spent
following lectures, doing practical work and independent study. ECTS credits express relative, rather
than absolute values. In the ECTS system a full workload constitutes at least 60 credits per academic year
and 30 credits per semester.
It is up to each institution to decide how to go about transferring credits from the students’ host
institutions. Please keep in mind that students studying at a university in a foreign country are coping
with different methods of instruction, different types of assignments and assessment. If they are taking
regular academic classes taught in a foreign language, the challenge is even greater. Taking these
challenges into account when awarding credit would seem to be fair to students.
We hope you will find these guidelines a useful tool and encourage you to share them with those
involved in transcript evaluation on your campus. We ask that you acknowledge ISEP as the source of the
information if you do photocopy the guidelines for use by members of your campus community. We
welcome any suggestions and comments you may have that will assist us in serving you better.
Copyright 2001 the International Student Exchange Program. These guidelines were specifically developed for coordinators at ISEP member
institutions and may not be reproduced in any fashion without the express permission of ISEP.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Coordinator Suggestions for Pre-departure Orientation
I
Transcript Guidelines for ISEP Coordinators and Participants
III
ARGENTINA
1
AUSTRALIA
2
AUSTRIA
3
PEOPLE’S REP. CHINA – HONK KONG
5
COSTA RICA
6
FINLAND
7
FRANCE
8
GERMANY
10
GHANA
12
HUNGARY
14
ICELAND
15
ITALY
16
JAPAN
17
KOREA
18
MALTA
19
MEXICO
20
NETHERLANDS
21
NICARAGUA
23
PHILIPPINES
24
SPAIN
25
SWEDEN
27
SWITZERLAND
28
THAILAND
29
UNITED KINGDOM
30
URUGUAY
32
This handout was adapted from a presentation at the ISEP 1999 conference by Carol Fairweather, Associate Director
and ISEP Coordinator, Study Abroad Programs, University of Denver, Colorado.
AN ISEP COORDINATOR’S ADVICE
Two years ago, I had two ISEP students with problem transcripts. One had studied in France for a year and
one studied in Spain for a year. Both were exceptional students with good grades going into the ISEP
program. When the transcripts came, one student’s transcript had only three out of the eight classes she had
taken abroad. The other student’s transcript was missing most of a three-week, intensive language program
she had completed at the host school, and the transcript listed a D+ for a language lab course, whereas the
student had earned high marks for more difficult, direct-immersion philosophy courses. She believed the D+
did not reflect her language ability. Both students were on financial aid, so the problem was not only one of
a lack of credit but also a financial one. A student’s financial aid is at risk if he or she is deemed not to have
taken enough credit for the equivalent of a full time load. I contacted ISEP for help, talked to colleagues, and
consulted the dusty books I had inherited on my bookshelves. Almost a year later, after many hours of hard
work and tears, we obtained credit on the transcripts.
What did I learn? I realized that I had a responsibility to better prepare my students before they left and the
students also had a responsibility to take steps to help obtain a complete transcript. I now make the students
aware that getting a complete transcript is not automatic. It must not be taken for granted.
ISEP Coordinator's Responsibilities
•
•
Educate the students before departure about the educational system of the country and the grading
system of that country.
Make the students aware of the potential problems.
Student's Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Get written approval from the home school for all courses to be taken abroad prior to departure.
Email academic advisor with any requested changes to list of courses to be taken abroad. Obtain
approval in writing.
Know the names of your professors and how to contact them.
Make contact with the professor early in the semester, explaining you are an international student on an
ISEP exchange program.
Verify that you are on the professor’s class list.
Fill out the ISEP Enrollment Verification Form (the EVF is included in the original Participant
Placement Acceptance Packet from ISEP) including the professor's name and ask the professor to sign
next to his name and course.
Give the original EVF to host coordinator, keep a copy for yourself, send a copy to your home ISEP
coordinator.
Stay to the end of the program abroad, make sure all work is completed and take the finals. There is no
guarantee of credit if a student leaves early.
If you make special arrangements with a professor for an exam (for example, substitute a written paper
for the final exam), obtain the agreement in writing from the professor and give a copy to the host ISEP
coordinator and bring a copy home.
Make sure you hand in final papers to the correct location or person.
Make copies of any papers before you hand them in, as you may not have the paper stored on a computer
you can access at home.
Bring back course descriptions, syllabuses, reading lists, notebooks, and all assignments done for a
class--anything that may help show what work you did in the course if a question regarding credit arises
after your return.
Fall 2001
Transcript Guidelines for ISEP Coordinators and Participants
Different countries approach course registration and the recording and reporting of grades
differently. In the United States, registration and recording of grades are centralized, and transcripts
are usually issued at the end of every semester. In many other countries, registration is a less formal
process, and transcripts may not be issued until students have completed their degree program.
Earning grades in one educational system and applying the credit towards a degree in another
country is a complex process, which requires the cooperation of all of the parties involved in an
ISEP exchange—home and host institutions, ISEP participants and ISEP Central. Each has the
following responsibilities.
1.
•
•
•
•
•
The home institution coordinator
helps the student appreciate differences between the educational systems at home and abroad
assists students in selecting sites appropriate to their academic goals
advises students about getting pre-approval for courses to be taken abroad
reminds students of their responsibility for knowing and following procedures at their home and
host institution
assists students in getting credit for work done abroad upon their return
2. The host institution coordinator
• advises students in selecting courses that meet their needs (as defined in the study site request)
within the context of the host academic system
• informs ISEP participants of any special host institution procedures they must follow in order to
receive a transcript
• at Non-US institutions: reviews, collects and signs enrollment verification form, keeps copy on
file, and sends original to participant’s home ISEP coordinator
• ensures that a transcript is issued within four weeks of the completion of a student’s exchange
• sends the original transcript to ISEP Central
• notifies ISEP if the transcript is being withheld (for example, the student might owe money to
the host university)
The transcript should include the following:
⇒ Name and official seal of host institution
⇒ Year during which students attended
⇒ Course title and, for non-US institutions, type of class (lecture, seminar, etc.)
⇒ Duration of course (semester, year, etc.)
