Revised version
General Examination and Study Regulations for Master Programmes
of December 21, 2010According to t the law on Higher Education in Brandenburg - Brandenburgisches Hochschul-gesetz (BbgHG) of December 18, 2008 (GVBL I / 08 Nr. 17 p. 318), last amended by law of October 26, 2010 (GVBL. I / 10, No. 35) under the terms of § 5 paragraph 1 sentence 2 in connection with §§ 8 paragraph 6 sentence 2, 18 paragraph 2 sentence 1, 21 paragraph 2 sentence 1, 62 paragraph 2 no. 2 and 6, the Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus (BTU) sets itself following statute:
Table of Contents
Preamble ...2
I. General Regulations...3
§ 1 Scope of Validity ...3
§ 2 Goal of the Programme ...3
§ 3 Graduation ...3
§ 4 Admission ...3
§ 5 Scope and Regular Duration of the Programme...4
§ 5a Compensation...4
§ 6 Programme Structure ...5
§ 7 Conditions of the Programme, Credits and Form of the Programme ...5
§ 8 Counselling and Mentoring ...5
§ 9 Examinations and Study Performances...5
§ 10 Registration Deadlines, Examination Intervals, Time Restrictions ...6
§ 11 Admission to Master’s Examination and Form of Master’s Examination ...7
§ 12 Evaluation of Performance Verifications and Grading Criteria ...7
§ 13 Regulations for Repeating an Examination ...8
§ 14 Examination Board ...9
§ 15 Examiners and Observers ...10
§ 16 Justification for Missing Deadlines, Absences, Omissions and Withdrawal ...10
§ 17 Documentation...11
§ 18 Accreditation of Time in Programme, Performance Verifications and Credits ...11
§ 19 Master’s Thesis...12
§ 20 Acceptance and Evaluation of the Master’s Thesis ...12
§ 21 Repeating the Master’s Thesis ...13
§ 22 Complementary Modules...13
§ 23 Additional Modules ...13
§ 25 Inspection of Examination and Programme Records ...14
§ 26 Invalidation of Performance Verifications and Revocation of the Master Degree...14
§ 27 Objection Procedures and Individual Case Decisions ...14
II. Subject-related Regulations ...15
§ 28 Scope of Validity ...15
§ 29 Goal of the Programme ...15
§ 30 Graduation and Degree ...15
§ 31 Additional Admission Requirements (where applicable)...16
§ 32 Structure and Form of the Programme ...16
§ 33 Mentors and Curriculum ...16
§ 34 Retakes (where applicable) ...16
§ 35 Examination Board (where applicable)...16
§ 36 Examination Deadlines and Admission to the Master’s Thesis ...16
§ 37 Scope and Time required for the Master’s Thesis, including Defence ...17
§ 38 Grading of the Master’s Thesis...17
§ 39 Regulations of Complementary Modules (where applicable) ...17
§ 40 Efficacy ...17
Annex (minimum) ...17
Preamble
Regarding to the nature of its Bachelor and Master Programmes, the BTU has come to an agreement on universally obligatory general regulations concerning the regulation of studies and examinations. They are components of every regulation and are complemented by sub-ject-related regulations, in which contain and regulate the specifications of the individual pro-gramme. The agreement on procedures that apply to the whole university in organizing and structuring modular programmes as well as in implementation and management of perform-ance verifications that accompany the studies is meant to achieve transparency on one hand and to minimize the administrative effort on the other. Furthermore, this strives to define and document the duties and rights of all involved in teaching and studying, which set the frame-work for successful and fruitful studies. The responsible and dedicated development of the content of a programme by students and faculty alike will be supported by this formal frame-work.
The development of the general regulations followed a university-wide discussion. Students, faculty and faculty-supportive staff work together on the implementation and continuing de-velopment of the regulation. All involved are responsible for adding their experiences of the application to the discussion on continuing development and thereby contribute to a continu-ous improvement of quality.
I. General Regulations
§ 1 Scope of Validity
(1) 1This examination and study regulation is valid for the Master Programme at the Bran-denburg University of Technology (BTU). 2In a general section, it regulates the fundamental structure of the Master Programme. 3In a subject-related section, it regulates the individual content and requirements of the individual Master programmes. 4Both sections are equally binding for the faculty and the students alike.
