Glossary

Terms used in the study process

Academic leave – a study break from active studies for a semester or academic year due to medical indications, social reasons, family reasons or the birth of a child maintaining the status of a student. Academic leave is granted only to the students in good academic standing and those who have paid their tuition fees.

Academic year – the study period in a higher education institution related to the calendar year (for example, academic year 2016/2017), which is divided into two semesters – the autumn semester (from September to January) and the spring semester (from February to June).

Academic failure – non-fulfilment of the student obligations imposed on the study course and/or failure in examinations. The academic failure may be an obstacle to the continuation of studies.

Dean’s Office – workplace of staff responsible for the study programme listed on the student portal „Universum”.

Dean – a person, elected in compliance with the procedure defined in RSU regulatory enactments who manages a faculty or a department at the University.

E-grade book – an electronic student achievement register available on the student portal “Universum”.

E-studies – electronic online study site where materials necessary for studies are available.

Exclusion (Exmatriculation) – removal of a student’s name from the list of current students of the University in accordance with the Law on Institutions of Higher Education.

Matriculation – enrolment of a person who has fulfilled enrolment requirements in the list of students of the University.

Credit point – an accounting unit which corresponds to 40 academic hours (one week of studies). 40 credit points shall be collected during one academic year for full-time studies what corresponds to 60 ECTS (from: European Credit Transfer System).

Plagiarism – further expression of another person’s spoken or written ideas as one’s own without setting a specific reference to the respective author and source.

Placement – part of the study programme aimed at strengthening student’s theoretical knowledge obtained and acquisition of skills and competence in the chosen specialty.

Extension of the semester – additional time granted with the authorisation of the Dean for taking semester examinations to the end of the examination period.

Examination period – time for taking the final examinations after each semester.

Extension of the examination period – additional time granted with the authorisation of the Dean for taking final examinations for 5 working days following the end of the examination period.

Study group leader – an elected representative of the group representing interests of the group and dealing with issues topical for the group.

Student portal „Universum” – a portal where each student using a personalised user name and a password can obtain information about his/her grades, access his/her individualised timetable, access library databases, follow one’s financial liabilities, read personalised news as well as access e-studies and e-mail.

Year leader/semester leader – a person who effectuates communication between the Student Union and students as well as between students and the Dean. The task of the year/semester leader is to inform his/her fellow students on activities organised by the Student Union, events taking place at the faculty, about current events and changes in timetable, to copy materials as well as to perform other tasks agreed with the students of the study year.

Study programme – a key element of the higher education system, having specific requirements, successful fulfilment of which allows the student to obtain a certain degree and /or qualification.

About lectures and classes

Lecture – a form of organisation of studies in which a lecturer outlines the theoretical material of the study course. The lecture is a source of information and a means of increasing students’ cognitive ability. Lectures can be presented also in the form of video lectures.

Class – a form of organisation of studies, in which groups of students under the guidance of a lecturer strengthen their theoretical knowledge acquired during lectures and independently, as well as acquire appropriate skills and competence. Types of classes are:

Practical class – a form of organisation of studies, in which students under the guidance of a lecturer acquire appropriate skills relevant to the corresponding topic. Its goal is to develop complex professional skills and to improve independent work and assessment skills.
Laboratory work – a form of organisation of studies, in which groups of students under the guidance of a lecturer perform experiments relevant to the study course, analyse the obtained results and draw conclusions.
Seminar – a form of organisation of studies, in which students under the guidance of a lecturer listen to and discuss reports prepared independently. The goal of a seminar is to develop student’s intellectual capacity for independent, creative thinking, ability to see and evaluate the most essential matters, to argue and analyse regularities under specific circumstances.

Types of knowledge assessment

Semester examinations and rules:

Test – a written assessment of the part of learning outcomes within the study course.
Report –a written account prepared by a student on a particular topic which contains an analysis of certain facts, issues and proposals, reveals the author’s conclusions on the topic and includes a list of sources and readings.
Colloquium – a type of assessment of knowledge, skills and competence upon completion of a certain part of the study course.
Semester test indicates whether a student has fulfilled all the requirements provided for in the programme of the study course. A successfully passed semester test gives the right to take the test or the exam, if such form of testing is prescribed by the curriculum. The lecturer records the test evaluation “pass” or “fail” in the e-grade book.
Semester examinations may be organised also in other forms determined by the lecturer in compliance with the description of the study course (semester paper, essay, summary of literature, presentation, description of a clinical case, etc.).

Types of final examinations of the study course and rules:

Test – a type of assessment of knowledge, skills and competence; it is taken upon completion of the study course or a significant section of the study course. A test is organised similar to the exam; it is evaluated by: “pass” or “fail”.
Exam – a type of assessment of knowledge, skills and competence of the study course or an essential part of it, in which the evaluation is given in grades using a 10-point grading system.
Various assessment techniques can be applied for exams and tests (written, oral, computerised, combined form (for example, written and oral), an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)).
Cumulative assessment of exams and tests may be applied, under which the knowledge, skills and competences are assessed on the basis of the results shown in the coursework throughout the implementation of the study course.

State examinations - examinations which assess how a student has acquired the knowledge, skills and competences set for the study programme (defence of research projects, defence of qualification papers, Bachelor’s and Master’s theses, state examinations, etc.).

Learning outcomes assessment system

A 10-point scale is used for the assessment of learning outcomes achieved by students in compliance with the national standard of higher education:

with distinction (10) – knowledge, skills and competence exceed the requirements of the study programme, study module or the study course and testify to the ability to carry out independent research and deep understanding of problems;
excellent (9) – knowledge, skills and competence fully comply with the requirements set for the study programme, study module or the study course and the students possess the ability to use the acquired knowledge independently;
very good (8) – the requirements of the study programme, study module or the study course are completely met, though in certain issues the students do not have an understanding deep enough to use the knowledge independently for solving more complex problems;
good (7) – in general the requirements of the study programme, study module or the study course are met but occasionally the inability to use the acquired knowledge independently is established;
almost good (6) – the requirements of the study programme, study module or the study course are met, but there is a lack of deep understanding of the problem and inability to use the acquired knowledge;
satisfactory (5) – in total, the study programme, the study module or the study course is acquired but there is insufficient knowledge of certain issues and inability to use the acquired knowledge;
almost satisfactory (4) – in total, the study programme, the study module or the study course is acquired, however, there is insufficient understanding of some basic concepts and there are considerable difficulties in practical application of the acquired knowledge;
weak (3) – the knowledge is superficial and incomplete; the student is unable to use it in specific situations;
poor (2) – there is superficial knowledge of only some issues; most of the study programme, study module and the study course is not acquired;
very poor (1) – there is no understanding of the fundamentals of the course and there is almost no knowledge of the study programme, study module or the study course.

For more detailed and specific glossary of terms and study organization, please, see the Academic Regulations