⇒ Hours of class (either per week or total) or credit unit
⇒ Grade
⇒ Coordinator’s signature or other official signature
⇒ Explanation of credit units or and grading system
⇒ Optional but useful: name of and comments by professor
III
Fall 2001
3.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The ISEP participant is responsible for:
familiarizing him/herself with the host institution academic system
getting approval from the home institution for courses to be taken abroad
(US students abroad): completing the enrollment verification form and giving it to the
host coordinator as soon as final decisions about course selection are made. The form
should include the following information:
⇒ title and duration (semester, academic year, etc.) of courses taken
⇒ number of hours per week
⇒ names of professors
This form is not only a requirement for US students receiving financial aid; in
countries where registration is not a formal, centralized process it may also be the
only written record of courses taken.
informing home coordinator or academic advisor and host coordinator of changes
made in the academic program abroad during the study period abroad
retaining written assignments, course outlines and other materials that may be
submitted to home institution to facilitate credit transfer
knowing and following procedures relating to transcripts at host institution
completing all required work before leaving the host campus (Note: If a participant
arranges with a professor to substitute another assignment for a scheduled exam, this
arrangement should be made in writing and a copy given to the host coordinator)
returning transcript verification form to ISEP, clearly explaining any problems or
possible errors
If a student leaves before the completion of the scheduled exchange period, ISEP cannot
guarantee that he or she will receive a transcript.
4. ISEP Central
• forwards the transcript to the home institution coordinator as soon as possible after it
is received and keeps a copy on file
• follows up with the host institution if transcript verification form is returned with an
indication of a problem.
• runs regular checks of transcripts received and request outstanding transcripts from
institutions
• provides information about academic systems and suggestions for the conversion of
grades for exchange students.
IV
Fall 2001
ARGENTINA
Higher Education
Universities in Argentina are autonomous.
Higher education is provided in three types
of institutions: national, provincial and
private universities, institutions of technical
and professional studies and teacher-training
colleges.
Admission: Secondary school credentials, as
well an entrance exam in some cases, are
required for admission to Argentine
universities.
Academic Calendar: The academic year is
divided into two terms. Argentina’s
academic calendar is on the southern
hemisphere schedule, with classes usually
beginning in March and ending in
December.
Degrees
The first two years of university study are
devoted to the study of basic subjects. The
total program of study lasts five or six years
and leads to a licenciatura or professional
title. More recent years have seen the
creation of universities which award a
bachillerato universitario after four years of
study. The doctorado (doctorate) is awarded
at least two years after completion of the
licenciatura.
Grades
U.S. Equivalent
Grade
10
9-8
7-6
5-4
3-0
Outstanding
Very good
Good
Pass
Fail
A
B+
B
C
D
Argentine universities tend to be more
severe in their grading than in the U.S. and a
mark of 10 is rarely awarded.
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: Credits: 1
credit is a total of 14 hours of lecture.
•
Average full-workload ranges
between 15-18 credits per semester.
1
AUSTRALIA
Higher Education
About 12 percent of Australians enroll for
higher education in universities and
technical institutes.
Grades
Admission: Institutions are government –
supported and admission is competitive
based on academic merit. Australian
universities emphasize research, applied
studies and teacher training, while technical
institutes provide vocational training.
Universities are divided into faculties or
departments. Arts and sciences faculties
generally offer a three-year bachelor’s
degree and a four-year honors degree. The
master’s degree takes one or two years of
further study and the Ph.D. takes three years.
Coursework is generally less structured than
in the United States and is based on the U.K.
model. Independent study habits and selfdiscipline are important. Final exams figure
heavily in grading, but recently there has
been increased emphasis on semester exams
and seminars involving class participation
and papers. Grades awarded are HD (High
Distinction), D (Distinction), C (Credit), P
(Pass) and N (Failure).
Academic Calendar: Australia follows the
Southern Hemisphere calendar; therefore
students will find it beneficial to begin their
studies during the U.S. second term. The
academic year begins in late February or
early March and ends in November.
Universities follow the quarter system, the
semester system or a combination of both
systems.
10-8
High distinction
A+
7
Distinction
A
6
Credit
B
5
Pass
C
4/PC Conceded pass
D
<3
F
Fail
Credit Equivalents
Unit of Measurement – Credit points (not
equivalent to US credits). Units (the
equivalent of classes or modules) are given
credit values ranging from a minimum of 10
credits to a maximum of 100 credits.
The average number of classes taken per
term is 4. A student who takes 4 classes will
have 12 hours of lecture per week. Students
are considered to be enrolled full-time when
the value of the units in which they are
enrolled in one-semester totals at least 75
credits (the normal full-time load is 100
credits). A student could conceivably study
ten units or one unit. The usual number is
four or five units per semester depending on
the credit value of the units.1
1
Excerpt taken from the University of Technology,
Curtin’s international office information brochure.
2
AUSTRIA
Higher Education
Admissions: students must hold the
Reifepruefungszeugnis, or Reifezeugnis, the
secondary school leaving certificate. In
addition to the standard form of access,
universities also have qualification
examinations
(Studienberechtigungspruefung).
Academic Year: The academic year begins
early October and ends late September; it
consists of two semesters, which run from
approximately the beginning of October to
the end of January (winter semester) and the
beginning of March until the end of June
(summer semester). There is a one-month
semester vacation in February and a threemonth summer vacation (July-September).
Degrees
There are two kinds of study programs at the
university level: regular (ordentliche
Studien), which results in an academic
degree, and special or non-degree
(ausserordentliche Studien). First degrees
include:
Magister: first university degree, awarded
after completion of a legal minimum of 4 or
5 years of study (usually lasts 6-7 years).
Diplom-ingenieur: awarded in engineering,
usually 6-7 years.
Doktor: (doctoral level) awarded after 2-4
semesters of study beyond magister or
Diplom-ingenieur.
Diploma and Magister programs are divided
into 2 stages (Studienabschnitte) in most
fields. The first stage provides an overview
of the field; the 2nd emphasizes more
specialized knowledge. During the second
stage, students must write a thesis
(Diplomarbeit) in addition to coursework.
Registration & Credit
Required subjects, courses & number of
classes for each major are published in a
study plan (studienplan). Subjects may be
compulsory (Pflichtfaecher), elective
(Freifaecher) or choice (Wahlfaecher), the
latter meaning subjects selected by students
within existing general guidelines.
Registration is informal. Students do not
register for individual classes or courses;
accreditation hinges entirely on the
successful completion of a course recorded
on individual certificates (Zeugnis,
Kolloquienzeugnis) or on a Certificate of
Study Results (Nachweis ueber den
Studienerfolg).
Grades
1
Sehr gut
2
gut
3
befriedigend
4
genuegend
5
nicht genuegend
A
B+/B
B-/C+
C
F
The equivalent to the US “D” does not exist.
An individual grade (note) is awarded for a
class, thesis or part of a large exam. An
overall grade (Gesamtnote) is awarded for
multi-part exams.
Course types
VO=Vorlesung/lecture, successful
completion requires oral or written
exams
PS=Proseminar, requires term paper
SE=Seminar/graduate seminar, requires term
paper
UE=Uebung/practical, grade is based on
continuous assessment
LU=Laboruebung, laboratory practical
KO=Konversatorium/ tutorial
3
Exam types
DP=Diplompruefung, major written or oral
exam
VP=Vorpruefung, qualifying exam
EP=Ergaenzungspruefung, supplementary
exam
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement – Credits
•
A full workload is 6 courses in a
semester of 15 weeks – 12 hours of
lecture per week.
