Amending Statutes to the
Subject Examination and General Academic Regulations
for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program
at the Technische Universität München
Dated 25 June 2014
In accordance with Art. 13 (1), 2nd sentence, in conjunction with Art. 58 (1), 1st sentence, and Art. 61 (2), 1st sentence, of the Bavarian Higher Education Act [Bayerisches Hochschulgesetz (BayHSchG)] the Technische Universität München issues the following Amending Statutes:
§ 1
The Subject Examination and General Academic Regulations (Fachprüfungs- und Studienordnung, FPSO) for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program at the Technische Universität München of 6 June 2012 shall be amended as follows:
1. In § 41 of the Table of Contents, "Types of Assessment" will be added after "Continuous Course Assessment", separated by a comma.
2. In § 34 (1), 1st sentence, "dated 18 March 2011" will be added after the term "(APSO)".
3. § 35 will be amended as follows:
a) Subsection (1) shall read as follows:
"(1) The Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program at the Technische Universität München commences in the winter semester."
b) Subsection (2), 1st sentence, shall read as follows:
"1The number of credits in required and required elective subjects needed to obtain the master's degree is 80 credits (58 weekly hours per semester) spread over three semesters."
c) In subsection 2, 3rd sentence, "(30 credits)" will be added after the word "months".
4. § 36 will be amended as follows:
a) In subsection (1), no. 2, "(level C1 within the European Framework)" will be deleted.
b) In subsection (1), no. 2, "(at least 88 points)" will be added after the term "(TOEFL)", and "(at least 6.5 points)" after the term "(IELTS)".
c) Subsection (2) shall read as follows:
"(2) A degree is considered a qualified degree within the meaning of subsection 1, no. 1, if there are no major differences compared to the competencies (learning outcome) acquired in the relevant scholarly-oriented bachelor's programs (set out in subsection 1, no. 1) of the Technische Universität München or comparable institutions of higher education, and the competencies acquired correspond to the subject-specific requirements of the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program."
d) Subsection 4 shall read as follows:
"(4) The comparability of programs, the subject-specific aptitude as well as the number of credits to be awarded for degrees obtained from foreign institutions will be decided upon by the Aptitude Assessment Commission in compliance with Art. 63 of the Bavarian Higher Education Act.
5. § 37 will be amended as follows:
a) In subsection (2), the term "courses" will be replaced by "modules".
b) Subsection (3) shall read as follows:
"(3) 1The language of instruction in the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program is English. 2Therefore pursuant to § 7 (4), no. 9 of the Statutes governing Enrollment, Re-Enrollment, Leave of Absence and Dematriculation of the Technische Universität München (ImmatS) of 9 January 2014, as amended from time to time, proof of proficiency in the German language is not required for enrolment.
6. § 41 shall read as follows:
㤠41
Continuous Assessment Procedure, Types of Assessment
(1) In addition to written examinations (Klausuren) and oral examinations, types of assessment pursuant to § 12 and § 13 of the APSO may include (but are not limited to) laboratory assignments, exercises (tests, where applicable), reports, project work, presentations, learning portfolios and/or research papers.
a) 1A Klausur is a supervised written examination that requires students to demonstrate, within a limited amount of time and using predefined methods and resources, their ability to identify problems, find solution strategies and, if required, implement them.
3The duration of Klausuren is provided for in § 12 (7) of the APSO.
b) 1Depending on the discipline, laboratory assignments may include tests, measurements, field work, field exercises, etc. designed for evaluating results and gaining knowledge. 2These may consist of, for example, process descriptions and the underlying theoretical principles including the relevant literature; preparation and practical implementation; calculations, if required; documentation, evaluation, and interpretation of the results in the context of the knowledge to be gained. 3Laboratory assignments may be complemented by presentations designed to demonstrate a student’s communication competency in presenting scholarly work to an audience.
4Details of each laboratory assignment and the related competencies to be examined are set out in the module descriptions.
c) 1Exercises (tests where applicable) are administered to assess a student’s ability to complete assigned tasks (for example, solving mathematical problems, writing computer programs, designing models) using theoretical knowledge to solve application-oriented problems. 2Exercises are designed to assess a student’s factual and detailed knowledge and its application. 3Practical exercises may be administered in writing, orally, or electronically. 4They may be in the form of homework assignments, practice sheets, programming exercises, (e-) tests, tasks assigned within a university internship program, etc. 5Details of each practical exercise and the related competencies to be examined are set out in the module descriptions.
