How the Study System Works
This page explains how studying at VŠE works in simple terms.
Credit System
Studies at the Prague University of Economics and Business are based on a credit system. Each course is assigned a certain number of credits, which students earn after successfully completing the course.
To graduate, students must obtain the following total number of credits:
- Bachelor’s program: 180 credits (6 semesters)
- Master’s program: 120 credits (4 semesters)
This corresponds to approximately 30 credits per semester. If a student does not pass a course, they do not receive the credits for that course. Credits already earned from other courses are not affected.
Credit Vouchers (How Course Enrolment Works)
In addition to credits, the system uses credit vouchers. Credit vouchers are required to enrol in courses and represent the total study capacity available to a student.
For example, at the beginning of a Bachelor’s program, a student is typically allocated:
- 216 credit vouchers in total
To graduate, the student must successfully complete 180 credits. The remaining 36 credit vouchers serve as a reserve.
This means:
- credit vouchers are used every time a student enrols in a course,
- successful completion of courses converts part of these vouchers into earned credits,
- the extra 36 vouchers allow flexibility, such as:repeating failed courses,
- changing study pace,
- enrolling in additional courses beyond the standard study plan.
You can think of credit vouchers as a fixed budget from which all course enrolments are paid. If a student repeatedly fails courses, they continue using credit vouchers without earning credits in return. If the number of remaining credit vouchers becomes too low and the student no longer has enough vouchers to enrol in the required courses needed to reach 180 credits, this may lead to termination of studies.
Assessment and Exams
To pass a course, students usually need to achieve at least 60% of the total assessment. The exact requirements depend on the course and may include:
- continuous assessment (tests, assignments, presentations),
- a final exam,
- or a combination of both.
Grading System
Courses are graded using the following scale:
- 1 – excellent
- 2 – very good
- 3 – good
- 4+ – fail (with the possibility to retake the exam)
- 4 – fail
Grades 1–3 indicate successful completion of the course. A grade 4+ allows the student to take a resit exam. A grade 4 means the course must be repeated in a future semester. Some courses are completed with a pass/fail assessment (credit) instead of a graded exam.
Study Groups in IDS
In the International and Diplomatic Studies (IDS) program, students are not “lost in a crowd”.
Each year is typically divided into one or two study groups, allowing students to get to know each other well and attend many classes together. Students can also contact the programme coordinator at any time with questions regarding their studies or the organisation of the program.
Each year is typically divided into one or two study groups, allowing students to get to know each other well and attend many classes together. Students can also contact the programme coordinator at any time with questions regarding their studies or the organisation of the program.