4
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA –
HONG KONG
Higher Education
Hong Kong returned to the People’s
Republic of China and became a Special
Administrative Region on July 1, 1997 after
one and a half centuries of British rule. The
formation and evolution of higher education
there has been quite unlike that in China.
Further, as a Special Administrative Region
of China, it continues to function with a high
degree of autonomy, legislated under its
Basic Law, which encompasses higher
education. Hong Kong’s colleges and
universities operate separately from those
within the jurisdiction of China’s State
Education Commission. These institutions
are financed by Hong Kong’s own
University Grants Committee.
Admission: Competitive admission to
CUHK is based on passing the Hong Kong
Advanced Level Examination after seven
years of secondary education. Both English
and Chinese examinations must be passed.
University programs lead to Bachelor's,
Master's, doctoral degrees and postgraduate
diplomas. Students who satisfy graduation
requirements shall be awarded bachelor's
degree with one of the classifications: first-,
second upper-, second lower-, third- class
honors, or pass degree, depending on
examination results.
Grades
100-85
4
excellent
A
84-75
3
good
B
74-60
2
fair
C
59-40
1
poor
D
39-0
0
fail
F
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: Credit/units.
•
A full workload per semester is
about 12-18 credits/units. A student
with a workload of 12 credits will
have an average of 12 hours of
lecture per week.
Coursework: This includes lectures,
seminars, tutorials, laboratory work,
fieldwork, examinations and research
projects.
Academic Calendar: The academic year is
divided into two terms: September to
December and January to May, with
examinations scheduled in December and
early May.
5
COSTA RICA
Higher Education
Six years of primary education are followed
by five years of secondary schooling in order
to obtain the bachillerato in either sciences
or humanities. A student can then take the
entrance examination for one of three types
of higher education institutions: universities,
with faculties in humanities, sciences, law,
medicine, economics, etc.; teacher training
institutions; or international institutions for
education in public administration and
agricultural sciences.
Credit Equivalent:
•
Unit of Measurement: Credit hours
(equivalent to U.S. credits).
•
A full workload is 5-6 courses per
semester.
Academic Calendar: Costa Rica follows the
Southern Hemisphere calendar. The
academic year runs from February to
November.
Degrees
After two to six years of study, the
licenciado title is awarded. For medicine and
dentistry, the doctor title is given after seven
years. In education, the degree of
bachillerato en ciencias de la educación is
awarded after the first two years of study.
Final examination and thesis are required for
all degrees.
Grades
10-9
8
7
0-6
100-90
89-80
79-70
69-0
A
B
C
F
6
FINLAND
Higher Education
Higher education in Finland is divided into
two sectors: Polytechnics and Universities.
Polytechnics: At the beginning of the
1990’s, higher education in Finland
underwent a radical restructuring, and the
emergence of the Polytechnic sector dates
from that period. The polytechnics were
formed by upgrading and merging
previously existing specialized institutions
offering vocational higher education. The
Polytechnic sector is still somewhat in a
state of flux. In general, degree courses at
the polytechnics focus on a given area of
professional expertise, and require from 3.5
to 4 years to complete.
Universities: There are 20 universities in
Finland’s dense network, including multifaculty universities, as well as technological,
economics/business, and arts institutions.
The University sector currently enrolls
roughly 147,000 students. The remainder of
the information here refers to the University
sector.
System of Study: Finnish universities award
kandidaatti, maisteri, and tohtori degrees
that correspond to U.S. Bachelor’s,
Master’s, and Doctor’s degrees. It is usually
also possible to obtain a lisensiaatti degree
prior to the Doctor’s degree. In principle it
takes a minimum of three years to complete
a kandidaatti degree, or five years for a
maisteri degree. Advanced degrees can be
completed in two years (for the lisensiaatti)
or four years (for the tohtori). A thesis is
usually required at each level.
Credit Transfer
Credits: Individual courses at a Finnish
university may carry one to several credits,
and may last the whole semester or, very
often, for much shorter periods during the
term. With one opintoviikko equal to 40
hours of work, there is a rough parity
between one Finnish credit and one typical
U.S. semester credit.
3
2
1
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
A
B
C
Grading scale may vary from one institution
to another. Please refer to grading scale on
each institution’s transcript.
Credit Equivalents
•
Unit of Measurement – ECTS: One
Finnish credit unit refers to an input
of approximately 40 hours of work;
Conversion: 1 Finnish credit unit =
1.5 ECTS credits.
•
One term of full time studies is about
10-15 credits.
7
FRANCE
Higher Education
Higher education has a long history in
France dating back to the founding of the
Sorbonne in 1215. Traditionally, the
education system was extremely centralized,
less so in the last thirty years. Higher
education is provided in universities or
Grandes Ecoles/other professional
institutions.
University - Universities have exercised
self-government since 1968. Universities are
composed of a teaching and research unit,
affiliated centers and institutes.
Grande Ecole - The Grandes Ecoles were
established by the government to train
students in humanities, business, science,
engineering, math and social sciences. They
are the “Ivy League” of France, considered
to be the most prestigious arena of higher
education from which the politicians and
leaders of industry are selected.
Admission
University - Entrance to the university
system is based on passing a national
examination, the baccalaureat or the “bac,”
taken after the third year of high school.
Anyone who passes the bac may enter
university.
Grande Ecole - Entry to the Grandes Ecoles
is extremely competitive; students must pass
an exam for entry, usually after two years of
preparatory school following high school.
Only 10% of those who try to gain entry,
after two years of preparatory classes, are
admitted to a Grande Ecole. Limited
enrollment permits faculty to know and
follow student progress closely. The Instituts
d’Etudes Politiques (IEPs) in Rennes and
Aix, the Ecole Superieure de Commerce et
d’Administration des Entreprises (Sup de
Co) in Amiens and the Institut National des
Sciences Appliquees de Lyon (INSA) are the
four Grandes Ecoles that are ISEP members.
Academic Calendar
The academic year begins in early to midOctober and ends in June. A governmental
reform in 1996 instructed all French
universities to change from a full-year to a
semester course schedule. Some universities
have adopted the reform others have not.
Semesters run from October through January
and February through June.
Degrees
diplome d’etudes universitaires
generales (DEUG): awarded after two
years of university study (DEUG level
courses = first and second year
university courses)
licence: awarded after third year of
university study (Licence level courses =
third year university courses)
maitrise: awarded after fourth year of
university study (Maitrise level courses
= fourth year university courses)
diplome d’etudes approfondies (DEA)
and diplome d’etudes superieures
specialisees (DESS): awarded after fifth
year of university study
doctorat de troisieme cycle, doctorat de
l’universite: advanced training beyond
the US masters degree level
doctorat d’etat: comparable to a US
doctoral degree
Overview of Curriculum
French students follow a highly structured
curriculum specific to the degree they are
pursuing. At the end of each year, they must
pass a set of required exams before they can
move to the next year’s program. Because
8
their studies are more specialized, French
students tend to be more advanced in their
major fields of study than American students
after the same number of years at university.
