FCT Curricular Profile

Transversal Skills in all Degrees

In order to enhance student education with training in transversal skills, such as research and entrepreneurship, contact with industry and soft skills, NOVA School of Science and Technology introduced these skills into the curricular structures of all BSc and MSc, thus creating the “FCT Curricular Profile”.

The labour market is increasingly recognizing these skills, which are especially important for the first job, acting as a differentiating and distinctive feature of NOVA School of Science and Technology graduates, and also, and undeniably, as a element of their training which facilitates their employability.

Transversal Competences for Science and Technology (3 ECTS)

(Soft Skills)

• Writing a Curriculum Vitae / Job Interview
• Communication in Science and Technology (Reports)
• Spreadsheet use of advanced 
• Time management – team work
• Literature search and information analysis in Science and Technology
• Ethics and Deontology

Science, Technology and Digital Transformation (3 ECTS)

• Understanding contemporaneous techno-scientific world
• Thinking and Acting in a critical way about the Impacts of Science and Technology in Contemporary Societies 

Introduction to Scientific Research (3 ECTS)

• Contact with, and involvement in, ongoing research and development projects led by NOVA FCT lecturers and researchers (we currently have 322 students working on projects within this programme)

Introduction to Professional Practice (3 ECTS)

• Contact with industry in an area relevant to the degree programme, through internships and short-term work (we currently have 600 students in companies) 

Entrepreneurship (3 ECTS)

• To awaken and promote students’ potential vocation for the creation of value through the development of ideas
• Training in basic skills in setting up businesses (since 2012/13, more than 7500 students have been trained in this programme, with the involvement of 250 companies and 750 guest speakers, giving rise to more than 1500 technological and innovative business ideas)

Free Credits (chosen by the student)

• Enhancing training by developing skills relating to areas that are not directly part of the students’ main obejct of study

Erasmus-friendly semester

• Semester which is designed to be more conducive to for student mobility programs