Academic Information - Academic Glossary

Academic Achievement

Read the text that defines scholarship awards in the current Regulation on the Award of Scholarships to Higher Education students by the Social Support Services (SASUP).

Academic award

A pecuniary compensation given by various entities, either public or private, according to specific regulations, with the purpose of rewarding student merit.

Academic equivalence of foreign degrees

Academic equivalence of foreign qualifications of a higher level to the corresponding Portuguese qualifications, according to Decree-Law No. 283/83 of 21 June, regulated by Decree No. 1071/83 of 29 December. According to this Decree-Law, the requests for equivalence are analysed, case by case, by a jury appointed by the higher education institutions that administer courses of the same type. The analysis is based on a scientific reassessment of the work completed, with the purpose of obtaining the equivalent Portuguese degree. There is no automatic equivalence. The granting of equivalence does not exempt the holder from meeting all other conditions required for professional practice. The equivalence of the diploma in question has the value and produces the effects that correspond to the original degree or diploma.

Academic record

See Transcript of records.

Academic year

A period between the beginning and the end of academic activities in a year, including Christmas, Carnival and Easter holidays, according to the calendar approved by the Rector of the University of Porto.

Additional vacancy (AV)

A vacancy created additionally for the placement of candidates who tied in the national call for applications or in special calls for application to access higher education or due to an administrative error.

Administrative head office

An organisational unit associated with a study cycle that functions as an administrative head office.

Admission requirements

Specific conditions that must be satisfied in order to be admitted into a particular study cycle in a certain higher education institution.

Advanced Studies Course

A course (an organised set of training units), which does not award a degree, integrated into and with requirements that correspond to the course components of the 3rd cycle, with a minimum of 30 ECTS credits.

Agreement on academic recognition

Document issued in the context of student mobility, signed by the Home Institution and the mobility student, ensuring the recognition of the training in the Host Institution, in accordance with the Study Contract.

Allocation of credits to a course in the field of continuing education

Allocation of ECTS credit(s) to a course or training unit in the field of continuing education by the Rector of U.Porto, after accreditation by the competent legal bodies of one or more of the organisational units of U.Porto.

Alternative course

Branch, profile or another form of organisation of a study plan, which allows the student to choose a more specialised internal sub-organisation of the study plan.

Arrangement

See Protocol.

Assessment

An act or a set of actions that collect information about student knowledge, abilities and skills related to teaching/learning in a certain module, course unit or course (see Assessment modalities).

Assessment modalities:

A – Assessment attributes:

• Diagnostic Assessment - aims to gather information on students’ knowledge, abilities and skills in order to structure teaching/learning processes according to the situations identified.
• Formative assessment - aims to provide lecturers with information on the effects of teaching processes and also to provide students with information about their learning processes and problems that they may be having.
• Summative assessment - aims to gather information for student assessment at the end of an educational course.

B – Types of assessment:

• Distributed evaluation with final exam - Evaluation distributed throughout the academic year, semester or trimester, according to the legal and regulatory standards in effect at U.Porto (Dispatch No. 1535/2018, published in DR, 2nd Series, No. 31 of February 13) and to the standards established by the Pedagogical Council of each Organisational Unit, with the requiring a final examination.
• Distributed evaluation without final exam - Evaluation distributed throughout the academic year, semester or trimester, according to the legal and regulatory standards in effect at U.Porto (Dispatch No. 1535/2018, published in DR, 2nd Series, No. 31 of February 13) and to the standards established by the Pedagogical Council of each Organisational Unit, without a final examination.
• Evaluation with final exam - Assessment modality for students at the end of a training period with a final examination.

C - Assessment components:

• Dissertation defence, project or internship report defence, or thesis defence - Public presentation and discussion of a dissertation, project or internship report, or written thesis related to the study cycle of a master's degree or of a doctorate.
• Examination - A written and/or an oral test, or a special technical or artistic test (or other) at the end of a training period.
• Laboratory work or fieldwork - Work performed in a laboratory or in real situations.
• Oral test - The oral test can be included in the distributed evaluation modality or in the evaluation with final exam modality and is presented individually to the examiner(s).
• Participation - participation in activities during contact hours.
• Project - The creation of a work or research proposal with technical or artistic content.
• Report - A written text on research work, an internship or an activity developed in a course unit or at the end of an educational course.
• Test - Intermediate written test included in the distributed evaluation modality.
  

Attendance

Actual attendance of a student regularly enrolled to a minimum of 75% of lessons, including theoretical, theoretical-practical, laboratory, or as defined in the course unit fact sheet.

Attendance of a course/study cycle

The conditions established by the lecturer in the course unit fact sheet. If they are met by the student, he/she will have access to the respective evaluations. (See Attendance).

Bachelor's course

An organised set of course units, which are part of the study cycle leading to a bachelor's degree.

Bachelor's degree

Degree awarded to those who, through the successful completion of all course units included in the study plan of the bachelor's degree, have achieved the defined number of credits or who have completed 180 credits corresponding to the first six semesters of an integrated master's degree. See Study cycle leading to a bachelor' degree.

Bachelor's student

A person who is registered annually as a student in a first study cycle leading to a bachelor's degree.

B-learning (blended-learning)

Teaching system that combines e-learning with face-to-face contact hours.

Bologna Process

A new organisation of the higher education system, consisting of three study cycles, which aims at improving the quality and relevance of the trainings offered, encourage the mobility of students and graduates and the internationalisation of trainings using an European system of course credits (ECTS) based on student work. The process seeks to change the educational paradigm from a model based on knowledge acquisition to a model based on skill development, which includes both generic skills — instrumental, interpersonal and systemic — and specific skills associated to a training area and where experimental and project components play an important role.

Branch

Internal organisation of a study cycle that corresponds to an alternative course for the completion of a degree by the student.

Cancellation of attendance

An option given to the student, after enrolment, who wishes to interrupt attendance in a study cycle during the academic year, according to the Tuition Fees Regulation of U.Porto. Enrolment in that year is still valid, but it ceases to take effect after that date (Article 3, Paragraph a).

Cancellation of enrolment

See Cancellation of attendance and Student Statuses.

Categorisation of study cycles (that lead to a degree) and courses that do not grant a degree

This categorisation seeks to classify study cycles and courses according to qualification levels (final or intermediate) and their respective diplomas:11LBachelor's Degree ("Licenciatura")/1st cycle (Bachelor's degree)12IMIntegrated Master's Degree ("Mestrado Integrado" - Bachelor's and Master's degrees)22MMaster’s degree ("Mestrado")/2nd cycle (Master's degree and intermediate diploma from a master's course)22-Specialisation (diploma from a specialisation course)33DDoctorate/3rd cycle (doctorate degree; when applicable, intermediate diploma of a doctorate course)33-Advanced Studies (Diploma of Advanced Studies Course).

Certificate

Formal document issued by the competent legal body of the University or Organisational Unit with the purpose of certifying situations related to the student.

Certificate of continuing education

Formal document issued by the competent legal body of the University or Organisational Unit with the purpose of certifying attendance and, if applicable, that the student has passed a continuing education course.

Change of course

See Change of institution/course pair; see also Entry & Admissions – Change of course in and Ways to leave a course/study cycle – Change of course out).

Change of institution/course pair

An act in which a student registers in an institution/course pair that is different from the one(s) in previous academic years. The change in the institution/course pair can take place with or without an interruption in enrolment and registration in a higher education institution. (Decree No. 181-D/2015 of June 19).

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment

Created by the Council of Europe, this framework aims to offer a common foundation throughout Europe for the development of programmes, tests, manuals and other language learning materials. One of the most important aspects is the definition of the six levels of learning, which allow for communication between the various language learning systems and traditions in Europe. (See http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/CADRE_EN.asp).