§ 2 Goal of the Programme
(1) 1The Master Programme, based upon an initial degree that qualifies for an occupation and possibly of practical experience, imparts the ability to apply instruments and methods of the field of study, to perform scientific work, to rank scientific discoveries critically and to in-dependently develop scientific contributions to the students. 2Depending on the orientation of the programme, this can either consist of a broadening of the basis of knowledge and com-petence or of direct specialization.
(2) 1Where Master Programmes are concerned, a distinction between consecutive pro-grammes and propro-grammes providing further education is made:
1. Consecutive Master Programmes are to be structured as programmes which consoli-date or extend knowledge, are multidisciplinary or cover a different subject deepen-ing;
2. Master Programmes providing further education require practical professional experi-ence usually of at least a year. 2The contents of the Master Programme are to take this experience into consideration and tie into these.
3Master Programmes can be distinguished between the profile-types “practically-oriented”
and “research-oriented”. 4Type and profile distinction of a Master Programme are to be regu-lated in the respective subject-reregu-lated regulations (§ 29).
§ 3 Graduation
(1) 1The Master Degree will be awarded after the successful completion of the programme.
2Permissible titles are “Master of Science“, “Master of Engineering“ and “Master of Arts“. 3Advanced study Master Programmes can have diverging labels. 4Which of these degrees is
awarded is regulated by the individual subject-related regulations of a programme. 4The BTU provides a certificate with the date of the Transcript of Records.
(2) Through international or national cooperative degree programmes academic double or joint degrees may be awarded in individual study programmes.
§ 4 Admission
(1) Prerequisite for enrolment in the course on the grounds of the respective matriculation orders in the valid form is an admission according to § 8 BbgHG.
(2) 1The fundamental requirement for the admission to the Master programme is a higher education degree qualifying for entry into a profession (at least a Bachelor degree).
2Additional suitability and qualificational prerequisites are, if justified by the subject-specific
requirements, regulated in the subject-related regulations of the programme. (3) Admission restrictions for individual programmes remain untouched.
§ 5 Scope and Regular Duration of the Programme
(1) 1As a rule, the regular duration of a Master programme at BTU Cottbus consists of four semesters, including the Master’s thesis and its defence as well as possible practical phases.
2Hereby the total regular duration of programmes (Bachelor plus Master) may not exceed ten
semesters in consecutive programmes. 3Diverging regular durations may be set for study programmes providing further education.
(2) 1As a rule, the programme may be begun in a winter and a summer semester. 2The stud-ies may be commenced part time under certain prerequisites. 3The legal basis is formed by the respectively valid regulation of part time studies (§ 2) at BTU Cottbus.
(3) 1The scope of a Master Programme with a regular duration of four semesters consists of 120 credits, under shorter regular durations of a programme at least 60 credits. 2As a rule, 30 credits will be awarded each semester in accordance with the ECTS (European Credit Trans-fer System) requirements. 3Including the previous Bachelor’s Degree, the Master’s Degree requires evidence of 300 credits.
(4) The curriculum is conceived and structured that if the schedule is followed and all exami-nations and study performances are successfully completed, the programme can be con-cluded within the standard length.
(5) 1On application to the Examination Board, the protective time intervals of § 3 paragraph 2 and of § 6 paragraph 1 of the Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG Law for the Protection of Moth-ers) as well as regulations of parental time intervals of §§ 15, 16 of the Bundeserziehungs-geldgesetz (BErzGG Law for Federal Raising Payments) will be acknowledged as neces-sary. 2Additionally, up to two semesters, which will be taken into account for the regular dura-tion of the programme, can be recognized for participadura-tion in legally designated committees and statutory bodies of the BTU, as well as in statutory bodies of the self-government of the student body at the BTU on application to the Examination Board if appropriate proof is pre-sented.
§ 5a Compensation
(1) If a student is unable to complete study or performance verifications in whole or in part in the designated form for reasons of
- extended illness or
- permanent physical impairment or - pregnancy or
- protective time intervals or
- care for persons with a child in the own household or
- illness/disability of a close relative (close relatives are children, parents, grandpar-ents, spouses and non-marital partners),
the Examination Board, in consultation with the student and examiner and on written applica-tion, sets down measures by which study and performance verifications of equal weight may be completed.
