Explanation of Terms

Levels of Study:

Basic Studies (Grundstudium): Introductory and preparatory courses, exercises, practicals, seminars, etc.

Advanced Studies (Hauptstudium): Advanced seminars, exercises, practicals, colloquia, etc. Admission usually dependent on demonstration of successful completion of period of basic studies (Grundstudium).

X (Course Required for Degree): The department examination regulations require that the student attend and/or provide a course certificate (Schein) in this course, or in a course covering this subject matter (mandatory elective), in order to be admitted to the required comprehensive examinations.

Title of Course: Course title in the matriculation book (Studienbuch) may vary from the course title as recorded on the course certificate as issued by the professor. The student records here the more appropriate title for the course.

Type of Course: (Procedural exceptions possible)

Lecture (Vorlesung): Attendance not controlled, except in some medical programs. Active student participation not required. Usually no grade awarded. Usually no course certificate (Schein) awarded. Students are responsible for course content on comprehensive examinations

Please note: For the following course types, attendance may be controlled, active participation is expected, demonstrations of proficiency may be required (written or oral examinations, take-home examinations, papers, oral reports, etc.). Course certificates may be awarded. In some cases no certificate is awarded, but course is pre-requisite for admission to the intermediate or final examination. Students may also audit following courses, in which case they are not graded (NG).

Basic Course (Grundkurs): Introductory course. May be divided into lectures and exercises, which are indicated separately.

Exercise/Section (Übung): Accompanies lecture work

Practical (Praktikum): Field work and/or practical training (may be recorded on collective certificate)

Basic Seminar (Proseminar): Emphasizes independent academic work, taken prior to intermediate examination (Zwischenprüfung or Vordiplom)

Advanced Seminar (Hauptseminar): Emphasizes independent academic work, taken after intermediate examination

Advanced Seminar for Degree Candidates (Oberseminar): Taken in preparation for thesis work and final examination

Examination Review Course (Repititorium): For law students, intensive examination preparation course

Colloquium (Kolloquium): Discussion course

Tutorial (Tutorium): Course intensification or examination review course

Excursion (Exkursion): Field trip

Basis of Grade: Demonstrations of proficiency required for issuance of a course certificate, for example:

Written Examination (Klausur)

Oral Examination (mündliche Prüfung)

Take-Home Examination (Hausarbeit): Paper written on assigned topic

Seminar Paper (Seminararbeit): Research paper written on subject of student’s choice

Report (Referat): Oral report or presentation

Controlled Attendance (regelmäßige, kontrollierte Teilnahme)

Protocol (Protokoll): Summary of course or class contents

Prerequisite for: Course was prerequisite for admission to another course indicated on SRRS, therefore Course Certificate (Schein) not necessarily awarded.

Final Grade: (Grades are not to be converted into other grading systems!)

NG: Not graded. no course certificate awarded, either as department policy (for example lecture courses) or because the student has chosen to audit the course

P: Ungraded but officially passed. An ungraded course certificate was awarded or the results were recorded on an examination certificate. Course certificate may be marked „passed“ (bestanden), „passed successfully“ (teilgenommen mit Erfolg) or „attended regularly“ (regelmäß teilgenommen). On occasion the course is a prerequisite for another course and is accepted as passed if admission to the following course is certified.

Grade: (Passing grades 1-4)

Grades for Law Students (some law courses may be graded on the above 1-5 scale)

Grades for Course Certificates (Scheine)

16-18 points: very good (outstanding)

13-15 points: good (well above average)

10-12 points: fully satisfactory (above average)

7-9 points: satisfactory (meets all normal requirements)

4-6 points: sufficient (meets requirements, some weakness)

1-3 points: deficient (considerable weakness, unacceptable)

0 points: inadequate/unsatisfactory (wholly unacceptable)

Grades for State Examinations in Law (Staatsexamen)

14.00 - 18.00 points: very good (outstanding)

11.50 - 13.99 points: good (well above average)

9.00 - 11.49 points: fully satisfactory (above average)

6,50 - 8.99 points: satisfactory (meets all normal requirements)

4.00 - 6.49 points: sufficient (meets requirements, some weakness)

1.50 - 3.99 points: deficient (considerable weakness, unacceptable)

0 - 1.49 points: inadequate (wholly unacceptable)

Examination System

Professional (such as law, medicine, teaching): State examinations (Staatsexamen), may be administered in stages (First, Second, possibly Third State Examination), both written and/or oral, taken at stages throughout studies.

Academic:

Intermediate Examination (Vordiplom, Zwischenprüfung) - taken at conclusion of period of basic preparatory studies in major; both written and/or oral

Final (degree) Examination (Diplom, Magister) - taken at conclusion of period of advanced studies in major; both written and/or oral

Doctorate (Doktor, Promotion) - awarded on basis of dissertation (Doktorarbeit) and oral examination (Rigorosum)

For detailed information on diploma requirements, see Examination Regulations (Prüfungsordnung) for each field of study.