The academics at RU have grown and developed into a strong team of staff focusing on research, developing new ideas and educating good students. Reykjavik University is striving towards increased globalisation of education and among the academics are faculty members with a strong international orientation. Furthermore, a number of guest lecturers from universities abroad visit Reykjavik University every academic year to educate students and carry out research.
Language of Instruction
The principal language of instruction is Icelandic. Each semester a number of courses are taught in English. Textbooks are mainly in English.
ECTS Credits and Grades
ECTS credits are applied in RU for academic recognition purposes. Most courses at Reykjavik University are 6 ECTS credits (where 2 ECTS' equal 1 Icelandic credit). One ECTS credit equals 20-30 working hours and a full workload for one semester is 30 ECTS (15 Icelandic credits). The maximum credits for each semester are 36 ECTS.
30 ECTS = 15 Icelandic credits for 1 semester - 1/2 academic year
60 ECTS = 30 Icelandic credits for 2 semesters - 1 academic year
As a general rule the grades are on the scale of 0-10, where the passing grades are 5 and above.
Grades Explanation:
10.0 – 9.0: Excellent
8.9 – 8.0: Notable
7.9 – 7.0: Good
6.9 – 5.0: Average (passed)
4.9 – 0.0: Failed (no credits)
T= Transferred credits
P= Passed
RU 's instructional approach is characterized by; interactivity, teamwork and student participation. Teaching is normally based on lectures which are 45 minutes each. For each course there are 3-4 lectures per week. Additionally, there are practical sessions in some courses, in those cases there are 1-2 practical sessions per week.
The lectures are not very formal and students are encouraged to ask questions and make comments. In most courses, students need to hand in some assignments during the semester, as well as taking a final exam. Many of these assignments are based on group work.
Useful Information
