Level 1 (BA) Regulations

Regulations of three-year level 1 (BA) studies
at the Artes Liberales Academy

I. General provisions
§ 1

  1. The present rules apply to the three-year level 1 inter-university individual studies in the humanities available at the Artes Liberales Academy (AAL).
  2. The rules and procedures of student enrolment at the AAL are defined by the Council of the Artes Liberales Academy, hereafter referred to as the Council.
  3. The Council supervises the teaching process and course of studies at the AAL.
  4. On matters not reserved exclusively for the Council, supervision over curriculum
  5. completion and student care is the responsibility of the tutor from the non-home university (external tutor) and the tutor from the home university (internal tutor).

II. Organization of studies

§ 2

  1. Level 1 studies at the AAL are three-year full-time studies. They follow a yearly curriculum designed jointly by the student and his/her tutors, according to the rules set down by the Council.
  2. The curriculum of the three-year level 1 studies at the AAL encompasses 600 class hours (300 AAL points), for which students get credits by attending classes at the non-home university and taking part in AAL sessions.

§ 3

  1. Students are eligible to enrol in the three-year level 1 studies at the AAL if they are enrolled in the first or second year of undergraduate (BA) or five-year graduate (MA) studies at one of the universities forming the AAL.
  2. To take part in recruitment for three-year studies at the AAL, students submit questionnaires for review and take part in an interview. The AAL recruitment commission evaluates the questionnaires and interviews, accepting candidates based on the quota of available places.

§ 4

  1. The tutor from the non-home university (external tutor) and the tutor from the home university (internal tutor) are suggested by the student and appointed by the Council following consultations with the AAL representatives at the universities forming the AAL.
  2. Upon request from the student or the current tutor, the Council may consent to a change of tutor.
  3. Organizational matters related to the work of the AAL, in particular coordination of curriculum completion by students, are the responsibility of supervisors of the individual years, appointed by the Council.

§ 5

  1. Students accepted for the first year of studies take part in a preparatory course, which involves taking part in a special AAL session, writing an essay after the session, and completing a project agreed upon with the external tutor.
  2. The two- or three-day session for students accepted for the first year of studies is held in May; the deadline for submitting the essay is 15 July.
  3. By the end of June, the external tutor suggests the topic and scope of the student’s project. The deadline is the end of August. By 15 September, the tutor evaluates the project and presents a preliminary work plan for the student for the next academic year.
  4. By 30 September, the Council decides if the student has passed the preparatory course. Passing is the essential condition of commencing studies at the non-home university as part of level 1 studies at the AAL.

§ 6

The academic year at the AAL begins on 1 October and ends on 15 September of the following year.

§ 7

  1. Students of three-year level 1 studies at the AAL have to complete various elements of the curriculum in at least two universities other than the home university. A student may complete a fundamental part of the curriculum at the same non-home university for no longer than 4 semesters.
  2. Detailed rules for designing a curriculum are set down by the Council.
  3. Completion of three-year level 1 studies at the AAL takes six semesters. Students are obligated to obtain 100 AAL points for each year (for their credits at the non-home university and AAL sessions).
  4. A student’s AAL curriculum has to include the following:
    1. a set minimum of class hours (points) (where 30 hours = 15 points if the course ends in an exam or a credit),
    2. a list of obligatory exams and credits,
    3. the scope and topic of the yearly paper supervised by the external tutor (no points awarded),
    4. participation in the annual session for all AAL students (30 points),
    5. participation in one specialist session (workshop) (15 points).

