Basic information

BASIC INFORMATION

Academic and professional studies are administered at the University of Novi Sad on the basis of accredited study programmes. Academic studies include academic study programmes which enable students to develop and apply their scientific, professional and artistic achievements. Professional studies include professional study programmes which enable students to apply their knowledge and skills required for their future employment.

TYPES AND LEVELS OF STUDIES

First cycle studies are:
1) undergraduate academic studies and
2) undergraduate professional studies.
Second cycle studies are: 
1) master academic studies,
2) master professional studies,
3) specialist academic studies and
4) specialist professional studies.
Third cycle studies are doctoral academic studies.
Certain academic study programmes can be organized as integrated undergraduate and master academic studies. Academic study programmes in medical sciences can be organized as integrated undergraduate and master academic studies, with a total of up to 360 ECTS credits earned by students.

PROFESSIONAL, ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC TITLES

The list of titles in specific fields and abbreviations for professional, academic and scientific titles are defined by the National Council, at the proposal of the Conference of Universities, i.e. the Conference of Academies of Professional Career Studies.

The abbreviated professional and academic title of Master follows the name and surname, whereas the abbreviated academic title of Master of Science, i.e. Master of Arts (referring to the country-specific title of ‘Magister’ used before implementing the Bologna structure) and the abbreviated scientific title of Doctor of Philosophy, Science, or Arts precede the name and surname.

A person who completes undergraduate academic studies with at least 180 ECTS credits, i.e. the studies lasting a minimum of three years, acquires the professional title signifying completion of the first cycle of academic studies in the corresponding field.

A person who completes undergraduate academic studies with at least 240 ECTS credits, i.e. the studies lasting a minimum of four years, and a person who earns at least 240 ECTS credits during the first and second cycle of academic studies, acquires the professional title of Graduate signifying completion of the first cycle of academic studies in the corresponding field.

A person who completes undergraduate professional studies acquires the professional title signifying completion of the first cycle of professional studies in the corresponding field.

A person who completes specialist academic studies acquires the professional title of Specialist signifying completion of the second cycle of academic studies in the corresponding field.

A person who completes specialist professional studies acquires the professional title of Specialist signifying completion of the second cycle of professional studies in the corresponding field.

A person who completes master academic studies acquires the academic title of Master signifying completion of the second cycle of master academic studies in the corresponding field.

A person who completes master professional studies acquires the professional title of Master (appl.) signifying completion of the second cycle of master professional studies in the corresponding field.

A person who completes doctoral studies, i.e. academic studies of the third cycle, acquires the scientific title of Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Science, or Doctor of Arts), indicating the corresponding field.

In international communication and in diplomas issued in English the title of a person who completes undergraduate academic studies with at least 180 ECTS credits, i.e. the studies lasting a minimum of three years, is Bachelor, the title of a person who completes undergraduate academic studies with at least 240 ECTS credits, i.e. the studies lasting a minimum of four years, and the title of a person who earns at least 240 ECTS credits during the first and second cycle of academic studies is Bachelor with Honours, the title of a person who completes undergraduate professional studies is Bachelor (appl.), the title of a person who completes master academic studies is Master, the title of a person who completes master professional studies is Master (appl.) and the title of a person who completes doctoral academic studies is Ph.D., and/or the corresponding title in the language into which the diploma is to be translated.

The studies are organized and administered by the University and its Faculties.

Enrolment in a study programme, conditions and regulations of studies as well as the study programme requirements are regulated by the Law on Higher Education, the Statute of the University and the Statutes of specific Faculties. A considerable number of international students also study at the University, under equal terms as the citizens of Serbia.

The successful and first-rate acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge is facilitated by providing contemporary and high-quality theoretical classes, allowing free access to equipped laboratories and workshops on and outside the University premises, offering foreign language classes, free usage of libraries with a rich fund of textbooks, professional and scientific literature, as well as computer equipment available to all students. The Faculties cooperate in implementing higher education activities, especially in ensuring the cost-effective utilization of staff, premises, scientific equipment, laboratories, scientific and professional literature and providing other conditions for certain forms of teaching.