Also, most courses are designed for students
majoring in a given field. Students studying
in France through ISEP usually find courses
at the DEUG level best fit their needs and
abilities.
There are two types of classes at university:
cours magistraux/CM (lecture classes) and
travaux diriges/TD (seminars). Many
courses have a CM and a TD component.
Lecture courses usually require one exam.
Attendance is not mandatory, although it is
encouraged. Students are expected to work
independently throughout the semester to
prepare for the final exam.
Grades
The grading system in France is rather
severe compared to the American system.
Grades are awarded on a scale of 1 to 20. By
tradition, the highest grades awarded by
French professors are 14 or 15 and grades of
10 or 9 reflect satisfactory performance.
Generally speaking, students work to pass a
course rather than to earn a high grade.
Regardless of scores on individual
examinations, a French student needs an
overall average of 10/20 to pass the year at
university. This means some grades for
individual courses can be below 10 and
some above.
In translating grades, it would be inaccurate
merely to multiply a French grade by five to
find its American equivalent.
16-20
14-15.9
12-13.9
10-11.9
Very good
Good
Quite Good
Satisfactory
A+
A
B
C
Credit Equivalents
•
Unit of Measurements – ECTS;
1 French credit unit = 1.5 ECTS
credits.
•
One term of full time studies is about
15-20 hours of class time per week.
9
GERMANY
Higher Education
Admissions: the basic requirement for
admission to a university is the
Abiturprüfung, obtained after studying at the
gymnasium. It is possible for individuals
who did not attend either an academic high
school or a Fachoberschule to earn the
Abitur at night school or in general
education institutions called Kollegs
German universities once offered virtually
open enrollment to all holders of an Abitur.
Overcrowding is common in many German
universities, and admission to some fields of
study is now restricted. Young people
hoping to study medicine, dentistry, and
veterinary medicine must take special
admissions exams. Students wanting to
study other high-demand fields, including
architecture, law, economics, psychology,
and pharmacy, must apply to the Central
Office for the Allocation of Study Places
(ZVS:Zentralstelle für die Vergabe von
Studienplätzen) in Dortmund (North
Rhine-Westphalia), which ranks students on
the basis of their grades on the Abitur exams
and how long they have been on the waiting
list to enter the desired program.
Academic Year: The academic year begins
in mid-October and ends in mid-July. It
consists of two semesters, winter semester
and summer semester. There is a one-month
semester vacation in February and a summer
vacation (typically July-September).
Degrees
Each degree program is divided into two
distinct phases: Basic studies
(grundstudium-4 semesters) and Main
Studies (hauptstudium-2 to 4 additional
semesters).
Diplom: degree earned for studies in
science, psychology and social sciences.
Leads to vordiplom after 4 semesters, and
dippom after 6 to 8 semesters.
Magister artium: awarded in humanities,
Leads to zwischenpruefung after 4
semesters, and magister artium after 6 to 8
semesters.
Staatsexamen: degrees earned for studies in
medicine, pharmocology, law & teaching.
Leads to zwischenpruefung after 4
semesters, and staatsexamen after 6 to 8
semesters.
Promotion: German doctoral degree, which
requires 2 to 4 years of independent study
beyond the degrees listed.
The minimum requirement to pursue
graduate studies is a vordiplom or
zwishenpruefung plus two additional
semesters.
Registration & Credit
Required subjects, courses & number of
classes for each major are published in a
study plan (studienplan). Subjects may be
compulsory (Pflichtfaecher), elective
(Freifaecher) or choice (Wahlfaecher), the
latter meaning subjects selected by students
within existing general guidelines.
The German higher education system is
based on the principle of “Lehrfreiheit und
Lernfreiheit” (freedom to teach and freedom
to learn). Professors are granted freedom to
teach as they see fit and students proceed at
their own pace and are not bound by
attendance regulations or performance in
class. Independent, self-directed study is
heavily emphasized and is designed to
encourage self-motivation and promote
interesting discussion.
10
Assessment is based on oral and written
reports in seminars for which the student
receives a Schein, or certificate (a grade can
be requested). German universities do NOT
issue a record of your academic study while
on an ISEP exchange. Procedures for
obtaining credit are outlined in the German
Handbook.
Course types
Vorlesung/lecture, number of students is not
limited.
Uebungen/small discussion groups
accompanying Vorlesungen. Usually
features homework assignments, research &
writing papers
Seminar dedicated to small-group learning.
It covers a subject area in more detail and
requires student participation by way of an
oral presentation on a specific topic.
Students are encouraged to participate
intensively in 2 to 4 seminars per semester.
Exam types
DP=Diplompruefung, major written or oral
exam
VP=Vorpruefung, qualifying exam
EP=Ergaenzungspruefung, supplementary
exam
Grades
1-1.5
1.6-2.5
2.6-3.5
3.6-4.0
4.1-4.3
4.4-6
Sehr gut
gut
befriedigend
ausreichend
mangelhaft
ungenuegend
A
B
C
CD
F
Credit Equivalents
•
Unit of Measurement – Hours per
week or semester credits.
•
A full workload varies between 4-6
classes per semester, or 10-16 hours
per week.
11
GHANA
In the past decade, the country’s spending on
education has been between 28 to 40 percent
of its annual budget. Education is viewed as
important, a key to prosperity and progress.
Higher Education
There are four universities in Ghana. The
University of Ghana at Legon and Accra,
where ISEP students study, is the flagship
university in Ghana.
Admission
Entrance to universities is by examination
following completion of senior secondary
school. Only those with very high secondary
school exams scores are accepted.
Courses
Class sizes range from 30 to 250. Most
courses are offered in the lecture format. 100
and 200 level courses are for general
requirements, 300 and 400 level courses are
for students majoring in the particular
subject.
Academic Calendar
The University calendar consists of two
sixteen-week semesters with a six-week
break in between. The ISEP program in
Ghana includes two weeks of orientation,
followed by two semesters each containing
thirteen teaching weeks, one week for
revision and two weeks of exams. The
program includes a required Ghanaian
language course (Twi), along with usually 4
other courses per semester, one of which
tends to be an elective in African studies.
