European and US credits

Until recently, recognition of US qualifications in Europe and vice versa was not easy. Many students wishing to study abroad had to retake qualifications simply because the educational systems were very different and each system was not understood and accepted by the other.

Beneficial effects of the Bologna process

The Bologna reform, through its new structure and credit-based programmes of study, brings the European system much closer to the US educational system and to other systems world-wide. This will make mutual recognition of degrees much easier, opening access to advanced study and encouraging academic mobility. However at the present time US and European credits systems are parallel and not compatible.

The difference between European and US credits Although the two systems are based on the same principle, credits are calculated in different ways and with different aims: The American system was designed for credits to be cumulative. Its aim is mainly to encourage flexibility within a programme of studies. Students are able to study either full-time or part-time, to choose credits in a faculty other than the one in which they are registered, and to combine different types of study. A US Bachelor’s degree usually represents about 120 credits, i.e. 30 credits per year. The European system, on the other hand, was initially established with the idea of allowing credits to be transferable to other institutions, and so to promote mobility among universities. As a rule, one year’s academic study represents 60 credits

At EHL: harmonizing US and European credits

Work is underway to facilitate recognition between the two systems. At EHL, both the US system and the European ECTS system are used to calculate credits for the different courses and modules. This facilitates mobility both within Europe and internationally.