How it works to study at a university
How does teaching work at a university?
Different subjects use different methods of teaching. How many hours a week you have on your schedule also varies between different educational programmes. When you study full-time, you can expect to spend about 40 hours per week, i.e. a regular working week. Part of the time you are expected to be on the university campus; the rest of the time, you will be responsible for studying outside the lecture hall.
On your schedule you may have lectures, seminars, internships or student teaching/nursing, laboratory work, field studies, and group work. You can read about what the different forms of study mean here.
What are higher education credits?
When studying at a university, courses and programmes are measured in higher education credits. The number of credits indicates the length of the educational programme.
The courses at the university have different lengths and can take different amounts of time to complete. You can study full-time, half-time, or quarter-time. Full-time means 30 credits in one term, while half-time means 15 credits in one term. Quarter-time is 7.5 credits per term.
Many of our programmes are 180 credits and are full-time. This means that the programme is six terms, or three years, long.
Examinations
Examinations are carried out after or during a course. It's a measure of how much understanding you've gained of what you have been studying. How many examinations you have within an individual course may vary.
Some examples of examination forms are:
Written examination, take-home examination, academic paper, lab reports
The university’s responsibility
It is our responsibility to ensure that the university is a welcoming place, that the courses are of the highest possible quality, and that you can focus on your studies without practical problems getting in your way. As a student, you also have the right to receive respect, both for yourself and your experiences; everyone is to be treated equally regardless of gender, ethnicity, social background, and sexuality. You should not accept discriminatory comments or actions from teachers or classmates.
We are responsible for ensuring that you receive your schedule on time, that the work environment at the university works for the students, that there are internships or student teaching/nursing spots available for your practical courses, and that students with disability receive the support needed. More about the university's responsibilities here.
Distance studies
Some of our programmes are distance study programmes. This means that you can access all the material through the learning platform, where you can also have discussions with teachers and classmates in chats and forums. In some programmes and courses, all teaching is handled remotely, which means that you do not have to go to the campus of the University of Borås. Some programmes have in-person sessions a few times per term. Some sessions are voluntary, while some are mandatory.
More information about distance studies.
Study abroad
As a student at the University of Borås, you have many opportunities for studying abroad during your studies. Studies at a partner university, field studies, and internships are some examples. Studies at a partner university means that you exchange one or two terms of studies at the university with equivalent studies at any university with which the university has an exchange agreement. Academic papers and degree projects can be carried out in the form of field studies when you collect material in another country. It is also possible to do an internship abroad, either within your study programme or after completing your studies.
Is there a big difference between university and upper-secondary education/high school?
Studying at university is quite different from upper-secondary education/high school. If you're studying full-time, it's about 40 hours a week. You don't have lectures all the time; you study a lot on your own.
You have more freedom in regards to how you study. There can be lectures, group work, or maybe assignments to submit. When you study at university, you immerse yourself more, and there are usually large amounts of texts to read. So it can vary, but most people who go to university think it's quite fun!