Competences

According to the ECTS Users’ Guide, competences are the result of a dynamic combination of cognitive and metacognitive abilities and skills, knowledge and understanding, intellectual, interpersonal and practical qualities, ethical values and attitudes. Competences are developed in all course units and assessed at different stages during the study cycle. Some competences are related to specific aspects of a study course, others are generic (common to all study cycles). See also Learning outcomes.

Completion of a course or of a study cycle

Completion of the curriculum plan of a course or of a study cycle. The completion occurs on the date that the student passes the last course unit of the course or study cycle, independently of the date of the potential request for a course diploma or certificate of registration, or even grade improvement.

Continuing education

Any form of education, either vocational or general, formal or informal, that is resumed after an interval following initial education in a continuing form, or as a complement to it, also at university level.

It is a structured process, which is included in the field of continuing education or lifelong learning. It provides specific training, facilitating personal and professional development. This type of training covers several modalities such as: personal and professional improvement, refresher courses and specialisation.

Continuing education courses

An organised set of training units, which do not award a degree, in the field of continuing education. They require accreditation by the competent bodies of the organisational unit(s) responsible for their administration and they are credited by the Rector of U.Porto. These courses can be administered by lecturers of one or more faculties at U.Porto and/or by other entities that involve U.Porto. The allocation of credits presupposes a minimum of 27 hours of training in total (in the classroom or through independent study), as well as attendance and assessment. They are divided into the following types:

Courses/Continuing education units

• Continuing Education Course - A course (an organised set of training units), which does not award a degree, with defined and autonomous objectives, subject to assessment and allocation of credits in order to obtain certification. It does not require initial training at university level, but it can include, as a minimum requirement, the ability to attend a higher education course. In the case of postgraduate courses, they may require having attended a higher education course.
• Continuing Education Unit - A training unit with defined and autonomous objectives, included in a Course or not, under the conditions defined in the previous point.
• Free Training or Course - Free training that varies in duration, which can be administered by one or more faculties at U.Porto and/or by other entities that involve U.Porto. It does not require initial training at university level, nor higher education attendance conditions, nor assessment. Also, it is not subject to the allocation of ECTS credits. MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) are included in this category.
  

Cooperation Agreement

See Protocol.

Co-tutelle Doctorate

A type of doctorate that requires registration at U.Porto together with a foreign higher education institution, with joint supervision and two titles awarded by the institutions involved according to a prior written agreement. The co-tutelle doctorate always requires at least 9 months of attendance at the partner institution.

Course

An organised set of course units, which does not grant an academic degree of any level. It may or may not be included in a study cycle that leads to an academic degree.

Course accreditation in the field of continuing education

Formalisation and formal approval of a course by the Scientific Council(s) and by the Director(s) of the Organisational Unit(s) that are in charge of its administration, based on the existence of human resources, materials and means appropriate for that purpose.

Course Diploma

See Diploma.

Course in the field of continuing education at U.Porto

A - Postgraduate courses:

• Specialisation course - A course (an organised set of training units), which does not award a degree, integrated into and with requirements that correspond to the course components of the 2nd cycle, with a minimum of 30 ECTS credits.
• Advanced studies course - A course (an organised set of training units), which does not award a degree, integrated into and with requirements that correspond to the course components of the 3rd cycle, with a minimum of 30 ECTS credits.

B - Continuing education course:

• Refresher course - Non-degree course, subject to assessment and certification. If desired, the course or training unit can be credited if you have a minimum of 27 hours of training, which corresponds to 1 ECTS credit.
• Independent course - Independent course related to a scientific/academic area, administered by the organisational unit that offers the course. It does not require initial training at university level or assessment. Should it require this initial training, the course can be credited.
  

Course internship

A course unit or part of a course unit that requires a training period in a company or in another type of organisation, taking into account the acquisition of specific skills and abilities, as well as work experience.

Course or Study Cycle Director

A professor, an associate professor or, exceptionally, an assistant professor in charge of a study cycle, designated by the director(s) of the organisational unit(s) involved in the teaching of the course or study cycle, according to the terms defined in the statutes of the organisational units.

Course structure

A set of academic fields and their respective course units which are included in a course, combined with the number of credits that a student must get in each one of them in order to:

• Obtain a certain academic degree;
• Complete a non-degree course;
• Meet some of the requirements for obtaining a certain academic degree.
  

Course unit (CU)

A teaching and learning unit of a study cycle or a course with its own training objectives. It is subject to administrative registration and assessment, which will result in a final grade.

Course unit credits

Numeric value that expresses the work that must be undertaken by the student to acquire the competences and achieve the learning outcomes defined for each course unit. The assessment of this work includes:

• The number of contact hours represented by the time used in collective teaching sessions, namely in classrooms, laboratories or fieldwork and in personal guidance sessions like tutoring.
• The number of hours devoted to internships, projects, fieldwork and other non-contact activities related to the course unit.
• The number of study hours that the student devotes to the particular course unit.
• The number of hours allocated to the preparation and completion of assessment related to the course unit taken in question.
  

Course unit module (MUC)

A training unit that can have credits and that is part of a course unit (see Modular course unit).

Credit

Unit of measure of student workload in all its forms, namely collective teaching sessions, personal guidance sessions like tutoring, internships, projects, fieldwork, study time and assessment. At U.Porto, a credit corresponds to 27 hours of student workload, as defined in the Regulation on the application of the curricular credits system in degree-awarding courses at the University of Porto.

Credits from a scientific/academic area

Numeric value that expresses the work that must be done by a student in a specific scientific/academic area. The credits can only be attributed after successfully completing the work requested (with a passing score).

Curricular year

A part of the study plan of a course or study cycle that must be completed by the student in the period of one year, as a full-time student in classroom training, according to the respective instrument of legal approval.

It can be organised by Semesters (2) or Trimesters (3):

• Semester - A part of the study plan of a course or study cycle that must be completed by the student in the period of one semester (from September to February or from February to July), as a full-time student in classroom training, according to the respective instrument of legal approval.
• Trimester - A part of the study plan of a course or study cycle that must be completed by the student in the period of one trimester, as a full-time student in classroom training, according to the respective instrument of legal approval.

Diploma

Document issued as foreseen by law, which proves the completion of a study cycle leading to an academic degree or the completion of a non-degree course, issued by the educational institution that offers the study cycle or the course. In the case of joint degrees (two or more titles), diplomas can be issued by each of the higher education institutions or together with the establishments involved in the joint degree.

Diplomas, according to legal precepts:

• Course Diploma - Formal diploma, issued by the competent legal body, which certifies that the holder has been awarded a bachelor's degree.
• Doctoral Diploma - Formal diploma, issued by the competent legal body, which certifies that the holder has been awarded a doctorate degree.
• Master's Diploma - Formal diploma, issued by the competent legal body, which certifies that the holder has been awarded a master's degree.
• Training co-requisites - Knowledge that a student should acquire or training conditions that must be satisfied while attending a certain course unit.
• Course Diploma - Formal document that proves the completion of a non-degree course, issued by the Organisational Unit responsible for its administration.
• European Doctorate Diploma - Diploma that bears the title of European doctorate, awarded to those who have attained a doctorate degree at U.Porto and who comply with the procedure foreseen by law, in particular having completed a research period of at least one trimester, as part of preparation for the doctoral thesis, in a university of a European country excluding Portugal, according to a specific protocol between U.Porto and the other university (see European Doctorate).
• Joint Doctoral Diploma - A doctorate diploma awarded jointly with a foreign higher education institution, depending on the previous establishment of the protocol approved for that purpose (see Co-tutelle Doctorate).
• Joint Diploma - Diploma obtained as a result of a joint programme in a first, second, third cycle or in an integrated master's degree, awarded by two or more partner higher education institutions, which certifies the conclusion of the joint degree. The degree or diploma can be awarded:
  • by only one of the establishments.
  • by each establishment, separately (the degree or diploma title is presented in a document issued by each establishment).
  • jointly, by all establishments (the degree or diploma title is presented in a single document signed by the competent legal bodies of all establishments).
• "Erasmus Mundus" Diploma - A joint or combined diploma of the "Erasmus Mundus" Master's Degree, which has the value of a master's diploma if it is registered and acknowledged by the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) according to Articles 5 and 6 of Decree-Law No. 67/2005 of 15 March (see "Erasmus Mundus" Master's Degree).
  

