Crediteringspoäng

Crediteringspoäng, often translated as credit points or ECTS credits, is a system used in higher education across Europe to standardize the workload of students. It was developed as part of the Bologna Process to facilitate the recognition of studies and qualifications between different countries. One ECTS credit typically represents 25 to 30 hours of student work, including lectures, seminars, practical work, independent study, and examinations.

The purpose of crediteringspoäng is to make academic programs comparable and transferable. When a student completes a course or module, they are awarded a certain number of ECTS credits. These credits are then recorded on their transcript and can be used to transfer to another institution, either within the same country or internationally, without requiring a full re-evaluation of their previous studies. This simplifies the process of studying abroad or changing universities.

The workload represented by ECTS credits includes all learning activities deemed necessary for a student to achieve the defined learning outcomes. This means that not only contact hours with instructors but also time spent on assignments, reading, research, and preparation for assessments are factored in. The total number of ECTS credits required for a degree varies by country and program type, with Bachelor's degrees typically requiring 180 ECTS credits and Master's degrees requiring 120 ECTS credits.