Level 2 (MA) Regulations

Regulations of two-year LEVEL 2 (MA) inter-university individual studies in the humanities at the Artes Liberales Academy
(approved at the session of the Academy Council on 21 November 2006)

I. General provisions
§ 1

  1. The present rules apply to the two-year level 2 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 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 2 studies at the AAL are two-year full-time studies. They follow a curriculum designed jointly by the student and his/her tutors, and approved by the Council.
  2. The curriculum of level 2 studies at the AAL encompasses a minimum of 400 class hours (200 points, where 30 hours = 15 points if a course ends in an exam or a credit).

§ 3

  1. Students are eligible to enrol in level 2 studies at the AAL if they have completed their third year of full-time studies at one of the universities forming the AAL.
  2. To take part in recruitment for level 2 studies at the AAL, students submit a proposal for a research project in accordance with a set questionnaire. The research project should move beyond the scope of the master’s thesis being prepared at the home university; preference is given to projects that could form the beginnings of a future doctoral dissertation. The AAL recruitment commission evaluates the projects and accepts 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 AAL 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. The academic year at the AAL begins on 15 February (year one) or 1 October (year two) and ends on 15 September.

§ 6

  1. Students of level 2 studies at the AAL have to complete various elements of the curriculum in at least one university other than the home university. The detailed rules for designing a curriculum are set down by the Council.
  2. Completion of level 2 studies at the AAL begins in the summer semester and takes three semesters, the requirements being as follows:
    1. in year one, during one semester - 75 points
    2. in year two, during two semesters - 125 points
  3. An AAL student’s yearly 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. a detailed schedule of the research project in the given year (semester), listing the tasks the student will complete under the supervision of the external tutor and the internal tutor,
    4. participation in the annual session for all AAL students (30 points),
    5. for students in year two - participation in one specialist session (workshop) (15 points).
  4. The student may also include the following in his/her curriculum:
    1. a paper written specially for the Academy and supervised by one of the tutors (eligible for 1 to 12 points, depending on the amount of work involved and the mark received),
    2. 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 of two-year studies, signed by the 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 tutors, 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

§ 7

  1. The grading period during level 2 studies at the AAL is the academic year.
  2. Student record books with credits for classes at the non-home universities and marks for individual stages of the research project should be submitted to the AAL representatives by 15 September.
  3. A student officially completes a whole academic year upon completing the individual curriculum designed for the given period of studies.
  4. Rescheduling the completion of a given academic year is only possible for the reasons set down in § 8 section 1.

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

§ 8

  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 in the course of the whole year.
  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.
  6. Students who have already completed their master’s course at the home university are entitled to continue their studies at the AAL.

§ 9

  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 AAL 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

§ 10

  1. AAL students receive stipends to cover the costs of studying in an amount specified each year by the Academy Council.
  2. Only students who complete all the elements of their curriculum are eligible for a stipend.
  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.
  5. Students who have already completed their master’s course at the home university but are continuing their studies at the AAL, are entitled to a stipend only if they are also PhD students of their home university or another university forming the AAL.

VI. Completing the course of studies, AAL certificates

§ 11

  1. Two-year studies at the AAL end with a graduation exam before an exam board made up of representatives of the AAL Council (one from the student’s home university, the other from a different university), the external tutor, the internal tutor, and an expert appointed by the AAL Council. The scope of the exam is specified by the Council. During the exam, students present a report from their completed research project.
  2. The graduation exam at the AAL is an oral exam.
  3. Students receive their certificate of completion of two-year master’s studies at the AAL on condition that they first obtain their master’s degree from their home university.
  4. Apart from their MA 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.
  5. An AAL certificate lists all the classes and exams completed at the AAL and contains information on tutor supervision during the studies.
  6. In the case of classes for which a given unit does not award ECTS points, points are calculated as follows: 5 AAL points = 1 ECTS point.

VII. Final provisions

§ 12

  1. The rules apply to AAL students who enrolled in the 2006/07 academic year and subsequent years. For all other students, the rules approved at the session of the Academy Council on 23 September 2005 apply.
  2. The rules come into force on the date of approval.