Studying at Tilburg University
Lecture
A lecture is a broad introduction to the subject under consideration, where one lecturer speaks to a large group of students (up to 300). Sometimes there will be an opportunityto ask questions at the end of the session, which normally lasts for 1 hour and 45 minutes. The lecturer will offer suggestions for further reading.
This method of teaching is only used in undergraduate programmes.
Seminar/Tutorial
A seminar is an interactive, in-depth discussion of the subject dealt with in the preceding lecture. A member of the teaching staff meets with a small group of students (between 10 and 30), offering the opportunity to ask questions that cannot be dealt with during a lecture. Sometimes one or more students will give an oral presentation to the group, the aim of which is to practice and acquire confidence, assertiveness, and style, as well as knowledge about the topic under consideration. Students are expected to contribute actively to these discussions.
Courses may be assessed in various ways, such as through written examinations, oral examinations, and papers. These are meant to assess the student's comprehension of the subject matter discussed in lectures, seminars or tutorials.
Each semester concludes with an examination period. During this period there will be no classes. An oral examination usually lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour. Written examinations are most common and normally last 2 or 3 hours. During a written examination, students will have to answer a combination of open, multiple choice and essay-type questions.
Papers or essays may vary in length from a few hundred to a few thousand words.
Students will be informed about the maximum length per paper and are expected to show they understand the subject under consideration, have read the essential literature and areable to analyse the topic, as well as express themselves clearly and concisely. Longer does not necessarily mean better and students should not just list facts or repeat what has been said during a lecture or seminar.
ECTS credits and grading system
Tilburg University makes use of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System), developed by the European Commission to provide common procedures guaranteeing academic recognition of studies abroad and thereby facilitating international mobility programmes.
The ECTS is based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of a programme, objectives which are preferably specified in terms of the learning outcomes and competences to be acquired. 1 ECTS-credit equals 28 hours of workload (lectures, studying and examinations) and one academic year consists of 60 ECTS both on Bachelor's and Master's level.
The following table shows how grades are assigned to students.
The conversion diagram is for students who have graduated and are applying for a programme or job in the United States. If you are looking for conversion of grades for exchange students going abroad please go to this overview of grades.
| European grade (ECTS) | Dutch Grade | American Grade | Percentage of successful students achieving the grade | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 9.5-10.0 8.5-9.0 |
A+ A |
10 | EXCELLENT: outstanding performance with only minor errors |
| B |
8.0 7.5 |
A B+ |
25 | VERY GOOD: above the average standard but with some errors |
| C |
7.0 6.5 |
B C+ |
30 | GOOD: generally sound work with a number of notable errors |
| D/E | 6.0 | C | 35 | SUFFICIENT: performance meets criteria |
| FX |
5.5 5.0 |
D F |
- - |
FAIL: some more work required before the credit can be awarded |
| F | <5.0 | F | - | FAIL: considerable further work is required |