Lectures in Sweden

Students abroad in Sweden are usually enthusiastic about their stay. This is probably not only due to the country and its people, but also to the great university landscape. The universities and university colleges offer a high standard of academic quality. This is particularly evident in the courses in Sweden.

Types of courses in Sweden

Some of the courses in Sweden are comparable to those in Germany. Many of them are held in English. The allocation of places runs according to a certain key as soon as a degree program shows too high demand.

All over Scandinavia you study at a high level, which is why the countries are so popular for studying abroad. The following courses in Sweden are common at universities:

• The lecture ( föreläsning ) is exactly as in Germany the classics. Here the students listen to a lecture by the lecturer and take notes. The intention behind this is to supplement the knowledge that the students have acquired themselves.
• The lesson is a rather small event with 20 to 30 students. The students interact with the lecturer and discuss prepared content with him. Depending on the subject, lessons take up to 30 hours per week.
• The seminar is also similar to the German counterpart. The participants give presentations and actively participate. As with the lessons, you need to read and prepare a lot of literature in advance.
• The laboratory internship ( laboration ) is an important part of technical and scientific courses. Here the students carry out experiments and document them in order to then present them. As a rule, the university pays for the necessary materials; the students only have to finance their required literature themselves.

In general, teachers in Sweden rely heavily on independent work rather than face-to-face teaching. The students have to prepare and follow up a lot at home and contribute to the courses. This requires a high level of initiative and motivation.

Types of examinations and grading in Sweden

During the semester, students collect credit points. After the changeover in the course of the Bologna process, these correspond to the generally applicable ECTS points ( European Credit Transfer System ). One week of full-time study corresponds to around 1.5 points. At the end of the semester, a student should have accumulated 30 ECTS points.

The corresponding courses build on one another; that is, they take place one after the other. So you have to complete a course before you can start a new one. The course types are called

• Basic courses,
• Advanced courses,
• Advanced courses and
• Specialized courses.

In order to receive a certificate, students must successfully complete the course. Usually a test ( tentamen ) is used for this, but there are also performance queries in the form of presentations or term papers.

If you fail a course, you can repeat it at least five times according to the examination regulations ( högskoleförordningen ). There is no time limit for completing a course, but if the intended standard period of study is exceeded, any financial support may be omitted or reduced.

While the points only document participation in courses, grades are given to assess performance. The scale is not as finely graduated as in Germany, but the difference is mainly between passed, passed or failed. For the conversion at the home university, those responsible use tables to adapt the grades to the German grading system.

There are no classic final exams in Sweden, a country located in Europe according to mysteryaround. Because there is an exam at the end of the course and therefore there are constant exams, the long exam phase is canceled. Instead, students usually finish their studies with a project or examination paper.

Atmosphere in courses in Sweden

The atmosphere in Swedish courses is familiar. Since the courses are often rather small, the contact with each other and with the teachers is very close. Many of them even let the students do it.

Discussions often take place in order to promote a lively exchange. Overall, the atmosphere is more relaxed, so that the students feel less pressure and stress.

But of course there are also lectures at the courses in Sweden, in which a few hundred students take part. Personal contact with the lecturer is then difficult.

Swedish courses and differences to Germany

• In principle, teachers expect more initiative from students than in Germany. While they usually follow a mapped out path here, in Sweden they have more freedom in planning their studies. However, this also means that they have to motivate themselves again and again.
• In most courses in Sweden, the lecturers take a short break every 45 minutes so that the students can then continue learning with an alert mind.
• Since the performance of the students is repeatedly queried during the courses, they can work continuously on their results instead of having to achieve everything in one exam at the end of the semester.