Program of Studies
 
Studies are organized on a semester course basis. Courses are divided into three categories: compulsory courses, compulsory by choice courses and optional courses. The first are specialty courses whereas by choice compulsory courses are specialty courses which are selected by students and which are related to a specific studies orientation. Optional courses are general education courses or ones providing more analytical knowledge of specific cognitive fields.

The minimum duration of studies for the award of a degree is eight (8) semesters. In order to get their degree, students must complete the required number of semesters, succeed in the courses of the programme of studies and obtain the required number of credits.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)

Each T.E.I. department structures the programme of studies on the basis of student work load and the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits assigned to each course unit.

ECTS is a system that promotes the processes of recognition of study among cooperating institutes in Europe. It enables students to recognize the part of their studies that was realized in universities abroad.

More specifically, ECTS is a system for the transfer of credits among European Universities. This is achieved through the support of transparency in their study programmes and student achievements. ECTS reflects the content, structure, equivalence and correspondence of academic programmes, which are quality criteria for University Institutes participating in the programme and defined by the latter in such a way as to create appropriate conditions for cooperation agreements.

ECTS credits of each course reflect or correspond to the workload (theory, laboratories, seminars, projects, examinations) required from the student for the successful completion of the course. That is, ECTS is based on the total workload of the student, and is not limited to course hours.

Attendance

The academic year starts on September 1st and ends on August 31st of the next calendar year. Each academic year consists of two semesters: the first (winter) semester (starting in the beginning of September) and the second (spring) semester (ending end of June). Each semester comprises of at least thirteen (13) full weeks devoted to lectures and up to four weeks for examinations. Resit examinations are held in September.

Students attend all courses according to the courses they have registered for in their semester schedule. If, for any reason, a course is not being taught for at least thirteen weeks, the course is deemed incomplete and no examinations take place.

The maximum duration of studies is equal to the number of semesters described in the exemplar syllabus, increased by 4 semesters (12 semesters in total).

Grading

Grades are on scale of 0-10 with 5 as the basis of the success. All grades are calculated and recorded with an approximation of a tenth of a course.

Students' progress grade is the result of the written exams they take around the middle of the semester. Students' final grade in each course is the addition of the academic credits each student is awarded for his performance in the mid-term exams and that in the final examination. Students' progress grade is multiplied by the coefficient 0.4 whereas the final grade is multiplied by the coefficient 0.6.

For courses of combined order, that is courses involving both theoretical lectures and laboratory attendance the final grade is the result of the co calculation of the grades in the theoretical and laboratory part of the course which first have to be multiplied by the coefficients 0.4 and 0.6.

Finally, grading laboratory courses or laboratory combined order courses takes place in the following two ways:

a) on the basis of the average grades of individual projects,

b) on the basis of testing part of or the entire taught material

Exams Periods

There are three (3) examination periods each lasting three (3) weeks:

  • January to February
  • June
  • the September repeat examination period, which gives students the opportunity to sit the examinations for both winter and spring semester courses in which they failed or did not attend.

Under no circumstances can the time students are allotted to answer the questions in written exams exceed three hours. Teachers are responsible for the administration of the exams on the units they teach.

Degree Project

Last semester students have to undertake a Degree Project the content of which should be related to substantial market and production problems. The project is presented to a three-member committee consisting of members of the Department Teaching staff who also decide upon the grade that should be awarded. The degree project which all students are obliged to undertake at the end of their studies is evaluated to 20 academic credits.

Practical Training

Students are also obliged to undertake practical training in their chosen profession which lasts six months and is carried out either in the public or private sector.

The Training may be discontinued, on application, if students realise that their occupation is totall irrelevant to the area of their interest. Remuneration is received according to legislation.