What is the profile of the European Studies Master's programme?

The MES is a research-oriented Master's degree that enables students to ask interdisciplinary and critical questions as well as possible solutions to problems in the EU and in Europe. There are 4 central areas and specialisation options: Law, Economics, Politics and Culture. Each student is encouraged to develop her/his profile independently. The choice of courses, the choice of languages, a stay abroad if necessary, the topic of the Master's thesis and the choice of a relevant internship are all relevant.

Who are my academic contacts?

You can find the contact persons for the degree programme on the team page of the MES homepage.

Is the degree programme accredited?

The MES was internally accredited in 2019. The accreditation is valid until 30.9.2027. You can find more information about the accreditation here.

Standard period of study and extension of the programme

(Cf. ASPO (2016) § 5 and 6) The standard period of study in MES is 4 semesters. However, as long as you complete your studies by the end of the 8th semester at the latest (i.e. have achieved 120 ECTS, i.e. have also passed the MA thesis and examination), you do not have to apply for an extension.

However, if you exceed the standard period of study, please consider the possible consequences for the financing of your studies.

Which study regulations apply to me?

If you started your studies by the winter semester 2016/17, you will study according to the Study Regulations of 2008 (SPO 2008). All students who have enrolled in MES since 1 April 2017 study on the basis of the Study Regulations of 2017 (SPO 2017). A change from the SPO 2008 to the SPO 2017 is possible and irrevocable under certain circumstances. A change from the SPO 2017 to the SPO 2008 is excluded.

Who is responsible for approving semesters of leave?

The Enrolment Office is responsible for approving applications for semesters of leave. Relevant information, deadlines and the relevant application forms are available there. The form and all relevant information/deadlines can be found here.

Supplementary information: Please note that you are not entitled to BAföG during the semester of leave and that you are generally excluded from taking examinations at the Viadrina (including language examinations at the Language Centre). The use of the compulsory semester ticket is optional during a semester of leave: if you waive the ticket, you do not have to pay the corresponding share of the semester fee for the semester in question.

How many semesters of leave can I apply for?

In principle, there is no set limit to the number of semesters of leave. However, unless there are special reasons outside of your studies (such as illness or parental leave), if you take more than 2 semesters of leave, you must prove whether a further leave of absence remains in line with your study goals.

Is it possible to study programm part-time in this programme?

Yes, it is possible to study part-time if you can prove an appropriate reason (e.g. care of a family member, at least 15 hours of work per week, etc.). To do so, you must submit the application to the Enrolment Office when enrolling or re-registering. The condition is that the part-time study programme comprises at least two semesters and that no more than 30 ECTS credits are earned in these semesters. Please also note that you are not entitled to BAföG for part-time studies. All information can be found here.

What opportunities to study abroad does MES offer?

MES offers 3 double degree programmes with partner universities in Poznań (Poland), Strasbourg (France) and Istanbul (Turkey), which include two semesters abroad in the partner country. Application for these programmes is only possible together with the application for a study place in MES. Further information can be found on the respective information pages.

In addition, you can also complete a regular semester abroad as part of the Viadrina's Erasmus cooperation (see below).

Can I complete an Erasmus semester?

Yes, Viadrina has more than 200 partner universities. More information on this and on the possibility of completing an Erasmus semester can be found on the page of the International Affairs Department.

Can I have credits that I earned during my semester abroad credited to my MES?

Yes, it is advisable to discuss which courses you want to take with the programme coordinator before your stay abroad. Please note that the awarding of ECTS points is also governed by the MES examination regulations for work completed abroad. Please also note that it is generally not possible to have courses at BA level, courses already included in another degree and basic modules from another university credited.

In order to have academic achievements recognised, you must apply for recognition. You can find all information on the recognition procedure here.

How are my grades converted?

Grades are converted on the basis of the Viadrina's central conversion table. You can find this here.

Can I have language courses completed abroad credited?

