Grading and credits

Upon completion of a semester’s work, all international students studying at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts receive their Transcript of Records no later than 4 weeks after the assessment period. The Transcript of Records contains both ECTS credits and ECTS grades. The normal credit load for one semester is 30 ECTS credits.

Hungarian grades and their ECTS equivalents

What is ECTS?

What is a credit system?

A credit system is a systematic way of describing an educational programme by attaching credits to its components. The definition of credits in higher education systems may be based on different parameters, such as student workload, learning outcomes and contact hours.

What is ECTS?

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System is a student-centred system based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of a programme, objectives preferably specified in terms of learning outcomes and competences to be acquired.

How did ECTS develop?

ECTS was introduced in 1989, in the framework of Erasmus, now part of the Socrates programme. ECTS is the only credit system which has been successfully tested and used across Europe. ECTS was set up initially for credit transfer. The system facilitated the recognition of periods of study abroad and thus enhanced the quality and volume of student mobility in Europe. Recently ECTS is developing into an accumulation system to be implemented at regional, national and European level. This is one of the key objectives of the Bologna Declaration of June 1999.

Why introduce ECTS?

ECTS makes study programmes easy to read and compare for all students, local and foreign. ECTS facilitates mobility and academic recognition. ECTS helps universities to organise and revise their study programmes. ECTS can be used across a variety of programmes and modes of delivery. ECTS makes European higher education more attractive for students from other continents.

What are the key features of ECTS?

ECTS is based on the convention that 60 credits measure the workload of a full time student during one academic year. The student workload of a full time study programme in Europe amounts in most cases to 36/40 weeks per year, which implies that one credit stands for 25 to 30 working hours.

The allocation of ECTS credits is based the official length of a study programme cycle. The total workload necessary to obtain a first cycle degree lasting officially three or four years is expressed as 180 or 240 credits.

Student workload in ECTS includes the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, independent study, preparation for and taking of examinations, etc.

Credits are allocated to all educational components of a study programme (such as modules, courses, placements, dissertation work, etc.) and reflect the quantity of work each component requires in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of study in the programme considered.

Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after completion of the work required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved.

The performance of the student is documented by a local/national grade and - according to good practice - by an ECTS grade. The ECTS grading scale ranks the students on a statistical basis.

Therefore, elaboration of statistical data on student performance is a prerequisite for applying the ECTS grading system. Grades are assigned among students with a pass grade as follows:

• A best 10%
• B next 25%
• C next 30%
• D next 25%
• E next 10%

A distinction is made between the grades FX and F that are used for unsuccessful students. FX means: "fail- some more work required to pass" and F means: "fail - considerable further work required". The inclusion of failure rates in the Transcript of Records is optional.

What are the key documents of ECTS?

The regular Course Catalogue of the institution to be published in two languages (or only in English for programmes taught in English) on the Web and/or in hard copy. The Course Catalogue must contain the items of the checklist attached to this document, including information for host students from abroad.

The Learning Agreement, to be agreed upon before the student's departure and to be updated immediately when changes occur. A Learning Agreement contains the list of courses to be taken and agreed upon by the student and the responsible academic bodies of the two institutions concerned.

The Transcript of Records, to be issued by the home institution for outgoing students before departure and by the host institution for incoming students at the end of their period of study. A Transcript of Records documents the performance of a student by showing the list of courses taken, the credits gained as well as the local grades and ECTS grades awarded