Diploma Supplement (DS)

Complementary bilingual document included in a diploma, which aims to improve international transparency and academic and professional recognition equal to the qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates, etc.), namely:

• Describe the Portuguese higher education system and its framework in the educational system at the time when the diploma was awarded.
• Identify the institution that administered the training and granted the diploma.
• Identify the training that took place (degree, field, access requirements, standard duration, level) and its objective.
• Provide detailed information about the training that took place and the results obtained.
  

Distance learning

A method involving teaching and learning at a distance, with mentorship, which uses various teaching materials in written, audio, video, computer or multimedia format. It is designed not only for knowledge acquisition but also to assess the trainee's progress. It can contain an on-site component, which may take place in specific locations and with certain objectives. The component that is not on-site can take various forms:

• Synchronous distance mentoring - a training component where the trainee and trainer interact in real time, even if this interaction is mediated by a certain process or technology.
• Asynchronous distance mentoring - a training component where the interaction between the trainee and trainer, which is mediated by a specific process or technology, occurs at separate times (not simultaneously).
  

Doctoral candidate with self-submitted thesis

A person who submits a doctoral thesis that is accepted and defends it in front of a jury in order to obtain a doctorate degree from U.Porto.

Doctoral course

An organised set of course units, which consists of a curricular component (when present) of the study cycle leading to a doctorate degree.

Doctoral student

A person who is registered annually as a doctoral student in continuing education, or in a doctoral course, or in a third study cycle.

Doctorate

A third cycle degree awarded after the candidate successfully submits and defends a thesis (in addition to successfully completing a set of course units, where applicable) (see also Study cycle leading to a doctorate degree and Doctoral course).

Doctorate degree

Degree given to those who have successfully completed a doctoral thesis defence

ECTS - European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System

A European system for the transfer and accumulation of course credits. ECTS credits are an instrument that aims at creating transparency and facilitating academic recognition by assessing the student workload in a course unit or scientific/academic area.

ECTS grade

See ECTS Grading scale.

ECTS Grading scale

Classification according to the European Grade Conversion Scale.

Education for adults

Any form of non-professional learning obtained by adults, with a character that could be formal, not formal or informal.

E-learning

An educational technology learning/teaching system that uses multimedia technology and/or the Internet to facilitate student centred learning, based on 24-hour access to resources and services, allowing for collaboration and discussion at a distance.

Enrolment

An act, subsequent to registration, that provides the student with the opportunity to attend certain course units of a course or study cycle.

Entrance requirements

General conditions that must be satisfied in order to be admitted into a study cycle in any higher education institution.

Entry & Admissions

• 1st cycle:
  • Special calls for application (SA) - Calls for application that offer candidates with specific qualification conditions the opportunity to enter public, private and cooperative higher education institutions and attend first study cycles or integrated masters – Decree-Law no. 393-B/99 of 2 October:
    • CM23 - Students over the age of 23 (according to Decree-Law No. 64/2006).
    • CET - Holders of a Technical Education Diploma (according to Decree no. 393/2002).
    • TCS - Holders of a Technical or Higher Education degree (according to Decree no. 854-A/99).
    • TLA - Holders of a Bachelor's Degree in an Appropriate Field – TLA – Access to a Master's integrated study cycle by holders of a bachelor's degree in a field that is considered appropriate by the scientific committee.
  • Local call for applications (CL) - Vacancies approved by the Ministry for calls for application to institution/course pairs with special characteristics that justify the existence of a local call for applications taking place in higher education institutions.
  • Change of course in (MC) - An act through which a student registers in a different higher education course than the one of his or her last registration, in the same or in a different educational institution, with or without termination of enrolment (with the change in legislation, the new concept is adopted. See Change of institution/course pair):
    • Internal change of course (MI) - Change of course in the same Organisational Unit or in U.Porto (with the change in legislation, the new concept is adopted. See Change of institution/course pair).
    • External change of course (ME) - Change of course outside U.Porto (with the change in legislation, the new concept is adopted. See Change of institution/course pair).
  • Interchange in (I) - Interchange of enrolment between two students registered in different higher education institutions, which results in a new enrolment at U.Porto of a student originally placed in another higher education institution.
  • Types of admission:
    • General regulation (GR) - Call for applications to access higher education:
      • General quotas (GQ).
      • Special quotas (SQ):
        • Special national quotas - for example: Madeira (SQM) and Azores (SQA)
        • Other Special Quotas (OSQ) - for example: citizens with disabilities, citizens in voluntary military service and emigrants
    • Special regimes (SR) - Modalities of calls for application that offer students the opportunity to enter public, private and cooperative higher education institutions and attend bachelor courses, given that the student is in one of the situations specified in paragraphs a) to g), of Article 3 of Decree-Law No. 393-A/99 of 2 October:
      • High Performance Sportspeople (HPSP) - A student with special attendance conditions who was assigned the status of High Performance Sportsperson. He or she meets the conditions established by law and is registered in the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth (Public Institute);
      • Portuguese Scholarship Holders abroad or civil servants on an official mission abroad and the family members accompanying them (FPBE);
      • National Scholarship Holders from Portuguese-speaking African countries, in the framework of cooperation agreements signed by the Portuguese State (PALOP);
      • Foreign employees on an accredited diplomatic mission in Portugal and the family members who live here, on a reciprocity system (FMD);
      • Portuguese employees on a Portuguese diplomatic mission abroad and the family members who accompany them (FPMDE);
      • Individuals born in the territory of Timor-Leste and the children of those individuals (NT);
      • Officials of the Portuguese Armed Forces in permanent positions who wish to complete specific training needs related to the Armed Forces (OFAP).
  • Readmission (R) - An act through which a student enrols in the same institution and registers in the same course or in a subsequent course after interrupting his/her studies at a higher education institution/course pair. It is not subject to quantitative limitations. The following students may apply for readmission in an institution/course pair:
    • Students who were registered and enrolled in that institution/course pair or in a pair that preceded it.
    • Students who were not enrolled in that institution/course pair in the academic year prior to the one they wish to enter.
  • Transfer in - An act through which the student enrols and registers at U.Porto in the same course/study cycle that he/she attended in another higher education institution with or without having interrupted his/her registration. Enrolment is subject to the vacancies that are defined every year (due to an alteration to the law, a new concept will be adopted. See Change of institution/course pair).
    

ERA-MORE – European Network of Mobility Centers/ National and European Network of Researcher Mobility Centres

The purpose of Mobility Centres is to respond to the problems that researchers and their families might face during their mobility experiences.

"Erasmus Mundus" Master's degree

A master's degree is designated as "Erasmus Mundus" if it is completed within the framework of action I of the "Erasmus Mundus" Programme and as long as U.Porto is a partner in its organisation and administration through a master's degree approved under Portuguese law. The regulation on "Erasmus Mundus" master's courses can be found in Decree-Law No. 67/2005 of March 15. (See also Joint Diploma).

Erasmus Intensive Language Courses

Courses supported by the European Commission, specialised in teaching less spoken and taught languages in the European Union and languages from other countries participating in the Erasmus Programme. These courses offer Erasmus students and lecturers the opportunity to study the language of the mobility host country in that same country for a period of between 3 to 8 weeks.