d) 1A report is a written record and summary of a learning process for the purpose of presenting the acquired knowledge in a structured way and analyzing the results in the context of a module. 2Students are expected to demonstrate that they have understood all essential aspects and are able to present them in writing. 3Reports may include excursion reports, internship reports, work reports, etc. 4The written report may be complemented by a presentation for the purpose of assessing the student’s communication competency in presenting scholarly work to an audience.
e) 1Project work is designed to reach, in several phases (initiation, problem definition, role assignment, idea generation, criteria development, decision, implementation, presentation, written evaluation), the defined objective of a project assignment within a given period of time and using suitable instruments. 2In addition, project work may include a presentation in order to assess a student’s communication competency in presenting scholarly work to an audience. 3The specific components of each project work assignment and the related competencies to be assessed are delineated in the module description. 4Project work may include group work. 5Students are expected to demonstrate that they are able to complete the tasks in a team environment. 6A student’s contribution to group work which is to be assessed as a component of an examination must be clearly identifiable and gradable. 7This also applies to each individual’s contribution to the group result.
f) 1A research paper is a written assignment in which students work independently on solving complex scholarly or scholarly/application-oriented problems, using the scientific methods of the related discipline. 2Students are expected to demonstrate that they are able to solve problems corresponding to the learning results of the module in question in compliance with the guidelines for scholarly work – from analysis and conception to implementation. 3Research papers, differing in their requirement standards, may take the form of a conceptual framework/theory paper [Thesenpapier], abstract, term paper, seminar paper, etc. 4The research paper may be complemented by a presentation and/or a colloquium for the purpose of assessing the student’s communication competency in presenting scholarly work to an audience. 5Specific details on each research paper and the related competencies to be assessed are set out in the module description.
g) 1A presentation is a systematic and structured oral performance supported by suitable audio-visual equipment (such as beamer, slides, posters, videos) for the purpose of demonstrating and summarizing specific issues or results and paring complex problems down to their essential core. 2For the presentation, the student is expected to demonstrate that he or she is capable of preparing a certain topic within a given time frame in such a way as to present or report it in a clear and comprehensible manner to an audience. 3In addition, the student is expected to demonstrate that he or she is able to respond competently to any questions, suggestions or discussions brought by the audience and relating to his or her subject area. 4The presentation may be complemented by a brief written precis. 5The presentation may be prepared either individually or in groups. 6A student’s contribution to group work which is to be assessed as a component of an
examination must be clearly identifiable and gradable. 7This also applies to each individual’s contribution to the group result.
h) 1An oral examination is a timed, graded discussion on relevant topics and specific questions to be answered. 2In oral examinations students are expected to demonstrate that they have reached the qualification objectives laid out in the module descriptions, understood the central concepts of the subject matters covered by the exam, and are able to apply them to specific problems. 3The oral examination will be held either as an individual or group examination. 4The duration of the examination is provided for in § 13 (2) of the APSO.
i) 1A learning portfolio is a collection of written materials compiled by the student according to predefined criteria that exhibits the student’s progress and achievements in defined content areas at a given time. 2Students are required to explain according to which criteria they have chosen the materials and their relevance for their learning progress and the achievement of the qualification objectives. 3With the learning portfolio, students are expected to demonstrate that they have taken active responsibility for their learning process and have reached the qualification objectives set out in the module description. 4Depending on the module description, types of independent study assessment in a learning portfolio may include, in particular, application-oriented assignments, web pages, weblogs, bibliographies, analyses, conceptual framework/theory papers, as well as the graphic representation of facts or problems. 5The specific components of each learning portfolio and the related competencies to be assessed are set out in the module description.
(2) 1The module examinations will, as a rule, be taken concurrently with the program. 2Type and duration of module examinations are provided for in Appendix 1. 3In the event of divergence from those provisions, § 12 (8) of the APSO must be complied with. 4The assessment of the module examination is governed by § 17 of the APSO.
(3) Upon request of a student and subject to the examiners’ agreement, examinations may be taken in the German language for courses taught in the English language.
7. § 43 will be amended as follows:
a) In § 43 (1), no. 3 will be added:
"3. and the coursework set out in § 45."
b) Subsection 2, 2nd sentence, will be amended as follows:
"²65 credits in elective modules must be earned."
c) Sentence 3 will be deleted.
8. § 45 shall read as follows:
"§ 45 Coursework
1In addition to the examination results specified in § 43 (1), successful completion of coursework in the amount of 25 credits must be evidenced in the modules set out in Appendix 1, out of which 10 credits must be earned in required elective modules. 2The selection of modules must be in compliance with § 8 (2) of the APSO."
