Skip to main content

Search

Menu

Academic culture

Academic culture

Does project work, collaborating with businesses and taking part in professional discussions sound interesting? Then you will feel right at home in the Danish academic culture.

Ambitious, yet relaxed

Critical thinking and freedom of speech are core values in the Danish education system. Rather than simply accumulating and reproducing knowledge, you are encouraged to analyse, question and discuss the course curriculum.

There is a relaxed approach to learning in Denmark, and students and lecturers can find themselves joking together as well as engaging in vigorous debates during classes and lectures.

Academic culture

  • The academic year is divided in semesters or in a quarter system.

    • The academic year has two semester:

      • Autumn semester: 1 September to 31 January
      • Spring semester: 1 February to 30 June

      There are no classes or exams in July.

    • There are quite a few holidays in Denmark when the University is closed (and so are public institutions, most retail shops, etc.):

      • 1 January (New Year’s Day).
      • Easter: Thursday to Monday. The dates change every year, but it is often late March-early April.
      • Ascension Day. The date changes every year, but it is often late April and always a Thursday.
      • Whit Monday (following Whitsunday). The date changes every year, but it is often early June.
      • 5 June (Constitution Day).
      • 24 to 26 December (Christmas).
      • 31 December (New Year’s Eve).

      The last Friday in October is the Annual University Celebration at SDU, and the University closes at 12 noon.

      There are no classes or exams in July.

    • Some programmes at the Faculty of Health Sciences use a quarter system: Courses are either placed in the first quarter of the semester (September to November and February to April) or the second quarter of the semester (November to January and April to June). A quarter consists of 7 teaching weeks and 2 examination weeks.

      Check your programme for information about the structure.

    Exam periods are usually in January and June, but they may start earlier. Always check with the programme secretary what applies to your education.

    Orientation days and introduction days often start before the semester, so make sure to check the dates before planning your arrival.

     


  • Active learning means that you actively participate in classroom discussions, group work, presentations, project work, etc. and it is fundamental to the academic culture in Denmark. You are encouraged and expected to express yourself, to take chances and to work in collaboration with others. In this way, your education and knowledge will be directly applicable in your future workplace.

    Denmark’s progressive academic culture and high educational standards are founded on open debate and problem-based learning methods.

    Freedom with responsibility

    As a student in Denmark, you have a great deal of freedom – as well as a great deal of responsibility. It is your own responsibility to register for the right courses and exams, and what you gain from teaching depends on how actively you participate and contribute in class.

    Group work

    Working in teams is central to Danish workplaces and the Danish education system, and as a student you will often be encouraged or even required to work in groups during your studies. This may include exams and maybe even your final thesis.


  • ECTS is the European Credit Transfer System.

    The system is a common European standard for measuring the workload of courses in higher education institutions to make them easier to compare. It helps students have their academic qualifications and study periods recognised by institutions in other European countries. 

    When you apply to SDU (and most other European universities), you must check the ECTS requirements and check if your degree and courses match the requirements of your desired programme.

    Read more about ECTS from the European Commission

  • University degrees are divided in two levels: bachelor's and master's. Admission to a master's degree requires a bachelor's degree.

    Bachelor's degrees are 3 or 3,5 years and master's degrees are 2 years. 


  • You can find details about the exams for your study programme at MitSDU.dk. You will also receive information about the exam during the course.

    Some exams are pass/fail, others have grades.

    Critical thinking and problem solving are important academic values in Denmark. Often, you will find that there is not just one correct answer – so the argumentation you use to support your answer is often equally important.

    Oral exams

    Oral exams are quite common in Denmark. They may be unfamiliar to you, but participating in classroom discussions, groupwork and presentations during the semester will help you prepare for them.


  • The Danish grading system is a 7-point grading scale. It is compatible with the grading scale from the European  Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

    02 is the minimum grade for passing an exam. 

    Grade
    Description
    ECTS grade

    12

    For an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all
    aspects of the relevant material, with no or only a few minor weaknesses.

    A

    10

    For a very good performance displaying a high level of command of
    most aspects of the relevant material, with only minor weaknesses.

    B

    7

    For a good performance displaying good command of the relevant
    material but also some weaknesses.

    C

    4

    For a fair performance displaying some command of the relevant
    material but also some major weaknesses.

    D

    2

    For a performance meeting only the minimum requirements
    for acceptance.

    E

    00

    For a performance which does not meet the
    minimum requirements for acceptance. Failed.

    F

    -3

    For a performance which is unacceptable in all respects. Failed.

    Fx
     

    Read more about the Danish grading system from the Danish Ministry of Higher Education

  • Depending on your field of study, the teaching may combine traditional lectures and tutorials with teaching designed to help you develop strong problem-solving skills. This may include real-world cases and examples, collaborations with companies and industry, internships, company visits etc.

    Accommodating attitude

    The relationship between lecturers and students is often rather informal in Denmark, and it is expected that you call your lecturers by their first name – and they will call you by your first name.

    There is little hierarchical distance between lecturers and students, and students are invited to ask questions and engage in professional discussions with lecturers.


Read more