How to “survive” the first semester?
A semester is a part of the academic year when the courses are carried out. The academic year begins on the 1st of October and ends on 30th September the following year. It is divided into two semesters:
- the first (fall) semester (1st October until 14th February) and
- the second (spring) semester (15th February until 30th June).
The fall semester begins on October 1st and it ends on February 14th of the following year, the lectures last from October 1th to January 15th next year. It lasts 18 weeks (12 weeks of classes + 2 midterm exam weeks + 4 weeks (preparatory and exams).
The spring semester begins on February 15th and ends on September 30th, the lectures last from February 15th to May 31st. It lasts 21 weeks (12 weeks of lectures + 2 midterm exam weeks + 2 x 3 weeks final examination sessions in June and September.)
It is important at the beginning of the year to check the schedule of lectures at the E-learning platform. You will need to check which days your lectures are held and you need to attend them regularly. Follow the instructions from your professor, work on project activities, prepare your paper, as instructed.
Course materials can be found in the bookstore or you can have them free of charge from E-learning system or you can borrow books from ISU library.
You should follow the terms for midterm exams and you should prepare well. Consult the course teacher or teaching assistant if you need help.
Schedule of activities
Students from every study program usually have lectures 2 to 3 days per week, which is practical for those students who travel. The lectures are held according to the following scheme:
First semester – fall
six weeks of lectures (early October to mid-November)
a preparatory midterm exam week
a midterm exam week (end of November)
six weeks of lectures (mid-November to end of December)
a preparatory midterm exam week
a midterm exam week (mid-January)
final examination session
Second semester – spring
six weeks of lectures (mid-February to mid-March)
a preparatory midterm exam week
a midterm exam week (early April)
six weeks of lectures (early April to mid-May)
a preparatory midterm exam week
a midterm exam week (early June)
final examination session
Lectures
The lectures are held in Bitola and in Sveti Nikole. Every student attends the classes depending where he or she is enrolled. The schedule of lectures is adjusted for students who travel, so our students have lectures 2 to 3 days a week.
The exact schedule is published one week before the beginning of the lectures and it will be available for all the students at e-learning service on our web page. In the meantime, you can check the Academic Calendar, where all the general terms for the courses and course exams are given.
Taking the midterm exams
The midterm exams are tests of knowledge which are conducted twice during a semester:
- first midterm exam – in the middle of the semester, i.e. after the first 6 weeks of lectures, only for the material studied during those 6 weeks
- second midterm exam – at the end of the semester, i.e. after the second 6 weeks of lectures, only for the material studied during those 6 weeks
To be able to take the second midterm exam it is mandatory for the student to have passed the first midterm exam. The students that didn’t pass one of the midterm exams or both midterm exams need to take a final exam for the course.
But, if students pass the exams for both midterm exams they usually are not obliged to take the final exam.
The dates for the midterm exams are posted on the E-learning platform, or the students are notified by their professor during the lectures.
Final exam sessions
During the first academic year there are 6 exam sessions from which three are regular and three are additional.
Regular sessions are in:
- January;
- June and
- September
Additional sessions are in:
- April;
- October and
- November
The first regular session is in January and students take the final exams of the courses they attended in the winter semester. Provided the student doesn’t pass the exams, the same exams can be taken in the April (additional) session. For taking the final exams in the additional session the students don’t pay penalties.
The second regular session is in June and students take the final exams of the courses they attended in the spring semester. Provided the student doesn’t pass the exams, the same exams can be taken in the September session – also without paying penalties. Additionally, the exams can be taken in the October and November additional sessions as well.
Internship
All full – time students of the ISU have practical classes during their studies, which are organized in collaboration with many institutions and companies in North Macedonia.
In addition, during the summer holidays, full-time students should have independent practical work or traineeship and they choose a company or institution where they want to realize it. They can choose any of the institutions with which the University has an agreement or institution of their choice.
The internship is free and the only cost is buying an Internship journal (annually) which costs MKD 100.
Grading system
Students of the faculty can enroll as full-time or part-time students, and the status of the student has a different meaning from several aspects.
Full-time students are obliged to attend regular classes (lectures) in all courses and only they have the opportunity to take the 2 midterm exams.
If part-time students attend at least eight weeks of lectures (four weeks before the first midterm exam and four weeks before the second midterm exam) are allowed the right to take the course through midterm exams.
The formation of final assessment on any course is earned through a set of points scored by midterm exams, points by attendance and additional activities, term papers, etc… The establishment of an assessment of the courses is determined by the following principle:
The assessment process is based on the points earned throughout the semester. However, the calculation may vary slightly from course to course and it is best to check the course catalog or consult with the professor.
+ first midterm exam (35 points)
+ second midterm exam (35 points)
+ term paper (10 points)
+ attendance and аdditional аctivities (20 points)
__________________________________
Maximum points = 100
For the part-time students that will not take part in the midterm exams, the maximum points they can receive from the final exam is 70 points.
The grading scale is given below:
grade 6: 51-60 points
grade 7: 61-70 points
grade 8: 71-80 points
grade 9: 81-90 points
grade 10: 91-100 points
*Depending on the study program, the distribution of the points per activity can be different. For exact points, please consult the professor or take a look on E – learning.