9. § 45 a shall read as follows:
"§ 45 a
Multiple Choice Test
The conduct of multiple choice tests is governed by § 12a of the APSO."
10. In § 47 (2), 2nd sentence, "subsection (2)" will be added after "pursuant to § 43".
11. "Appendix 1: Examination Modules" will be replaced by the enclosed "Appendix 1: Examination Modules".
12. "Appendix 2: Aptitude Assessment" will be replaced by the enclosed "Appendix 2: Aptitude Assessment".
§ 2
1These Subject Examination and General Academic Regulations shall enter into force on 1 June 2014.
2They shall apply to all students who commence their studies for the Research on Teaching and Learning program at the Technische Universität München as of the winter semester 2014/2015. 3In departure from the 2nd sentence, the amendment concerning the module "Research on Teaching and Learning: Specialization (13)" shall apply to all students who commenced their studies at the Technische Universität München in the winter semester 2012/2013.
Appendix 1: Examination Modules
No. Module name Type of
instruction SWS V Ü P
Sem. SWS Credits Type of examination
Duration of examination
Language of instruction
Required Modules (total of 70 Credits) 1 Introduction to
methods in teaching and learning
science(1)**
V + Ü
1 4 5 w e 90 English
2 Institutions in the international context of educational systems (4)**
S+S+S
1 7 10 project
work
English
3 Models and theoretical conceptions of teaching and learning research (5)**
S+S+S
1 7 10 project
work
English
4 Educational processes and outcomes I (6)
S+V+Ü
2 7 10 project
work
English
5 Educational
institutions and their quality development (7)
S+S+S
2 7 10 project
work
English
6 Teaching and learning processes in classrooms and instructional design (8)
S+S+S
2 7 10 project
work
English
7 Educational processes and outcomes II (9)
S+Ü+Ü+
Ü
3 7 10 project
work
English
8 Research on teaching and learning:
specialization (13)
S+S
3 4 5 SL
(essay)
- English
** This is a fundamentals module.
Required Elective Modules: From the following list 10 credits must be earned:
1 Reading and administration of literature (2)**
S + S 1 4 5 SL
(learning portfolio)
- English
2 Writing and presentation skills (3)**
S + S 1 4 5 SL
(learning portfolio)
- English
3 Analysis of variance (10)
S + S 3 4 5 SL
(learning portfolio)
- English
4 Video analysis (11) S + S 3 4 5 SL
(learning portfolio)
- English
5 Analysis of interview data, learning journals and portfolios (12)
S + S 3 4 5 SL
(learning portfolio)
- English
** This is a fundamentals module.
Coursework: From the following list 10 credits must be earned:
1 Research internship (14)
P 3/4 40 5 SL*** - English
2 Internship in educational institutions (15)
P 3/4 40 5 SL*** - English
*** This coursework requires a practicum report.
Explanation:
Sem. = Semester; SWS = Semesterwochenstunden (weekly hours per semester); V = Vorlesung (lecture); Ü = Übung (exercise); P = Praktikum (practicum); SL = Studienleistung (coursework); w e= written examination; o e = oral examination.
In the column Duration of Examination, the duration of written examinations is entered in minutes; oral examinations are identified as "o e".
APPENDIX 2: Aptitude Assessment
Aptitude assessment for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program at the Technische Universität München
1. Purpose of Aptitude Assessment
1Eligibility for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program, in addition to the requirements pursuant to § 36 (1) nos. 1 and 2, requires proof of aptitude pursuant to § 36 (1) no. 3 in accordance with the following provisions. 2The special qualifications and skills of the candidates should correspond to the professional field of research on teaching, educational research, research administration, educational systems and teaching, foundations, university administration, and issues of the ministry of science and education. 3Individual aptitude parameters are:
1.1 ability to do research work and/or basic research and methodological work;
1.2 specialized knowledge from undergraduate studies in one of the subjects set out in § 36 (1) no. 1;
1.3 special interest in education and teaching research;
1.4 above average language skills, written and oral;
1.5 special dedication and motivation for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program.
2. Aptitude Assessment Process
2.1 The aptitude assessment will be conducted annually by the TUM School of Education.
2.2 1Applications for admission to the aptitude assessment including the documents set out in 2.3.1 through 2.3.4 must be filed online to the Technische Universität München by 31 May for the winter semester (absolute deadline). 2The diploma and degree certificate as proof of successful completion of the bachelor's program must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office of the Technische Universität München must be filed no later than five weeks after the beginning of lectures. 3Otherwise it is not yet possible to start the Master's Program pursuant to § 36 of these Regulations.
