Because Sweden is very much a Westernised country, like the
United States, their workloads and general idea of academics are very similar. Of
course, there are a number of differences as well.
Academic Differences
An academic year lasts a bit longer in Sweden than in the United States and, in Sweden, students take one class at a time; they are called periods and each period lasts about four weeks, and students take anywhere from four to six classes per semester. But aside from that, things are very similar. Students in both countries are typically given the same workload and the same things are expected of them in a classroom environment.
An academic year lasts a bit longer in Sweden than in the United States and, in Sweden, students take one class at a time; they are called periods and each period lasts about four weeks, and students take anywhere from four to six classes per semester. But aside from that, things are very similar. Students in both countries are typically given the same workload and the same things are expected of them in a classroom environment.
Credits
The credit system – ECTS – used in Sweden can be daunting and confusing if it’s your first time using it and you are used to the American credit system. However, once you’ve had to work with it a bit, it becomes a bit easier to understand. Classes in Sweden are offered by 7.5, 15, or 30 credits, but that doesn’t mean you’re taking 30 credit hours per semester! 7.5 ECTS credits is roughly 4 American credit hours, though they sometimes transfer as 3 credit hours. 30 ECTS credits is considered full time, which is roughly 15 credits here. With that being said, 12 hours, which is considered full time here, would not be considered full time in Sweden. I was unable to find information about how often classes met, but I assume it would be on a nearly every day basis because the way the classes are set up remind me of the way we have our J-Term classes arranged.
The credit system – ECTS – used in Sweden can be daunting and confusing if it’s your first time using it and you are used to the American credit system. However, once you’ve had to work with it a bit, it becomes a bit easier to understand. Classes in Sweden are offered by 7.5, 15, or 30 credits, but that doesn’t mean you’re taking 30 credit hours per semester! 7.5 ECTS credits is roughly 4 American credit hours, though they sometimes transfer as 3 credit hours. 30 ECTS credits is considered full time, which is roughly 15 credits here. With that being said, 12 hours, which is considered full time here, would not be considered full time in Sweden. I was unable to find information about how often classes met, but I assume it would be on a nearly every day basis because the way the classes are set up remind me of the way we have our J-Term classes arranged.
Grades
The grading system is quite simple. VG & G are both passing grades, but VG is a higher grade, and U is failing.
The grading system is quite simple. VG & G are both passing grades, but VG is a higher grade, and U is failing.
Academic Support
I’m not sure if this is the same for all of Sweden, but at my university, Södertörn, there is a lot of academic support available to those who need it. The school’s library offers many services to students who need tutoring in classes or want someone to read over the papers they write. The way their academic support is set up reminds me of the support system we have at Maryville.
I’m not sure if this is the same for all of Sweden, but at my university, Södertörn, there is a lot of academic support available to those who need it. The school’s library offers many services to students who need tutoring in classes or want someone to read over the papers they write. The way their academic support is set up reminds me of the support system we have at Maryville.
Overall, there are some differences in how Södertörn and Maryville are ran, but that is to be expected even if I were to transfer to another school within the United States. None of these differences are so incredibly different that I will be unable to comprehend what is going on and how I'm doing in my classes. I am feeling very confident about them, actually. It sounds like a lot of work, and they ensure us it will be, but I am ready for the challenge!
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