You receive the ECTS in the language module of the MES for a completed level (such as UniCert I, II or III) and not for individual courses. You must therefore clarify with the responsible lectorate of the Language Centre whether language courses taken abroad can be recognised for your language training at Viadrina. For information on the possibility of exemption from English courses due to courses taken in English during your semester abroad, please consult the FAQs of the English Lectorate.

Can I have foreign-language coursework completed abroad credited towards the Multilingual Certificate?

Yes. The criteria for multilingualism can be found in the examination regulations. It does not matter whether the work was done at Viadrina or abroad.

Can I complete an internship abroad?

Yes, it is also possible to finance it through the Erasmus+ programme. Please contact the Career Center for this.

Important note: Please note that the degree programme has a new admission regulation since 8 May 2018. This leads to changed conditions for access and admission.

Who can apply?

Admission requirements are:

- a university degree from a German university or an equivalent foreign degree;
- for foreign students, sufficient knowledge of German (DSH 2 or TestDaF min. 4).

The following requirements apply for admission to the individual central areas:

Culture: at least 30 ECTS in history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, literature and linguistics or related subjects.
Politics: min. 30 ECTS in political science, social science, sociology, anthropology, social geography or related subjects
Law: 1st jurisprudence examination or 30 ECTS in jurisprudence courses
Economics: Examination results totalling at least 30 ECTS in mathematics, statistics, economic information, microeconomics or macroeconomics.

You can find the admission regulations here.

Which language requirements must be fulfilled?

Foreign students must prove their ability to study in German by taking the DSH 2 examination. This is offered by the Viadrina Language Centre before each semester, but can also be taken at many other locations.

English at UNICERT-II level (or equivalent) must be proven for the application.

Please note: Unfortunately, we cannot consider language tests other than those mentioned above. This also applies to Abitur certificates, language courses and DAAD forms. The certificate can also be replaced by evidence of the ability to study in English, which can be provided, for example, by a study stay in an English-speaking country or by English-language studies. Please submit the documents for verification (examination certificates, certificates of achievement, English Bachelor's theses or term papers, etc.) to Dr. Richard Bland at the Language Centre for examination with the following documents as an email attachment:

• A transcript of your courses in the Bachelor's programme or semester abroad, with grades. It should be clear from this for which courses the language of instruction was exclusively English; (the language of instruction of the relevant courses can be taken in another way).
• A term paper that you wrote for one of the courses taught in English.

In order to meet the deadlines, we strongly recommend that you make early efforts to obtain the relevant language evidence. If they are unable to provide the proof with the minimum number of points listed by the deadline, they cannot be considered further in the admission procedure.

Please note: Those who are unable to provide proof of appropriate English language skills when submitting their application will be admitted subject to the proviso that appropriate proof is submitted subsequently with the enrolment documents (semester contribution, health insurance, graduation certificate if applicable). The proof can therefore no longer be provided during the Master's programme.

When can I apply for the MES?

The Master of European Studies can be started in the winter and summer semester. The enrollment deadline for the winter semester is 15 September, for the summer semester 15 March.

Applications for the double Master's programmes are only possible for the winter semester (application deadline 15 July).

What documents must be submitted?

The admission requirements must be proven as follows:

- University degree by submission of an officially certified copy
- English language skills at B2 level by submitting a UNICERT-II (or equivalent)

- German language skills, if applicable, by presenting a DAF certificate and/or by passing the DSH-2 examination.

If the university degree is not yet available, a provisional certificate from the examination office of your current university about the upcoming graduation must be submitted.

Admission to this degree programme can also be applied for if the first degree qualifying for a profession is not yet available due to the absence of individual examination results, but it is to be expected that this degree will be obtained before the start of the Master's degree programme according to the performance pattern to date. The applicant shall prove this by submitting a corresponding transcript of records from his/her university, from which the provisional average grade can be seen.

Further information can be obtained from the Admissions Office. In addition, the documents required by the Admissions Office must be submitted.

Important: The documents must have arrived by the deadline; the postmark is NOT sufficient. Please refrain from using application folders, binders, transparencies, etc. with your application.

