Studies at the Estonian University of Life Sciences

Regulation of the organization of studies

The study process is arranged according to the regulation of the organization of studies approved by the Council of the EMÜ. The regulation covers the main principles of organization of studies, classification of students and student places, principles of quality assurance, rights and responsibilities of students in the study process, the grading system and principles of assessment, opportunities of student academic mobility and conditions of completion of studies.

Accreditation

According to the Law on Universities, all study programmes in universities must be evaluated and accredited once every seven years. The Higher Education Quality Assessment Council (HEQAC), who forms the evaluation committees, is responsible for the accreditation of study programmes. HEQAC makes accreditation decisions and proposals regarding higher education institutions and their operation on the basis of evaluation committees’ recommendations.

Study programmes are based on the accredited curricula. In the accreditation process, the majority of EMU curricula have received positive evaluations. For further information see Estonian Higher Education Accreditation Centre - http://www.ekak.archimedes.ee/en

Study levels

• Bachelor’s studies with the volume of 180 ECTS, official standard study period 3 years.
• Master’s studies with the volume of 120 ECTS, official standard study period 2 years.
• Doctoral studies with the volume of 240 ECTS, official standard study period 4 years.

A Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral degree is awarded by the university to a person who has completed the curriculum of the corresponding academic level. An academic level is a qualification of the higher education system.

Curricula with exceptional levels:

The Curricula of Veterinary Medicine and Engineering with the volume of 360 ECTS, official standard study period 6 years.

Completion of the curricula of Veterinary Medicine and Engineering corresponds to the master level education. The veterinary medicine and engineering programmes are conducted on the basis of integrated bachelor’s and master’s curricula. Students who have completed this programme may continue in the doctoral programme.

Volume and official standard study period

The bachelor’s programme is the first level of academic study, whereby the student enhances his/her general educational basis, acquires basic knowledge and skills in the speciality and knowledge and skills necessary for starting the master’s programme and work. The volume of the bachelor’s programme is 180 credits and the official standard study period is three years.

Modules

Majority of the bachelor’s programme comprises different modules- sets of subjects determined by the curriculum. Modules can be obligatory or elective. Obligatory modules may also include elective subjects (for example, from the three subjects available one has to be selected from).

Optional subjects or electives

In addition to different modules, all bachelor’s programmes comprise electives of the scope of 5 credit points. The student can select an elective from the subjects taught at the university or other universities. All subjects taught at the university can be chosen to be an optional subject if the necessary prerequisite subjects have been passed. Prerequisite subjects are subjects to be passed prior to taking another subject.

Bachelor's thesis/examination

The bachelor’s programme terminates with the bachelor’s examination or the defence of the bachelor’s thesis, the volume of both thesis and examination is 5 credits.

The study programs at the Estonian University of Life Sciences are modularised. The bachelor’s studies break up as follows:

General studies                        30 ECTS

Base studies                            30 ECTS

Speciality studies                     82.5 ECTS

Additional study modules       22.5 ECTS, at the choice of the student

Electives                                    7.5 ECTS  at the choice of the student

Final thesis or final examination 7.5 ECTS.

General study module comprises of subjects, which teaching purpose is to give overall education in a specific field. Base study module is made up of special field subjects on the basic level that are necessary for the acquisition of theoretical subjects in a specific field. Specialty study module consolidates subjects that guarantee the required knowledge and skills for the acquisition of an academic degree in a specific specialty. Additional study module is a set of subjects which performance gives the qualification to work in the specialty related field.

In faculties, courses may be divided into three levels: lower, middle and upper. Before taking middle level and upper level courses, all required lower level courses must be completed.

All studies combine a wide choice of subjects, fieldwork and research projects.

Master's students require 120 more credit points and they must defend their Master's thesis. The completion of the master's degree program usually takes two years. Upon acceptance to a graduate degree program, students are required to submit a plan of study to their faculty, which will be reviewed by the faculty committee.

Master studies break up as follows:

• Speciality studies                             82.5 ECTS
• Electives                                             7.5 ECTS
• Master’s thesis                                 30 ECTS

Doctoral students

The length of doctoral studies has been revised from the fixed, four-year program to three to four years in length. The requirements include the completion of a dissertation and its defence. The dissertation is defined as a scientific paper with original outstanding results, which have been published in outstanding journals, and articles of which the candidate is the leading author. The Doctorate Boards will make a decision as to whether the dissertation corresponds to the requirements and will appoint two opponents.

Tuition service contract. All non-state commissioned full time students (except exchange and visiting students) are required to sign a contract to determine the relationship between the University and the commissioning party.

The first year students are requested to go to the Study Department (Kreutzwaldi 1a, room 0039) in order to receive an invoice and sign the above-mentioned contract.  Please note that the contract is prepared by the Study Department, students should not start writing a contract on their own.

Dismissal from the University

Students will be asked to leave the university if:

• they fail to pass an exam or prelim three time
• they do not complete the study plan, i.e. get less than 75% of the credits required per academic year
• they do not pay the tuition fee by the fixed date.