Curriculum and Credit
Ghanaian students follow a structured
curriculum specific to the degree they are
pursuing. The actual number of hours in
class varies according to the department or
subject and the amount of work expected of
students outside of class. One course credit
is defined as either--one hour lecture, one
hour tutorial, one practical session of two to
three hours, or six hours of field work--per
week for a semester. Ghanaian students are
expected to carry 18 credit hours per
semester, although students may take fewer
with special permission.
Final examinations are normally required in
every course. The final examination grade
contributes 70% of the grades for the course
while continuous assessment makes up the
other 30%. Final examinations are graded
twice--first by the professor of the course,
then again by an outside examiner who is an
expert in the field.
Grades
Student performances are graded as follows:
Grade Grade Point
Interpretation
A
4.00
Excellent
A3.75
Very Good
B+
3.50
Good
B
3.00
Above Average
B2.50
Average
C+
2.00
Pass
C
1.50
Pass
D
1.00
Fail *
F
0-29
Fail
* May be counted for credit if not in major
field
“I” = incomplete. Students are expected
to complete the course the next time it is
available.
“X” = student did not complete a course
for reasons adjudged by the Board of
Examiners as unsatisfactory.
“Y” = grade given when a course
continues into the next semester.
12
“Z” = Disqualification from an
examination as a result of an
examination malpractice or offense.
Credit Equivalents
•
Unit of Measurement – Credit hours
(the same as U.S. credits).
•
A full workload is a minimum of 5
classes per semester.
13
HUNGARY
Higher Education
The arts and sciences universities offer a
five-year curriculum, which is divided into
graduate and undergraduate levels. Students
graduating from these institutions receive
accreditation as secondary school teachers,
in addition to their subject degree (B.A.).
Master's degrees are awarded pending
successful exams in three subjects and a
foreign language, research and defense of a
dissertation. Doctoral degrees are awarded
by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Academic Calendar: The academic calendar
is usually divided into two semesters:
September to December and February to
May.
Grades
5
excellent
A
4
good
B
3
average
C
2
Pass
D
1
Fail
F
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: ECTS.
Hungarian credits are equivalent to
US credits.
•
A full workload is 60 ECTS credits
an academic year.
14
ICELAND
Higher Education
There is no general legislation covering
higher education as a whole in Iceland.
Constitutionally, each higher education
institution is directly responsible to the
Ministry of Culture and Education. There
are two types of higher educational
institutions in Iceland: universities and
colleges. Universities have research
responsibilities and offer more than one
program of study. Colleges offer specialized
training courses at higher education level,
but generally do not carry out research. Their
teaching is, however, based on the results of
university research.
Academic Calendar: The academic year
usually starts in September and ends in May.
First semester starts either in late August or
early September and ends in December.
Second semester starts early January and
ends late May.
Grades
10.0-7.25
A
7.24-6.00
B
5.99-5.50
C
5.49-4.00
D
3.99-0
F
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: ECTS –
1 Icelandic credit = 2ECTS credits.
•
60 ECTS credits are considered to be
a full workload for an academic year.
15
ITALY
Higher Education
There are more than 50 laurea-granting
institutions of higher learning in Italy; the
majority is state-supported. The main degree
conferred is the laurea.
Admission: Before entering the university,
Italian students take the esame di maturità.
University classes in Italy tend to be large as
a result of a liberalized admissions policy.
Italian students often enroll in many courses
and then take exams in only a few of them.
Most students study independently for
exams. Roll is not taken in class and regular
attendance is not really expected, although
officially it is required
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: Credits
•
The average number of classes taken
per semester is 3, and is considered
to be a full workload. Students have
an average of 6-8 hours of lecture
time per week, per class, per
semester. A student taking 3 classes
(full load) will spend 18-24 hours per
week in class. There are 3 hours of
lecture time per week for annual
courses.
Academic Calendar: The academic year runs
from November to July. Most courses run
the entire academic year. Course-work is
assessed by year-end examination (esame di
profitto). Other exams and course
assignments may be required as well.
Grades
Grade
U.S
30
29-27
26-24
23-21
20-18
17-0
A+
A
B
C
D/Pass
Fail
16
JAPAN
Higher Education
Japanese universities offer four-year
bachelor's degrees and six-year medical
degrees. Junior colleges offer two-and threeyear programs in the humanities that can be
used as credit towards a bachelor's degree.
Special training schools and technical
colleges provide vocational training and
advanced college-level courses.
Universities are divided into faculties or
colleges; each faculty or college is divided
into departments and/or courses. Japanese
universities require at least 124 credits for
graduation.
Academic Calendar: The Japanese academic
calendar is from April to March, dividing
the year into two semesters lasting from
April to July and from September to March.
Special arrangements are made for ISEP
participants to take their exams in
December.
Grades
Grades
U.S. Equivalent
100-80
79-70
69-60
59-0
A
B
C
F
Credit Equivalent
Unit of Measurement: Credit hours
Most students at Chukyo University take
approximately 10 classes per year and
receive 40 credits in one academic year
while the exchange students take the same
number of classes, but receive fewer credits.
Here is the reason, with an explanation of
the Chukyo credit system as follows:
1. One credit is equivalent to 15 hours
of class.
2. A period of the class is 2 hours long
(classes meet once a week).
3. There are 30 weeks in one academic
year.
Therefore, one receives 4 credits per class (2
hours x 30 weeks = 60 hours) after
completing one academic year. However,
one credit for the language classes, which
the exchange students mainly take at
Chukyo, is equivalent to 30 hours of class.
So, the exchange students receive only 2
credits per class (2 hours x 30 weeks = 60
hours). Thus, the overall credit number
earned by the exchange students are less
than the credits earned by the regular
students although they complete 10 to 12
classes during their stay at Chukyo.
17
KOREA
Higher Education
Higher education in Korea includes
universities and colleges that offer
undergraduate and some graduate programs;
two-year junior colleges; and technical
vocational schools. Seventy-eight percent of
higher learning institutions are private,
funded through gifts and fees. State funds
and fees support public institutions.
Admission: In order to apply to higher
education institutions, a Korean student
must complete 12 years of primary and
secondary school (the latter may be
completed at a technical institution) and
receive a secondary school-leaving
certificate. Admission depends upon grades
and qualifying exams. If admitted to a
university or college, a student must then
choose a major and be accepted by an
individual department, where places are
often limited.
Grades
Grade
U.S. Equivalent
4.5
A+
4.0
A
3.7
A-
3.3
B+
3.0
B
2.7
B-
2.3
C+
2.0
C
1.7
C-
1.3
D+
1.0
D
0
F
Credit Equivalent
Academic Calendar: The regular academic
year, which runs from March to December,
has two terms and only offers courses taught
in Korean. Special programs taught in
English run on an August- June academic
year. Course-work is assessed through
exams, essays and class participation
Degrees
Colleges and universities offer B.A. degrees
after four years of study; two additional
years in the same subject earn a master's
degree; and with three more study years, a
doctorate is awarded.
