Study path counsellors faculty ES

Keep track of the full picture, and the options

When composing your study path, it is important to keep in mind:

• the pre- and corequisites for the course (if any)
• the spreading possibilities
• the programme overview.

All information can be found below, next to your study programme.

PRE- AND COREQUISITES

In order to be able to register for some courses, you need to meet certain enrolment requirements first. These requirements can be either pre- or corequisites.

A prerequisite is a course that you must have completed before being able to enrol in a subsequent course, and which indicates that you master the competencies attributed to it.

A corequisite is a course that, in case if you have not completed it yet, you must enrol in together with a subsequent course.

How do I compose my individual study path?

You can easily create your individual study path using this form.

When composing your individual study path for an academic year, please take the following into account:

• The amount of courses you can take per academic year
• Pre- and corequisites
• Timetables
• An even balance throughout your study path
• Exemptions
• Your study progress
• Your learning account

Amount of courses and credits per academic year

When you follow the standard study path, an academic year usually consists of 60 ECTS credits. When you follow an individual study path, you can partly determine the amount of credits you take in one academic year. However, you need to take the following into account:

• You need to be enrolled for at least 27 credits per academic year if you are entitled to child benefits and/or sholarship in Belgium. More info and exceptions here.
• Attention: if you have a student visa, you have to register at least 54 credits per academic year (except in your graduation year, where you can register 25 credits). If you have questions about your student visa, please reach out to irmo@vub.be (international relations office).
• You can take up a maximum of 72 credits per academic year, as long as you meet the pre- and corequisites. Exceptions to this rule can be requested from the dean. 

Pre- and corequisites

In order to be eligible to take a course, you usually have to meet certain enrolment requirements. These requirements can be both pre- and corequisites.

A prerequisite is a course of which you have shown that you have mastered the competences attributed to it before being able to enrol for a subsequent course.

A corequisite is a course that, if you have not passed it yet, you must enrol for together with a subsequent course.

Besides these prerequisites and corequisites, some courses may need an additional enrolment requirement. For these courses you must already have passed a minimum of credits during your study path.

Faculty regulations

Students who fail to pass at least 30 ECTS credits within the first bachelor's programme are not (or only to a very limited extent) eligible for an individual study path. These students can not (or hardly) supplement their first bachelor's programme with programme components from the second and/or third bachelor's programme. Students in this situation have to first obtain at least 30 credits in BA1 before they can add higher year courses.

Students who are allowed to register higher year courses need to take into account the 'pre-and corequisites'. Only when you are able to graduate (obtaining a Bachelor's or Master's degree) these requirements can be overruled. In this case, please contact your study path counselor.

Keep the balance

It is important that you create a good balance between the first and second semesters. Compose your study path so that the two semesters are roughly proportionate.  Do you have questions about this? Follow a group session organized by your faculty's study path counsellors. 

What is it?

A combined enrolment is an enrolment where you combine the remaining courses of a bachelor’s/preparatory programme with one or more courses of the master’s programme.

How to apply for a combined enrolment?

Only students who are able to graduate in their bachelor’s or preparatory programme are eligible for a combined enrolment (with the exception of students who accept a spreading proposal discussed with the study path counsellor). In practice, this means that you only have a limited number of credits left in your bachelor/preparatory programme.

A combined enrolment is limited to 72 ECTS credits according to Article 42 of the Teaching and Examination Regulation. This is the total number of credits for both programmes combined.

Follow the instructions to apply for a combined enrolment in Selfservice. 

Guidelines and exceptions applied by our faculty

If the student needs to complete 30 credits (or less) in the basic programme, the enrolement in a subsequent Master's programme is allowed, in accordance with the applicable rules of study progress.

• When a student is able to graduate (in the subsequent Master's programme), prerequisites are overruled up to 72 ECTS credits (with the exception of the Master's thesis, check last point). 
• A study path up to 78 sp is allowed if the student has no binding conditions and does not have to take the final paper. 
• Students without binding conditions who wish to take a study path of more than 78 ECTS credits must discuss this with the study path counsellor. The proposal will be discussed with the Dean.
• Students who have not yet taken the paper (in their Bachelor's programme or preparatory programme) cannot combine it with the Master's thesis. The combination of the paper and the master's thesis must always be submitted to the dean together with a proof of progress of the paper delivered by the assistant/supervisor.

If the student still needs more than 30 credits to complete his basic programme, he must request for an exception.

Request for an exception on regulations

You can hand in a request by filling out this form

The study path counselor will deliver your request to the Dean who will take the final decision. You can request for the following exceptions:

• Pre- and corequisites (you want to overrule the requirements for a course)
• Combine study programmes (you want to combine a bachelor or preparatory programme with a master programme)
• Enroll for the programme after the deadline of 30 September
• (De)Register for courses after the deadline of 15 October (first semester and year courses)
• (De)Register for courses after the deadline of 28 February (second semester courses)
• Exceed the maximum amount of 72 ECTS-credits