- 2 - Examination Regulations for the postgraduate Master s program in European Studies Governance and Regulation

Transcription

1 - 2 - Examination Regulations for the postgraduate Master s program in European Studies Governance and Regulation at the Center for European Integration Studies, under the oversight of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bonn as of August 5, 2013 In accordance with 2 Para. 4, 62 and 64 Para. 1 of the law regarding colleges and universities in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia the Higher Education Act (Hochschulgesetz, HG) as amended by the Higher Education Autonomy Act (Hochschulfreiheitsgesetz, HFG) dated October 31, 2006 (GV. NRW. p. 474), and most recently modified by Article 1 of the Act to Modify the Higher Education Act dated December 18, 2012 (GV. NRW. p. 672), the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bonn has enacted the following Examination Regulations:

2 - 3 - Table of Contents 1 Goal of the program and purpose of the examination Academic degree Admission requirements, special auditor fees Standard period of study, program structure, course offerings Access to individual courses Examination Board Lecturers, examiners and observers Credit for coursework and examinations Scope of the Master s exam and examination dates Admission and registration, deadlines Completing exams during the course of study Retaking exams Protective provisions, absence, withdrawal, objections, cheating, violation of procedures In-class exams Oral exams Papers, projects, presentations and reports Master s thesis Acceptance, grading and revision of the Master s thesis Grades for exam results, grading procedure and passing the Master s exam Certificate Diploma supplement Master s diploma Reviewing the examination records Invalid Master s exams, revocation of the Master s degree Transition rules Effective date and publication Appendix 1 Module plan Appendix 2 Regulating access to courses Appendix 3 Relevant professional or practical activities as per 3 Para. 4

3 - 4-1 Goal of the program and purpose of the examination (1) The postgraduate Master s program European Studies Governance and Regulation is a postgraduate program in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bonn. It is based on the pillars Governance and Regulation, which reflect the political and legal significance of European integration issues, and it has a practice-oriented profile. (2) The Master s exam represents a further professional qualification at the end of an in-depth practical and scientific education through the postgraduate Master s program European Studies Governance and Regulation. (3) Through targeted, specialized postgraduate education, the program is intended to deepen participants knowledge about the current state, development and problems of European integration, particularly in terms of governance in the EU and issues of regulation. It prepares participants to work in an international organization, a top-level national administration, a nongovernmental organization, academia or a globally active commercial enterprise. The program s interdisciplinary focus helps students identify connections across various areas of specialization, and to independently use scientific methods and findings. (4) The course of study in this Master s program is intended to provide the participants in light of the requirements and changes in the professional world and in interdisciplinary relationships with the necessary specialized knowledge, skills and methods as well as key interdisciplinary qualifications so that they are able to perform scientifically based work, to critically classify and use scientific findings and methods in professional practice, and to act in a responsible manner. The goals of the program are mainly concentrated on: a) specialized knowledge that is oriented toward current research issues, on the basis of indepth fundamental knowledge; b) methodological and analytical skills that allow independent expansion of the scientific results; research methods and strategies play a central role. (5) A recommended curriculum is created for the proper structure of the program. The individual participants can also request customized curricula. (6) The instruction and examination language is English. The module plan can include deviations for individual modules or parts of modules. 2 Academic degree Once the student has passed the Master s exam, the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bonn grants the academic degree Master of European Studies in the area of European integration studies.

4 - 5-3 Admission requirements, special auditor fees (1) Prospective students from all over the world can apply for the postgraduate program. The application deadline for studies beginning in the winter semester of each year is announced on the ZEI (Center for European Integration Studies) website ( The postmark is definitive in determining compliance with the application deadline. If the deadline is not a business day, a postmark on the next business day shall be valid. Applications must be submitted in English, French or German. (2) The admission requirements are: - a completed initial qualifying higher-education degree from a German or foreign college or university, preferably in the areas of Law, Business or Political Science, with at least 180 credit points (CPs) according to the ECTS system; - proof of very good verbal and written English skills, at least Level C 1 from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; - proof of at least one year of practical work experience. In light of the thematic EU focus of the program, knowledge of another official EU language is recommended. (3) Proof of very good English skills is automatically fulfilled by native speakers. All other applicants must provide proof. The necessary language skills can be proven through a college admission qualification report card, a TOEFL or computer-based TOEFL language test (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or an equivalent document. The proof of necessary English skills is also considered to be fulfilled if the applicant participated in a regular English-language course of study for at least two semesters, or studied at a college or university in an English-speaking country for at least two semesters, as long as the program was primarily or exclusively completed in English. (4) Practical work experience includes relevant professional or practical work after an initial college degree as per Appendix 3. (5) Applications must include the following documents: - proof of formal qualifications as per Para. 2, - the completed application form, - a tabular résumé. (6) Proof of formal qualifications as per Para. 2 can be submitted as copies. Proof or copies of proof that were issued in a language other than German, English or French must be accompanied by a translation into German, English or French by a state-certified translation service. (7) If individual documents as per Para. 2 are not yet available at the time of the application, the applicant must submit a corresponding temporary certificate together with the application. The applicant must submit the formal proof as soon as it is received, and it must be available before registration. (8) Admission shall take place once the special auditor fees for one year of study, as established by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bonn, have been paid. (9) The maximum number of participants is limited to 32.

