Examination
Each university is responsible for the organization of their courses and examinations. The partner university offering the course and hosting the student will organize examination of each course component. The students are bound to the examination regulation and criteria of the university where they follow the courses.
Examinations are run according to local regulations, which have been laid out by the Partner Universities and published in the Catalogue of Courses.
To test knowledge and understanding of material presented in the lectures and associated practicals, the student will be assessed via a combination of written examinations, oral presentations, essays, poster presentations, laboratory experiment write-ups, and fieldwork/boatwork reports.
Summative assessment contributes to marks and involves usually a combination of unseen written examinations (at the end of the study module) and coursework (which includes essays, project reports, and computing practicals, etc.).
Assessment of knowledge and understanding is undertaken primarily via these summative assessment methods; in addition, the student will receive feedback on all formally assessed work.
Assessment of the skills will be achieved through a combination of written examinations, essays, computer and laboratory exercises, oral presentations, fieldwork/boat work reports, short coursework assignments, poster presentations, and a substantial research project report.
Additional support can be provided for those students who have further or specific needs.
The MSc Thesis is judged following the procedure of the Coordinating University (UPV/EHU) where the students present the MSc Thesis, unless otherwise agreed. The thesis has to be written up and defended in front of a Thesis Assessment Board, proposed by the JPB.
Use of ECTS
Each of the Institutions will use its own grading system and the results will be translated into the European standard grades, as proposed by the Bologna Agreement.
To progress from Semester 1 (30 ECTS) to Semester 2 (30 ECTS), the student must achieve a minimum ECTS grade of E (i.e. a pass) in all modules. To progress from Semester 2 (30 ECTS) to Year 2 (30 ECTS in courses + 30 ECTS Master Thesis), the student must also achieve a minimum ECTS grade of E in all modules.
Master Thesis research might be started in anticipation, if so scheduled in the Student Agreement, since (for some research subjects) seasonality may be a crucial consideration. Nevertheless, this opportunity to start the project earlier does not imply any change in the general requisites: the student must achieve a minimum ECTS grade of E in all modules at Semesters 1-3 (90 ECTS), to progress to the Dissertation.
Re-sits
In the case a student fails a course, the respective student can take a re-sit exam according to the local examination regulations of the respective partner university.
This re-sit will preferably take place in the partner university where the course was taught, but will also be possible in another partner university (e.g. due to intensive mobility scheme of the students).