Integrated study programmes

Integrated studies can be organised in those cases only when this is established in legal acts and must meet general and special requirements laid down in the descriptions of the study field (a group of fields or area), which are approved by the Minister for Education and Science, or must satisfy only general requirements if no special requirements are approved.

The integrated study programme can be devoted to the following:

• studies of the major field upon completion of which a qualification degree in that field (branch) is awarded, and to subjects established by a higher education institution and chosen by a student which are intended for a deeper specialisation in that field (branch), or to practical training;
• studies of the major field upon completion of which a qualification degree in the field (branch) is awarded and to the module (modules), subject (subjects) or practical training of another field (branch) established by higher education institutions and chosen by a student;
• studies of the major field upon completion of which a qualification degree in the field (branch) is awarded and to general subjects of university studies (subjects related to the world outlook and general erudition, which are not directly related to the content of studies of the major field) established by higher education institutions and chosen by a student that are of a larger scope than the necessary scope established in this description;
• two-field studies – the major field and the minor field – established by a higher education institution and chosen by a student, upon completion of which a double qualification degree in the major field (branch) and the minor field (branch) is awarded.

It is recommended that it should be possible, and the procedure should be created for a student to be able to choose subjects, which are studied in the same higher education institution (in another awarding subdivision of studies) or another higher education institution and this should be specified in the integrated study programme. Specialisations established by a higher education institution and chosen by a student, names of general subjects of university studies, subjects of the minor fields, practical training, names of the subjects freely chosen by a student and their scope in credits are entered in the diploma supplement.

The aims of studies must be clearly formulated in the description of the integrated study programme and they must be related to the learning outcomes (knowledge, competences and skills) acquired by the individual who has completed studies according to that programme. The aims and content of the subjects being studied, methods of studies, and the requirements for the applicants must be based on the aims of the programme. The scope of the study programme, qualifications of the academic and research staff, and the facilities of studies must be sufficient to achieve the aims of the study programme.

The scope of the integrated study programme, modules and separate subjects are determined by credits and must be the same irrespective of the study mode (continual or extended). The ways of teaching and learning, the duration and the timetable of studies are determined taking into consideration the safety and health requirements of the students, and the duration of extended studies is determined taking into account the possibilities of combining studies and other occupations of the students (while working, fulfilling family duties, etc.).

A maximum of seven subjects per semester can be taken. Studies of each subject or module are completed by an examination or assessment of a thesis (project) prepared by a student independently. Practical work is a separate subject included in the seven subjects when it is not related or is related to one of the subjects being studied but is reasonably regarded by the executors of the programme to be separated from the subject being studied. Practical work is not a separate subject of studies if it is a constituent part of the subject being studied; such practical work must not be included in the list of subjects being studied.

The integrated study programme must be regularly updated. During the accreditation period of the programme, by decision of the University Senate, 20% of the study subjects of the major field declared in the description of the programme can be changed. Changes must be announced on the website of the higher education institution. If during the accreditation period the scope of the study subjects of the field is changed by more than 20% or two or more study programmes are joined, all of them must be assessed and accredited according to the Description of the Procedure of the External Assessment and Accreditation of Study Programmes approved by order of the Minister for Education and Science.

The scope of the integrated studies is not less than 300 and does not exceed 360 ECTS credits. The total scope of practical work must not be less than 18 ECTS credits. The study programme is completed by the assessment of the graduate’s competence during a defence of the final degree thesis (project) or during final examinations (when this is specified in standard legal acts) assigning at least 15 ECTS credits to them.

Study areas

Studies at institutions of higher education are carried out in six study fields: bio-medical, physical, technological, social sciences, the humanities and arts. Study areas are grouped into groups of fields, and the latter are divided into study areas. Branches of science form separate fields.

The list of study areas and fields is approved by the Government A list of branches that constitute study fields was approved by Order of the Minister for Education and Science.

Admission requirements

Individuals who have a certificate of secondary education are admitted to integrated studies by way of competition, taking into consideration their performance results, entrance examinations and other criteria established by the higher education institution. The applicant has the right to file an application to enter several higher education institutions.