Erasmus mobility grants for lecturers

Grants that support university lecturers when on teaching assignments at partner Universities for the same activity through the Erasmus Programme. Teaching assignments should have a duration of between one week and six months.

Erasmus mobility grants for students

Grants for mobility students that help support mobility costs. These grants are not scholarships. They exist to help with additional expenses that derive from studying in another eligible State with higher living costs. The scholarship amount is defined each year (according to the number of establishments and participants) and it varies according to the destination country, as well as the number of months in the host State.

Erasmus Mundus

See Mobility programmes – "Erasmus Mundus" Programme.

Erasmus Power of Attorney

A document prepared according to a draft provided by the International Relations Service where the mobility out Student, through the Erasmus Programme, selects a representative so that he or she can take care of issues related to his or her process while the student is absent.

Erasmus Student Charter

Document that defines students' rights and duties during the Erasmus mobility period. It is provided to the student when signing the Erasmus Study Contract.

Erasmus Student Network Porto (ESN Porto)

ESN Porto is a specific U.Porto group that supports the integration of foreign students at the University. This group is composed mainly (but not exclusively) of students appointed by the various Organisational Units and volunteers who engage in activities that facilitate the integration international students currently studying at the University of Porto.

Erasmus Student Status

The Erasmus student status is applicable to students who meet eligibility criteria under the Erasmus Programme and who have been selected by the respective Organisational Unit to complete an Erasmus study period abroad, in a European partner university that holds the Erasmus University Charter awarded by the European Commission.

Erasmus University Charter (EUC)

A charter that is provided to the Higher Education Institution by the European Commission stating that the institution is allowed to participate in the Erasmus/Socrates programme.

Europass

An EU initiative designed to help citizens present their skills and qualifications in a way that is clear and easily understood throughout Europe (European Union, EFTA/EEA and candidate countries) and, in this way, assisting with mobility in Europe.

The Europass consists of five documents: two documents (Curriculum Vitae (CV) Europass and the Language Passport Europass) filled in by the citizen; and three documents (Europass-Certificate Supplement, Europass-Diploma Supplement (see Diploma Supplement) and Europass-Mobility) filled in and issued by the competent authorities.

European doctorate

A type of doctorate that requires registration at U.Porto and completion of a research period in another European higher education institution, under a specific agreement, according to the legal and regulatory standards in effect at U.Porto (Dispatch GR.04/03/2010, of March 19 and GR.08/01/2014 of January 30). The diploma is awarded by U.Porto and includes the title of European doctorate.

European Grade Conversion Scale

A grade scale based on percentiles, proposed in the ECTS, which allows for the comparison of classifications obtained from different European higher education systems. The scale is composed of five classes of passing classifications, indicated by the letters A to E. They correspond to the following percentiles of students with passing grades, respectively: 10, 35, 65, 90 and 100. The F class corresponds to the students who failed:

ECTS Grading scale

% of students with passing grades according to classification

Definition

A

10

Outstanding performance, with only minor errors

B

25

Above the average standard but with minor errors

C

30

Generally sound work with some errors

D

25

Fair but with significant shortcomings

E

10

Performance meets the minimum criteria

F

--

Fail: considerable further work required

European language portfolio

A document for the European citizen, which includes a Language Passport (providing a general overview of the linguistic and intercultural skills acquired through formal courses and others), a Language Biography (where the learner registers his or her goals, experiences and self-evaluation relative to language training) and a Dossier (which includes various documents relative to language learning) (see European Language Portfolio (ELP)).

European Qualifications Framework

An instrument that promotes lifelong learning and that systematically describes the set of qualifications offered in the educational system. The proposal of the European Commission consists of a set of eight reference levels that define student knowledge, level of comprehension and abilities — in other words, learning outcomes — irrespective of the system in which a certain qualification was acquired.

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) International

Students helping students - ESN is the most important European student organisation that supports the mobility and integration of European students. ESN operates on three levels: local, national and international.

Examination

See Assessment modalities.

Examination periods

• Special examination period (S) - A special period for examinations in order to complete a study cycle, or for students covered by special legislation.
• Regular examination period (R) - An examination period for all students, included in the calendar and approved by the competent statutory body. Students who wish to improve their grades can have access to this period provided they meet the necessary conditions.
• Supplementary period (SP) - An examination period for students who failed an exam in the regular examination period or for those who did not take the exam at that time. Students who wish to improve their grades can have access to this period provided they meet the necessary conditions.
  

Exceptional student

See Type of student.

External Placement Change (EPC)

When a student leaves U.Porto as a result of being newly placed in another higher education institution (See Ways to leave a course/study cycle).

Foreign student

See Type of student.

Former students (Alumni)

All students that were enrolled and registered in courses or study cycles in the University of Porto and received one of the degrees – "Licenciado" (Bachelor), "Mestre" (Master’s) or "Doutor" (Doctoral) – or a diploma of a Non-degree Course of Postgraduate Level (Specialisation or Advanced Studies), with a minimum of 30 ECTS credits.

FTE Student

Full time equivalent student.

Full-time (FT)

Type of attendance of a course or study cycle as a full-time student, which corresponds to 60 annual credits.

Head of association

See Type of attendance.

High level athlete

See High Performance Sportspeople and Special Regimes.

Home establishment

The national or international educational institution in which the mobility student is enrolled and registered.

Home institution

Institution or University where a mobility student is registered and enrolled.

Host establishment

The national or international educational institution that is attended by the mobility student during a part of the higher education course.

Host institution

A higher education institution attended by a mobility student during a period of studies as stated in a Mobility Programme and a Learning agreement, or where a scholarship holder is registered.

Human Resources (HR)

U.Porto employees (lecturers, researchers, administrative staff, technicians, assistants, interns, scholarship holders or other employees).

Independent study time

• The number of hours devoted to internships, projects, field work and other independent work activities related to that course, study cycle or training unit.
• The number of study hours devoted to that particular course, study cycle or training unit by the student.
• The number of study hours planned to prepare for assessment related to that particular course, study cycle or training unit.
  

Integrated Master's Degree

See Integrated study cycle leading to a master's degree.

Integrated study cycle leading to a master's degree

Study cycle that is composed of 300 to 360 credits and a normal duration of 10 to 12 semesters for a full-time student, leading to a master's degree. A bachelor's degree is awarded to those who have attained 180 credits, which correspond to the first six semesters. However, the designation differs from that of a master's degree. Access and enrolment in this integrated study cycle is guided by the standards applicable to the first study cycle.

Interchange

See Entry & Admissions and Ways to leave a course/study cycle.

Intern

Holders of a bachelor's or master's degree who, in a period of 24 months after obtaining the degree, undertake a professional internship (paid or not) in order to pursue a profession, while still benefiting from student rights from the higher education institution that awarded the degree, by registering at the institution. These rights are:

• An identification card issued by the higher education institution;
• Access to academic support services on the same terms as the students at the institution, including the possibility of receiving a scholarship;
• Access to institutional resources, such as libraries and computer resources, on the same terms as the students.
  

Internal Placement Change (IPC)

Cancellation of registration in a study cycle as a result of being placed in another study cycle of the same or in another Organisational Unit at U.Porto (See Ways to leave a course/study cycle).

International student (with status)

See Type of student.

Interruption

See Student Statuses – Interrupted.

Learning agreement

A commitment between the student and the institution, where the student accepts the set rules, such as those related to assessment, and the institution offers education and the learning conditions necessary to achieve learning outcomes during the study plan period. At the end of this period, a degree certificate will be awarded once the student has met the necessary requirements.

It is a written agreement on the mutual academic recognition between the Institutions that are participating in a study programme and a student. A description of the study programme is registered as well as the course unit credits. Through this agreement, the student is committed to following the study programme in another higher education institution, national or foreign, considering it as an integral part of his or her higher studies; the home institution is committed to ensuring full academic recognition of the credits obtained at the other higher education institution (the host institution) and the host institution is committed to guaranteeing the modules defined, taking into account Articles 25 to 28 of Decree-Law No. 42/2005 of February 22.

