(information for exchange students)

Degree programs at UFP are organized in ECTS. The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System is a student-centred system based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of a specific programme/course unit. ECTS credit system is used both as an accumulation and transfer system and is the only credit system in use at UFP. ECTS credits are the result of the student’s  individual work and effort which involves contact hours, work in the library or laboratory, participation in cultural and scientific activities, participation in tutorials and also the completion of assignements designated as elements of assessment. As stipulated at  European level that 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a work unit of between 25 and 30 hours, UFP adopted 25 hours for each European credit unit.

Grading Scale

20 point grading system is applied for assessment of examinations, projects, essays, tests and other tasks. Knowledge is assessed through continuous evaluation. In the Portuguese System, the marks of the university examinations are expressed out of twenty – the pass mark is 10/20 and the highest is 20/20.

CLASS ATTENDANCE 

1. The participation of students in teaching contact hours is normally mandatory, except for those covered by special status.
1.1. The exception referred to above does not exempt students of compliance with the percentages of compulsory attendance for laboratory practice (LP) and clinical (C) classes and internship (I).
2. Regarding the teaching hours of the classes, the minimum attendance percentage is as follows:
2.1. In theoretical, theoretical and practical or non-laboratory practice: 50% of the taught classes;
2.2. In laboratory practice classes for courses from the health area 80% of the classes, and in courses from other areas 60% of the taught classes;
2.3. In clinical teaching (including internships): 90% of the classes.
3. The contact hours of tutorial sessions or tutoring should be at least 50%.
4. [not applicable to Erasmus+/exchange students]
5. Any justification of absence does not exempt the student of the efective fulfillment of the percentage of laboratory practice classes, clinical classes and internships.
5.1. The justification should be handed over at the Students’ Office or the Virtual Students’ Office, within five days after the date of the absence, or five days after the legally defined period of absence;
5.2. The justification of absences will only be accepted provided that it is done by the means and motives foreseen by law;
5.3. Students who have exhausted the number of absences foreseen in the respective attendance percentages and that had some absences excused, will agree with their teachers the process and the means of recovery of laboratory practice classes, clinical classes and mandatory internship sessions that have missed.
5.4. Any justification of absence to ongoing evaluation moments does not imply a new set of the assessments and the student is referred to the corresponding exam, if applicable.
6. It is the teachers’ responsibility to monitor students’ attendance. […]

(Article 12 of the Academic Normative for University Fernando Pessoa’s 
Licenciaturas [undergraduate degrees] and Integrated Masters Degrees)

ASSESSMENT
Continuous Assessment
1. The general aim of students’assessment is to verify the knowledge acquisition and the syllabus objectives of each curricular unit in which they are enrolled.
2. The specific objectives of the assessment are set by teachers in the syllabus of their curricular units, such as the articulation of the ECTS established with the acquisition of the minimum competencies that students should get to be approved. […]
3. The knowledge assessment is continuous whenever it is possible, depending on the students’ percentage of attendance.
3.1. Continuous assessment requires the enforcement of the percentage of attendance prescribed under this regulation to each curricular unit;
3.2. Students who do not reach this percentage are unable to take continuous assessment, being referred to the final exam assessment at the end of the semester, if the curricular unit in question, or its component, is of theoretical nature, theoretical and practical, or non laboratory practice;
3.3. The classification of a curricular unit is expressed in a decimal scale from 0 (zero) to 20 (twenty); […]
3.4. The approval classification of a curricular unit is 10 (ten) marks, in whole or rounded numbers.
4. The assessment of a curricular unit allows for different ways to control the knowledge evolution and the competencies obtained by the student.
4.1. If the curricular unit integrates a theoretical and/or theoretical and practical and/or non-laboratory practice academic component, the assessment foreseen for the pedagogical execution of the program is carried out continuously by verifying the compliance with the objectives set by the student’s performance in class, in tutoring sessions, in supervision sessions, specifically works (papers or others) and/or oral tests, in the participation in scientific conferences, lectures, seminars and other means of measuring the informational and cultural development;
4.2. The student’s performance in laboratory practice classes is assessed, among other things, by the quantity and quality of autonomous implementation of the protocols and works developed, with the objective of acquiring effective competencies in the scientific area in question;
4.2.1. The use of the white coat (UFP model) and, if applicable, goggles and other protective elements, is required in laboratory practice classes;
4.3. The clinical training held through internships, clinical practice and/or professional training in the University’s Pedagogical Clinics, in the University’s Hospital or in Health Units that have a protocol with UFP, is assessed continuously and systematically, taking into consideration the following aspects:
(a) attendance, punctuality and attitude on patient care;
(b) scientific, technical and relational competencies;
(c) quality of clinical work;
(d) organization and cleanliness of the workspace.
4.3.1. A minimum of 90% of attendance and other regulation aspects of clinical training are established in the manual of procedures and agenda-protocol for registration of the pedagogical execution that all students, in this situation, must follow;
4.3.2. The assessment and weighting criteria of each of the elements mentioned above will appear in the agenda-protocol;
4.3.3. The use of uniform (UFP’s model defined previously) is mandatory in all classes and clinical and/or professional training sessions;
Single paragraph. The lack of uniform prevents the participation in clinical and/or professional training sessions. The lack of uniform is unjustifiable and is included in the calculation of mandatory attendance.
4.4. All activities susceptible of evaluation receive credits (ECTS) duly proportional (from a minimum of 0.5 and its multiples) to the total number of credits of the curricular unit;
4.5. In case of using multiple choice or true/false tests in the assessment of a curricular unit (only permissible in continuous assessment and never with a value greater than 6 on a scale of 0 to 20), each wrong answer cannot deduct more than 25 % of the respective points; […]
6. Only the teaching components or curricular units of theoretical, theoretical and practical, or non laboratory practice nature that are “non-approved” may be assessed in the end of semester exams and possibly take a recourse or a special exam, at the times established in the academic schedule. […]
8. Cases of plagiarism or fraud, even if partial, when proven, imply the unapproval of the student and a written report to the student’s ombudsman and to the director of the corresponding faculty for possible disciplinary action.
9. Students have the right to check their assessed work and to know the criteria used on its correction.
9.1. This consultation and the clarification of its criteria should be requested by email to the corresponding teachers up to 48 (forty eight) hours after the posting of the grades, if teachers have not taken the initiative to set a day and time for that purpose;
9.2. The provisional grades of continuous assessment become final 72 (seventy two) hours after their posting, if there is no complaint from the students.