5 - 6 - (10) Participation in the Master s program European Studies - Governance and Regulation is subject to a special auditor fee. The amount is established by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and is announced online in a timely manner before the start of applications, on the ZEI website ( The amount of the fee and the provisions for paying fees are based on the Fee Terms of the University of Bonn dated February 17, 2012 (Official Notifications, Vol. 42, No. 7, February 22, 2012) and on the Tuition and Fee Terms of the University of Bonn dated February 24, 2009 (Official Notifications, Vol. 39, No. 14, February 25, 2009), most recently modified by the terms for modifying the Tuition and Fee Terms of the University of Bonn dated February 17, 2012 (Official Notifications, Vol. 42, No. 6, February 22, 2012). (11) The amount is calculated based on the total expected costs divided by the expected number of participants. It is at least per semester. (12) If the number of applicants who fulfill the general admission requirements as per Para. 2 exceeds the maximum number of spaces, the participants shall be chosen based on the current version of the Selection Process Terms. 4 Standard period of study, program structure, course offerings (1) The standard period of study, including the Master s thesis, is two semesters (60 LPs). (2) The course materials are selected and limited in such a way that the Master s exam can be completed during the standard period of study. They are taught as modules, which as a rule consist of thematically, methodologically or systematically related units of instruction during a semester. (3) As a rule, each module concludes with a module exam and is awarded credit points (CPs) according to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System). One ECTS CP corresponds to a calculated student workload with 30 hours of in-class and independent study. (4) The fundamental and in-depth modules include a total of 44 LPs. The written Master s thesis is worth 16 LPs. The details of the modules and the number of credit points per module are established in the module plan (Appendix 1). (5) The program can only be started in the winter semester. 5 Access to individual courses (1) Access to the individual courses in the Master of European Studies Governance and Regulation assumes admission to the program of study. (2) If, in individual cases, the number of participants must be limited in a course due to its type or purpose or for other reasons involving research, artistic development projects, teaching, art practice or health care, and if the number of applicants exceeds the number that can be accepted, the instructor can request that the Dean regulate participation in keeping with 59 HG.

6 - 7 - (3) Courses in which the number of participants can be limited are established in the module plan. The Faculty Council shall announce the number of participants at the start of each semester. The priority criteria are established in Appendix 2 to these Examination Regulations. 6 Examination Board (1) In order to organize the examinations and to perform the tasks assigned through these Examination Regulations, the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Arts shall establish an Examination Board. The Dean of the Faculty shall ensure that the Examination Board properly fulfills and is able to fulfill its tasks. The Dean shall provide the necessary instructions in this regard. (2) The Examination Board of the ZEI consists of the two ZEI Directors, an equal number of additional members qualified to administer exams who belong to a relevant specialized discipline and who were chosen by the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Arts, and the Coordinator of the program. The respective Managing Director of the ZEI is the Chair of the Examination Board. The members who are qualified to administer exams shall have a term of three years. They can be reelected. The office of Dean or a Vice-Dean is compatible with membership on the Examination Board as long as the Faculty regulations permit this. (3) The Examination Board is an official agency in the sense of the Administrative Procedures and Administrative Processes Law. (4) The Examination Board ensures that the provisions of the Examination Regulations are followed, and ensures that the exams are properly administered. In particular, the Board is responsible for resolving objections to any decisions made during examination processes. The Board regularly reports to the Faculty Council, at least once a year, on the development of examination and study periods, including the length of the Master s thesis and the overall distribution of grades. It makes suggestions for reforms to the Examination Regulations and the curriculum. It can resolve to transfer the responsibility for performing tasks to the Chair. The transfer of responsibility for resolving objections and for reporting to the Faculty Council is excluded. (5) The meetings of the Examination Board are not public. The members of the Examination Board and their representatives are subject to an official duty of secrecy. If they do not hold public office, they must be obligated to secrecy by the Chair of the Examination Board. Resolution minutes are kept for the meetings and resolutions of the Examination Board. (6) The Examination Board has a quorum if at least one member authorized to administer exams is present in addition to the Chair or the acting Chair. Decisions are made by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the Chair s vote shall be definitive. The members of the Examination Board have the right to attend the examinations. (7) Any requirements, established deadlines and other notifications from the Examination Board that affect more than just individual people shall be announced by way of postings or electronically, with consideration for data protection, and shall be legally binding. Other additional announcements are permissible but not legally binding.

