Regulations

Definitions

The Association: European Inter-university Association on Society, Science, and Technology
University: a member of the ESST association
The ESST Programme: The teaching and research programme offered by the ESST association
Administrative Board: is made up of the rectors or their representatives of all ESST universities
Teaching Committee: is a committee of the Administrative Board, and is made up of the Directors of study of universities.
Director of study: Member of faculty of a university who is responsible for organisation and co-ordinaionr of the ESST teaching programme offered by the university
1st Semester University: University admitting students to the programme and offering a teaching programme for the autumn semester
2nd Semester University: University offering a specialisation course during the second semester
The International Co-ordinator: Chairs the Teaching Committee and is appointed by the Administrative Board for a period of three years, beginning on the 1st June.

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Title and degree

The Association can award the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree “Society, Science and Technology in Europe”, which confers to the holder the right to the equivalent title.

Diploma

The Association issues the diploma for the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in “Society, Science and Technology in Europe”.

The diploma gives information about the Association and the basis for the award of the diploma.

On it should be written: the grade achieved, the title of the research paper (thesis), the name of the specialisation, the name(s) of the 1st and 2nd semester universities, and whether it is given in conjunction with another diploma issued by the 1st semester university.

The diploma is signed by the President of the Association, and the president’s name also appears in print.

Where the ESST MA is part of a separate national diploma the relation between the two diplomas must be specified in writing on the ESST diploma.

Certificate

Students who leave the programme after the first semester will receive a certificate, specifying the courses attended in the 1st semester and the grades achieved in tests, if any.

Duration and schedule

Time of study is thirteen months. The degree consists of two parts. The first part is a taught course, lasting one semester of a minimum of 15 weeks. The second part includes a taught course of a minimum of four weeks and a research project, culminating in an independent, written research paper. The research project is to be completed by the first Monday of October.

The programme may be followed in thirteen consecutive months, or in twenty-five months.

Admission requirements

In order to be admitted to the ESST programme the applicant must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree or a minimum of four years of study at university level. In addition, the applicant must demonstrate proficiency in English.

The Administrative Board (or its Teaching Comm.) can set minimum and maximum numbers of students to be admitted to each 1st semester university.

Each university decides on methods of documenting the students’ relevant capacities for admission to the 1st semester.

The selection and admission of students is organised and administered by each 1st semester university.

Where applicable, students must be registered as full time or part time students before commencing the course.

Examinations

The master’s examination takes place at the end of the 2nd semester and consists of an assessment of the thesis.

A thesis consists of a research paper in English with a length of 15,000 – 20,000 words, exclusive of notes, bibliography and figures. In cases where two students do a collaborative project, the research paper should be 30,000 to 40,000 words. The students’ work will be individually assessed. In exceptional circumstances the student may apply to write the thesis in another language.

Each candidate is assessed by at least two examiners from two different universities. Normally one examiner is affiliated to the 1st semester university, a second examiner is affiliated to the 2nd semester university.

The Master’s examination is graded on a four-point scale:

- Pass with Distinction

- Pass good

- Pass satisfactory

- Fail

Only ‘Pass with distinction’ is mentioned on the diploma. The difference between ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’ is mentioned in the examiners’ report.

In the case of disagreement among the two examiners the thesis is sent to the International Co-ordinator, who will ask another ESST professor from a third university who then decides.

Admission to the 2nd semester

The Administrative Board (or its Teaching Comm.) can set a maximum number of students to be admitted to a 2nd semester university.

To be admitted to the 2nd semester each student must have a letter of recommendation from the university where he/she completed the 1st semester taught course.

The way in which the student is assessed in order to decide about the appropriateness of such a letter, is decided by the 1st semester university (see below).

Choice of specialisation

The Association does not have the obligation to offer the first choice of specialisation to a student.

To administer the process of choosing a specialisation the following steps are followed:

1. each student presents a final list of three specialisations, with order of preference, by 15th November; in addition a 3-4 page document is presented by each student outlining their motivation for these three choices.

2. the Administrative Board (or its Teaching Committee) decides in a meeting in the third week of November about the allocation of students to specialisations.

3. students and 2nd semester universities are informed about the specialisation choices of each student in the first week of December.

Assessment of students

Each 1st semester university decides about its own method of assessing the students’ work during the 1st semester.

The methods and mechanisms of assessment are to be described in a “assessment plan” which each 1st semester university will submit to the Administrative Board (or its Teaching Comm.) for approval.

The assessment plans include at least:

- timing of all tests

- character of each test

- method of grading of each test

- consequences, if any, of failing a test

- procedure for additional tests, if any, when first was failed

- procedure for additional tests, if any, when first was not attended

- additional Regulations for each test

- possibilities for appeal

Student Handbook

Each student receives an ESST Student Handbook

The Student Handbook of the 2nd semester universities will be available to the students before 1st October.

Learning agreement

Each 2. semester university issues a “learning agreement” which specifies the duties, expectations and responsibilities of both the university and the student. The learning agreements have to be accepted by the Administrative Board.

The learning agreement includes at least:

- the minimum amount of supervision

- the minimum length of the stay in the 2nd semester university

- expectations of students’ activities and responsibilities

- relevant local Regulations

This information should be available to all students by 1st October

New specialisations

New specialisations have to be proposed to the Administrative Board (or its Teaching Committee), which decides about its acceptability

Appeals

Assessments

In cases where students have complaints about the conduct of evaluation and assessment processes (examinations and other tests), it is expected that students first appeal to the appropriate bodies of the relevant universities, who will answer to the student and to the International Co-ordinator.

In cases where the above process does not result in solutions acceptable to the parties involved, students may appeal to the International Co-ordinator.

The International Co-ordinator appoints another ESST professor from a third university who then makes the final decision. This verdict cannot be reversed.

The course

Students may appeal in cases of disagreement about the delivery of the learning agreement. It is expected that students first appeal to the appropriate bodies of the 2nd semester university, who will answer to the student and to the International Co-ordinator.

In cases where the above process does not result in solutions acceptable to the parties involved, students may appeal to the International Co-ordinator. The International Co-ordinator will consult the parties involved and recommend a decision.

The International Co-ordinator may in addition take the matter to the Administrative Board, who will act as the final court of appeal within the boundaries of the association’s legitimate field of operations.

General provision

The Administrative Board (or its Teaching Comm.) decides in matters of exemption from the above.

General exemptions are to be written in a revised issue of these Regulations.

Syllabus

The contents of the ESST Master’s degree are specified in the Syllabus, containing

- learning outcomes

- guidelines for preparing thesis

- core reading list