Implementation of the education

Last edit: 26/02/2013
Approved: 26/02/2013

Structure of the education

The study year for KTH’s first level programme is divided into four periods.  The study periods are equivalent to approx. seven weeks, of which, at least 33 days are study days.  Every study period is followed by an exam period consisting of two student-dispensable days and at least five exam days.  Beyond the four ordinary exam periods, there are three re-exam periods: after Christmas, after the study year’s last ordinary exam period, and directly before the study year’s first study period.

The study year consists of 40 weeks.  With need, tutelage can continue beyond the study year.Study year 1 and 2 in KTH’s Master of Science in Engineering programme is carried out without period division.  For the programme Master of Science in Engineering and of Education, parts of study year 3 are taken without period division, since a portion of the courses are taken at the same time with the first year’s courses in other programmes.  This means the point in time when a course begins and ends respectively is planned from an overview perspective in the programme.  Ordinary exams are taken during the study year at a suitable point in time and must be preceded by one study period of at least four lecture-free days, including Saturday and Sunday.  In the CL-programme, alternative examination forms exist, for example, hand-in assignments, group work and presentations, which, as an advantage, are taken in the period-free study years.

During the first year, basic subjects such as mathematics and programming techniques are taken, but also courses which give insight in the coming work profession.  Already, in the first term, a course in engineering science at KTH and a course at SU which gives an introduction to the teacher’s role and the teaching profession are taken.  Parallel to the first mathematics course, mathematical didactics is taken and the student is then introduced to the high school where a large portion of the, so called, internship (VFU) will be done.

From the second year and after, other specialisation subjects (physics, computer science or chemistry) are taken.  The studies within these courses are mainly taken together with other Master of Science in Engineering programmes.

A carrying idea in the programme is that studies in subject-theory and technology must be weaved in with courses within didactics and educational science and with interdisciplinary courses during the entire programme.

Except for the choice of subject-combination which is done already at the time of application, the choices within the programme are limited.

Courses

The programme is course-based. Lists of courses are included in Appendix 1: Course list

In the programme, obligatory and conditionally options courses are included.  The obligatory courses are defined in the teaching and time plans for every study year and specialisation.  The courses’ goals, prerequisites, contents and examination can be found in the course plans.

In the course list, the number of conditionally optional and completely optional courses for the respective subject-combinations is listed.  There are also rules for conditionally options courses listed here.In the specialisation for mathematics and computer science, there is also room for completely optional courses, although with the following limitations:

• Optional courses may not be taken in study year 1
• The number of higher education credits which may be chosen per term can be limited.
• Optional courses may not overlap existing programme courses to a meaningful extent
• Higher education preparation courses may not be counted as optional courses
• Courses, within a subject, on a lower level than existing programme courses may not be counted as optional courses

VFU Internship The programme includes 45 higher education credits of internship (VFU).  It does not constitute its own course, but is included as portions of certain courses.  The general programme area, those didactical courses within respective subject-combinations and degree projects consist of 15 higher education credits VFU.

In the internship portions of the programme, the student must learn about the complex work in schools and other education environments and tie one’s own knowledge development to these, and the questions which they actualise.  The content in VFU is decided by the courses it is included in and must be specified in the respective course plans.  The majority of the VFU which belongs to the general programme area and the didactics courses is tied to high school (gymnasium), but the programme also gives the possibility of VFU in other pedagogical work areas, for example, museums, Science Centres and educational companies.

Grading system

Courses in the first and the second cycle are graded on a scale from A to F. A-E are passing grades, A is the highest grade. The grades pass (P) and fail (F) are used for courses under certain circumstances.

Conditions for participation in the programme

Description of term enrolment

Before every term, the student must submit an obligatory study enrolment to the study guidance.  Without the study enrolment, the term and course registration cannot be done for the term.  Term and course registration are required in order for the results to be reported and in order to receive aid from CSN.

The enrolment is done on “Mina Sidor”: www.kth.se/student

The last day for the study enrolment before the next term is normally November 15th and May 15th, respectively.

Observe that one who has not submitted study enrolment and completed term registration risks losing his/her VFU-place and, with that, possibly the chance to complete courses which consist of internship portions.

Temporary Postponement

Temporary postponement means that the student does not participate in the lecture during at least one study period.

Granted temporary postponement gives the student the right to resume the studies at a given point in time.  During the temporary postponement, the student may complement and participate in the course examinations which have not yet been completed.

The application for temporary postponement is submitted to the programme office which approves or denies the application.  When the student decides to resume the studies, the student must submit a new study enrolment. 

Course selection

The student is responsible to apply to the optional or conditionally option courses which he/she wishes to take the following term.  The application to these courses must be submitted to the office SCI at the latest:

• May 15th, before the Fall term
• November 15th, before the Spring term

Applications which are submitted after the last application date are considered with respect only to space considerations.  Before the selection of language courses, a test for level of competence must be done.

Course enrolment to obligatory courses happens automatically through the office.The student must register him/herself in the course at the first scheduled lecture.  Course registration for obligatory courses and optional courses must be done individually in the respective institution.  A student who registers for a course and then decides to discontinue the course must notify the appropriate institution as soon as possible.

Conditions for promotion to the next year

The following point limitations apply for advancement to the next study year:For studies in study year 2, at least 45 higher education credits must be completed.

For studies in study year 3, at least 90 higher education credits must be completed.

For studies in study year 4, at least 135 higher education credits must be completed.

