Metropolitan academic details

Education and Examination Regulations (EER)

This document was initially developed and continues to be maintained by the school to provide a framework upon which to build certain certificate, diploma and degree programs. The EER are believed to be in line with the standards of the Dutch national accreditation organization and with the applicable Dutch higher education legislation. The EER and its related documents are updated on a regular basis considering the feedback from members of the Examination Committee, students, faculty members, team members and other internal and external stakeholders. The Examination Committee provides feedback within the limits of its responsibilities related to assessment. The EER are made public on the school’s website so that all stakeholders are appropriately informed. Updates and clarifications that are required throughout the academic year will be published in the Student Guide Addendum.

Transfer policy to Amsterdam

Maximum 2/3 of the required credits may be transferred to MBS from other campuses within the UIBS campus network, i.e. 8 out of 12 credits for Graduate Certificate programs, 16 out of 24 credits for Graduate Diploma programs, and 40 out of 60 credits for Graduate Degree (Master) programs. Course-based Graduate Degree (Master) programs are not available at MBS; Refer to the Program Requirements for details on the Final Projects in our Metropolitan programs.

For students in the Metropolitan Graduate programs in Amsterdam, the Metropolitan Education and Examination Regulations (EER) apply. The policies in the EER will apply in all cases first and before all other guidelines in the Student Guide and its annexes. In case of conflicts, please notify your local Academic Coordinator. Refer to the Metropolitan EER for details.

Study abroad in Amsterdam

Graduate students from other campuses attempting courses from the Metropolitan Graduate programs in Amsterdam will also be subject to the Education and Examination Regulations (EER) for their time at MBS in Amsterdam and the modules they attempt. Different academic policies may apply. Final grade availability may be delayed due to a grade approval process by our local Metropolitan Examination Committee.

Transfer policy from Amsterdam

Maximum 20 credits may be transferred from Amsterdam into any graduate program at other campuses within the UIBS campus network, including the course-based Graduate Degree (Master) programs, which are not available at MBS.

Study abroad at UIBS

Being a Metropolitan student means you are part of the CrossCulturalEducation.org community. This provides the opportunity to study abroad at any of the campuses of our sister institution UIBS without disrupting your studies. See the Metropolitan EER for more details on our transfer credit policy.

Credit system

Our Graduate/Master programs are based on and are fully compatible with the established European and American educational systems. Master programs consist of 60 European Credits, equivalent to 40 American semester 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 graduate student amounts to 20 credits and 600 learning hours per quarter, for a total of 60 credits and 1800 learning hours.

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%. Exams can be in paper-based, open-book or take-home format.

Honor system

Students who achieve a certain GPA (Grade Point Average, or the weighted average of all grades earned, calculated on a 4.0 scale), will have their academic honors listed on the academic transcript and diploma supplement issued together with the diploma.