If you are looking to undertake further study such as an MSc or PhD in Europe you will need to know how your degree is compared with equivalent qualifications at European institutions. The European Credit Transfer Scheme (ECTS) was the result of the Bologna Agreement and is intended to produce compatibility and comparability between degree awards.

The agreement defines three cycles which are interpreted as Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Research degree (PhD). By completing degree programmes, students are awarded ECTS points. These points are awarded for satisfactorily completing modules of the course.

At present at least, Bologna compliance is separate from accreditation as a professional qualification (in our case accreditation by The IET for Chartered Engineer status). Bologna compliance will be of concern when applying to a European university for a higher degree. It may be that the university requires a Bologna compliant Bachelor’s degree for admission to a Master’s programme or a Bologna compliant Master’s for admission to a PhD programme.

Each 9-month academic year of a degree should yield 60 ECTS. This is based on the proposition that an academic year will require 1,500-1,800 hours of student effort. Universities then award 1 ECTS for each 25-30 hours of student effort. Student effort is classroom time, lab time, project work, private study and revision.

ECTS explained