Bachelor’s degree programmes are structured in so-called modules:
teaching units consisting of one or more courses that are thematically related.
Example: Module 1 taken from the examination regulations for Romance Studies B.A.
| M1 – Linguistics – Basics (6 ECTS credits) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Type | P/WP | PL/SL | ECTS | SWS | Sem. |
| Overview Course on Linguistics | V/Ü | P | SL | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Introduction to Romance Linguistics | Ü | P | PL | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Modules can consist of different types of courses such as lectures, seminars, exercises or practical training. Module 1 (M1) from the examination regulations for the Romance Studies B.A. programme consists, for example, of two different courses: Vorlesung (V), = lecture, and Übung (Ü) = exercise.
When reading, it is helpful to know a few important German abbreviations:
Types of courses
This section describes the type of course (in German and English). There are various study formats:
- V – Vorlesung (lecture)
- Ü – Übung (exercise)
- S – Seminar
- Pr – Praktikum (practical training)
- T – Tutorat (tutoring)
P/WP
Is it a compulsory course (Pflichtveranstaltung, P) or an elective course (Wahlpflichtveranstaltung, WP)? Compulsory courses must be attended in all cases. For elective courses, you can choose between several courses, one of which you must attend in any case.
PL/SL
Is it necessary to complete an examination (Prüfungsleistung, PL) or coursework (Studienleistung, SL) here? Examinations taken during the course of study serve to earn ECTS credits, and the grades are included in the final grade. Coursework serves only to earn ECTS credits. It is therefore not included in the final grade for the bachelor’s programme, but must also be passed.
ECTS
The more ECTS credits a module or course has, the more time you spend on it.
ECTS credits (= credit points) indicate the amount of work required for certain academic achievements. Depending on the subject, 1 ECTS credit corresponds to 25-30 hours of work, consisting of time spent in courses and the associated self-study. In the Bachelor’s programme, 60 ECTS credits are awarded per academic year, i.e. 30 ECTS credits per semester.
SWS
How many semester hours per week (Semesterwochenstunden, SWS) does the course comprise? This refers to the duration of the course. One semester hour per week is equivalent to one school hour and lasts 45 minutes.
Sem.
In which semester of the degree programme should the course be taken, and is it even offered by the department? The standard duration of a bachelor’s degree programme is six semesters. The courses to be taken are spread out over this period. Depending on the degree programme and module, there may or may not be flexibility in this regard.
Quiz
State examination
State examination degree programmes are not usually structured in modules and there are no ECTS credits. Much is prescribed in the examination or study regulations and sometimes in more detail in a study plan, as the examinations are standardised throughout Germany. However, there are also optional choices here, for example in specialised subjects.
Course content
If you want to know which modules are covered in your desired study programme, it is best to first check the relevant examination or study regulations. However, in German-taught degree programmes, these are usually only available in German.
You can find them on the respective subject information page in our degree programme finder under “Statutes”.
To find out exactly what content is covered in each subject, it is helpful to take a look at the module handbook. As the links to these vary depending on the subject, the easiest way is to search online: [degree programme/subject] + module handbook + University of Freiburg.
The study plan or model study plan for your desired degree programme information about an example study path, which is generally not a binding study requirement. You must put together your own study plan!
If you are interested in the exact content of the lectures and seminars offered in the respective degree programmes, take a look at the course catalogue.