(Article 13 of the Academic Normative for University Fernando Pessoa’s 
Licenciaturas [undergraduate degrees] and Integrated Masters Degrees)

Exams Assessment
1. Exams assessment can be done by one of the following types: end of semester exam, appeal exam and special exam. […]
6. The end of semester exams have their own schedule and must compulsorily take place at the semester teaching breaks.
6.1. The end of semester exams, unlike the appeal and the special exams, are not subject to enrolment or payment of an administrative fee.
6.2. Students may take end of semester exams if they have not had continuous assessment or if, having it done, they have not been approved.
7. The appeal and special exams have their own schedule and compulsorily take place at the end of the academic year. […]
7.1. Students that have not been approved on the continuous assessment or on the end of semester exams may take appeal exams;
7.2. Students may also take special exams, if their attendance status allows them to.
7.3. The appeal and special exams are subject to prior enrolment and payment of administrative fees.
7.3.1. Prior enrolment must occur up to 48 (forty eight) hours before the day of the exam.
8. Special exams are intended for:
(a) working-students’ status;
(b) top-class athletes and other special statutes foreseen by the Portuguese law;
(c) final year students;
(d) students not approved in the curricular units preceding clinical teaching;
(e) [not applicable to Erasmus+/exchange students]
(f) [not applicable to Erasmus+/exchange students]
(g) [not applicable to Erasmus+/exchange students] […]
9. The exams assessment of a curricular unit is given on a scale of 0 (zero) to 20 (twenty), using a grade without decimals.
9.1. The approval grade of a curricular unit is 10 (ten) marks, whole or rounded.
9.2. The final grade of a curricular unit should take into account the grade obtained in the oral exam, when it happens.
10. Cases of plagiarism or fraud, even if partial, when proven, imply the unapproval of the student and a written report to the student’s ombudsman and to the director of the corresponding faculty for possible disciplinary action.

(Article 14 of the Academic Normative for University Fernando Pessoa’s 
Licenciaturas [undergraduate degrees] and Integrated Masters Degrees)

Classification
1. When a curricular unit is evaluated independently of the theoretical and practical component, the final grade of this curricular unit will only be given when both components are approved. […]

(Article 15 of the Academic Normative for University Fernando Pessoa’s 
Licenciaturas [undergraduate degrees] and Integrated Masters Degrees)

Grade improvement
1. The student may register at the end of semester exams, appeal exams and/or special exams to improve the grade of a curricular unit graded on that academic year or on the previous one:
1.1. This enrolment is subject to an administration fee and, in the same academic year, the student cannot require this special exam for more than four curricular units.
1.2. The exams for grade improvement do not have an oral exam, with the exception of the foreign language exams;
1.3. The grade improvement in a curricular unit can only be required once;
1.4. [not applicable to Erasmus+/exchange students]
1.5. Students cannot require a grade improvement exam for laboratory practice or clinical components.
2. If the previous grade is higher, the grade improvement exam does not annul the previous grade.

(Article 19 of the Academic Normative for University Fernando Pessoa’s 
Licenciaturas [undergraduate degrees] and Integrated Masters Degrees)

DON’T FORGET: THERE IS NO SPECIAL EVALUATION SYSTEM OR PAEDAGOGICAL RULES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS. Erasmus+/exchange students have to follow the same evaluation rules as regular students, with no exceptions!

All questions regarding the academic calendar, changes to the original study plan, forms and other procedures can be cleared by checking the International Relations Office webpage through UFP’s website.