Master & Doctorate | Transfer Credits - at UCN University & Avrio Institute

UCN Degree Programme by Transfer Credits

UCN accepts a variety of credits earned at the higher education level, applying international standards for credits transfer. Contact us

Students who have earned credits through partial studies at other institutions or programmes can transfer credits to UCN Master and Doctor programmes.
Students with enough credits to meet the degree requirements who have not yet earned a degree may apply for admission to a programme of credits validation in order to earn the UCN degree.

This page gives you details about transfer credits at UCN. For, the study areas, recognition, …etc, please visit PhD by Thesis page.

For a Master degree a minimum of 60 ECTS credits in postgraduate coursework is required. Admission requirement is a Bachelors degree, comparable qualification or Level 6 EQF qualification or 180 ECTS credits. Total degree requirements: 240 ECTS credits.
For a professional Doctor degree a minimum of 120 ECTS credits in postgraduate coursework is required. In case the doctorate is not completed by a thesis, a rigorous doctoral examination in the given discipline is held. Admission requirement is a Masters degree, comparable qualification or Level 7 EQF qualification or 240 ECTS credits. Total degree requirements: 360 ECTS credits.

ECTS Keywords

What is a credit system?

A credit system is a systematic way of describing an educational programme by attaching credits to its components. The definition of credits in higher education systems may be based on different parameters, such as student workload, learning outcomes and contact hours.

How did ECTS develop?

ECTS was introduced in 19.89, within the framework of Erasmus, now part of the Socrates programme. ECTS is the only credit system which has been successfully tested and used across Europe. ECTS was set up initially for credit transfer. The system facilitated the recognition of periods of study abroad and thus enhanced the quality and volume of student mobility in Europe. Recently ECTS is developing into an accumulation system to be implemented at institutional, regional, national and European level. This is one of the key objectives of the Bologna Declaration of June 19.99.

Why introduce ECTS?

ECTS makes study programmes easy to read and compare for all students, local and foreign. ECTS facilitates mobility and academic recognition. ECTS helps universities to organise and revise their study programmes. ECTS can be used across a variety of programmes and modes of delivery. ECTS makes European higher education more attractive for students from abroad.

What are the key features of ECTS?

ECTS is based on the principle that 60 credits measure the workload of a full-time student during one academic year. The student workload of a full-time study programme in Europe amounts in most cases to around 1,500-1,800 hours per year and in those cases one credit stands for around 25 to 30 working hours.
Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after successful completion of the work required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved. Learning outcomes are sets of competences, expressing what the student will know, understand or be able to do after completion of a process of learning, long or short.
Student workload in ECTS consists of the time required to complete all planned learning activities such as attending lectures, seminars, independent and private study, preparation of projects and examinations.
Credits are allocated to all educational components of a study programme (such as modules, courses, placements, dissertation work, etc.) and reflect the quantity of work each component requires to achieve its specific objectives or learning outcomes in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of study successfully.
The performance of the student is documented by a local/national grade. It is good practice to add an ECTS grade, in particular in case of credit transfer. The ECTS grading scale ranks the students on a statistical basis. Therefore, statistical data on student performance is a prerequisite for applying the ECTS grading system.

The following quotation can be found on the ECTS website

“Ministers stress the important role played by the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in facilitating student mobility and international curriculum development. They note that ECTS is increasingly becoming a generalised basis for the national credit systems. They encourage further progress with the goal that the ECTS becomes not only a transfer but also an accumulation system, to be applied consistently as it develops within the emerging European Higher Education Area.”

From the Berlin Communiqué of Ministers responsible for Higher Education, September 2003 (Bologna Process).

UCN Degree by Earned Credits

UCN is the first Nicaraguan University applying the ECTS system

“We” at UCN apply the ECTS European Credit Transfer System for all UCN national and international courses and degree programmes.
All degrees are issued along with the Transcript of Records and the Diploma Supplement in accordance with ECTS-regulations.

Universidad central de Nicaragua is the first and only university in Nicaragua officially applying the diploma supplement – UCN has notified this format to the CNU Consejo Nacional de Universidades (National Council of Universities).
European Programme Dean

What is the Diploma Supplement (DS)?

The Diploma Supplement is a document attached to a higher education diploma providing a standardised description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were successfully completed by the graduate. The Diploma Supplement provides transparency and facilitates academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates).

How to earn credits?

The student selects the courses applicable for the modules and earns credits through tutor-marked or computer-marked exams. Grades are awarded in line with the higher education grading system.
The thesis is evaluated by experienced and qualified professors or lecturers in the given study area or subject chosen, in accordance with the criteria of the applicable evaluation standards.
There are no additional fees for admission, evaluation of prior learning, preliminary assessment of credits acceptable for transfer, and the transfer of credits.
Our degree programmes are all-inclusive. There are no hidden cost or fees!

What are the key documents of ECTS?

– The regular Information Package/Course Catalogue of the institution to be published in the local/national language and in English (or only in English for programmes taught in English) on the Web and/or in hard copy in one or more booklets. The Information Package/Course Catalogue must contain the items of the checklist including information for host students from abroad.
– The Learning Agreement contains the list of courses to be taken with the ECTS credits which will be awarded for each course. This list must be agreed by the student and the responsible academic body of the institution concerned. In the case of credit transfer, the Learning Agreement has to be agreed by the student and the two institutions concerned before the student’s departure and updated immediately when changes occur.
– The Transcript of Records documents the performance of a student by showing the list of courses taken, the ECTS credits gained, local or national credits, if any, local grades and possibly ECTS grades awarded. In the case of credit transfer, the Transcript of Records has to be issued by the home institution for outgoing students before departure and by the host institution for incoming students at the end of their period of study.

Source: EU ECTS Website

All of our students have succesfully completed at least one prior degree programme, earning credits.
UCB European Programme Dean
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