7 - 8-7 Lecturers, examiners and observers (1) The lecturers in the program are chosen by the Examination Board. Lecturers must have at least a doctorate ( Promotion ) or postdoctoral qualification ( Habilitation ) in the area of instruction, be employed at a college or university and have published or taught on the individual topics of instruction; or they must have several years of relevant professional experience in the area of instruction and the individual topics of instruction, at least a Master s exam in the area of instruction, and independent teaching experience in the areas of instruction. In addition, lecturers must have fluent English skills proven through teaching experience or English publications; they must have teaching experience at the international level in equivalent institutions and on a relevant topic, and they must be able to demonstrate expertise in an area of European integration through their publications, teaching experience and professional experience overall. (2) The Examination Board appoints examiners and observers for the individual exams. Those who are authorized to administer higher-education exams are instructors from the University of Bonn and persons who have experience in professional practice and education, where this is necessary or appropriate for the purpose of the examination. Exams can only be graded by persons who themselves have the same or an equivalent qualification to the one being determined by the exam. Observers must have completed at least the corresponding Master s exam or an equivalent exam. (3) Module exams are administered by the respective instructors who are responsible for the module. If an instructor is prevented by illness or another important reason from administering module exams in a timely manner, the Examination Board shall ensure that another examiner is appointed to give the module exams. This examiner should have already taught courses himself/herself in the relevant module. (4) The examiners are not subject to any instructions in their examination activities. (5) The examinee can suggest an examiner for the Master s thesis. This suggestion will be taken into account where possible, but it is not an entitlement. (6) The Examination Board shall ensure that the examinee is given the names of the examiners in a timely manner, at least two weeks before the respective exam. 8 Credit for coursework and examinations (1) Work completed in a program of study at another higher-education institution within the jurisdiction of German Basic Law shall be officially credited in the same program without an equivalency check. (2) Work completed in other programs of study or at other higher-education institutions, as well as at state or state-recognized vocational academies within the jurisdiction of German Basic Law, shall be credited if it is equivalent; upon request, this also applies to work completed at highereducation institutions outside the jurisdiction of German Basic Law. If equivalency is determined, the equivalency agreements approved by the Conference of German Cultural Ministers and the Conference of University Presidents, as well as any agreements as part of college and university partnerships, must be observed. Equivalency exists if the work does not significantly differ from the requirements in terms of content, scope or specifications. The review should not be a schematic comparison, but an overall analysis and evaluation. The above provisions apply accordingly for work completed in a postgraduate program.

8 - 9 - (3) Upon request, other knowledge and qualifications can be credited to this program of study based on the provided documentation. (4) The academic degree Master of European Studies is only granted by the Faculty if at least 36 of the credit points required as per 4 Para. 4 were earned at the University of Bonn, as well as the 16 CPs for the Master s thesis. (5) The Examination Board is responsible for awarding credits according to Paragraphs 1 through 3. The responsible faculty representatives must be consulted before making decisions about equivalency. In addition, in the event of doubt about the equivalency of work completed in another country, the Central Office of International Education can be consulted. The student will be notified within eight weeks of decisions about credits that are granted or refused. If work is not credited, the Examination Board must provide reasons for this. (6) If work is credited, the grades to the extent that the grading systems are comparable must be adopted, and included in the calculation of the overall grade once they have been weighted with the corresponding course points. For grading systems that are not comparable, the note passed is recorded. The credit is indicated on the report card. Work that was completed in programs without a course-point system is converted to course points by the Examination Board, as long as the exam in question corresponds to the module exams for these Examination Regulations. The benchmark approved by the Conference of German Cultural Ministers for comparison with the ECTS must be used here. Accordingly, work shall be credited as long as there are no significant differences in terms of the skills obtained. To the extent that partial exams can be recognized, credit points shall be awarded once the module is successfully completed. (7) If the requirements as per Paragraphs 1 and 2 are met, there is a legal entitlement to receive credit. The program participants must submit the necessary documentation for the credit, and provide any corresponding information. The Examination Board can request a statement from the program participant to the effect that all of the work to be credited has been reported. Credits and acceptances of additional exams can be refused if the program participant requesting this credit does not fulfill the cooperation obligations. 9 Scope of the Master s exam and examination dates (1) The Master s exam is intended to demonstrate a postgraduate qualification in the area of European integration studies. (2) The Master s exam consists of - the module exams during the course of study that relate to the material in the modules specified in Appendix 1, and - the Master s thesis. All of the exams must be completed within the standard period of study established in 4 Para. 1. (3) The required exams shall be completed during the course of study. Each module, even if it consists of multiple courses, is generally assigned to one module exam; the results are recorded in the final report card. In order for credit points to be assigned, the respective module must be completed. A module is considered successfully completed if the module exam and/or all of the partial exams in the module have received at least a satisfactory grade, or if the criteria established in the module plan for assigning credit points in place of a module exam have been proven.