    The student may also include the following in his/her curriculum:

    1. an extra yearly paper (eligible for 1 to 12 points, depending on the amount of work involved and the mark received),
    2. a mathematical/natural sciences module (15 points for the whole three-year course),
    3. participation in a research trip in Poland, a foreign research trip, or an international session of the AAL (up to 15 points),
    4. participation in a session of the East-Central European School in the Humanities (MSH) (up to 15 points).
  5. AAL students complete classes at the non-home university according to the same rules as all the other students there. If a course ends in an exam or a credit, the AAL student is obligated to sit the exam or work for the credit.
  6. If a course does not end in a credit, and the AAL student wants to receive points for his/her curriculum for that course, he/she should ask the teacher to specify how a mark can be obtained for the course.
  7. Curricula for a given semester, signed by the external tutors, should be submitted as follows:
    in the summer semester - by the end of February
    in the winter semester - up to 15 November
  8. Changes to a curriculum, once they are accepted by the external tutor, should be submitted as follows: in the summer semester - by the end of March; in the winter semester - up to 15 December
  9. Together with his/her AAL curriculum, the student should also submit the curriculum from the home university, approved by the internal tutor.

III. Completing a year

§8

  1. The grading period during the three-year level 1 studies at the AAL is the academic year.
  2. Student record books with credits for classes at the non-home universities and marks for mandatory yearly papers should be submitted to the AAL representatives by 15 September.
  3. A student officially completes a whole academic year upon fulfilling all the requirements set down in the curriculum for the given period of studies.
  4. Rescheduling the completion of a given academic year is only possible for the reasons set down in § 9 section 1.

IV. Taking a break, dropping out, getting struck off

§ 9

  1. A student may be allowed to take a one-year break due to important personal circumstances. A one-year academic break is also possible for completing another course of studies in Poland or abroad.
  2. The decision on granting a break is taken by the Council. The break is confirmed with an entry in the student record book.
  3. Taking a break entitles students to reschedule their completion of the full AAL course.
  4. Students taking advantage of international programmes in a given semester (e.g. from the Socrates-Erasmus programme) maintain their AAL student status and rights, on condition that they fulfil the curriculum and class hour requirements set down in the rules.
  5. Students may drop out of their studies at the AAL. This will not affect the student’s situation as a student of his/her home university.

§ 10

  1. Upon failing to complete an academic year at the AAL, a student is struck off the student list without the right to resume studies. The decision is taken by the Council upon consultation with the tutors.
  2. A student studying at the AAL who has failed to complete his/her year at the home university is automatically struck off the list of AAL students without the right to resume studies. The decision is taken by the Council.
  3. A student may be struck off the list of AAL students upon a motion from an ordinary member of the Council representing the student’s home university, stating the AAL student’s unworthy behaviour towards tutors, teachers, or fellow students.

V. Stipends, prizes, awards

§ 11

  1. Reviewing the results of individual students (after completing years one and two of the studies), by 30 September the Council decides which students will receive stipends, and in what amount, in the following academic year.
  2. Only students who complete all the elements of their curriculum are eligible for a stipend. If a student fails to submit a curriculum approved by the external tutor by the deadline, or fails to submit a paper required to obtain a credit for an AAL session included in the curriculum, he/she loses the right to a stipend until these obligations are fulfilled.
  3. If a student is struck off the list of AAL students or drops out of the studies at the AAL before completing a given academic year, he/she must return the stipend paid out for the uncompleted period of studies.
  4. AAL students achieving noteworthy academic results may apply, with the support of their tutors and a Council representative, for stipends/grants from foundations and associations in accordance with the regulations of such stipend/grant programmes.

VI. Completing the course of studies, AAL certificates

§ 12<

  1. Three-year level 1 studies at the AAL end with a graduation exam before an exam board made up of a representative of the AAL Council, the external tutor, the internal tutor, and an expert appointed by the Council. The scope of the exam is specified by the Council.
  2. The graduation exam at the AAL is an oral exam.
  3. Apart from a BA certificate from the home university, upon passing their AAL graduation exam AAL students receive a certificate confirming completion of studies at the AAL, issued upon a motion from the Council, signed by the Rectors (or, in exceptional cases, their proxies) representing all the universities forming the AAL and the Council Chairman.
  4. An AAL certificate lists all the classes and exams completed at the AAL and contains information on tutor supervision during the studies.
  5. Students receive their certificate of completion of three-year level 1 studies at the AAL on condition that they first obtain their bachelor’s degree from their home university or complete their third year of studies in a five-year master’s course.