New rules for the study progress reform at Health – what do they mean for you?

In May 2016, the senior management team adopted new general rules that specify how the new study progress act should be administered in practice at AU. The individual faculties have now put the rules into practice, so that they can take the different degree programmes into account in the best possible way. The most important pieces have now fallen into place at Health.

Out with compulsory registration, in with maximum time to degree

The new act does away with compulsory registration for courses and exams and replaces them with rules for the maximum time to degree, as the universities are still subject to a requirement to reduce the average time to degree. This means the students are once again given independent responsibility for their degree programme and their progress.

As of 1 September, the maximum time to degree at Health is the prescribed period of study plus a semester for all Bachelor's degree programmes with the exception of Odontology, where it is instead the prescribed period of study plus two semesters out of regard to the availability of clinical training. The maximum time to degree for all Master's degree programmes will be the prescribed period of study plus one semester. Transitional provisions are being introduced for students who have already began their degree programme before 1 September 2016. Here, the maximum time to degree will be the individual remaining prescribed period of study plus one semester. All students will also be subject to an active participation requirement that they earn 45 ECTS credits per year. The new rules are unlike to pose problems for very many Health students.

"The large majority of students today complete their degree programme with a relatively small overrun of the prescribed period of study, and we want to maintain this. Otherwise, we risk financial sanctions from the ministry, which would mean further cost reductions and which would impact on the quality of the teaching – one aspect of our study programmes that we place great importance on," says Vice-dean for Education at Health, Charlotte Ringsted.

First-year exam worth 30 ECTS

The first-year exam for Health's study programmes will in future correspond to the subjects placed in the first semester, and will consist of 30 ECTS. The students must pass the first-year exam within the first year in order to continue on their degree programme. It is possible to take three examination attempts for the first-year exam, just as with all other exams during the degree programme.

"Our students have worked hard just to be admitted to the degree programme, and we really want to keep hold of them. The first-year exam covers the courses placed in the first semester. We have chosen to make it possible to take three examination attempts rather than only two for the first-year exam. All in all, it is therefore very likely that the students will manage to pass the exam within the first year," says Charlotte Ringsted.

Courses and exams interrelated

When a student registers for a course, that person will in future also automatically be registered for the associated exam. The registration is binding after the expiry of the deadline.

"Courses and exams are inextricably interrelated. From an educational point of view, it is logical to take the exam immediately after taking the course. For many of Health's degree programmes, it would also be logical to take some of the exam during the course and have this count towards the exam as a whole. So it makes sense to tie the registration for the course and the exam together," says Charlotte Ringsted.

Help available

Students who, for one reason or another, have problems completing the degree programme within the specified framework can find help and support from the student guidance.

"We need to get into a dialogue quickly with any students who experience challenges, so we can nip the problems in the bud and do something about them. Fortunately, we have many good people who can help, both among the student counsellors and fellow students and lecturers, who can help to spot the students who are in difficulties and contribute towards supporting them and referring them to student guidance," says Charlotte Ringsted.

The new rules can be seen on the study portals (in Danish only).

Facts about the new rules for Health's degree programmes:

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Further information:

Vice-dean for Education and Health Charlotte Ringsted
Mobile: (+45) 9350 8222 
charlotte.ringsted@au.dk