Subject to the evaluation by the students’ representation, the list of competitive subjects according to the study fields, the principles of forming the competitive mark, the lowest admission point and other criteria are established by higher education institutions and are publicised not later than 2 years prior to the beginning of the relevant school year.

The total number of study places is established by the higher education institution taking into consideration the possibilities to ensure the quality of studies.

Teaching methods

Modes of study are as follows: face-to-face class work, self-study hours and practical work. Different learning and teaching methods are used when studying: lectures, practical work, laboratory work, designing work, seminars, self-study hours, library work, group tasks, scientific research work, etc., as well as a combination of all these methods. Studies can be organised in a way of distance learning. Face-to-face class work is organised in groups. Consultations can be individual. The duration of face-to-face class work is measured in academic hours (the duration of one academic hour is 45 minutes). Teachers of higher education institutions can use different methods of teaching. The material or notes of lectures taught to students during the lectures are often put in the virtual environment of the higher education institution. Information technologies are widely used and implemented in the study process.

Students carry out fundamental and applied research, engage in applied scientific activity, and take part in the research programmes of their own country and foreign countries. Apart from a scientific activity, the artistic activity of teachers and students oriented towards the artistic education of the public and the unity of art practice and studies is developed at higher education institutions.

All studying individuals can make use of the possibilities provided by the Lithuanian Academic Libraries Network (LABT). This network connects libraries of universities, colleges, state research institutions and the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.

Students buy textbooks and other educational books or use the ones available in the stocks of libraries of higher education institutions.

Student assessment

Assessment of students is made in the procedure established by the Statute (Regulations) of Studies of each higher education institution. This procedure can differ at different universities or colleges; however, on the whole, several basic assessment principles and ways are in effect. The study programme is completed by assessing the competence of the graduate during a defence of the final degree thesis (project) and (or) during the final examinations.

The main form of progress assessment is an examination. In many higher education institutions the number of examinations given in one examination session is limited. Achievements in some subjects may be assessed by giving students a ‘pass’ at a credit test, or the final assessment is obtained by cumulative assessment. The rules and procedures of the cumulative assessment, as well as the preparation of tasks is the responsibility of the subject teacher. The examination (pass) results and written work are assessed in grades.

The results of examinations and graded credit tests are assessed by assigning students grade points 1 to 10, the results of credit tests are assessed by assigning a ‘pass’/’fail grade. Higher education institutions can lay down other principles of assessment, too. A positive assessment is one that is not lower than five points.

Progression of students

Every higher education institution defines the circumstances under which students progress from one stage of studies to the next in its Statute (Regulations) of Studies. Low-achieving students may be excluded from the higher education institution in the manner established by each higher education institution.

Certification

Upon completion of the integrated study programmes graduates are issued diplomas attesting to the qualification degree awarded and a diploma supplement. The diploma supplement is an integral part of the diploma providing a description of the nature, level and the content of studies that were successfully completed by the individual named in the diploma.

Employability

The majority of higher education institutions of Lithuania have established their own career centres, which provide students with different consultations of a general nature and individual consultations, provide training on employment issues, help students find placements for practical work, and later to find a job, and help employers find employees.

Youth labour centres in cities and districts provide similar services. They provide young people with services of open information, counselling, professional information and guidance, organise meetings with labour market and social partners, carry out project activities encouraging employment initiatives of the youth, organise different activities (labour clubs, training sessions), and prepare information-methodological material.

At present, in implementing different projects financed from the EU structural funds, higher education institutions devote much attention to developing students’ entrepreneurship competence and organising their practical work at business companies.