Learning objectives

Objectives of the training and of the student learning process, taking into account the knowledge and the skills that the student should acquire during the training period.

Learning outcomes

What is expected of a student in terms of knowledge, understanding and/or ability at the end of a learning period (course unit, year, course). Learning outcomes are usually defined in terms of a blend of knowledge, skills, abilities, capacities, attitudes and understanding that an individual will obtain as a result of his or her involvement in a specific set of learning experiences in higher education, but which represent more than that, because they communicate the qualifications associated to the study plan (degree or diploma).

Lecturer

• A person who has a legal relationship with U.Porto in terms of employment according to current legislation;
• A person who teaches at U.Porto under a collaboration agreement defined in a specific contract for that purpose.
  

Lifelong learning

Any form of general learning activity, education and professional training, non-formal education and informal learning during a person's lifetime. The goal is to improve knowledge, abilities and skills for personal, civic, social and/or professional reasons (see Mobility Programs – Lifelong Learning Programme).

Local Classification

Final classification awarded in a course unit, course or study cycle. At U.Porto, a 20-point grading scale is used.

Local grade

See Local grading scale.

Major

A structured grouping of course units in the predominant scientific/academic area of the curricular structure of a study cycle, complemented by subsidiary training in another distinct scientific/academic area, if foreseen in the regulation of the study cycle.

Master's degree

Degree awarded to those who have obtained the defined number of credits, through the successful completion of all course units included in the study plan of the master's course or integrated master's degree and through the successful completion of a project, internship report or thesis defence. See Study cycle leading to a master's degree and Master's course.

Master's course

A structured grouping of course units, which consists of a curricular component of the study cycle leading to a master's degree.

Master’s student

A person who is formally registered as a student of a master's course, of an integrated master's study cycle or of a second study cycle.

Merit Scholarship

Pecuniary reward offered by DGES (General Directorate of Higher Education) to students who, irrespective of their socio-economic situation and according to specific regulations, achieve exceptional success in their studies. It is a direct form of social support.

Minor

A structured grouping of course units that correspond to subsidiary training in a scientific/academic area different from the predominant one (Major), with an approved study plan and a minimum of 30 credits.

Mobility (M)

Inherent activity of the flow of students, lecturers, researchers and non-teaching staff to a host institution, without being associated to it, undertaken to attend a study period, develop professional experience, carry out another learning or teaching activity, or a related administrative activity, eventually combined with preparation courses or refresher courses in the language of the host country or in the working language (see also Mobility programmes, Mobility support technicians and Type of student).

Mobility of students and lecturers (MSL)

Typology of the flow of students and lecturers in different categories:

• Mobility in - mobility of students and lecturers going into U.Porto.
• Mobility out - mobility of students and lecturers away from U.Porto.
• Erasmus student mobility - Action that offers students the opportunity to study abroad for a period of time, in a partner higher education institution that is also eligible for the Socrates/Erasmus Programme, with full academic recognition (as an integral part of the study programme of his or her home institution) with a minimum duration of 3 months and a maximum duration of 1 complete academic year (See also Type of student).
• Erasmus mobility for lecturers - Action that offers teaching staff the opportunity to go abroad for a teaching placement in a partner higher education institution that is also eligible for the Socrates/Erasmus Programme, with a minimum duration of 1 week/8 hours and a maximum duration of 6 months.
  

Mobility programmes

• Alβan Programme - A European Union programme of high level scholarships for Latin America, which provides Latin American students and professionals, future academics and directors in their countries with the opportunity to attend higher education in the European Union. The main objective is to enhance cooperation between the European Union and Latin America in the higher education area. It covers postgraduate studies and high level training for professionals in institutions or centres in the European Union.
• Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) - A social programme in the field of lifelong learning, approved by Decision 2006/1720/CE of the European Parliament and Council of 15 November 2006, which has the general objective of contributing, through lifelong learning, to the development of the E.U. as an advanced society based on knowledge, characterised by sustainable economic growth, with more and better jobs and a higher social cohesion, simultaneously ensuring adequate protection of the environment for future generations. In particular, the programme aims at promoting exchanges, cooperation and mobility between the teaching and training systems in the E.U. and, thus, set an example of quality for the world.
  • Erasmus Programme - An action of the Socrates Programme until 2006 and, since 2007, a sub-programme of the Lifelong Learning Programme, which aims at meeting the teaching and learning needs of all participants in formal higher education and in professional education and training of a higher level, irrespective of course duration or qualification and including all doctoral studies, as well as the needs of establishments and organisations which offer or promote that type of education and training; it also aims at strengthening the European dimension in higher education, by encouraging transnational cooperation between universities, through the promotion of mobility and exchange for students and lecturers.
  • Grundtvig Programme - Sub-programme of the Lifelong Learning Programme, according to Decision 2006/1720/CE of the European Parliament and Council of 15 November 2006, which aims at meeting the teaching and learning needs of the participants in all forms of education for adults, as well as the needs of establishments and organisations which offer or promote that type of education.
  • Jean Monet Programme - Sub-programme of the Lifelong Learning Programme, according to Decision 2006/1720/CE of the European Parliament and Council of 15 November 2006, which provides support to institutions and activities in the field of European integration.
  • Leonardo da Vinci Programme - A sub-programme of the Lifelong Learning Programme since 15 November 2006, the Leonardo Programme is a social programme that addresses professional training matters, seeking to meet the teaching and learning needs of all trainees in education and training that does not fall under higher education, as well as the needs of establishments and organisations which offer or promote this type of education and training.
• Almeida Garrett National Mobility Programme - The Almeida Garrett Programme is an internal mobility programme for students of Portuguese public university education. The programme provides an opportunity to experience a study period hosted in a national university with full academic recognition. Student mobility also covers internships, theses, or final projects, as long as these activities are part of the curriculum plan of the study cycle at the home university.
• "Erasmus Mundus" Programme - Cooperation and mobility programme in the field of European higher education, which aims at increasing the quality of higher education and promoting Europe as an education centre par excellence. The Erasmus Mundus Programme is made up of four specific actions: Action 1 – Erasmus Mundus Master's Courses; Action 2 – Erasmus Mundus Scholarships; Action 3 – Partnerships; Action 4 – Increase interest. The participation of Portuguese Universities in Erasmus Mundus Master's Courses is regulated by DD no. 67/2005 of 15 March (see "Erasmus Mundus" Master's Degree).
• Fulbright Program - A programme, originally from the United States, which aims at establishing a cultural exchange programme for students and lecturers. The Fulbright Program is administered in Portugal by the Fulbright Commission - Luso-American Cultural Commission and it awards scholarships for Portuguese and American students and lecturers.
• Youth in Action Programme - A programme that succeeded the Youth programme. It aims at providing opportunities to young people related to group and voluntary work exchanges, enhance cooperation and support a series of youth-related activities.
• Socrates Programme - A social programme focused on education, which was in effect until 2007. Its objectives were:
  • To strengthen the European dimension of education at all levels.
  • To promote the qualitative and quantitative improvement of knowledge of E.U. languages, particularly those less used and taught.
  • To promote cooperation and mobility in the field of education.
  • To encourage innovation through the development of pedagogical practices and learning materials.
• Tempus Programme - Trans European cooperation scheme for higher education that offers European Union member states the opportunity to cooperate with countries in the Western Balkans, Central Asia and Mediterranean, in the reform and modernisation process of higher education.
  

Mobility student

See Type of student.