ACADEMIC CREDIT SYSTEM

The credit value of each course from a study programme is expressed in terms of the corresponding number of ECTS credits in accordance with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (hereinafter: ECTS credits), whereas the workload of a programme represents the sum total of ECTS credits. A total of 60 ECTS credits corresponds to an average of 40 hours of work per student during the workweek in an academic year.

Undergraduate academic studies are allocated between 180 and 240 ECTS credits.

Undergraduate professional studies are allocated 180 ECTS credits.

Specialist professional studies are allocated at least 60 ECTS credits.

Specialist academic studies are allocated at least 60 ECTS credits with previously completed master academic studies.

Master academic studies carry:

1) at least 60 ECTS credits, if a total of 240 ECTS credits were earned during prior undergraduate academic studies;

2) at least 120 ECTS credits, if a total of 180 ECTS credits were earned during prior undergraduate academic studies.

Master professional studies carry at least 120 ECTS credits if a minimum of 180 ECTS credits were earned during the previously completed first cycle of studies.

Some academic study programmes can be organized as integrated undergraduate and master academic studies, with a total of 360 ECTS credits earned.

Doctoral studies are allocated at least 180 ECTS credits, with a total of no less than 300 ECTS credits previously earned during undergraduate academic and master academic studies, i.e. integrated academic studies.

Academic study programmes in the field of medicine may be organized as integrated undergraduate and master academic studies, with a total of no more than 360 ECTS credits earned.

The credits awarded for a thesis at undergraduate, specialist and master studies, i.e. for a doctoral dissertation or a doctoral art project, are expressed as ECTS credits.

ECTS credits may be transferred between different study programmes within the same cycle and type of studies. The criteria and conditions for the transfer of ECTS credits as well as the required knowledge assessment are prescribed in the general act of an independent higher education institution or in an agreement reached between higher education institutions.

Description of the institutional (national) grading system:

Local grade	ECTS grade	Definition
10	A	excellent
9	B	exceptionally good
8	C	very good
7	D	good
6	E	sufficient
5	F	failed

The lowest passing grade is 6, and the highest is 10; the grading is numerical, but not according to statistical distribution.

METHODOLOGY FOR ALLOCATING ECTS CREDITS TO INDIVIDUAL COURSES

During a full academic year a student can earn at least 60 ECTS credits which corresponds to an average of 40 hours of work per student during a workweek. A single ECTS credit corresponds to 25 to 30 hours of work. The aforesaid minimum of 60 ECTS credits awarded implies that a student’s workload ranges between 1,500 and 1,800 hours of work in an academic year for completing all learning activities as well as all forms of individual study so as to achieve the learning outcomes. The overall activities of a student include regular learning activities (lectures, tutorials, practical work, seminars, etc.), independent work, preliminary exams, exams, writing of a thesis/a dissertation, work placements, voluntary work in a local community and other forms of involvement. The total number of contact hours in regular classes may not be lower than 600 hours per academic year.

Courses are taught over a period of 30 weeks, the implication being that a student must have a minimum of 20 contact hours per week in regular classes. This number of contact hours in regular classes is the minimum number of contact hours that teaching staff should provide to students as part of a study programme.

Regular classes at master academic studies, in the final year of integrated academic studies, specialist academic and doctoral studies may also involve research work. The purpose of these regular classes is to prepare students for writing their thesis or dissertation. Research work must be specified in the course description.

The hours calculated by deducting the contact hours in regular classes from the total workload of 1,500 to 1,800 hours of work represent the number of hours a student spends on: individual work, preliminary exams, exams, writing of a thesis/dissertation, voluntary work and other forms of involvement during an academic year.

The number of ECTS credits to be allocated to an individual course is determined on the basis of a student’s overall workload: the total number of contact hours in regular classes and the total number of hours related to a student’s active individual work. (For instance, a course carrying 6 ECTS credits covers a total of 180 hours of work and can include 6 contact hours in regular classes (3+3 per week) and 90 hours spent by a student on individual work, preliminary exams, exams… On the other hand, a course can carry 6 ECTS credits if it includes 4 contact hours in regular classes (2+2 or 4+0, …) and 120 hours spent by a student on all other forms of work. Therefore, the total number of ECTS credits allocated to a course does not necessarily correspond to the number of contact hours).