2.3 The application must include:
2.3.1 a transcript of records containing modules amounting to at least 120 credits or, for programs not subject to the "European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)", to at least two thirds of the credits required for undergraduate studies;
90 credits thereof or, for programs not subject to the "European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)", at least 50% of the credits required for undergraduate studies must be credits earned through examinations; the transcript of records must be issued by the examination authority or academic programs office;
2.3.2 curriculum vitae in tabular form;
2.3.3 a written statement (no more than 2 DIN A4 pages) of the reasons for choosing the Research on Teaching and Learning Program at the Technische Universität München in which the candidates explain those specific abilities and interests that make them particularly qualified for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program at the Technische Universität München; a candidate’s exceptional motivation and commitment is to be demonstrated by details on program-related vocational training, practica, stays abroad, or program-related further education beyond the attendance and course requirements of the bachelor’s program, if necessary by appropriate documentation;
2.3.4 a declaration that the statement of the reasons for choosing the program is the candidate's own work and has been completed without outside help, and that the candidate has clearly identified any ideas adopted from outside sources.
3. Aptitude Assessment Commission
3.1 1The aptitude assessment is administered by a commission that, as a rule, consists of the dean of studies in charge of the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program, at least two members of the professorial faculty and at least one research associate. 2A student representative will be part of the commission, in an advisory capacity.
3.2 1The members of the commission are appointed by the Department Council in consultation with the dean of studies. 2At least one member of the professorial faculty is appointed as deputy member of the commission. 3As a rule, the commission is chaired by the dean of studies. 4The process is governed by Art. 41 of the BayHSchG as last amended.
4. Admission to the Aptitude Assessment Process
4.2 Admission to the aptitude assessment process requires that all documentation specified in no. 2.3 has been submitted in a timely and complete fashion.
4.3 Applicants who have fulfilled the requirements will be assessed according to no. 5.
4.4 Applicants who are not admitted will receive a notification specifying the reasons and providing information on legal remedies.
5. The Aptitude Assessment Process
5.1 1The commission will assess, on the basis of the written application documents required under no. 2.3 and an aptitude assessment interview, whether or not an applicant is suitable for a program pursuant to no. 1. 2The assessment is made on a scale of 0 to 55 points, where 0 is the worst and 55 the best possible result:
³The following criteria will be applied to the evaluation:
5.1.1. Final grade
1The grade of the qualification recorded in the first university degree course will be used to assess the skills and knowledge stated in nos. 1.1 and 1.2. ²The applicant will be awarded two points for each tenth that the average calculated from examinations in the amount of 90 credits, or, in case of programs not subject to the
"European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System" (ECTS), the average calculated from 50% of the examinations required for the first degree, is better than 2.5. 3The maximum number of points is 30. 4If the candidate has submitted a degree certificate with the application, the assessment will be made on the basis of the best graded modules in the amount of 90 credits or, as the case may be, 50% of the examination results required for the first degree. 5The applicant must submit a list of the results together with the application and confirm their accuracy in writing. 6There will be no negative points. 7Where a degree was obtained outside of Germany, the grade will be converted according to what is referred to as "Bavarian formula"
[bayerische Formel, pursuant to the resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK) of 15 March 1991].
5.1.2 Letter of motivation
1The applicant's letter will be evaluated by two committee members as to his or her written language competence on a scale of 0-5 points, using the following criteria:
1. is familiar with the rules of English spelling and grammar;
2. is able to phrase the reason for their application in a matter-of-fact yet appealing way;
3. is able to present the connection between personal interests and the program content in a well-structured way;
4. is able to convincingly prove his or her special aptitude and motivation for the master's program by giving arguments and meaningful examples;
5. is able to linguistically emphasize important points of their reasoning in an appropriate way.
²The commission members assess each of the five criteria independently, awarding a maximum of one point each. 3The points total will be calculated on the basis of the arithmetic average of the individual assessments; decimal places will be rounded up.
5.1.3 Aptitude Assessment Interview
1. 1All applicants admitted are invited to an aptitude assessment interview. 2The time and date for the interview will be announced at least one week in advance. ³Time slots for interviews must be scheduled before expiration of the application deadline. 4Applicants must keep the appointment scheduled. 5If applicants are unable to attend an aptitude assessment interview due to reasons beyond their control, a later appointment may be scheduled upon a student’s well-grounded request, but no later than two weeks before the beginning of classes.