Mobility support technicians

• CPLLA Coordinator - Central coordinator of cooperation agreements and of mobility actions with universities in lusophone and Latin-American countries.
• ECTS Coordinator - Coordinator at organisational unit level who monitors and settles matters related to the ECTS, student mobility and the implicit agreement on academic recognition (until Bologna's adaptations come into effect).
• Socrates/Erasmus Coordinator - A coordinator at organisational unit level who monitors the establishment of Erasmus bilateral agreements and the continuation of student and lecturer mobility actions of its own organisational unit with partner institutions within the framework of the Erasmus Programme or others.
• Socrates/Erasmus Institutional Coordinator - Central coordinator for the establishment of Erasmus bilateral agreements and for the continuation of student and lecturer mobility actions with partner institutions within the framework of the Erasmus/Socrates Programme.
• Technician assigned to mobility programmes - An employee of each organisational unit at U.Porto whose specific role is to provide support in the development and monitoring of partnerships concerning Mobility Programmes, as well as guide and monitor application and mobility processes of students and lecturers of the organisational unit or from abroad.
  

Modular course unit

A course unit that is structured in modules, characterised by having a significant number of the features of a course unit, for example, a module fact sheet (objectives, programme, bibliography, assessment, etc.), service distribution, timetable, registrations, registered students, registrations in classes, student photos, summaries, support material, results or statistics. It is possible for the final grade of the course unit to be related to the grades of the modules, determined using a formula.

Monitoring committee of a course or of a study cycle

Joint group of lecturers or researchers and students of a course or study cycle who are responsible for monitoring operations. They suggest measures to the Director of the course or study cycle that help resolve possible functional difficulties.

Network

Formal or informal grouping of organisations and people acting in the field of teaching/learning and scientific research.

Normal duration of a course or study cycle

The number of academic years, semesters and/or trimesters during which time the course or study cycle should be completed by a full-time student attending classroom training.

Organisational unit (OU)

A Faculty, Institute or Institution of the University of Porto according to its Statutes.

Part of a higher education course

A set of course units, which are part of a course study plan. The teaching of these course units for a full-time student in classroom training does not exceed an academic year.

Partner university

A higher education institution with which U.Porto cooperates in the field of Education and R&D and/or that is part of an exchange agreement for students and lecturers.

Part-time (PT)

Type of attendance of a course/study cycle as a part-time student, according to the Regulation on part-time student attendance at U.Porto.

Postdoctoral researcher

A person with a doctorate degree who undertakes R&D activities at U.Porto as outlined in a postdoctoral programme or project, according to the conditions defined in the Postdoctoral regulation of U.Porto.

Postdoctoral student

Since this is not the correct designation, see Postdoctoral researcher.

Profile

Internal organisation of a study cycle that corresponds to an alternative course for the completion of a degree by the student.

Protocol (PRO)

Cooperation agreement between U.Porto and other institutions, national or foreign, signed by their representatives, in order to collaborate in the fields therein defined, and drawn up according to U.Porto's own regulations. Protocols can include addenda that specify the scope or object of cooperation.

Readmission

See Entry & Admissions.

Recognition of Higher Education academic degrees and diplomas awarded by Foreign Higher Education Institutions

From 1 January 2019, processes for the recognition of higher education academic degrees and diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions will be instituted according to Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of 16 August. This new Decree-Law replaces the two previous ones, DL No. 341/2007 of October 12 and DL No. 283/83 of June 21. There are three types of recognition in Portugal:

• Automatic Recognition - An act where a foreign higher education degree or diploma can be generically recognised. Its level, objectives and nature are identical to Portuguese bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees or professional higher technician diplomas. The foreign document is included in the catalogue of degrees and diplomas established by the commission for the recognition of foreign degrees and diplomas.
• Level Recognition - An act where a foreign higher education degree or diploma can be individually recognized by comparability, when its level corresponds to a Portuguese academic degree or diploma in higher education. The request for the recognition of a level is submitted to a public Higher Education Institution, which is able to grant the degree or diploma in the same field of study. It is subject to reasoned deliberation by the jury when no preceding decision has been taken regarding an identical academic degree or diploma.
• Specific Recognition - An act which enables the recognition of a foreign higher education degree or diploma that is identical to a Portuguese academic degree or diploma in higher education, in a case-by-case analysis of the level, duration, and course contents, in a specific field of study, branch of knowledge or specialisation.
  Specific recognition is requested to a public Higher Education Institution, which is able to check the degree or diploma in the same field of study. It is subject to reasoned deliberation by the jury.
  

Registration

A formal act through which a student enters a study cycle in the University (or when a student is readmitted after an interruption or restriction on registration).

Regular student

See Type of attendance.

Restriction on registration (RR)

Loss of enrolment due to repeated failure, according to Law 37/2003 and the regulation relative to restriction on registration at U.Porto. See Student Statuses.

Scholarship

Pecuniary payment with a varying value offered to the student as a contribution to the costs related to studying. It is funded by the State or by private entities, according to its specific regulation (See Scholarship holder).

Scholarship holder

A student or researcher who benefits from a scholarship. He or she might have the status of a scholarship holder or not. This title is given exclusively to Scholarship holders of Social Support Services. There are different categories for scholarship holders according to the entity that provides the scholarship and its objectives.

Examples:

• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Scholarship holder - Student, lecturer or researcher who is offered a scholarship by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation:
  • to continue with his or her studies;
  • to participate in short-term internships or research abroad (from one to three months).
• Camões Institute Scholarship holder - Student, lecturer or researcher who is offered a scholarship by the Camões Institute in the field of Portuguese language and culture.
• FCT Scholarship Holder (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) - Student or researcher who benefits from an FCT scholarship to support his or her postgraduate studies or scientific research.
• Fulbright Scholarship Holder - A lecturer, researcher or student who receives a scholarship from the Fulbright Program to teach or research at a higher education institution in North America.
• Luso-American Development Foundation Scholarship holder - Student or researcher who is offered a scholarship in various fields and for varying durations by FLAD.
• Oriente Foundation Scholarship holder - Student or researcher who is offered a scholarship in various fields by the Oriente Foundation.
• Social Support Scholarship holder (BAS – Bolseiro de Ação Social) - A student who is offered a scholarship in each academic year by the Social Support Services. This scholarship is offered to students who are economically deprived or disabled and successful in their studies. Only these students are recognised scholarship holders.
  

Scientific/academic area

Academic field of a study plan, which can include several course units. The field of study should not be confused with the course units.

In the classification of study cycles, classifications by CNAEF, and the Portuguese version of CORDIS, are currently in use at U.Porto.

Each course unit should be part of a specific scientific/academic area.

Scientific committee of a course or of a study cycle

A group of three to five lecturers or researchers with doctorate degrees or equivalent, coordinated and designated by the Director of the course or study cycle, which takes into account the recommendations of Department Directors/Presidents who are directly involved in the committee.

Semester

See Curricular year.

Special calls for application

See Entry & Admissions.

Specialisation course

A course (an organised set of training units), which does not award a degree, integrated into and with requirements that correspond to the course components of the 2nd cycle, with a minimum of 30 ECTS credits.

Student

Any person who is enrolled and registered in a study cycle or a course at U.Porto, independently of the study area, in order to complete higher studies and obtain a recognised degree or qualification on a higher level, including the doctorate level (see also Type of student).

Student Card for mobility in

A mobility in identity card for a foreign student, issued by the International Relations Service on arrival and after registration at U.Porto.

Student in the field of continuing education

Any person registered at U.Porto, irrespective of the field of study, aiming at the completion of higher studies in the context of lifelong learning.