Which faculty am I assigned to?

MES students are enrolled at the Faculty of Cultural Studies. However, you can also be assigned to the faculty of your major discipline and vote accordingly in university elections. The change of faculty assignment must be made by the student at the Enrolment Office.

Can I be enrolled at two universities at the same time?

It is possible to be enrolled at two universities in Berlin and Brandenburg at the same time. The semester fee must be paid at both universities. You can only be exempted from the registration and re-registration fee if you can prove that you have already paid this fee at the other university. The Viadrina Enrolment Office will refund the semester fee (at least proportionally) if someone de-registers before the semester begins.

Is participation in a double master compulsory for MES students?

The exchange programmes leading to a double master are a special offer of the MES programme. They enable interested students to gain special qualifications beyond their studies. Participation in such a programme is not compulsory.

How can I apply for a place in one of the double master programmes?

The application procedures for the individual double masters differ. Please consult the pages of the respective double master programme you are interested in:

Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

BILGI University in Istanbul

Sciences Po Strasbourg

Am I sufficiently qualified to participate?

The admission requirements depend on the individual programmes. You can find more information on the respective pages mentioned above.

What happens if I have to discontinue my studies or fail the exams?

It is possible for students in Poznan to leave the double master's programme at any time and continue studying in Poznan according to the examination regulations of the MES. In this case, it is a semester abroad without a double master's degree.

Students enrolled at Bilgi University can repeat failed courses in the second semester. Since you can take up to two semesters off during that time and then come back for the 3rd semester, there is no one who can't make it.

In Strasbourg, you can repeat the year. You can also return to Germany and get the normal MES Master's degree.

What is ViaCampus?

ViaCampus is an online portal that combines the online functions for the administration and implementation of studies. Among other things, these are relevant for re-registering for the next semester, printing semester certificates, planning studies and, via the integrated "HIS-Portal", for registering for/ deregistering from examinations and retrieving examination results. The latter can be found under "My Functions".

Among other things, HISPORTAL is relevant for re-registering for the next semester, registering for/deregistering from exams, printing out semester certificates and retrieving exam results.

How do I log in to ViaCampus?

The access data for all online tools of the European University Viadrina are standardised. You have received them with your enrolment documents.

How do I register for exams on ViaCampus?

For detailed instructions, please refer to the manual on exam management with ViaCampus.

Do I have to register for all the courses I have attended?

As a general rule, you must register for each course/module in ViaCampus/HIS-Portal under "Exam Registration" in which you would like to receive ECTS credits. In the current semester, you should register for the courses in which you intend to achieve a credit. After the end of the semester, you can no longer register online for the courses. Please note that other registration modalities apply for courses at neighbouring faculties (Law or Wiwi). Please inform yourself in good time about the conditions and deadlines.

Please also note: Even if the HIS portal says "Prüfungsanmeldung" (examination registration), this only means that you are registering so that a performance/grade can be booked. As a rule, however, registering there is sufficient to be allowed to take the exam. If you would like to take an examination for which you must register in advance in order to be allowed to take it at all, this is NOT done via the Hisportal! In this case, your lecturer will inform you in advance.

When do I register for an exam?

You do not have to register for an examination in a module at the beginning of the semester. As a rule, it is sufficient to register via HISPORTAL at least 3 days before the scheduled examination (e.g. written exam, oral exam, etc.) or before the end of the semester in the case of assignments (in the winter semester by the end of March, in the summer semester by the end of September). At the Faculty of Economic Sciences and the Faculty of Law there are usually deadlines after which it is no longer possible to register for or deregister from exams. You can find the deadlines here. If you are unsure, you can also ask the lecturers.

Can I change my registration for an exam in a certain module later?

Yes. Since there are many courses that can be credited in more than one module, you decide for yourself in which of the modules for which the course in question can be credited you register. You can change your module assignment yourself until the grade is registered. To do so, simply log out of the examination in the HIS-Portal and then re-register in the desired module. However, you can of course only register for an examination in those modules in which you can have the course credited! You will find the assignment of the courses to the corresponding modules at the beginning of the semester in the KVV and later also in the HIS-Portal. You can also deregister from a course as long as no credit has been entered.

