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Academic Information

The academic culture is built around a quite informal student-teacher relationship, where you are encouraged to ask questions, express your opinion, and take part in the academic discussion. Meaning that students are expected to be able to analyse and discuss material, both in class, in group work, and within the final examination. 

You can expect lectures, group work as well as discussion-based teaching. Exams are either written or oral exams. 

 

Academic System

Bachelor level (Undergraduate)

The bachelor level in Denmark usually corresponds to 180 ECTS credits and takes 3 years to complete. The 3 years are divided into 6 semesters which each contain 30 ECTS credits. Some bachelor level corresponds to 210 ECTS credits and therefore takes 3.5 years to complete.

Master level (Graduate)

The master level in Denmark corresponds to 120 ECTS and takes 2 years to complete. The 2 years are divided into 4 semesters which each contain 30 ECTS credits.

For more information about our examination rules, types of exams and other exam related information, please check out the study programme site at MySDU.  

ECTS is short for the European Credit Transfer System. This system is widely used across Europe to make it easier to compare the workload of courses across national borders. It is also used as the credit system at the University of Southern Denmark.

A full semester workload equals 30 ECTS credits. Two semesters equal 60 ECTS credits.

Exchange and guest students are expected to take a full workload during their stay at the University, including exams.

Full degree students 

As a full degree student you receive a digital diploma when you graduate. You can find more information here.

 

Exchange and guest students 

Your personal digital transcript
In recognition of your academic achievements, SDU will provide you with a digital transcript.
A digital transcript is more environmentally friendly and complies with the needs of an increasingly digitalized world. Our transcripts are fully secured with an embedded verification link that allows the recipient of the diploma to view the document directly from the SDU server in addition to a downloaded version.

As soon as your transcript is ready, you will receive an email in your SDU e-mail account with information on how to access your personal Digital Diploma Mailbox, where you can access your transcript.

Transcripts are issued March for the exams completed in December and January and in August/September for the exams completed in May and June.

 

Share with your home university

To get credit recognition for the courses taken at SDU, you will need to share your transcript with your home university – according to your home university’s procedures for credit transfer. 

With our Digital Diploma Mailbox, we provide you with a safe way of sharing this data. Simply log on to you Diploma Mailbox and grant access to the responsible person at your home university. You can also choose to download a copy and email it to your home university, but for data security reasons, we recommend using the ‘grant access’ feature in your Diploma Mailbox.

 

Read more

Find more information about your digital transcript here.

The Danish grading system is in form of a 7-point grading scale. It is compatible with the ECTS grading scale.

Grade Description ECTS
12 For an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all
aspects of the relevant material, with no or only a few minor weaknesses.
A
10 For a very good performance displaying a high level of command of
most aspects of the relevant material, with only minor weaknesses.
B
7 For a good performance displaying good command of the relevant
material but also some weaknesses.
C
4 For a fair performance displaying some command of the relevant
material but also some major weaknesses.
D
2 For a performance meeting only the minimum requirements
for acceptance.
E
00 For a performance which does not meet the
minimum requirements for acceptance.
F
-3 For a performance which is unacceptable in all respects. Fx

You can also read more about the Danish grading system on the Ministry of Higher Education and Science's website.

 

Academic calendar in general

  • Orientation and introduction days: At the end of August until a few days before the semester starts.
  • Classes: Take place from 1 September until the end of December.
  • Exams: Take place in December and January. Exams can be scheduled as late as 31 January.
  • Reexams: Take place from 1 February to 28 February.
  • Orientation and introduction days: At the end of January until a few days before the semester starts.
  • Classes: Take place from 1 February until the end of May.
  • Exams: Take place in May and June. Exams can be scheduled as late as 30 June.
  • Reexams: Take place from 1 August to 31 August.

At our Faculty of Health Sciences, the semester is divided into quarters:

  •  Courses are either located on the first quarter (September-November and February-April) or the second quarter (November-January and April-June).
  • A quarter consist of 7 teaching weeks and 2 examination weeks.

Vacation:

  • No classes or exams take place in July.
  • Autumn break in week 42.
  • No classes or exams take place from Christmas Eve (24 December) to New Year’s Day (1 January).
    The last day of exams in December is the last working day before Christmas Eve.
    The first day of exams in January is the first working day after New Year’s Day.

 

Public holidays
Click on Holiday for dates.

Holiday Comments
New Year's Day
Maundy Thursday The Thursday before Easter Sunday
Good Friday Friday before Easter Sunday
Easter Monday Monday after Easter Sunday
General Prayer Day The 4th Friday after Easter
Ascension Day 39 days after Easter Sunday
Whitmonday 7th Monday after Easter. Also Known as Pentecost Monday
Christmas Eve Day
Christmas Day
Second Day of Christmas Celebrated on 26th December

 

 

International Office University of Southern Denmark

  • Campusvej 55
  • Odense M - DK-5230
  • Phone: +45 6550 2264

Last Updated 17.07.2024