Concepts

Curriculum

The curriculum of a degree programme consists of its qualification profile and a range of courses together with details of performance assessments. The interrelation of the course units involved facilitates step-by-step development of the target competencies determined.

The curriculum expresses:

• The competence to be acquired in a degree programme (Downloadqualification profile (DOCX, 42 KB)vertical_align_bottom)
• The selected themes and learning content
• The teaching format
• The levels of competence to be achieved in course units (as per Anderson & Krathwohl 2001, DownloadDeveloping learning goals (PDF, 101 KB)vertical_align_bottom)
• How learning will be tested

Course unit

At ETH a course unit comprises one or more courses which form a unit which is tested by one performance assessment and for which credits are awarded. A course unit typically consists of lectures and exercises. ETH uses the term "course unit" instead of the "Bologna" term "module"

Qualification profile

The Downloadqualification profile (DOCX, 42 KB)vertical_align_bottom describes the scientific and professional competence which students acquire by completing the programme. It is included in the Diploma Supplement.

Competence

Competencies reflect the ability and disposition of a person to draw on acquired knowledge and skills to act in a given situation and address tasks independently. Competencies always imply ability and motivation (disposition) in addition to knowledge.

According to the Bologna guidelines, degree programmes should always be designed with those competencies in mind which will enable graduates to master tasks in their professional lives ("professional competencies"). The prerequisite for this is to have a precise idea of the professional competencies required before the curriculum is developed.