What is the difference between ViaCampus and MOODLE?

ViaCampus is something like your administrative database. Here you find all the relevant information for organising your studies (see above). In contrast, Moodle is a learning platform where you can find the documents and teaching materials for your courses, communicate with your lecturers and fellow students or exchange information with each other in forums. Registration for modules/courses on ViaCampus and Moodle are independent of each other. If you register for a course via Moodle, you are not automatically registered for the course on ViaCampus and vice versa. ViaCampus and Mooodle are two systems that operate independently of each other.

Do you still have questions? You can find more information here.

What is the KVV?

The courses are announced in the annotated course catalogue (KVV) before the start of the semester. This results in the assignment of the courses to the individual modules. Proposals to change the module assignment can usually be submitted to the Coordination Office by a certain date in the first 4 weeks of the semester. After that, changes are no longer possible.

How many semester hours per week does the programme comprise?

It is not possible to state the exact number of SWS. In the 1st semester, you should complete a large part of the four basic modules. Afterwards, you will take courses from your central and compulsory elective areas. You can therefore aim for 30 ECTS per semester. Language training runs in parallel.

Which seminars must be taken in the basic modules?

MES students must complete a total of four courses with 6 ECTS each in the basic module. Different courses are offered in some of the basic modules. The basic modules must be taken at the Viadrina.

Do I have to take European Law in GM 4?

Yes, lectures on European law are compulsory in GM 4.
In order to achieve the 6 ECTS, there are two possibilities:

1. attending one course (6 ECTS) with Prof. Pechstein, this is only offered in the summer semester.
2. attending two courses (3 ECTS each) with Prof. Thiele, one in the winter semester and another in the summer semester.

What is the central area based on?

The assignment to the central area is initially based on the first degree programme.

Can I change the central area?

A change to the central areas of culture and politics is possible in principle and must be applied for at the Coordination Office, stating reasons and previous grades.

What constitutes the module Practice-Relevant Skills?

For the Practical Skills module, appropriately marked courses from the KVV can be taken. Alternatively, courses from the CareerCentre can be attended. A prerequisite for the award of one ECTS is a minimum duration of 8 hours. You will acquire skills that you will need in your professional life, but which are rather additional competences than academic knowledge of European Studies.

How many ECTS do I need in the individual modules?

In principle, 6 ECTS are awarded for a basic module. However, the requirements for obtaining a certificate may vary. Please discuss the requirements with the lecturers at the beginning of the semester. In the central module (a total of 12 or 18 ECTS) you are free to acquire 3, 6 or 9 ECTS.

What forms of proof of achievement are there?

(see § 16 Para. 1 Examination and Study Regulations) 3 ECTS points:- presentation or essay (usually no more than 4 pages)- minutes of a meeting 6 ECTS points:- seminar paper (approx. 12 pages)- written examination (the duration of the written examination should not be less than 90 minutes)- oral examination (the duration of the examination should not exceed 20 minutes)- several essays with a total length of approx. 12 pages 9 ECTS points:- presentation and a written term paper (the term paper should not exceed 25 pages). A maximum of 9 ECTS points can be acquired in a single course.

Can I have courses from my first degree programme credited?

Credits for courses already completed before the start of the degree programme are only possible in exceptional cases. The prerequisite is that the course has not been taken anywhere before, that it is a course at Master's level and that it is related to European Studies. For more information, please contact the Coordination Office.

What variations in ECTS points are possible in the central area and in the compulsory elective area?

More information can be found on the module structure.

In what form can the certificate of achievement (6 ECTS) in the compulsory English-language course be acquired (§18 Para. 1 PO)?

In the MES, an English-language content-related course is compulsory, in which 6 ECTS are acquired through an English-language written examination or an English-language term paper. This must be credited in a module in which grading takes place. This means that it is not possible in the Practical Skills module. Language courses offered by the Language Centre or Viadrina Sprachen GmbH are also excluded from this.

