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FAQs Credit Transfer: Social and Cultural Sciences

1) How many certificates must I acquire abroad?

2) Can I also get a language course certificate to be recognized?

3) How do I know if my chosen courses at the university abroad are recognized?

4) Where can I find information on the courses I can enroll in at the foreign university?

5) How does the recognition process work after the stay abroad?

6) What are the requirements for the recognition of an immersion certificate?

7) What is the transcript of records and where can I get it?

8) Who recognizes course certificates that were acquired while studying abroad?

9) Which conditions must be met, in order to have abroad-earned credits recognized?

10) How do I demonstrate course equivalency at a given academic level for abroad-earned credits?

11) How are grades converted?

12) Can I also get my study abroad semester/year recognized if I did not earn any certificates/credits?

13) Where can Non-Germans complete their obligatory study abroad semester/year?

14) Can a mandatory study abroad semester/year also be completed in Collegium Polonicum or in Słubice?

15) Can I register for a course from other faculties?

16) Do written exams which I participate in abroad are counted among the maximum of five exams to be written (at the Viadrina)?






1. How many certificates must I acquire abroad?

In order for your stay abroad to be recognized in accordance with § 8 of the "Fachspezifische Ordnung des Bachelor of Arts Kulturwissenschaften" (22.10.2014) you need to complete at least one course which will be recognized with at least 6 ECTS credits.







2. Can I also get a language course certificate to be recognized?

No. However, you potentially can be moved up in placement for a certain language if you have acquired a certain amount of credits. Please check this with the Language Center.







3. How do I know if my chosen courses at the university abroad are recognized?

Students enrolled at the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences should receive the permission of Nicole Klück in advance that the selected courses are recognizable, either during her office hours or by sending Form A filled out via email.






4. Where can I find information on the courses I can enroll in at the foreign university?

On the website of the respective university. Please note that the course catalogues are only made available a few weeks prior to the start of the semester, just like at Viadrina. Orient yourself at first via previous course catalogs.







5. How does the recognition process work after the stay abroad?

The following documents need to be submitted personally or sent via email:

  1. A filled out copy of Form B.

  2. A transcript of records (listing all abroad-earned credits). Additionally, any term papers (Hausarbeit), if any were written.

  3. Proof of academic level or year and semester contact hours.

  4. Please fill in the online form directly on your computer, then either send it via email to outgoing@europa-uni.de or hand it in during our office hours. At first the Department of International Affairs will proceed with the formal examination before passing it on to the examination board of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences, which will proceed with the examination with regard to content. As soon as this procedure is completed, you will receive an e-mail due to which you can pick up the completed recognition in room AM 207. You then take this recognition to the Examination Office when registering for your BA-thesis.







6. What are the requirements for the recognition of an advanced course?

All course certificates can be recognized as advanced ("Vertiefung") if the course completed abroad was

  • classified at least as a sophomore (2nd year) course. An exception is Russia: here a course has to be classified as a 3rd year course. 

  • which is obviously not suited for freshmen. This can be done through a confirmation from the lecturer, or a copy of the course syllabus, or a course description by the partner university, provided that it contains relevant information for this purpose.

In order for an advanced course being recognized with 9 ECTS you have to fulfill the same requirements as at Viadrina (see "Fachspezifische Ordnung BA Kulturwissenschaften" §8). Thus, a paper or several essays with alltogether 20-25 pages.

Proof of course certificates for master programs attended abroad can basically be recognized as advanced course.







7. What is the transcript of records and how can I get it?

The transcript of records is a document that lists all abroad-earned grades. After completion of the study abroad semester it is sent from the partner university’s International Office to Viadrina’s International Office, and sometimes directly to the students. You will be notified via email as soon as it arrives at Viadrina and you can pick it up in AM 207.







8. Who recognizes course certificates that were acquired while studying abroad?

Recognition of study abroad course certificates within the Social and Cultural Sciences bachelor majors:

Nicole Klück
Audimax, AM 209
Tel +49 335 5534-2602
Fax +49 335 5534-2599
outgoing@europa-uni.de

Please note the office hours







9. Which conditions must be met, in order to have abroad-earned credits recognized?

  • University-earned credits: abroad-earned credits must be completed at a university that has an accredited doctoral program (not at a college or something similar; however, there are exceptions, e.g. our partner universities).
  • Credits compatible with Social and Cultural Studies: abroad-earned credits must have been earned in disciplines that are also represented at the Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies at Viadrina, or must be closely related to Social and Cultural Studies.
  • A course must have a total of 22.5 contact hours per semester (or a minimum of 1.5 contact hours per week) to be recognized.
  • Course equivalency: credits earned abroad must have been earned in courses that correspond to the academic level of Viadrina (see question 10 for how to demonstrate academic level).






10. How do I demonstrate course equivalency at a given academic level for abroad-earned credits?

  • All introductory bachelor courses can be recognized as long as they fulfill the four abovementioned criteria.
  • If you would like to have a bachelor course recognized with advanced status, the course must be of an advanced level. Generally, a course counts as advanced starting with the second academic year (sophomore level). To count toward an advanced academic level, a certificate must be enclosed, e.g., by means of a transcript, a summary from the course catalogue of the foreign university, or a written acknowledgement from the lecturer. In some exceptional cases it is also possible to count two introductory courses as one advanced course.







11. How are grades converted?

The conversion of grades for credits earned abroad follows the ECTS grade conversion table.







12. Can I also get my study abroad semester recognized if I did not earn any credits?

No.







13. Where can Non-Germans complete their obligatory study abroad semester?

Foreign students should not study abroad in their home country (foreign students are those who have not acquired their high school diploma, or Abitur, in Germany). In exceptional cases students may spend their semester abroad in their home country. Please consult the responsible coordinators. 







14. Can a mandatory study abroad semester also be completed in Collegium Polonicum or in Słubice?

No, neither Germans nor foreign students can complete their study abroad requirement in Collegium Polonicum or in Słubice.







15. Can I register for a course from other faculties?

Yes. You may also register for courses offered by the faculties of Law and/or Business Administration and Economics if the partner university agrees. These courses can be recognized in module 4 at the Viadrina but please note that it needs to be verified in advance whether your chosen courses are recognizable at the Viadrina.  







16. Do written exams which I participate in abroad are counted among the maximum of five exams to be written (at the Viadrina)?

No. You may participate in written exams abroad even if you have already taken five written exams at the Viadrina. 



Contact

Nicole Klück

Tel.: +49 335 5534 2602
outgoing@europa-uni.de

Room AM 209