(2) 1For the situations mentioned in paragraph 1, the student is allowed to complete individ-ual performance verifications and college exams after the deadlines for completion set down in the examination regulations have passed. 2This counts correspondingly for deadlines for completion of study verifications as well as for repeat exams.
(3) 1As a rule deadlines can only be extended up to two semesters. 2The eligibility runs out with the end of the semester in which the stated prerequisites cease to be applicable. Excep-tions from the rule (sentence 1) are decided upon by the Examination Board.
(4) The implementation of this regulation follows an application.
§ 6 Programme Structure
(1) 1The programme has a modular structure. 2Modules are thematically and curricularly con-structed and within themselves complete units of study that lead to a partial qualification de-pending on the goal of the programme.
(2) 1Modules may consist of various forms of learning and teaching (e.g. lectures, seminars, exercises, projects, practical training, excursions, internships, individually organized studies).
2As a rule, they last one, but no more than two semesters. 3The workload connected with a
module may extend into the lecture-free periods.
(3) Content, organization and requirements of a module are obligatorily recorded in the mod-ule’s description in the catalogue of modules.
(4) 1The programme-specific modules are complemented by general studies (FÜS). 2Goal, content and scope of the general studies are documented in the “Regulation for General Studies at the BTU Cottbus”.
§ 7 Conditions of the Programme, Credits and Form of the Programme
(1) 1The programme consists of mandatory and compulsory elective modules. 2Which mod-ules belong to a programme and what status they have is regulated by the subject-related regulations.
(2) 1On successful completion of a module, an amount of credits will be awarded as laid down in the module description. 2They are calculated in respect to the expected workload of the student. 3The workload is set at 1,500 to 1,800 hours per year of study. 4Thereby, one credit corresponds to between 25 to a maximum of 30 hours of work by the student.
(3) Modules are completed with performance verifications (§ 9).
(4) 1Students have the right to shape their studies individually. 2They are, however, required to meet the requirements of the examination and study regulations for the Master programme as well as the subject-related requirements. 3The sequence of modules within a study plan is recommended in the annex to the subject-related requirements. 4The degree of obligation that this sequence has is also set down there. 5Subject admission requirements that are de-rived from the description of modules remain untouched.
§ 8 Counselling and Mentoring
(1) General counselling is provided by the Zentrale Studienberatung (Central Study-counselling) for all students and the Akademisches Auslandsamt (International Office) for foreign students.
(2) 1Mentors are available for subject-related counselling. 2A mentor is assigned to each stu-dent on enrolling with whom the stustu-dent regularly discusses the individual schedule. 3The students have a right of recommendation. 4Details are regulated by the subject-related re-quirements.
(1) The continuous assessment of performance in the Master Programme is achieved through performance verifications that accompany the studies, specifically those examina-tions and study performances coherent with a module that were completed.
(2) 1Every examination is evaluated and graded (module grade) and makes up part of the final grade. 2It may consist of varying forms of partial performances (paragraph 4).
(3) 1Study performances are evaluated but generally aren’t graded. 2They are printed on the Transcript of Records but do not make up the final grade, even if they are graded.
(4) 1A module is completed with one performance verification. 2This performance verification may include partial performances (i.e. presentations, homework, tests) that accompany the semester if these are related in content and noticeably fit together to an overall performance compliant with the educational goals of the module (continuous assessment). 3Form and scope of the performance verification must be described in the module description in a bind-ing and detailed form.
(5) 1Performance verifications may either occur in written or oral form: 1. Written performances are specifically:
- Final, test;
- Drawings or models (designs);
- Homework, essays, including the Master’s thesis; - Written reports.
2. Oral performances are specifically:
- Examination interviews, thesis defences; - Oral reports, presentations, seminar lectures.
2Excursions and internships are completed with study performances.
(6) 1The date and length of an examination are to be reported by those responsible for the module or the examiners respectively on time prior to the start of the exam registration by the students to the Registrar’s Office. 2Coinciding times of different examinations are to be ex-cluded. 3Form and scope of the performance verification are to be documented in the module description in detail. 4As a rule, finals last at least 90 and at most 180 minutes, tests at most 60 minutes. 5As a rule, oral examinations last at least 15 minutes and at most 60 minutes.
6Written examinations that consist of more than 50% of multiple-choice questions are
ex-cluded.