Can I apply for a semester of leave for a semester abroad or an internship?

You can apply for a leave of absence (see https://www.europa-uni.de/de/studium/organisation/beurlaubung.html for requirements and formalities). During the leave of absence, you can complete the compulsory internship. However, it is not possible to take exams at the Viadrina during a semester of leave.

Please also familiarise yourself with the relevant paragraphs of the examination regulations and the ASPO!

When do I have to register my Master's thesis?

The study plan provides for the fourth semester for the Master's thesis. It is intended that you register, write the thesis and take your oral examination in this semester. If you do not manage to register for the Master's thesis in the fourth semester, you do not have to apply for an extension (see Standard Period of Study and Extension of the Processing Period below). You can register at any time as soon as you fulfil the admission requirements according to §18 of the Examination Regulations 2008 or § 9 of the Examination Regulations 2017. There are no fixed registration dates.

Is it possible to register for the Master's thesis if you have not yet taken all examinations and therefore do not yet have all the necessary ECTS?

It is possible to register for the Master's thesis if you have at least 81 ECTS (SPO 2008) or 72 ECTS (SPO 2017).

How do I find a supervisor for my Master's thesis? Who is eligible?

You have to find a supervisor for your Master's thesis as early as possible. Your supervisor must have a doctorate in the subject area in which you are writing your Master's thesis and be a professor at the Viadrina. Supervision by a guest lecturer is not possible. As a rule, you must have already obtained a certificate from the professor with whom you want to write your thesis during your studies. For more detailed information, please contact the relevant chair. It is therefore advisable to already look for a suitable supervisor when selecting courses for the central area and the elective modules.

Who decides on the second examiner for my Master's thesis?

You have to find a second supervisor for your Master's thesis on your own. This person must have at least a doctorate.

How do I register? Which documents do I have to submit and to whom?

The first step is to go to the Examinations Office to Ms. Elke Noack (Office AM 12, e-mail: enoack(at)europa-uni.de). There you submit the enclosure for the registration of the Master's thesis (see forms). If you have completed work that is not listed in the Hisportal (language certificates, etc.), you must bring these with you to the registration. The recognition of your achievements abroad as well as internships and practical skills recognised by the Coordination Office are usually already available to Ms Noack, even if they do not appear in the Hisportal.

You will then receive a so-called routing slip. With this, you go to your first examiner, who enters the topic and the date of issue of the topic. This makes the date of issue a matter of record. From this date, you have three months (SPO 2008) or 12 weeks (SPO 2017) to write your thesis. We therefore strongly recommend that you do extensive research in advance and only complete the registration if you can foresee that you will be able to work on the topic in three months/12 weeks. An extension of this deadline is not possible. After the second examiner and the chairman of the examination board Prof. Dr. Beichelt (office LH 111 , e-mail: mes(at)europa-uni.de) have signed the registration form, you will receive written notification of your registration, which includes the binding topic and the deadline.

How long do I have to work on the paper?

The processing time for the thesis is three months (SPO 2008) or 12 weeks (SPO 2017) from the time the issue is made on record. An extension of this deadline is not possible.

What formalities do I have to observe when writing the Master's thesis?

The length of the Master's thesis is set at 60-80 pages for students of the SPO 2008. Students according to the SPO 2017 must discuss the length with their first examiner; for the central areas of culture and politics, the orientation of 60-80 pages still applies. You can find further formal information on the preparation of Master's theses here. The thesis must be related to European Studies. Sample topics can be found here. Particularly outstanding theses can be found here.

What do I have to consider when submitting the Master's thesis?

After completion, submit two (SPO 2017) or three (SPO 2008) printed copies and an electronic version of the Master's thesis to the examination office or to the Info Point in the AM. Send the electronic version as a pdf file to your first examiner and in CC to Ms. Noack (enoack@europa-uni.de). Students in the old SPO 2008 do not have to submit an electronic version. If the day of submission falls on a weekend or a public holiday, submit your work on the next working day.