Student Statuses

• Attending (A) - Normal situation of the registered student.
• Completed (C) - Status of students who have completed the course or study cycle (see also Ways to leave a course/study cycle).
• Definite interruption (DI) -A student who changed course, transferred, had their enrolment cancelled, underwent an interchange or placement change, or failed in the study cycle he/she attended (2nd and 3rd cycles).
• Enrolment cancelled (EC) - Enrolment is cancelled as a result of the student's withdrawal or of a decision made by the institution (see also Ways to leave a course/study cycle).
• Interrupted (I) - A student who withdrew from the course or study cycle without obtaining a course or degree diploma, respectively, having allowed the registration to lapse. Students who have not registered are given this status on 31 December of the academic year in which they should have registered. This status implies a loss of enrolment (see Ways to leave a course/study cycle).
• Not registered (NR) - The situation of the student who attended the university the previous year but who did not re-register. On the 31st December, the student who is not registered is given the status "Interrupted".
• Partially completed (PC) - Status of a student who withdraws from the integrated master's study cycle having allowed the registration to lapse after obtaining one of the diplomas of that cycle (see also Ways to leave a course/study cycle).
• Registered and partially completed (RPC) – A student of the integrated master's study cycle who completed 180 credits corresponding to the first six semesters of the study plan and received the corresponding bachelor's degree, while still pursuing the same study cycle.
• Registered and partially completed (Reg.PC) - A student who completed an undergraduate degree in an integrated master's study cycle and who continues to pursue studies in the same cycle.
• Registration cancelled (RC) - Registration is cancelled in a given academic year due to a decision by the student or the institution, without losing enrolment.
• Restriction on registration (RR) - A student with a cancelled registration due to repeated failure, according to Law 37/2003 and the regulation at U.Porto Regulation on the restriction on registration at U.Porto.
• Suspended (S) - Not enrolled, maintains registration (according to Article 17 - Working students). The "Suspended" status will be applied only to disciplinary proceedings under the Disciplinary regulations for students of U.Porto.
• Suspension of deadline (SD) - In the 3rd cycles, the deadline for submitting/defending a doctoral thesis can be suspended without an interruption in registration, as stated in the conditions foreseen in the General Regulation of Third Cycles of U.Porto and in the Tuition Fees Regulation of U.Porto.
• Temporary interruption (TI) - A student who was subject to a restriction on registration, suspension, enrolment/registration cancellation, for the period of one year.
  

Student with a second address

A student who has moved from his/her permanent residence to attend a course/study cycle. During the academic year in which they are registered, the student lives at a different address from their permanent residence.

Student Worker

See Type of attendance – Working student.

Student workload

Time (expressed in hours and in credits) that an average student (of a specific cycle) needs to spend to reach the specific learning outcomes of a course unit/course/cycle. The time includes all learning activities that involve the student (for example, classes, seminars, laboratory work or fieldwork, individual study, study visits, exams).

Student-Athlete

See Type of attendance.

Student-Athlete Status

The student-athlete status is applicable to students who represent their institution or respective student association in academic and university competitions, including national, European and international qualification tournaments and championships, as well as the Universiade, and who is not covered by either the high performance status nor the status regarding participation in national teams. The student-athlete status can also be assigned to students who wish to be part of sports clubs and who practise a type of sport which is not included in U.Porto’s University Sports, as long as a specific protocol is celebrated for those cases and considering the conditions foreseen in the Regulation on the Student-Athlete Status of U.Porto, Regulation No. 694/2019.

Student-Firefighter

This status applies to students who are either volunteer or professional firefighters and work at a fire brigade, which entails tasks such as protecting human lives and possessions. These students enjoy benefits in the context of education according to Decree-Law No. 248/2012 and Decree-Law No. 249/2012 of November 21.

Study cycle leading to a bachelor's degree

First study cycle, which consists of an organised set of course units, termed a bachelor's course. It is composed of 180 to 240 credits and a normal duration of six to eight semesters for a full-time student.

Study cycle leading to a doctorate degree

The third study cycle includes:

• The production of an original thesis, specifically written for this purpose and suitable to the field of knowledge or expertise.
• The completion of course units that provide training in the field of research, designated by doctoral course as a group, when foreseen by regulatory standards.
  

Study cycle leading to a master's degree

The second study cycle, which comprises 90 to 120 credits and a normal duration of three to four semesters for a full-time student or, exceptionally, 60 credits and a normal duration of two semesters of work resulting from a stable and internationally consolidated practice in that field of expertise. The second study cycle includes:

• A specialisation course, which consists of an organised set of course units, termed master's course, which corresponds to a minimum of 50% of the total credits of the study cycle;
• An original scientific dissertation or a project, specifically produced for this purpose, or a professional internship with a final report, according to specific objectives, which must be in accordance with regulatory standards. In addition, the work produced must correspond to a minimum of 35% of total credits of the study cycle.
  

Study plan of a course or of a study cycle

A structured grouping of course units which a student must complete successfully in order to:

• Obtain a certain academic degree.
• Complete a non-degree course.
• Meet some of the requirements for obtaining a certain academic degree.
  

Study programme recognition for a mobility out Student of U.Porto

The recognition and respective allocation of credits of the studies that took place during a specific period in another national or international partner institution, even if the content of that study programme may differ from the one at U.Porto. This is guaranteed through the Learning Agreement and the Agreement on academic recognition established with the student before the mobility period.

Summer/winter courses

Short training courses offered in the summer and winter periods, adjusted to different qualification levels and oriented towards different target audiences, national or international.

Suspension (S)

See Student Statuses.

Temporary student

A student who enrols in a course/study cycle at U.Porto but abandons it in the period leading up to 31 December of the same year, due to cancellation of enrolment, placement change or interchange. Temporary students are not included in the statistics that monitor academic success.

Trainee

A person who receives professional or general training at the workplace or in an institution or training provider.

Trainer

A professional defined in Article 17 of Decree-Law No. 53-A/96 of 16/12 as the one who prepares, develops and evaluates training sessions for groups of trainees, using teaching techniques and materials appropriate to the objectives, as well as his/her technical and pedagogical skills. An "In-house" trainer is a trainer employed by the training entity, while an "External" trainer is not employed by the entity.

Training in transferable and transversal skills

• U.Porto transversal skills - training, which is properly identified, in various fields or in areas that are complementary to the knowledge and technical skills in the study cycle in which the student is registered. These skills are oriented towards the development of personal and interpersonal qualities (soft skills and transferable skills), such as team work, communication and adaptability to new contexts, including multicultural ones, or the ability to solve problems, or personal and professional ethics, or knowledge transfer, aiming at a complete training and also contributing to future employability for U.Porto students and graduates. For the purpose of autonomous training related to certification study plans, it is subject to internal accreditation, allocation of credits and assessment, in similar terms to point i) of the previous paragraph. It should have a strong practical and interactive component among students. The training can be attended in the classroom or virtually, according to the approval and accreditation process.
• Transversal skills - Student participation in U.Porto multidisciplinary conferences, seminars, lectures, debates or activities of a scientific and educational nature which are not part of a course, properly acknowledged and certified under the Rectoral dispatch that approved the Regulating Principles of the Creation and Effects of U.Porto's Academic Passport.
  

Training pre-requirements

Previous knowledge that the student must have or conditions that he or she must satisfy to able to attend a certain course unit.

Training unit

A teaching and learning unit with its own learning objectives, not included in a course, and which can be subject to assessment, allocation of credits and certification.

Training unit credits

Numeric value that expresses the work that must be done by a student to complete a training unit. The assessment of this work includes:

• The number of contact hours represented by the time used in collective teaching sessions, namely in classrooms, laboratories or fieldwork and in personal guidance sessions like tutoring.
• The number of hours devoted to internships, projects, fieldwork and other non-contact activities related to the training unit.
• The number of study hours devoted to the training unit in question.
• The number of hours allocated to the preparation and completion of assessment related to the training unit.
  