9 (4) If a module consists of multiple courses with partial module exams, the credit points shall be awarded once the last partial module exam is passed. (5) Exams are fundamentally administered in the language of instruction. 10 Admission and registration, deadlines (1) The request for admission to a Master s exam must be submitted by the deadline announced by the Examination Board, and must be directed in writing to the Examination Board. The application must include: a) proof of the general access requirements described in 3; b) proof of admission as a special auditor at the University of Bonn, in the program Master of European Studies Governance and Regulation; c) a statement as to whether the examinee did not pass or definitively failed a required exam or the Master s exam in a related or comparable program, or is enrolled in another examination process for such a program at the time of his/her registration for the module exam, the results of which must be credited to the requested module exam; d) proof of any module exam or comparable coursework or exams that were already completed at another college or university, and if so which ones. (2) In order to be admitted to a module exam, students must a) fulfill and provide proof of the admission requirements as per Para. 1, b) fulfill any special admission requirements for the module, including enrollment limits, c) demonstrate regular/ successful/ active participation in courses (with the exception of lectures) as per 11 Para. 6 and have completed the specific coursework for each. (3) Each module exam requires a separate electronic registration with the Examination Board. The right to register in writing is reserved in justified cases. Registration is only permissible if and as long as the admission requirements are fulfilled. The exam dates and registration dates shall be announced through postings or electronically; these are cut-off periods. Students can cancel their registration for an exam in writing or electronically no less than one week before the respective exam date, without providing reasons. The date when this is received by the Examination Board shall be definitive. For papers, deregistration must take place no less than one week before the topic is assigned. For modules with exams that take place throughout the semester and are associated with a course, it is not possible to deregister once the topics or seats are given out. (4) If a module exam does not take place, the registration shall automatically apply to the next available exam date. (5) When registering for a Master s thesis, the examinee must declare which area of study and teaching the thesis will cover, and which faculty representatives will supervise the thesis. (6) If the examinee cannot provide a necessary document as per Para. 1 p. 2 as specified, the Examination Board can permit him/her to provide another form of proof in place of this document.

10 (7) The Examination Board shall make decisions about the admission. (8) Admission can only be refused if a) the documents as per Para. 1 are incomplete and/or are not submitted despite a request, b) the requirements named in Para. 2 are not fulfilled, c) the program participant failed an exam or the Master s exam in this program or in a related or comparable program, or d) the program participant is in a different examination process in this program, or in a related or comparable program whose results will be credited to the requested module exam. 11 Completing exams during the course of study (1) Module exams relate to the course material for the modules named in Appendix 1. (2) During the module exams, examinees must be admitted as special auditors in this program at the University of Bonn. (3) The module exams test theoretical knowledge about the specialized areas taught in the respective modules, as well as the ability to understand overarching connections. The module exams generally take the form of an in-class written exam, a paper or an oral exam. The respective exam format and the admission requirements, and the sub-division into partial exams where planned are established in the module plan (Appendix 1). Para. 2. The specific exam format is coordinated with the examiners, and is announced by the Examination Board in a timely manner as per 6 Para. 7, before the start of the semester. (4) The module plan can determine that preliminary coursework must be completed in order to take part in a module exam. If this is not completed, admission to the module exam may not be granted. The Examination Board shall announce the specific requirements for preliminary coursework at the start of each semester at the instructor s request, as per 6 Para. 7. (5) Two exam dates shall be offered for each module exam that is to be completed as an inclass written exam or oral exam, during the semester in which the corresponding courses are completed. As a rule, these exam dates are shortly before or shortly after the end of the semester, and shortly before the start of the next semester. Examinees will be notified of the grades for written exams and Master s theses within at least three weeks. A submission deadline will be established for module exams that are to be completed as papers. The Examination Board will announce the dates in a timely manner as per 6 Para. 7. (6) In courses (with the exception of lectures) where there is no other way to reach the qualification goal, the Examination Board can establish regular/active/successful participation as a requirement for taking part in the module exam, at the request of the instructor or module representative. It must also define regular/ active/ successful participation. This decision must be announced by the Examination Board as per 6 Para. 7. (7) Written exams must be graded by at least one examiner. Oral exams must always be administered by at least two examiners, or one examiner accompanied by an expert observer if the oral exam cannot be monitored in some other way. In addition, written and oral exams that conclude a program of study, as well as repeat exams for which there are no further make-up options if they are not passed, must be graded by at least two examiners. If multiple examiners take part in the grading, the grade will consist of the arithmetic mean of the individual grades. If the exam is administered by one examiner accompanied by an observer, the examiner shall consult with the observer without the student present before assigning the grade.