2. 1The aptitude assessment interview is to be held individually for each applicant. 2The interview lasts at least 20 but not more than 30 minutes for each applicant. 3The interview will focus on the following topics.
1. interest in research on education topics;
2. special dedication and motivation;
3. assessment of the individual aptitude profile.
4The documents submitted pursuant to 2.3 may also be a topic. 5Any subject- specific academic knowledge that is to be taught in the Research on Teaching and Learning Master’s Program will not affect the decision. 6With the applicant’s approval, a student representative may sit in on the interview.
3. 1The aptitude assessment interview will be conducted by at least two members of the commission. ²The commission will assess the following skills independently:
a) spoken language competence;
b) interest in education and teaching research topics;
c) special dedication and motivation, using the following criteria:
a) Spoken language competence (0-5 points, a maximum of one point for each criterion):
• is able to present and discuss facts clearly, fluently, and in a style appropriate to the situation;
• is able to express thoughts and opinions precisely and also structure more comprehensive answers;
• is able to answer questions regarding the undergraduate program or its specialist field, using accurate yet comprehensible terminology;
• is able to convincingly provide reasons for statements by giving arguments and meaningful examples;
• is easily able to understand questions relating to scientific subjects and/or his or her own competencies and expectations or, if necessary, clarify by them by answering the right questions.
b) Interest in education and teaching research topics (0-10 points, a maximum of two points for each criterion:
• is able to name topics and issues contained in the program and relate them to his or her undergraduate program by way of example;
• has attended lectures and talks with a methodological focus on pedagogy or psychology;
• is familiar with authors and publications that deal with the research
• is involved (in addition to their studies) in study groups, reading circles, students' groups or bodies, etc., even outside their discipline;
• is able to provide evidence of practical activities in the stated professional field (research into teaching, research on education and training, research administration, educational systems and teaching, foundations, university administration and issues of the ministry of science and education);
• is interested in demanding literature;
• has worked on issues of education and teaching during undergraduate studies.
c) Special dedication and motivation (0-5 points, a maximum of one point for each criterion):
• shows interest in the scientific work on issues of educational research;
• reflects on life/career goals and ways of achieving them;
• reflects on personal skills and abilities and relates them to the objectives of the program;
• is prepared to study independently outside of periods of compulsory attendance and required courses (cf. special commitment/additional qualification during undergraduate studies);
• general motiviation for the master's program (professional/academic qualification);
• miscellaneous.
³Each member will grade the result of the aptitude assessment interview on a scale from 0 to 20 points, 0 being the worst and 20 being the best possible result.4The applicant's score is calculated on the basis of the arithmetic average of the individual assessments. 5Decimal places must be rounded up.
5.2 1The applicant's points total are calculated as the sum of the points earned in 5.1.1 (final grade, 0-30 points), 5.1.2 (letter of motivation, 0-5 points), and 5.1.3 (aptitude assessment interview, 0-20 points). 2Applicants with 25 or more points will be deemed suitable. 3In those cases where it was determined that only some subject-specific requirements for the master's program are missing from undergraduate studies, the aptitude assessment commission may admit applicants subject to their successful completion of fundamentals exams from the scientific or vocational education bachelor's programs up to a maximum of 30 credits. 4These fundamentals exams must be taken in the first year of study. 5Failed fundamentals exams may be repeated only once and at the next examination date. 6The Examination Board may make the admission to individual module examinations dependent on the successful completion of the fundamentals exam.
5.3 1The applicant will be notified of the result of the aptitude assessment determined by the commission in writing. 2The notice must be signed by the TUM Board of Management.
3Signatory power may be delegated. 4A rejection notice must specify the reasons for the rejection and provide information on legal remedies.
5.4 Admissions to the Research on Teaching and Learning Master's Program shall apply to all subsequent applications for this program.
6. Record
1A record must be kept of the aptitude assessment process showing the date, duration, and location of the assessment, the names of the commission members, the applicants' names, and the assessment of the commission members as well as the overall result. 2This record must contain the main reasons for the decision and the topics discussed in the interview held with the applicants; the main reasons and topics may be recorded in note form.
7. Repetition
Applicants who have failed the aptitude assessment for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master’s Program may register for one repetition of the aptitude assessment.
Executed following a resolution of the Senate of the Technische Universität München of 21 May 2014 and approval of the President of the Technische Universität München of 25 June 2014.
Munich, 25 June 2014
Technische Universität München Wolfgang A. Herrmann
President
These Regulations were made available for inspection at the Technische Universität München on 25 June 2014, following their announcement on 25 June 2014. Day of proclamation shall therefore be 25 June 2014.