Does it appear on my degree certificate if I have failed the paper once?

No.

Who sets the date for the oral examination?

You must set the date with your supervisors. One of the two must take the minutes. There can also be only one examiner (first examiner) and one assessor who takes the minutes and must have at least a Master's degree in the relevant subject.

Is it necessary or useful to attend a colloquium?

If a colloquium relevant to your subject area is offered, it certainly makes sense to attend. Some professors explicitly require you to attend the colloquium they offer if you intend to write a thesis with them and will only supervise you under this condition. Please inform yourself as early as possible about the conventions at the department where you intend to write your thesis.

Who is my contact person at the Examinations Office?

The MES is supervised in the Examination Office by: Elke Noack, AM 12, (03 35) 55 34 - 43 22

What is the standard period of study and extension of studies?

(Cf. ASPO (2016) § 5 and 6) The standard period of study in MES is 4 semesters. However, as long as you complete your studies by the end of the 8th semester at the latest (i.e. have achieved 120 ECTS, i.e. have also passed the MA thesis and examination), you do not have to apply for an extension. The examination regulations from 2008, which stipulate registration in the 5th semester at the latest, are no longer valid in this respect, as the Brandenburg Higher Education Act has been amended.

However, if you exceed the standard period of study, consider the possible consequences for the financing of your studies.

How long after submitting the Master's thesis is the student status valid or may you continue to use the semester ticket?

After you have passed your Master's examination, you will remain enrolled until the end of the semester and can then, of course, continue to use the semester ticket.

I would like to exmatriculate before the end of the semester in which I completed my studies. What do I have to do?

You can find all information on exmatriculation here.

I am a participant in a double Master's programme. What rules apply to me for writing and submitting the Master's thesis?

Please consult the information pages of the respective double master's programme.

What skills are to be acquired in the module Practical Skills? Which courses can be taken for this?

In the Practical Skills module, you are to be taught skills that you will need in your professional life, but which mean additional skills rather than academic knowledge of European Studies per se. These can be, for example, presentation techniques, moderation, stress and time management, rhetoric, job application training and intercultural competence. In the course catalogue, you can see which MES courses are suitable for this by looking at the module assignments of the courses.

Can Career Centre events also be credited for the practical module?

Yes, full-day events can be credited with 0.5 ECTS per day for the practical module. You can find an overview of which events are eligible for this under the information on courses.

Where can I get a confirmation of the necessity of a compulsory internship?

You can obtain an official confirmation of the necessity of a 4-week compulsory internship within the framework of the Master of European Studies from Ruth Geiger.

What is the recommended duration for the internship? Do I only have to complete the prescribed four weeks?

The examination regulations stipulate an internship period of four weeks and a four-week internship can be recognised for the MES. If you are studying according to the examination regulations of 2017, you can receive credit for an internship of up to three months. However, in order to get a real insight into professional life, we strongly recommend an internship period of 3-6 months, also possibly taking a little more time for organisation and completing the internship abroad and applying for a semester off for this.

What are the criteria for the recognition of an internship for the MES?

You can find the criteria for the recognition of internships here. The recognition of the internship is based on an online form which you can find here.

Is it possible to have an internship that was completed before the start of the MES recognised?

Yes, but it must not have been completed more than one year before the start of the degree programme. Additional criteria for the recognition of internships already completed can be found under the heading Internships and Jobs.

Do I have to write an internship report?

No. An internship certificate is sufficient. It should contain information on the internship provider, the period completed, the intern's activities and a short evaluation of these. There is no predefined number of pages, but standardised internship/job references are usually about 2 pages long.

Can I complete the compulsory internship during a semester off?

Yes, you can apply for leave of absence (see https://www.europa-uni.de/de/studium/organisation/beurlaubung.html for requirements and formalities). Internships completed during the semester off can be counted as a compulsory internship in the MES.What skills are to be acquired in the module Practice-relevant skills? Which courses can be taken for this?

Which study regulations apply to me?