•
Unit of Measurement: Hours per
week.
•
3 hours of class work per week, for
sixteen weeks will be equivalent to 3
U.S. credits. Eight hours of class
lecture per week for six weeks
(summer session) will be equivalent
to 3 U.S. credits.
18
MALTA
Higher Education
Education is compulsory from ages 5-16. At
the secondary school level, there are area
and grammar schools, which provide five
years of college preparatory courses, and
trade schools, which provide three years of
practical training. After secondary school,
students pursue two years of study prior to
entry to university.
Grades
First-degree programs generally take three
years with an additional one to two years for
the Honors program, which requires a
dissertation. A master's degree requires a
further two years of study. Some areas also
offer a master's in philosophy and doctoral
programs.
Please note that a grade of ‘D’ is quite
common in the Maltese grading system, and
should be rated higher than the US ‘D’.
Grading and assessment at the University of
Malta is strict, compared to U.S.
universities. The teaching method is done
through lectures and tutorials; students are
expected to study independently throughout
the semester. Assignments and quizzes are
not regular, so it is almost impossible for
professors to follow students’ progress.
Assessment is usually based on attendance
and a final exam or paper.
Grade (US Equivalent)
A+, A
B+, B
C+, C
D+, D
F
Excellent
Very good
Good
Pass
Fail
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: Credit hours
•
A full workload for an academic year
is between 20-24 credits. The
average student has 14 hours of
lecture per week.
Academic Calendar: The academic year runs
from September to June.
19
MEXICO
Higher Education
After six years of primary education,
students can continue in the first three-year
phase of secondary education. A student
then continues in either an escuela normal
for teacher-training; a preparatoria
universitaria for the bachillerato, which
permits admission to all university faculties;
or in a preparatoria técnica for technical
training, with further study at a
technological institution.
Academic Calendar: The academic year is
from Early August to May. First semester is
from early August to December. Second
semester is from early January to May.
Degrees
After three to five years of higher education,
a professional title in engineering,
architecture, etc., is given. Similarly, the
licenciatura degree is achieved for studies in
humanities, social sciences or law. One or
two years more are required for the
maestria, and two or three more for the
doctorado. For the latter, oral examinations
and a thesis are required. Papers may be
assigned during the semester, but term
projects and final exams carry the most
weight in assigning grades.
Grades
U.S equivalent
Grade
100
excellent
A+
99-90
very good
A
89-80
good
B
79-70
average
C
less than 70
fail
F
Failing courses are not usually included on
official transcripts.
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: Units/credit
hours.
•
The average number of classes taken
by a student per semester is 6. The
average student has 30 hours of class
lecture per week. 8 units are
equivalent to 3 credits at the
undergraduate level. At the graduate
level, 12 units are equivalent to 3
credits.
20
NETHERLANDS
Primary & Secondary Education
Elementary school (ages 4-12) is mandatory
and is followed by secondary education,
either in the form of vocational training,
high school or gymnasium (pre-university 6year program). 10 years total compulsory
education.
Higher Education
Admissions: students must have completed
the highly selective six-year high school
program called the University Preparatory
subjects: Dutch, English, French, German,
history, geography, mathematics, physics,
chemistry, biology & physical education. As
students have completed their general
education courses by the time they enter
university, the university curriculum focuses
almost exclusively on the student'’ major
and field of specialization; of the 168 points
required to obtain a ‘doctorandus’ degree,
154 are dedicated to a student’s major, and
14 points to electives.
Academic Year: The academic year consists
of 1680 study hours (1600 for visiting
students), or 42 weeks of full time study,
which are equivalent to 40 Dutch credit
points: one credit-point equals 40 study
hours. Most courses are worth 4 or 8
credits. Student workload refers to the time
spent in lectures, practicals, independent
study, preparations for examinations & the
actual examination. The first year, the
propadeuse, is an introductory year to
provide the foundation for study in the
student’s field. Students are required to pass
the propaedeutisch exam in order to
continue on to the remaining years of study.
Degrees
Doctorandus: 168 points required,
equivalent to the Masters degree, officially
takes four years to complete. Degrees tend
to be very demanding and many students
require an additional two years of study to
complete their program. The “kandidaats”
degree (equivalent to the Bachelors degree)
no longer exists.
Post-doctoraal: programs of varying length
& content. There are one-year teacher
training programs, short-term recurrent
education programs to upgrade professional
expertise; long-term research programs; &
four-year research programs leading to the
doctoraat degree, also known as the
promotie.
HBO: Students completing their four-year
program in engineering receive the title
ingenieur, while all others receive the title
Baccalaureus. Students graduating with a
Baccalaureus degree may then continue to a
university to receive a Doctorandus, or
attend a post-HBO program.
Grades
10-8.5
8.4-7.5
7.4-6.5
6.4-6.0
5.9-5.5
<5.5
outstanding performance
very good
good
satisfactory/pass
marginal pass
fail
A+
A
B
C
D
F
The grades 9 and 10 are rarely given in the
Netherlands, and a grade of 6 is considered a
satisfactory mark. Grading also tends to be
stricter in the Netherlands than in the US.
21
Credit Equivalents
•
•
•
Unit of Measurement – ECTS;
1 Dutch credit = 1.5 ECTS credits.
1 Dutch credit = 40 study hours.
An average course is worth 4 Dutch
credits.
A full workload is about 40 Dutch
credits an academic year.
22
NICARAGUA
Higher Education
Higher education is one of the four stages in
the Nicaraguan educational system, all of
which are linked and coordinated by the
National Council for Education. The
responsibilities of the higher education
system consist of training professionals and
advanced-level technicians in the areas of
agricultural sciences, medical sciences,
national science, mathematics, humanities
and technological sciences. The council of
higher education is made up of both private
and state universities.
Credit Equivalent:
•
Unit of Measurement: Credit hours
(equivalent to US credit hours).
•
A full course load is 5 classes per
semester. 18-20 hours are spent per
week in class lectures.
Admission: On completing the required
secondary school program, an entrance
examination is required for admission to an
institution of higher education.
Qualifications (títulos) are awarded upon
completion of a plan of study—which may
last from three to six years—in professional
and higher technical courses.
Academic Calendar: The Academic year
runs from late February to early December.
First semester is from late February to June,
while second semester is early August to
early December.
Grades:
Grade
U.S. Equivalent
-1
A+
-2
A
-3
B
-4
C
3-0
F
23
PHILIPPINES
Higher Education
About 650 institutions provide higher
education in the Philippines: seven state
universities, 25 state colleges, 35 private
universities and more than 550 private
colleges. About 25 foreign nationalities are
present in university enrollment: Chinese,
American and Thai have the largest
representation.