In 2010, the Seimas approved the package of proposals for reducing unemployment, thereby providing more possibilities for people starting work and small business, and also creating conditions for extending financing of public works, etc. The Amendment to the Law on the Support of the Unemployed includes the youth up to the age of 29 years in the list of supported individuals. In this way, those previously unemployed people under 29 years of age who qualify for subsidies, once employed, will receive a wage reimbursement for up to 6 months, and individuals who start work for the first time according to the acquired qualification and who participate in the measure of gaining work skills will receive a wage reimbursement for up to 12 months. Earlier, according to the Law on the Support of Employment young people under the age of 29 years were not attributed to the group of individuals additionally supported in the labour market, and, therefore, had no right to qualify for subsidies when employed if they did not belong to other groups of individuals supported in the labour market.

By order of the Minister for Social Security and Labour for 2013, the EU Council Recommendation for the Youth Guarantee initiative is being implemented. The purpose of the Youth Guarantee initiative is to activate and motivate young people within the shortest time, maintaining links with the labour market and providing the opportunity for further education. The aim is to reduce youth unemployment and improve the situation of young people, who have no work or no education by helping them to find a job after they complete their education.

As of 1 August 2012, a tool dedicated to promoting youth employment ‘Support for first job’ is running. Employers, who employ workers with no previous work experience, receive partial compensation for the wage of an employee if it is their first job. Support form – partial wage compensation. At the employer's request, the employer will receive fixed compensation for part (23.3% of the calculated employee salary) of an employee’s monthly salary if it is the first job for the employee who is between 19 and 26 years of age. By the end of September 2014, 22,545 claims for partial wage compensation were received under the ‘Support for first job’ tool. Of these 16,296 requests were positively received. To date 2,249 companies have received EUR 5.06 million for employing 15,508 first time workers. This tool is being implemented by the guarantee institution INVEGA.

Non-degree study programmes

Non-degree study programmes are carried out at higher education institutions and are intended for acquiring a qualification or preparing for an independent practical activity in the following cases for:

• persons who seek to acquire the qualification of physician or family doctor, in accordance with Medical residency provisions established by the Government in 2003;
• persons seeking to acquire the qualification of a specialist physician-dentist, in accordance with Dental residency provisions established by the Government in 2003;
• persons seeking to acquire the qualification of veterinarian, in accordance with Veterinary Medicine residency provisions established by the Government  in 2004;
• persons seeking to acquire the qualification of a pedagogue, in accordance with the procedure established by the Regulations of Training Pedagogues approved by the Government  in 2012.

Medical residency

Medical Residency is intended for physicians wishing to acquire or change their professional qualification in the field of medicine, following their university studies. Upon completion of the Medical Residency graduates are issued a certificate of residency certifying award of the professional qualification of physician specialist or family doctor. During the residency a physician resident studies and fulfils the established duties under the supervision of the head of residency and acquires knowledge, skills and clinical practice of specialised medicine.

The mode of residency studies is day studies. The course has theoretical and practical components. Students conduct practicums (practical work of a professional activity) under the supervision of experienced physicians. These studies are organised at university, the university hospital or an establishment assessed and chosen by the university. A residency normally lasts 3–6 years. Theoretical and practical parts of a one-year residency studies consist of an  average of 40 credits (60 ECTS credits). The content of residency studies is established in the residency programme devoted to acquiring a respective professional qualification of physician specialist or family doctor.

The modes of residency are as follows:

• continuous residency – for physicians seeking to acquire the professional qualification of medical practitioner;
• interrupted residency – for physicians seeking to change their professional qualification of medical practitioner and
• studies are carried out with breaks.

To be eligible for admission to residency a person must have the professional qualification of  physician and have a diploma of higher education and a certificate of internship issued in Lithuania or abroad and recognised in Lithuania in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts. No certificate of internship is required from a physician who has acquired the qualification of paediatrician in Lithuania and who is applying for a residency in children’s diseases, children’s surgery or child and teenage psychiatrics, or from a physician of a Member State of the European Union, Switzerland or a state of the European Economic Area, from a citizen who has acquired their medical education in a European Union Member State other than Lithuania, Switzerland or a state of the European Economic Area if the document certifying the completion of general medical practice is not issued in that state.