11 (8) If the examinee provides compelling evidence to the Examination Board that he/she is unable to apply his/her existing intellectual capabilities in the context of the coursework due to a handicap that is ongoing or lasts longer than one semester, or due to a chronic illness, and therefore is unable to complete the exam in full or in part in the planned format, the Examination Board shall allow equivalent exams and/or coursework to be completed in an appropriate format, which may include increased time to complete the work. 12 Retaking exams (1) Each exam that is not passed or is not considered passed can be retaken one time only. Failed attempts in the same or a related program at other colleges or universities shall also be taken into consideration. If necessary, the Examination Board shall establish which programs are considered equivalent. Exams shall be retaken as per 10 Para. 4. (2) If an examinee fails to appear despite an obligation to retake an exam, the exam shall receive a grade of unsatisfactory (5.0). (3) If a module receives a grade of unsatisfactory (5.0) twice, the student shall no longer be entitled to take the exam. If this decision is deemed enforceable, the student shall not complete the program and shall be exmatriculated by the Registrar s Office. (4) A module exam with a grade of satisfactory or higher cannot be retaken. 13 Protective provisions, absence, withdrawal, objections, cheating, violation of procedures (1) An exam is given a grade of unsatisfactory (5.0) if the examinee misses an exam date without good reason, withdraws from the exam without good reason after it starts, or fails to submit the Master s thesis in a timely manner. The same is true if a written exam is not completed within the assigned time limit, or if the candidate fails to submit the work by the established deadline without good reason. The candidate can withdraw from a module exam no later than one week before the respective exam date, by notifying the Examination Board in writing. The date when this is received by the Examination Board shall be definitive. (2) The reasons given for withdrawing from or missing an exam must be provided to the Examination Board immediately in writing, with a compelling explanation. If the examinee is sick, a doctor s certificate may be requested, containing the findings that the Examination Board needs in order to determine incapacity to take the exam. In individual cases, the Examination Board can request a certificate from a doctor of its choosing or the public health officer. If the Examination Board recognizes the reasons, the exam is not considered to have been attempted. The examinee must immediately report any defects in the exam to the respective examiner or supervisor. Such a report must be logged and submitted to the Examination Board. Page 4 applies correspondingly.

12 (3) If an attempt is made to influence the results of the exam through cheating or the use of nonpermitted materials, the exam in question shall be given a grade of unsatisfactory (5.0); this determination shall be made by the respective examiner or supervisor, officially recorded and forwarded to the Examination Board. An examinee who disrupts the proper course of the exam can be prevented by the respective examiner or supervisor from continuing the exam, after a warning; in this case, the exam in question shall be declared not passed, and given a grade of unsatisfactory (5.0). The reasons for this exclusion must be officially recorded. (4) Within two weeks, examinees can request that decisions as per Para. 3 p. 1 and 2 be reviewed by the Examination Board. (5) At the request of the examinee, maternity periods as established in the applicable Maternity Protection Law (MuSchG) must be taken into consideration. Any such request must be accompanied by the required documentation. Maternity periods shall interrupt any deadlines according to these Examination Regulations; the length of the maternity period shall not be included in the calculation of the deadline. (6) Equally, the parental leave periods must be taken into consideration upon request, according to the applicable Law on Parental Allowance and Parental Leave (BEEG). Examinees must notify the Examination Board in writing no later than four weeks before the date when they wish to begin the parental leave period, including the required documentation and the dates when they wish to claim this leave. The Examination Board must determine whether the statutory requirements are fulfilled that would entitle an employee to claim parental leave as per the BEEG, and shall notify the examinee immediately of the decision, along with any new exam dates. The period for completing a Master s exam or a paper cannot be interrupted by parental leave. The provided exam or paper is simply considered unassigned. After the end of the parental leave, the examinee will receive a new topic. (7) Upon request, downtimes due to nursing or caring for spouses, registered life partners, immediate relatives or first-degree in-laws shall be taken into consideration if such persons require nursing or care. The Examination Board shall review whether the requirements in Sentence 1 are fulfilled. The request must be made as soon as the circumstances arise, and must include informative documentation. The Examination Board shall immediately inform the examinee of the decision, along with any new exam dates. The period for completing a Master s exam or a paper cannot be interrupted by such downtimes. The provided exam or paper is simply considered unassigned. After the end of the downtime, the examinee will receive a new topic. (8) In the event of repeated or otherwise serious cheating attempts, the examinee can be exmatriculated. The Examination Board shall make decisions in this regard. Exmatriculation shall be enacted by the Registrar s Office once the corresponding decision by the Examination Board is deemed enforceable. (9) Anyone who intentionally violates a regulation in these Examination Regulations with regard to cheating on exams is considered to have committed an administrative offense. Administrative offenses shall be subject to fines of up to 50,000 euros. The administrative agency responsible for prosecuting and punishing administrative offenses as per Sentence 1 shall be the Chancellor of the University of Bonn.

