Scheduling Studies

As a student, you will plan your studies based on the curriculum, lecture plan, your own possibilities and development needs. In order to complete your studies within the nominal study period, students shall pass subjects in the amount of 30 ECTS credits per semester and 60 ECTS credits per year on average.

NB! 1 European credit point in Estonia corresponds to 1 ECTS credit (Estonia is using the European credit transfer and accumulation system). One European credit point is calculated as 26 hours of work. This may be awarded for a lecture series, book examination, independent research or any other combination of 26 hours of student work.

In planning your studies, please take into account the fact that not all subjects offered in the curriculum are taught in the form of contact study. Compulsory subjects are usually in the form of contact study, but that does not always apply to elective and optional subjects.

In scheduling open electives, students will take their own development needs into account in order to ensure that their skills in computers, and both Estonian and foreign languages, all conform to the university’s requirements. Students can select open electives from any subjects taught in the university, provided that these subjects do not have any prerequisites. As a rule students select their open electives from the study level corresponding to their curriculum. When it appears necessary to improve certain knowledge by taking lower level subjects (for instance, when a Master’s student needs to take subjects on the Bachelor’s level), students will seek approval from the head of curriculum and present a written application to the head of studies of the respective academic unit.

A lecture plan is the basic document in regard to the organisation of studies. The head of curriculum shall be responsible for preparing it. The lecture plan includes the following information:

  • course name, subject code, volume,
  • teacher's name,
  • time, place and weeks of instruction,
  • explanation of abbreviations.

The lecture plan of the upcoming semester shall be published on the university website in the lecture plan application (ASIO) on the university website by the study assistant of the academic unit within two weeks before the beginning of the semester. The lecture plan of the distant learning session will be published at least two weeks before the beginning of the study session. Changes in the lecture plan during the semester will also be made by the study assistant. The study assistant is the contact person in case of any questions regarding the lecture plan.

Subjects can be passed either in the form of contact study or on the basis of substitute reading.

  • In the case of contact studies, students will take an examination or do a pass-fail assessment after the completion of contact studies (lectures, seminars, practical work). The time of examinations and assessments will be determined by the teacher and approved by the academic unit.
  • Where subjects are taken based on substitute reading, students will register for an examination based on substitute reading and take an examination by independently reading substitute literature and without prior participation in lectures, seminars or practical work. The list of substitute reading is provided in the subject card. In some cases (depending on the specific characteristics of the area of specialisation) a subject cannot be passed based on substitute reading. Further information can be obtained from the teaching assistant of the respective academic unit.