The time spent by a resident in residency studies is included in the special working record of the physician. Periods of the residency programme during which the supervisor of residency supervises the resident are also included in the special working record of the physician.

Dentistry residency

Dentistry Residency is university studies in the field of dentistry upon completion of which a certificate of residency attesting to the professional qualification of a physician-dentist is issued. During residency studies a physician-dentist studies and performs the established duties under the supervision of the residency supervisor and acquires knowledge and skills of dentistry and clinical experience.

The mode of residency studies is day studies. The course has theoretical and practical components. Practicums are conducted (practical work of a professional activity), under the supervision of physicians-dentists. These studies are organised at a university, the university hospital or an institution evaluated and chosen by the university. The total duration of residency studies is 3–4 years. Theoretical and practical parts of one-year residency studies consist of on average 40 credits (60 ECTS credits).

To be eligible for admission to residency a person must have a professional qualification of a physician-dentist and a diploma of higher education and a certificate of internship issued in Lithuania or abroad and recognised in Lithuania in the procedure established by legal acts. No certificate of internship is required from a physician–dentist of a Member State of the European Union, Switzerland or a state of the European Economic Area, from a citizen who has acquired education of dentistry in a European Union Member State other than Lithuania, Switzerland or a state of the European Economic Area if the document certifying the completion of general dentistry practice is not issued in that state.

The time spent by a resident in residency studies is included in the special working record of a dentist. Periods of the residency programme during which the supervisor of residency supervises the resident are also included in the special working record of the physician–dentist.

Veterinary residency

Veterinary Residency is university studies intended for a veterinary physician who has completed the integrated studies of veterinary medicine and seeks to acquire the qualification of veterinary physician in veterinary medicine. The course has theoretical and practical components, and these together with the preparation and a defence of the final degree thesis constitute residency studies. Residency studies are conducted in a day mode.

To be eligible for admission to residency a person must hold a degree in the integrated studies of veterinary medicine and have the qualification of veterinary physician or a qualification equated to it in a procedure established by legal acts. During residency studies a resident acquires knowledge, skills and experience of veterinary medical practice (speciality) and the respective qualification of a veterinary physician-specialist. Upon completion of residency, a certificate of residency is issued.

The normal duration of a veterinary residency according to the state veterinary and clinical veterinary specialities is two years. The scope of residency studies is not more than 80 credits (120 ECTS credits); the practical part accounts for at least 50%. Residency can be as follows:

• basic – studies intended for a veterinary physician who has completed veterinary studies and seeks to acquire the qualification of veterinary physician in veterinary medical practice;
• additional – studies intended for a veterinary physician who has acquired the qualification of veterinary physician in veterinary medicine practice (speciality) and seeks to additionally acquire another qualification of a veterinary physician in the field of veterinary medical practice (speciality).

Periods of the residency programme during which the supervisor of residency supervises the resident are included in the special working record of the veterinary physician.

Non-degree pedagogical studies

Persons who have a higher education qualification and wish to become teachers of the taught subject (taught subjects) or teachers of a profession are eligible for admission to pedagogical studies according to non-degree study programmes. For such persons, study subjects taken during earlier studies and pedagogical practice done may be recognised as accounted for if their nature and volume correspond to the subjects and requirements of the non-degree pedagogical study programme. Upon completion of this study programme, the  qualification of teacher of a respective subject being taught (subjects being taught) or that of a profession teacher confirmed by a certificate is awarded.

The scope of non-degree pedagogical studies is not less than 60 ECTS credits.

Pedagogical studies are intended for acquiring the knowledge and understanding established in a description of competence of the teacher’s profession and developing abilities and values. They consist of the following:

• a theoretical part, the scope of which is not less than 30 ECTS credits (priority is to be given to the methods of the subject, psychology, pedagogy; this part includes a theoretical final degree thesis or a thesis integrating theory and practice; not more than 3 ECTS credits are assigned to the final degree thesis of the pedagogical studies and from the point of view of the scope of credits it cannot be identified with the Bachelor or Master final degree thesis);
• pedagogical practice the scope of which is not less than 30 ECTS credits; when pedagogical studies are carried out according to the mode stipulated in point 4 of this Regulation, pedagogical practice must begin in the first year of studies; due to the necessity for a supervisor and mentor of practical work to take an active part in the activity of a student doing practical work, the student’s independent work in preparing for lessons and observing them cannot account for more than 40% of the scope of pedagogical practical work.