13 In-class exams (1) In in-class exams, students must demonstrate that they can identify a problem from the subject area of the module, using the standard methods for this module within a limited amount of time and with limited materials and that they can find ways to resolve it. The examiners shall announce the permissible materials in a timely manner. (2) In-class exams can be completed as hand-written, supervised exams or in a computer-based format. Computer-based exams particularly include free-write assignments and fill-in-the-blank texts that are completed electronically. (3) Each in-class exam lasts at least 90 minutes and no more than 180 minutes; 11 Para. 7 applies correspondingly. The specific schedule is announced by the Examination Board at the start of the semester. (4) Upon request, the examinee must be permitted to review his/her graded work; such a request must be made no later than three months after the exam results are announced. The Examination Board shall inform the examinee of the review period in a timely manner. 29 of the General Law on Administrative Procedures for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (VwVfG. NRW) shall remain unaffected. (5) In consultation with the examiner, the Examination Board can arrange an oral exam in place of a planned in-class written exam that includes the material covered in the module. This shall be announced in a timely manner, at the start of the semester as per 6 Para Oral exams (1) Oral exams are intended for the examinee to prove that he/she has a broad range of knowledge in the area being tested, is able to recognize contexts and arrange specific questions within these contexts, and can suggest potential solutions. (2) Oral exams are administered either by multiple examiners (a panel exam) or by one examiner accompanied by an expert observer, as individual or group exams. If the exam is held in front of multiple examiners, the examinee shall only be tested on each exam area by one examiner. The provisions of 11 Para. 7 shall remain unaffected. The examination time shall be at least 15 minutes and no more than 45 minutes per examinee and per module exam. For group exams, it must be ensured that each examinee in the group has the same amount of examination time. (3) The main subjects and grades for the individual exams shall be recorded in a protocol. The examinee shall be notified of the results after the oral exams. (4) Program participants who wish to take the same oral exam on a later exam date shall be admitted as auditors depending on the space available, as long as no examinees object. This decision shall be made by the examiner, or by the chair in the case of a panel exam. Admission shall not include advising or notification of the exam results. Auditors are not permitted to make recordings during the exam. (5) In consultation with the examiner, the Examination Board can assign an in-class written exam instead of a scheduled oral exam that includes the material covered in the module. This shall be announced in a timely manner, at the start of the semester as per 6 Para. 7.

14 Papers, projects, presentations and reports (1) In papers, the examinee must demonstrate that he/she can independently address a limited topic from the material covered by the module, using the standard methods for this area, and can represent this in writing according to the demands of the academic subject. Each paper shall be between seven and twelve DIN A4 pages of text (not including the table of contents, bibliography and illustrations). Unless otherwise stated, the formatting standards for the Master s program shall apply. These are established by the Examination Board and announced to the students as per 6 Para. 7. (2) In consultation with the examiner, the Examination Board can assign an in-class written exam or an oral exam in place of a paper that includes the material covered in the module. This shall be announced in a timely manner, at the start of the semester. (3) As a rule, projects demonstrate the ability to work as a team and to develop, implement and present concepts. The examinee must demonstrate that he/she can define objectives in the context of a more complex task, and can develop interdisciplinary solutions and concepts. For projects completed as part of a team, the contributions of the individual examinee must be clearly recognizable and gradable, and must fulfill the requirements as per Sentence 1. The presentation should last at least five minutes and no more than ten minutes for each examinee. (4) Presentations are speeches lasting at least five minutes and no more than ten minutes. They document the examinee s ability to clearly present his/her own findings, developed using scientific methods, and to explain them in a discussion. The presentation should be given in the semester during which the corresponding course takes place. (5) Reports are speeches lasting at least ten minutes and no more than 20 minutes. As a rule, they are supplemented by a written explanation between seven and twelve DIN A4 pages in length. Reports are based on original scientific literature and the examinee s own research; they document the ability to present scientific findings in a clear way, and to explain them in a discussion. Reports should be given in the semester during which the corresponding course takes place. (6) For the rest, the provision for grading written and oral exams as per 11 Para. 7 shall apply. 17 Master s thesis (1) The Master s thesis is a written exam that demonstrates the examinee s ability to independently address a problem from the program of study within a specified amount of time, to generate a solution and to represent it appropriately. The topic of the Master s thesis should fundamentally come from the core area of the program. The examinee should have the opportunity, when registering for the Master s thesis, to suggest the area from which the topic of the Master s thesis will be chosen; the Examination Board shall not be bound to this, however. (2) The topic of the Master s thesis can be assigned by any examiner. As a rule, the person who assigns the topic will also be the advisor for this Master s thesis. If the Master s thesis will be assigned and directed by another college instructor who is actively researching and teaching, or will be completed at an institution outside the college or university, this must be approved by the Examination Board. Such approval shall only be granted if appropriate advising by an examiner is guaranteed as per 7 Para. 2.

