Example: European B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. Degree Courses
The harmonisation of European higher education courses has lead to all European member countries building courses around the B.Sc. M.Sc. Ph.D. Degree course structure. This encourages the mobility of students wishing to study in a European partner university as part of their degree course or life long learning programmes.
The semester as a teaching unit
University courses are divided into semesters. The French university year is divided into two semesters:
Autumn semester: September to January
Spring semester: February to June
ECTS ( European Credit Transfer System) credits can be accumulated and transferred to the home university
Each semester has a value of 30 ECTS credits in most European member countries: for a B.Sc. 6 semesters will be validated with a total of 180 credits; for an M.Sc. 4 semesters will be validated with 120 credits (300 when totalled with the B.Sc.credits).
Each subject has a defined number of credits to award, according to time spent studying, including personal work and success in the evaluations.
In accordance with the home university teaching regulations, credits can be earned by the students during periods of mobility in partner universities abroad. Credits can also be transferred from one study trajectory to another (following terms of agreement drawn up between two teaching teams).
The university study trajectory becomes more flexible and adaptable to specific student profiles without loss of coherence, thanks to the credit system.
Former French Diplomas
With 120 ECTS credits (B.Sc. level) students are eligible for the French 'D.E.U.G.' diploma. With validation of the first two semesters of an M.Sc. degree course students are eligible for the French 'diplôme de maîtrise'
