Program Structure

Program Structure

The European Standard

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is the standard academic credit framework used by universities and higher education institutions across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). It provides a transparent and internationally recognized method for measuring the volume of learning based on clearly defined learning outcomes and student workload. By standardizing credits, ECTS makes it easier for students to transfer between institutions, compare qualifications, and pursue further education or professional opportunities across Europe.

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System itself does not prescribe the duration of a degree. Instead, the Bologna Process has established widely accepted ranges for higher education qualifications across the European Higher Education Area. While there are national variations, the following ranges are the most commonly accepted.

Under the ECTS framework, one academic year of full-time study normally corresponds to 60 ECTS credits, representing approximately 1,500–1,800 hours of total student learning. This includes not only classroom instruction, but also independent study, assignments, projects, assessments, practical activities, and research. As a result, ECTS credits provide a unified measure that supports the comparability of academic qualifications across different countries and institutions within the European Higher Education Area.

The GenevaTech PQF

The Professional Qualifications Framework (PQF) of GenevaTech Business School is based on the ECTS framework. It spells out the institutional qualifications architecture spanning technology, business, education, AI, finance, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship.

ECTS credits facilitate academic transparency, support lifelong learning, and make it easier for learners to demonstrate the volume and level of their studies when pursuing further education or professional development. While the recognition of qualifications is always subject to the policies of individual institutions, employers, and national regulatory authorities, the use of the ECTS framework enhances the international comparability and portability of academic achievements.

To ensure that 1 ECTS is academically defensible under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), each module explicitly corresponds with the total student workload, not just contact hours. According to the ECTS Users’ Guide, 1 ECTS corresponds to approximately 25–30 hours of learner workload. The GTBS adopts 30 hours per ECTS as it aligns well with executive / professional education. The PQF awards 1 ECTS to any short course / activity as long as it corresponds to te following workload:

This standardized template applies uniformly to every professional certificate, diploma, and degree program regardless of discipline—finance, AI, blockchain, education, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, or sustainability. It simplifies curriculum design, demonstrates transparent alignment with ECTS workload expectations, and provides a robust foundation for internal quality assurance and future external review.

Recognition of Prior Professional Learning (RPL)

A distinctive feature of the GTBS Executive Professional MBA is its RPL framework.

The RPL framework is a distinctive feature of our MBA Program, acknowledging that experienced professionals bring valuable knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired through their careers. Through a rigorous assessment of professional portfolios, leadership achievements, reflective practice, competency mapping, and, where appropriate, a professional interview, participants may be awarded corresponding number of ECTS for exhibited and validated professional learning. This approach recognizes workplace expertise as an integral part of lifelong learning, enabling participants to accelerate their academic journey while maintaining the highest standards of academic quality and professional integrity. Assessment may include:

• Professional Portfolio
• Career Achievement Profile
• Reflective Learning Statement
• Competency Mapping
• Documentary Evidence
• Professional Interview (Viva Voce)

This enables participants to convert validated workplace learning into academic credit while maintaining rigorous master’s-level standards.

Applied Capstone Project

The capstone project has become an integral part of the university degree curriculum. It can take various forms, but its purpose remains the same. The capstone project is a unique opportunity to carry out independent group research in order to devise an innovative solution for a real-world problem. While a project of this scope and scale can be challenging, it can also be very rewarding.

The capstone project is usually the final assignment and plays a vital role in preparing students for the world of work thanks to its practical applications and ability to help hone students’ professional knowledge and skills. Each capstone project report / professional thesis integrates academic knowledge with professional practice to deliver measurable organizational impact.

Worth 10 ECTS, the project requires learners to investigate a strategic issue either within their chosen specialization or in an inter-disciplinary business environment and develop practical, evidence-based solutions that deliver measurable organizational impact.

Whether undertaken as an applied research study, consultancy assignment, innovation strategy project, policy analysis, teaching practice or business improvement plan or digital transformation initiative, the thesis demonstrates the participant’s ability to integrate leadership, strategic thinking, innovation, and analytical skills to address complex business and societal challenges.