In addition, all courses which are prerequisites to courses in the next study year must be completed by August, at the latest.  A student which does not fulfil the requirements for advancement to the next study year must contact the study difficult at KTH in order to construct an individual study plan.

Recognition of previous academic studies

The right to receive recognition for previous academic studies is an important incentive for the mobility within the country and between countries, for the higher education institution’s internationalisation work and for the principle of life-long learning.

KTH has a generous method for recognition of previous academic studies which can be given even if the exact programme does not exist at KTH or if the course plans don’t completely match those at KTH.  The requirements which KTH normally puts on the programme’s level and quality must be taken into consideration at the time of recognition.

Recognition of previous academic studies which is done at another higher education institution in Sweden will normally be accepted by KTH.

Students at KTH have the right to request a trial of recognition of previous academic studies.  Even one who is not a student but has academic education and will complete it will mostly likely be able to have the application evaluated and receive a preliminary decision (i.e. advanced notification) about the recognition.

Students at KTH, who study at another university within the boundaries of the exchange programme, have the right to receive advanced notification about recognition of previous academic studies.  Such a decision can be given though a, so called, Learning Agreement established and signed by the coordinator at KTH, contact person at university abroad, and by the student.Decisions about recognition of previous academic studies of courses can be appealed at the Board of Appeals for higher education institutions.  The appeal must be submitted to KTH at least three weeks from the day the student was notified of the decision.

In order for the request for recognition of previous academic studies to be tested, the applicant must be able to document that he/she has completed the course with at least a passing grade.  When a course, which has been graded by another higher education institution, is recognised for credits, no grade is recorded in the degree certificate.

See more http://www.kth.se/info/kth-handboken/II/13/3.html

Studies abroad

Students in the programme Master of Science in Engineering and of Education have the possibility to study at certain foreign higher education institutions during a half study year without the need to pay the course fees which are normally paid by the foreign students.  Exchange studies can occur during the third, fourth or fifth study years.  It is also possible to do the degree project abroad.For more information, contact the office’s administrator for studies abroad.See also http://www.kth.se/student/utlandsstudier 

Degree project

Degree project in technology and learning

Included in the programme is a degree project comprising 30 higher education credits corresponding to about 20 weeks of full-time work.  The degree project is normally the concluding course in the programme and must be on the second level.  It must show proof of an independent work within technology and learning and include theoretical and/or experimental work with following written report and reporting, including opposition.  The degree project must also have a clear connection to the teaching assignment and 15 higher education credits of degree project work are awarded by the internship studies connected to the student’s subject combination.The following are named as examples of suitable degree project areas:

• Development of interactive software for pedagogical use, with testing and evaluation in a school environment
• Development of technical equipment for laboratory goals, with testing and evaluation in a school environment
• An analysis and evaluation of existing pedagogical software or technical equipment in the school environment, with consideration to the interaction between human, technology and pedagogy.
• An analysis of teaching mediums and their usage in schools. How are these teaching mediums related to the scientific tradition within the subject?
• The usage of Science Centres in order to develop high school students’ understanding for technical and natural-scientific phenomena.
• The mathematics for the working engineer.  How does mathematics appear in the working environment and how can it affect the engineering programme.
• Study of educational organisations at technology companies, with suggestions of improvements of efficiency of education and competence development.

Admission to the course assumes that the student has attained at least 240 higher education credits. The student also has to pass the course VTL II 4,5 higher education credits and carried out all of the AUO-courses and attained at least 30 higher education credits.

Choice of degree project

The subject for the degree project can be suggested by the student, KTH- or Stockholm University institutions, higher schools, Science Centres, or companies.  Since the internship, corresponding to 15 higher education credits, is included in the degree project, the work must be proportionally assigned to high school, junior high, Science Centres and/or companies.

Read more on the student web, for CL:CL: http://www.kth.se/student/studievagledning-kontakt?l=sv_SE&programme=cl 

Grading of the degree project

The degree project is allotted grades according to the scale A-F from the assessment criteria: Process, engineering-related and scientific contents and presentation.  In the CL-programme’s degree project, the grading may be based on further criteria.

The grade is determined by the examiner from an overview-assessment standpoint and after the degree project report has been checked for plagiary.  In order to pass the degree project, the project must not fail to meet any of the assessment-criteria with a score of fail. Details about grading can be found in the course plan for the degree project.

Degree

A Master of Science in Engineering and a Master of Education degree on the second level is received after the completion of the educational programme.

Conditions for the degree:

The student must have fulfilled courses corresponding to 300 higher education credits, whereof:

• 45 higher education credits of Mathematics-natural scientific subjects
• 180 higher education credits of subjects central to the technology area (including 30 higher education credits of degree project work)
• At least 90 higher education credits on the second level, whereof at least 60 higher education credits are in subjects central to the technology area (including 30 higher education credits of degree project work)

The following will be discerned from the above credits:

• subject studies and subject didactical courses, including internship programmes corresponding two specialisations with concentrated specialisations within the education programme (180 higher education credits)
• courses in educational science and interdisciplinary courses, including internship programmes corresponding the general education area within educational programmes and degree project work (90 higher education credits)

The name of the degree

Degree of Master of Science in Engineering , Degree Programme in Mathematics and Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science or Mathematics and Chemistry.

Degree of Master of Education, 270 Credit Points, Degree Programme in Mathematics and Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science or Mathematics and Chemistry.

The application for the degree is done on a special form and is submitted to the school of Engineering Science’s office.  Proof of the paid student union fee must be attached to the application. 

See http://www.kth.se/student/examen.
Appendix 1 Course lists for study years and specialisations