Credits
Admission: Admission to higher education
is based on the secondary school-leaving
certificate. In addition, all high school
graduates must pass a National Examination
(NCEE) for admission to postsecondary
academic or professional degree programs.
This exam does not ensure admission to a
specific institution; further qualifications
may be required for specific programs.
Academic Calendar: An academic year is
from late May to March; semesters are from
late May to October and early November to
March.
Degrees
The bachelor's degree requires four to five
years of study. In medicine and pharmacy,
however, the first degree requires six years
of study. Graduate programs, mainly in the
field of ‘Teacher Education’, are offered at
only a few institutions. Graduate degrees are
also offered in the fields of
engineering/technology, law, medicine and
related health fields, business and the
behavioral sciences.
The master's degree is generally awarded
after two years of study beyond the
bachelor's. The doctoral degree requires two
to three additional years.
Grade
U.S. Equivalent
-1.1.1
A
-1.1.2
B
-1.2
C
3-0
D*
4-0
F
*Conditional pass of fail
Credit Equivalent:
•
Unit of Measurement: Units
•
1 unit of credit corresponds to one
hour of lecture/recitation each week
for the period of a complete
semester. In all courses, 2½ hours to
3 hours of laboratory work. In
technical courses, 3 hours of drafting
or workshop – is equivalent to 1 hour
of lecture/recitation.
24
SPAIN
Higher Education
In Spain, 10 years of general elementary
education (Educación primaria and
Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria –ESO–)
is followed by 2 years of secondary school,
which comprises two options: the
Bachillerato, which is considered preuniversity study, and the Formación
Profesional, which is indicated directly for
free-lance employment.
The University Curriculum, established by
the Ministry of National Education, is
similar in all universities whether public or
private. Spain’s university degree system is
divided into three cycles. The first cycle
lasts two or three years, the second cycle,
two or three further years and the third cycle
requires one further year, a master's
dissertation, and results in the doctoral
degree, which normally takes 5 to 8 years of
full-time research. Four/five-year programs
are offered in the Faculties (Facultades) of
law, sciences and humanities. Programs in
medicine, pharmacy, veterinary science and
professional degrees in engineering and
architecture last five/six years.
Admission: Admission to a university
depends on successful completion of an
entrance exam, the Selectividad, which is
required of all candidates who apply for a
two-cycle degree. Students are admitted to a
specific major or professional program upon
entrance to the university. The degree of
selectivity depends on the program of
studies. Admission is based on upper
secondary grades and the results of the
Selectividad.
Academic year: Individual Faculties
determine whether the academic year is
divided into two terms (cuatrimestres) or
considered one continuous period. The
academic year runs September to early June
with exams offered in February for the firstterm courses and finals in late June and July
for annual and second-term courses, which
test cumulative knowledge of the entire
course.
Degrees
Diplomado: one-cycle study of three years’
duration.
Licenciado or licenciatura: two-cycle study
of four to five years’ duration. Equivalent to
300-350 credits ECTS.
Ingeniero/a: professional title awarded five
to six years of study.
Diploma de Estudios Avanzados (DEA):
completion of third-cycle studies (one-year
of teaching and master's dissertation)
Doctorado: Presentation of the PhD.
Grades:
Grades are given on a 10-point scale.
U.S. Equivalent
Grade
10 (matricula de honor)
A+
9-9.9 (sobresaliente)
A
7-8.9 (notable)
B
5-6.9 (aprobado)
C/D
< 5 (suspenso)
F
A score of nine or 10 is considered
excellent; seven or eight is very good and six
is average. Spanish professors rarely award
matricula de honor and on average students
receive grades between six and eight.
Spanish universities tend to be severe in
their grading compared to the U.S.
universities, especially in technical programs
such as architecture or medicine where it is
25
not uncommon that over fifty percent of a
class fails. Foreign students are given
alumno extraordinario status, which means
coursework is recognized by the university
even though the students are not seeking a
degree.
Credit Equivalent
•
•
Unit of Measurement: Credits,
equivalent to 10 hours of actual
teaching. A full-time academic year
in a five-year degree comprises
approximately 75 credits.
A full course workload varies
according to number of credits; for
example:
6 credits = 2 hours/week in an annual
course = 4 hours/week in a term
course
9 credits = 3 hours/week in an annual
course
11 credits = 4 hours/week
26
SWEDEN
Higher Education
Slightly more than 30% of young people in
Sweden go on to higher education within
five years after completion of their upper
secondary schooling.
Admissions: The degree of selectivity
depends on the program of studies.
Admission is based on upper secondary
grades and the results of the national
university aptitude test. A command of
English is a requirement for all applicants.
Sometimes working experience is also taken
into account. About 140,000 students take
the university aptitude test every year, and
annual first-time enrollments total about
65,000.
Academic year: The academic year is
divided into two 20-week terms. Students
take one course at a time for 5 or 10 weeks.
Each week of full-time study is equivalent to
one point. One academic year normally
consists of 40 points.
Grades
VG
pass with distinction A
G
pass
U/Icke godkendt fail
B/C
F
* Failing grades are not recorded.
Credit Equivalents
•
Unit of Measurement – ECTS and
points system. 1 Swedish point = 1.5
ECTS. 1 Swedish point = 40 hours.
•
1 Swedish point equals one week of
full-time study of 40 hours. 20 points
is one semester of full-time studies,
which is approximately 12-15 US
credit hours.
Degrees
Diploma or certificate (högskoleexamen): 80
points = 2 years of full-time study
Bachelor’s degree (kandidatexamen): at least
120 points= 3 years of full-time study,
including 60 points in the major subject.
Master’s degree (magisterexamen): at least
160 points = 4 years of full-time study; 80 of
these points in the major with a thesis
counting 20 points.
Advanced degrees: Licentiate degree (2-2 ½
years of research training)
Doctorate: about 4 years of full-time of
study and research including dissertation
27
SWITZERLAND
Higher Education
After 13 years of primary and secondary
education, Swiss students earn the
maturité/Maturität. Higher education is
offered at universities for economics, law,
medicine, etc., and at federal polytechnics
for fields such as architecture, engineering
and agriculture. The universities and
institutes are supported by cantons with
federal help. French and German are the
languages of instruction; some institutions
are monolingual, some bilingual.
Credit Equivalent:
•
Unit of Measurement:
Heures/semaine (hours per week).
•
A full course load is between 6-8
classes per semester, depending on
the institution and the department.
Time spent in class is about 20-25
hours per week; 280 hours is the
minimum number of hours allowed
for a full course load.
Academic Calendar: An academic year is
from mid-October to June.
Degrees
Higher education differs in each canton.
Some faculties award the demi-licence,
baccalauréat or Vorprüfung after two to
four semesters of study. Six to eight more
semesters, with the preparation of a mémoire
(oral exam), earns the licence/lizentiat or the
diplême. Four to eight further semesters and
a thesis are required for the doctorate.