15 (3) At the request of the examinee, the Examination Board shall ensure that the examinee receives a topic for the Master s thesis in a timely manner. (4) The topic for the Master s thesis can only be assigned once the examinee has earned at least 16 CPs. The module plan can establish additional requirements, for instance the completion of certain modules. The topic of the Master s thesis is assigned by the Examination Board. The topic of the thesis and the time of the assignment must be officially recorded. (5) The Master s thesis must be completed as an individual paper. The text portion of the Master s thesis must include at least 40 and no more than 60 DIN A4 pages. Unless otherwise established, the formatting standard defined for the Master s program on the ZEI homepage at shall apply, as resolved by the Examination Board. The Master s thesis shall be written in English. The Examination Board shall make decisions about any exceptions to this. (6) The Master s thesis includes 16 CPs worth of working time. The completion period shall be three months. The topic of the Master s thesis must be assigned by the Examination Board in a timely manner so that the Master s thesis can be submitted by August 31. The Master s thesis must be submitted to the Master s Office before the end of the completion period. The topic, assignments and scope of the Master s thesis must be limited such that the Master s thesis can be completed within the assigned period under reasonable circumstances. Upon justified request, the Examination Board can grant a grace period of up to two weeks in consultation with the advisor. Examinees have the option of submitting suggested topics for their Master s thesis to the Examination Board through the end of April. Examinees are not entitled to have the requested topic assigned. (7) When submitting the Master s thesis, the examinee must state in writing that he/she personally wrote the thesis and did not use any sources or materials other than those listed, and must affirm that any citations used are indicated as such. In particular, a Master s thesis is not considered to be personally written if the contents or structure and approach to the topic were defined by a third party. The Examination Board can request an affidavit from the examinee in this regard, as well as an appropriate version of the submitted Master s thesis in pdf format that can be used for an electronic comparison. 18 Acceptance, grading and revision of the Master s thesis (1) The Master s thesis must be submitted to the Examination Board in triplicate in a timely manner; the submission deadline must be officially recorded. Examinees cannot withdraw a Master s thesis once it has been submitted. If the Master s thesis is not submitted by the deadline, it is given the grade unsatisfactory (5.0). (2) The Master s thesis shall be reviewed and graded by two examiners. One of the examiners is the one who assigned the topic of the Master s thesis; the other shall be appointed by the Examination Board from the group of examiners named as per 7 Para. 2. It must be ensured that at least one of the examiners is an instructor at the University of Bonn. The examinee shall have the right to suggest examiners, but shall not be entitled to be assigned a particular examiner. (3) Each grade shall be assigned as per 19 Para. 1 and explained in writing. The grade for the Master s thesis shall be the arithmetic mean of the individual grades, as long as the difference is no greater than 2.0 points. If the difference is 2.0 or greater, the Examination Board shall appoint a third examiner to grade the Master s thesis. In this case, the grade shall be the arithmetic mean of the two higher individual grades. The mean shall be calculated according to 19 Para. 6. However, the Master s thesis can only receive a grade of satisfactory or better if at least two of the individual grades were satisfactory or better.

16 (4) The examinee shall be informed of the grade for the Master s thesis within three weeks of the submission deadline. (5) For a Master s thesis with a grade of satisfactory or better, the examinee shall earn 16 CPs. (6) If the Master s thesis is unsatisfactory or failed, the examinee can rewrite it once. Failed attempts in the same subject at other colleges or universities within the jurisdiction of German Basic Law shall be counted. The topic of the second Master s thesis does not need to come from the same area as the first Master s thesis. If the second Master s thesis also receives a grade of unsatisfactory, the Master s exam is considered to have been failed. The examinee loses the right to take the exam; once the Examination Board s decision about the failure in the program has been declared enforceable, the examinee shall be exmatriculated by the Registrar s Office. 19 Grades for exam results, grading procedure and passing the Master s exam (1) The grades for individual exams shall be assigned by the respective examiners. If multiple examiners take part in an exam, the grade is based on the arithmetic mean of the individual grades. Otherwise, 11 Para. 7 shall apply correspondingly. The following grades shall be used: 1 very good outstanding performance 2 good performance that is significantly above the average requirements 3 fair performance that meets the average requirements 4 satisfactory performance that still meets the requirements despite deficiencies 5 unsatisfactory performance that no longer meets the requirements due to significant deficiencies For in-between grades, individual grades can be rounded up or down by 0.3, thereby excluding the grades 0.7 and 4.3 as well as 4.7 and 5.3. (2) An exam in a module is considered to be passed if the module grade is at least satisfactory. If the module grade consists of multiple partial exam grades, it is calculated based on the weighting for individual exams as given in the module plan. 9 Para. 3 applies correspondingly. The module grades shown on the report card are as follows: for an average up to and including 1.5 for an average from 1.6 to 2.5 for an average from 2.6 to 3.5 for an average from 3.6 to 4.0 for an average 4.1 or lower = very good = good = fair = satisfactory = unsatisfactory. (3) The grades are announced by posting them, or else electronically by placing them in the exam administration program according to data protection requirements. This shall take place before the end of the standard period of study.

