This program allows students who are 17 or older and who have completed less than 12 years of formal education to earn up to an additional 60 credits in undergraduate courses in order to qualify for admission in our undergraduate degree programs. Refer to the undergraduate admission requirements for further details.

Language

All courses are taught entirely in English at all campuses.

Duration

Depending on the number of credits attempted per quarter, the course selection and the course planning, full-time students may, for example, earn a Bachelor degree in either 3 academic years of 3 quarters each, for a total of 9 quarters of 20 credits each; or in 4 academic years of 3 quarters each, for a total of 12 quarters of 15 credits each. Earning credits during the summer quarter will speed up the studies. The additional requirements can be met in 1 academic year of 3 quarters of 20 credits each, or in 1 academic year of 4 quarters of 15 credits each.

Schedules

Courses are scheduled from Monday to Friday between 8:30 and 18:30, typically in sessions of 3 hours each. Only Pre-Master leveling courses are scheduled at main campuses during the evening from 19:00 to 22:00. Refer to the course planning for further details on the availability of weekday and evening courses. Additional courses may be available online; additional academic policies and conditions will apply.

Credits

Courses are assigned a number of credits, indicating the estimated workload. Each credit equals up to 30 learning hours, including contact hours, exam hours, self-study hours and group-study hours. Contact hours vary depending on total student enrollments per course. The workload of a typical full-time undergraduate student amounts to 15 or 20 credits per quarter and to 450 or 600 learning hours respectively.

Program	European Credits (ECTS)	American quarter credits	American semester credits
Bachelor	180	180	120
Associate	90	90	60
Certificate	30	30	20

Courses

Undergraduate courses are divided into core courses and specialization courses (relevant to a major or minor). Electives can be chosen from any of the scheduled courses offered at the undergraduate level. Specialization courses are scheduled based on enrollments and may not be available at all campuses. Specialization courses scheduled are available to all students also as electives. Refer to the program schedule for further details. Refer to the course overview for the list of available courses. Students are recommended to complete courses and earn credits at the highest level possible.

Program requirements

Switching to another program once the studies have started is possible as long as the program requirements are met by the end of the studies. Therefore, the decision to switch should be made as early as possible to avoid not meeting the program requirements within the intended program duration.

Formal education	11 years minimum
Courses (Pre-Bachelor)	30 credits / 6 courses
Courses (electives)	up to 30 credits / 6 courses
Bachelor	60 + 180 credits
Associate	60 + 90 credits
Certificate	60 + 30 credits

• view the list of all undergraduate courses

 

Grading system

Students are assessed on a combination of attendance, participation, individual assignments, group assignments and exams. Assignments may include reading materials, term papers, reports, presentations, and others. The combination of these assessments provides students with an equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. The minimum passing grade is D (60%). In case of an FX grade, students have the option to request a second exam in order to obtain the minimum passing grade of 60%. The Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated on a 4.0 scale.

Percentage	Grade	Definition
90 to 99	A	Excellent
80 to 89	B	Good
70 to 79	C	Average
60 to 69	D	Poor
50 to 59	FX	Unsatisfactory
0 to 49	F	Fail

Percentage	GPA	Academic Honors
90	3.6	Summa Cum Laude
85	3.4	Magna Cum Laude
80	3.2	Cum Laude

Diploma

Upon successful completion of the study program students receive an international private undergraduate certificate, diploma or degree awarded by the school’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, based on the recommendation of the faculty of the local campuses where credits were earned. Our study programs are based on and are fully compatible with the established European and American educational systems.

Admission

Because of the program's flexible structure and modular design, multiple starting dates are available in October, January, April, July and August. Refer to the academic calendar for the exact starting dates. Undergraduate programs are offered at all campuses. Refer to the program schedule for an overview of the campuses where certain majors and minors are offered. Refer to the admission section for details on how to apply. When applying, please adhere to the application procedures and guidelines.

Admission requirements

• proficiency in the English language (refer to the admission section for further details)
• high school diploma that allows access to higher education in the country of origin

Students who are 17 or older who have completed less than 12 years of formal education and who do not hold a high school diploma that allows access to higher education in the country of origin should earn up to an additional 60 credits in the Pre-Bachelor program.

e.g. Students who wish to earn an Associate degree and who are required to complete the Pre-Bachelor program will need to earn 60 + 90 credits.

 

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