Grades:
Grade
U.S. Equivalent
6
A+
5.5
A
5
B
4.5
C
4
D
<4
F
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THAILAND
Higher Education
Higher education in Thailand is both
government and privately funded.
Admission: Thai students seeking higher
education may enter a university, technical
institute, vocational college or teachertraining college. After 12 years of primary
and secondary education, students obtain a
secondary-school leaving certificate and take
a national entrance exam to be eligible for
admission to institutions of higher
education.
Coursework focuses on long-term
assignments such as term projects, papers
and/or final exams. Few exams, quizzes or
homework assignments are given during the
semester. The student must exercise selfdiscipline to keep up with readings and class
lectures.
Academic Calendar: The academic year
begins in mid-June and ends with exams in
March.
Grades
Grade
U.S. Equivalent
-1
A
-2
B+
-3
B
-4
C+
-5
C
-6
D+
-7
D
3-0
F
Credit Equivalent
•
Unit of Measurement: Credits
(equivalent to US credits).
•
An average course load is about 1518 credits. One must be enrolled in a
minimum of 12 credits in order to be
considered a full-time student.
Degrees
The bachelor's degree usually takes four
years to complete, but an additional one to
two years may be required for certain fields.
Graduate education leads to a master's
degree after one to two years of study and
presentation of a thesis. A doctorate is
awarded after an additional two years of
graduate study.
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UNITED KINGDOM
Primary and Secondary Education
Primary and Secondary education in the UK
can either be through the state system, or
through the independent school system.
Roughly 93% of the school children attend
state schools. Education is compulsory from
age 5 through 16. At 16, students take from
five to ten General Certificate of Secondary
Education (GSCE) exams.
System of Study: Traditionally, students
exercised very little choice in their program
once they have selected a course. Courses
were made up of a strictly prescribed
sequence of ‘modules’ leading to the degree,
with few, if any, electives. Increasingly UK
universities are ‘modularizing’ their degree
courses, including broader scope for
students to choose the modules they take.
Students pursuing higher education continue
their secondary education for two more
years, referred to as “sixth form.” In sixth
form students prepare to take two to four
Advanced Level exams in subjects related to
their intended field of study. Students thus
enter university studies after thirteen years
of education, with the last two quite focused
on their degree subject areas.
Because of the structure of secondary
education in the UK, students begin at a
more advanced level than first year students
in American universities. Basic subjects
especially, are often not taught at what
would be considered “introductory” level in
the U.S.
Higher Education
Universities in the UK can be divided into
the so-called “Old” and “New” universities.
The Old universities often tend to focus
more on the humanities and social sciences.
The New universities were formed in 1992
from existing polytechnic institutions, and
are more likely to emphasize technical and
business subjects.
Admissions: Entry into university study in
the UK is very competitive. Universities in
the UK operate on a quota system; defining
the number of students they can admit each
year. At most universities, admission is
made directly into a degree program (called
a “course”). Different universities require
different standards of achievement on the Alevel exams - often in specified subjects - for
each course.
The basic first degree in the UK is the
Bachelor’s degree with Honors (e.g. BA
Hons, BSc Hons). Most Honors degrees
require three years of university study. It is
also possible to study for a Higher National
Diploma (HND), normally a two-year course
in a scientific, technical or business subject.
After completing an HND students can earn
an Honors degree after an additional year of
study.
After the first degree, UK universities offer a
wide range of Master’s programs, as well as
Doctorate degrees.
Scotland
Scotland operates its own system of
education. In most respects, it is comparable
to the system elsewhere in the UK, except
for a few notable differences. Instead of the
GCSE, Scottish students complete Scottish
Certificate of Education (SCE) (“Standard
Grade”) exams. After the Standard Grade
exams, Scottish students take SCE Higher
Certificate exams, which require only one
30
year of additional study, instead of two for
British A-levels. Scottish students enter
university a year earlier, and Scottish
university degrees usually require four
instead of three years of study. Scottish
universities are characterized by more
breadth of study, especially in the first year
or two, and require less initial specialization.
Grades
Degrees in the United Kingdom are
classified as First, Upper Second, Lower
Second or Third Class, or Ordinary. These
classes are determined by the percentage
marks for the student’s modules. The
percentage ranges for each degree class vary
from institution to institution. Individual
modules on the transcript carry only the
percentage mark. Here is a typical grading
scale:
Degree Class
%Mark
U.S
First
70-100
A
Upper Second
60-69
A-/B+
Lower Second 50-59
B
Third
40-49
B-
Pass
39-30
C
Fail
< 30
F
percent of the class will earn a First Class
award.
When converting these grades into the
American system there must be some
discretion, particularly at the edges of the
various grade ranges, and evaluators should
consider the actual percentage mark received
by the student for the course; the scale used
by the host institution, and what is defined
as a bare minimal pass should also be taken
into account.
Credit Equivalents
•
Unit of Measurement - Modules.
Credits in the U.K system are not
equivalent to U.S. credits.
•
Individual modules may carry from 5
to 40 credits each. A full time
student will normally carry 60
credits/semester; 120/year.
The lower end of the scale may vary
regarding what constitutes a bare minimal
pass. Some institutions may award such a
pass to scores of 35-39, others may require
40. In England such a pass usually earns a
degree without the “Honors” designation.
The distribution of the degree awards also
can vary, but usually no more than five
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URUGUAY
Higher Education
Admission: Access to higher education in
Uruguay depends only upon presentation of
a bachillerato, which indicates completion
of the secondary school preparatory cycle.
There is no entrance exam. The two-year
preparatory cycle follows the basic four
years of secondary school and is oriented
specifically toward the area of study that the
student will pursue at the university level.
Grades
Grade
U.S. Equivalent
D (Deficiente)
Fail
R (Regular)
Fair
B (Bueno)
Good
MB (muy bueno)
Very good
S (sobresaliente)
Excellent
The university is composed of facultades,
analogous to academic departments in the
U.S. system. Facultades, however, tend to be
fairly autonomous in their administration.
Uruguayan universities tend to be more
severe in their grading than in the U.S. and a
mark of S ‘Sobresaliente’ is awarded less
frequently.
Academic Calendar: Uruguay follows the
Southern Hemisphere calendar. The
academic year runs from March to
November.
Credit Equivalents
Degrees
Degrees offered include the licenciado and
professional titles. All degrees are awarded
upon completion of four to five years of
study, depending on the discipline.
There is no system of credits used in
Uruguay.
•
A full workload per semester is four
to five courses. Courses from the
regular curriculum average about 45
hours per semester. Spanish language
for foreign students is more intensive
and is approximately 67.5 hours per
semester.
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