The areas recommended in the general education part of study programmes designed for training pedagogues are as follows: philosophy of education, improvement of the use of a professional foreign language and culture of the professional language. It is recommended that optional subjects proposed in study programmes for training pedagogues should be oriented towards the development of aspects of competence defined in the description of competence of the teacher’s profession.

Study areas

Studies at institutions of higher education are carried out in six study areas: bio-medical sciences, physical sciences, technological sciences, social sciences, the humanities and arts. Study areas are divided into groups of fields, and the latter are divided into branches. Branches of science form separate fields. The Government of Lithuania approves the list of study areas and fields according to which studies at higher education institutions are conducted. The Minister for Education and Science approves the list of branches that constitute study fields.

Admission requirements

Individuals entering non-degree study programmes are admitted under the procedure established by higher education institutions.

Progression of students

Every higher education institution defines the circumstances under which students progress from one stage of studies to the next in its Statute (Regulations) of Studies. Low-achieving students may be excluded from the higher education institution in the manner established by each higher education institution.

Certification

 Upon completing non-degree study programmes, a certificate attesting to the fact of their completion is issued.

Employability

The majority of higher education institutions of Lithuania have established their own career centres which provide students with different consultations of a general nature and individual consultations, provide training on employment issues, help students find places for practical work, and later to find a job, and help employers find employees.

Youth labour centres in cities and districts provide similar services. They provide young people with services of open information, counselling, professional information and guidance, and organise meetings with labour market and social partners, carry out project activities encouraging youth employment initiatives, organise different activities (labour clubs, training sessions) and prepare information-methodological material.

At present, in implementing different projects financed from the EU structural funds, higher education institutions devote much attention to developing students’ entrepreneurship competence and organising their practical work at business companies.

In 2010, the Seimas approved the package of proposals for reducing unemployment, thereby providing more possibilities for people starting work and small business, and also creating conditions for extending financing of public works, etc. The Amendment to the Law on the Support of the Unemployed includes the youth up to the age of 29 years in the list of supported individuals. In this way, those previously unemployed people under 29 years of age who qualify for subsidies, once employed, will receive a wage reimbursement for up to 6 months, and individuals who start work for the first time according to the acquired qualification and who participate in the measure of gaining work skills will receive a wage reimbursement for up to 12 months. Earlier, according to the Law on the Support of Employment of Lithuania, young people under the age of 29 years were not attributed to the group of individuals additionally supported in the labour market, and, therefore, had no right to qualify for subsidies when employed if they did not belong to other groups of individuals supported in the labour market.

By order of the Minister for Social Security and Labour for 2013, the EU Council Recommendation for the Youth Guarantee initiative is being implemented. The purpose of the Youth Guarantee initiative is to activate and motivate young people within the shortest time, maintaining links with the labour market and providing the opportunity for further education. The aim is to reduce youth unemployment and improve the situation of young people, who have no work or no education by helping them to find a job after they complete their education.

As of 1 August 2012, a tool dedicated to promoting youth employment ‘Support for first job’ is running. Employers, who employ workers with no previous work experience, receive partial compensation for the wage of an employee if it is their first job. Support form – partial wage compensation. At the employer's request, the employer will receive fixed compensation for part (23.3% of the calculated employee salary) of an employee’s monthly salary if it is the first job for the employee who is between 19 and 26 years of age. By the end of September 2014, 22,545 claims for partial wage compensation were received under the ‘Support for first job’ tool. Of these 16,296 requests were positively received. To date 2,249 companies have received EUR 5.06 million for employing 15,508 first time workers. This tool is being implemented by the guarantee institution INVEGA.