17 (4) The Master s exam is considered to be passed if all of the module exams required as per 4 Para. 4 as well as the Master s thesis were given at least a satisfactory grade and 60 CPs have been earned. (5) The overall grade for the Master s exam is based on the average (arithmetic mean) of the individual module grades, weighted with the CPs for the respective module. Para. 2 Sentence 4 applies correspondingly. (6) In calculating the module grades and the overall grade, only the first decimal place is taken into consideration; all other decimal places are omitted without any rounding. (7) In order to facilitate international comparability, the overall grade shall be assigned to the corresponding level of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) grading scale. (8) The Master s exam is conclusively failed if - the examinee unsuccessfully attempted a module exam in the required area twice, or - the revised Master s thesis was assigned a grade of unsatisfactory. 20 Certificate (1) A temporary certificate shall be issued to the examinee with the results of the successful Master s exam as soon as all of the grades are finalized. Then a final certificate is issued in German, along with an English translation of the certificate. The certificate includes - all of the modules for which credit points were earned, - the semester in which the credit points were earned, - the grades received for individual exams, - the credit points earned, - the topic and grade of the Master s thesis, - the date of the last exam, and - the overall grade for the Master s exam as well as the corresponding grade on the ECTS grading scale. (2) The certificate should fulfill the current requirements for international comparability (ECTS). (3) The certificate shall bear the issue date. It bears the official Examination Board stamp and is signed by the Dean as well as the Chair of the Examination Board. (4) If the Master s exam is conclusively failed or is considered to be conclusively failed, the Examination Board shall provide the examinee with a written notice of this, together with information about legal remedies. (5) After exmatriculation and upon request, if a program participant leaves without completing his/her degree, he/she shall be provided with a certificate for all of the coursework and exams that were completed. This certificate shall be limited to the successfully completed portions of the program. In addition, the student can request a certificate showing which exams were not passed, or which still need to be taken in order to pass the Master s exam. (6) At the examinee s request, an addendum to the certificate can provide the grade distribution for the respective exam year (average grades, ranking).

18 Diploma supplement The Master s certificate includes a diploma supplement. The diploma supplement provides additional information about course contents, curricula, the academic and professional qualifications earned through the degree, and the university awarding it. 22 Master s diploma Together with the certificate for the Master s exam, the examinee is given a dated Master s diploma in German regarding the awarding of the academic degree as per 2. Upon request, an English translation can be provided. The diploma is signed by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and bears the Faculty s official seal. 23 Reviewing the examination records (1) Within six months of receiving the exam certificate, the examinee can submit a written request to review his/her examination records. 29 of the Administrative Procedures Act for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (VwVfG. NRW) shall remain unaffected. (2) The Examination Board shall determine the time and place of the review. 24 Invalid Master s exams, revocation of the Master s degree (1) If an examinee cheated on an exam and if this is only discovered after the certificate is issued, the Examination Board can retroactively correct the grades for the exams that involved cheating, as well as the overall grade, and can declare the exam failed in full or in part. (2) If the admission requirements for an exam were not fulfilled and the examinee did not intend to be deceptive about this, and if this was only discovered after the certificate was issued, this lack shall be remedied by passing the exam. If an examinee intentionally and fraudulently obtained admission, the Examination Board shall determine the legal consequences in consideration of the Administrative Procedures Act for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (VwVfG. NRW). (3) The affected person must be given an opportunity to respond before a decision is made. (4) The inaccurate exam certificate must be confiscated, and a new exam certificate shall be issued if appropriate. If one or more exams are failed due to cheating, the Master s diploma and all other documentation regarding the completed degree must be confiscated together with the inaccurate exam certificate. Five years after the exam certificate was issued, a decision as per Para. 1 and Para. 2 Sentence 2 shall be excluded.