Transcript of records

Document issued in relation to student mobility by the home establishment and by the host establishment. It presents the student's academic results in each course unit in a clear, complete and understandable way. It indicates the name of the course unit, the number of credits awarded, the classification according to the classification system applicable by law and the classification according to the European Grade Conversion Scale, as stated in the principles defined in Article 29 to 33 of Decree-Law No. 42/2005, of February 22.

Transcript of records (TR)

A certificate of attendance records and studies completed by the student before or after an exchange period.

Transfer

An act through which the student enrols and registers in the same course/study cycle in a higher education institution that is different from the one in which he or she was or is enrolled, with or without having interrupted the registration in a higher education course. Enrolment is subject to the vacancies that are defined every year (due to an alteration to the law, a new concept will be adopted. See Change of institution/course pair; see also Entry & Admissions – Transfer in and Ways to leave a course/study cycle – Transfer out).

Trimester

See Curricular year.

Tuition Fee

Annual attendance fee that the student owes to the higher education institution of enrolment and registration as a form of contribution to education costs. It is regulated by Decree-Law No. 37/2003 of 22 August, altered by Law No. 49/2005 of 30 August, by law No. 62/2007 of 10 September, by Law No. 68/2017 of 9 August, by Law No. 42/2019 of 21 June and by the Tuition Fees Regulation of the University of Porto.

Type of attendance

• Firefighter - A student with attendance conditions as described in Decree-Law no. 248/2012 and no. 249/2012 of 21 November.
• Head of association (HA) - A student who was assigned the status of head of association after being elected by his or her peers for that position, under the legislation on youth associations.
• High Performance Sportspeople (HPSP) - A student with special attendance conditions who was assigned the status of High Performance Sportsperson. He or she meets the conditions established by law and is registered in the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth (Public Institute, IDP, I.P.).
• Ordinary student (O) - A person registered in a full time regime and who is required to attend face-to-face lessons or tutorials.
• Soldier (S) - A student with legally prescribed attendance conditions.
• Special situation (S):
  • Motherhood and fatherhood - Special attendance and assessment conditions according to Law no. 90/2001 of 20 August, which includes measures of social support to student mothers and fathers that attend initial higher education at U.Porto (1st cycles and integrated masters). The first alteration is established in Law no. 60/2017 of 1 August.
  • Students with special educational needs - Students covered by the "Specific provisions for students with special educational needs of the University of Porto".
• Student-Athlete - A student with special attendance conditions thanks to their student-athlete status.
• Working student (WS) - A student who enjoys the conditions foreseen in Law no. 59/2008 of 11 September, which approved the Work Contract Regime for Civil Service, and Law no. 7/2009 of 12 February, which approved the revision of the Labour Code, as well as Law no. 105/2009 of 14 September, which approved the New Regulation of the Labour Code.
  

Type of student

Type of relationship between the student and the institution:

• Mobility Student (M) - A student registered and enrolled in a higher education institution and in a study cycle, who attends another higher education institution for a part of the study cycle.
  • Mobility in Student - A person who is enrolled in another higher education institution, national or international, and who comes to U.Porto to complete a period of studies up to a year, in any cycle, under specific agreements or programmes and who benefits from the same rights and duties of a U.Porto student (while maintaining the conditions foreseen in the Erasmus Student Charter), in the following modalities:
    • Non-degree Studies at U.Porto:
      • Mobility student in 1st cycle (M1) - Student with a study contract mainly for the 1st cycle.
      • Mobility student in 2nd cycle (M2) - Student with a study contract mainly for the 2nd cycle.
      • Mobility student in 3rd cycle (M3) - Student with a study contract mainly for the 3rd cycle.
      • Mobility student - Free (FM) - "free mover in" - A student with a regular registration in another higher education institution, who submits a request to be able to attend U.Porto for a study period, without being included in any exchange programme or agreement, with a recognition of the study period or only by accepting the studies as complementary training. This includes the payment of additional tuition fees required by U.Porto.
    • Studies that lead to a degree awarded by U.Porto:
      • Students that are registered in other higher education institutions and who come to study at U.Porto for a certain time period, under specific agreements or international programmes, with the intention of obtaining a degree; in these cases, we include, among others, "Erasmus Mundus" master’s students, joint doctoral students and students covered by agreements for the award of several titles.
  • Mobility out Student - U.Porto student who is attending part of a course or study cycle in another higher education institution.
  • U.Porto multidisciplinary student (M) - A student who is enrolled and registered in an organisational unit (A) of U.Porto and who goes to another organisational unit (B) to complete one or more course units. Situations:
    • Multidisciplinary courses (MC) - The student will be registered as a regular student in units A and B. He or she will participate in each unit with an ETI percentage (equivalent to full time) defined by the units involved.
    • Free options (FO) - The student in unit A takes one or more free options in unit B. That student will be counted as a regular student only in unit A. In unit B, he or she will only be counted for the purpose of internal exchange statistics and for the purpose of statistics related to the capacity of certain Organisational Units to host students in a "free" course regulation, not being included in the statistics of enrolled and registered students in study cycles of unit B.
• Foreign student - A student who does not have Portuguese nationality and who is taking part in a study cycle or an exchange period at U.Porto.
• Exceptional student (X) - A person who attends one or more subjects or course units in a certain course or study cycle without being enrolled in it.
• International student (with status) - A student who does not have Portuguese nationality, nor the nationality of a member state of the European Union, with the exceptions foreseen in Article 3 of Decree-Law no. 36/2014, in the description provided by Decree-Law no. 62/2018, namely, when they are "family members of Portuguese citizens or of nationals of a member State of the European Union", considering the concept of "family member" as established in Law no. 37/2006 of 9 August, specifically:
  • i. The spouse of a European Union citizen.
  • ii. The partner of a European Union citizen with a registered partnership, as established by law, or a partner of a European Union citizen with a permanent relationship that is duly certified by the competent authority of the member State where he or she resides.
  • iii. The direct descendant who is less than 21 years old or who is under the care of a European Union citizen, as well as the spouse's descendant or the descendant of the partner as described in the previous paragraph.
  • iv. The direct descendant who is under the care of a European Union citizen, as well as the spouse's descendant or the descendant of the partner as described in paragraph ii).
• Regular student (R) - A person who is enrolled and registered in a course or study cycle at U.Porto.

Undergraduate course

Non-degree course, integrated into and with requirements at the level of the 1st cycle.

University of origin

See Home institution.

Visiting student

See Type of student – Mobility student.

Ways to leave a course/study cycle

• Cancellation of enrolment - A unilateral decision by U.Porto (according to general legal terms), a placement change within CNAES or in situations when the study cycle does not open (No. 1 and 2 of Article 8 of Tuition Fees Regulation of U.Porto).
• Completed (C) - When a student leaves U.Porto as a result of completing a course/study cycle.
• Partially completed (PC) - A student who abandoned the course or study cycle because he/she did not register in it after obtaining one of the diplomas of that cycle.
• Death - Termination of enrolment due to the death of the student.
• Interrupted - A student who abandoned the course or study cycle without obtaining a diploma because he/she did not register in it. Enrolment was cancelled.
• Change of course out - An act through which a student leaves a course/study cycle in which he/she is registered, in order to register in another course/study cycle, in the same higher education institution or in a different one (with the change in legislation, the new concept is adopted. See Change of institution/course pair).
• Interchange out - Loss of enrolment at U.Porto as a result of an interchange with another student of the same course/study cycle in a different higher education institution.
• Placement change -When a student leaves a study cycle due to being placed in another study cycle in U.Porto or in another higher education institution, under the National Call for Applications to Access Higher Education.
• Fail (in a course or degree) - When a student leaves U.Porto because he/she failed the public defence of the dissertation or thesis.
• Transfer out - An act through which the student leaves U.Porto due to his/her enrolment in the same course/study cycle in another higher education institution (with the change in legislation, the new concept is adopted. See Change of institution/course pair).