If you started your studies until the winter semester 2016/17, you will study according to the Study Regulations of 2008 (SPO 2008). All students who have enrolled in MES since 1 April 2017 study on the basis of the Study Regulations of 2017 (SPO 2017). A change from the SPO 2008 to the SPO 2017 is possible and irrevocable under certain circumstances. A change from the SPO 2017 to the SPO 2008 is excluded.

Admission regulations
Admission regulations as of 10.01.2018

The admission regulations valid at the time of your enrolment remain in force and have legal validity for the duration of your entire studies. The new admission regulations apply exclusively to newly enrolled MES students and do not have retroactive effect on previous semesters.

Examination and study regulations
Examination and Study Regulations 2008 | Examination and Study Regulations 2017

The Examination and Study Regulations contain the legal framework and regulate the procedure of the Master's programme in European Studies. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Contact
Ms. Elke Noack is in charge of the MES in the Examination Office.

Module structure
Module structure 2008 | Module structure 2017

Please also inform yourself about language training on the pages of the Language Centre. This applies in particular to the possible exemption from individual course components after stays abroad.

Which languages are to be taken?

The aim of language training at MES is to obtain at least a UNIcert qualification or a specialised language certificate, which improves the language skills you had at the beginning of your studies. The languages offered at the Language Centre are available for selection. Please note: The certificate courses of the Faculty of Economic Sciences are also open to MES students.

What is the placement test?

A language placement test is compulsory for all MES students at the beginning of their studies. This also applies to students who take language courses outside the Viadrina. The tests are valid for 2 semesters. The result is announced immediately and also serves as a basis for course selection. Please also note the follow-up dates for the placement tests.
If you start a language from zero or if your level has already been recorded in the system of the Language Centre, no placement test is necessary.

What should I do if I already have language skills above UNIcert II level?

If you already have language skills above UNIcert II level, please contact the relevant lectorate at the Language Centre for information on access to specialised language training (UNIcert III, IV).

In what form can the certificate of achievement (6 ECTS) in the compulsory English-language course be acquired (§18 Para. 1 PO)?

In the MES, an English-language content-related course is compulsory, in which 6 ECTS are acquired through an English-language written examination or an English-language term paper. This must be credited in a module in which grading takes place. This means that it is not possible in the Practical Skills module. Language courses offered by the Language Centre or Viadrina Sprachen GmbH are also excluded from this.

Do all MES students have to successfully complete an English language course with 6 ECTS?

Yes, irrespective of the foreign language training, all MES students must successfully complete an English-language course within the framework of the examination regulations (§1 Para. 2 PO) and, for this purpose, write a written paper in English or pass an examination, for which 6 ECTS must be credited (§18 Para. 1). Students enrolled in the double master's programme with the IEP Strasbourg only have to prove 3 ECTS in an English-language course.

What are the requirements for the Multilingualism Certificate?

To obtain the Multilingualism Certificate, you must obtain at least 12 ECTS in at least two foreign languages each. As distinct from language training, this requirement applies to seminars and lectures, i.e. content-related foreign language courses.

Do I have to apply for the Multilingualism Certificate?

No separate application is required for the "Multilingualism" specialisation according to § 3 Para. 2 ZulOrd.

I would like to have knowledge of a language credited that is not offered by the Language Centre, whom can I contact?

In this case, please contact the managing director of the Language Centre, Dr. Almut Klepper-Pang, directly with the relevant documents.

For which achievements are 18 ECTS (SPO 2008) or 12 ECTS (SPO 2017) credited for the foreign languages module?

18 ECTS are awarded for Unicert II and III or for taking the specialised language certificate. Unicert I can only be brought in in exceptional cases. If you study according to the study regulations of 2017, you will receive 12 ECTS for a Unicert I, II or III and, if applicable, for the Science Communication German certificate.

Why was only 12 ECTS noted in the His-Portal for my Unicert?

You receive 18 ECTS for taking a Unicert or the Specialised Language Certificate (SPO 2008). This is automatically converted to 18 ECTS by the examination office.