(7) 1Written and oral performance verifications which need to be passed in order to continue in the programme (second repetition, Master’s thesis, defence) will be supervised by at least two examiners. 2If written performance verifications accompany the studies, only one exam-iner is necessary. 3Oral performance verifications that accompany the studies are supervised by at least one examiner; as a rule accompanied by a knowledgeable observer. 4The ob-server is to be heard before the grade is set. 5The matter and the essential results are to be recorded in a protocol.
(8) 1The evaluation process for written performance verifications should not take longer than four weeks. 2The result of oral performance verifications is to be reported to the student fol-lowing the performance verifications.
§ 10 Registration Deadlines, Examination Intervals, Time Restrictions
(1) 1The student that wants to partake in a performance verification for the first time must register with the corresponding module with the Registrar’s office. 2The time frame for the registration consists of the first three weeks after lectures begin in the relevant semester.
belong-ing to the respective module in the same semester accompanies the registration. 4A regis-trant has time until the end of the seventh week after the beginning of a module or an equiva-lent interval for block modules to declare a withdrawal. 5If this is the case, any results of al-ready completed parts of the module are voided. 6For modules in which the performance verifications must be completed exclusively at the end of the module, those responsible for the module may extend the deadline for withdrawal to the end of the thirteenth week of the lecture period. 7The deadline for withdrawal is to be registered in the module description by those responsible for the module during the phase of applications for modules. 8If nothing is entered, the deadline for withdrawal of seven weeks is valid. 9A change of the deadline for withdrawal after publication of the module description is not possible.
(2) 1The time prior to the beginning and after the end of the lecture periods is reserved for examination intervals. 2Performance verifications may also take place outside of this interval if they accompany the studies. 3Performance verifications are to be arranged so that they can be completed within the regular duration.
(3) 1All credits of the Master Examination including the Master’s Thesis are to be accumu-lated during the regular duration of the programme, at the latest by the end of the 7th semes-ter in four semessemes-ter programmes. 2The subject-related regulations may contain deadlines by which parts of the programme or the entire scope must be completed.
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As a rule, if these time restrictions are overstepped for reasons pertaining to the student, then no further performance verifications may be completed in this study programme at the BTU. 4For claiming justifications for exceeding the time restrictions according to sentence 1, § 16 paragraph 2 is applicable. 5Exceptions are, on application, subject to decisions by the Examination Board.
§ 11 Admission to Master’s Examination and Form of Master’s Examination
(1) Admission to the Master’s examination is open to first-time registrants of a module that provide proof of enrolment in the corresponding Master Programme at the BTU.
(2) Admission is denied if
1. the candidate is already engaged in a procedure of examination in the same or a dif-ferent course of comparable content or
2. if the candidate has lost eligibility for examination in the same or a different course of comparable content at another university or college of equal standing in the Federal Republic of Germany.
(3) 1Announcement of admission including the dates of examination and denial of admission are announced in accordance to § 41 of the Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz (VwVfG). 2The denial of admission is in written form and requires justification.
(4) The Master’s examination consists of
- study accompanying performance verifications, with which the modules are completed, - the Master’s thesis including its defence.
(5) Details are regulated by the subject-related regulations in section II.
§ 12 Evaluation of Performance Verifications and Grading Criteria
(1) 1The evaluation of individual performance verifications is done by the respective examin-ers in form of grades. 2Following grades are to be used:
1.7/2.0/2.3: good - a performance that lies above average requirements 2.7/3.0/3.3: satisfactory - a performance that meets average requirements
3.7/4.0: sufficient - a performance that meets the requirements, though lacking
5.0: fail - a performance that lacks severely and therefore does not meet the re-quirements
(2) A single performance verification is passed if it receives at least a 4.0 (“adequate”). (3) If a performance verification consists of multiple partial performances then the share of these that must be passed in order pass the performance verification as a whole is regulated in the module description.
(4) 1When forming the final grade for graduation, the mean of all grades, weighted with the amount of credits, is formed. 2Only the first decimal after the period is considered; the rest is struck without being rounded. 3The grades for the final grade are:
until 1.5: very good - an excellent performance
above 1.5 until 2.5: good - a performance that lies above average requirements above 2.5 until 3.5: satisfactory - a performance that meets average requirements
above 3.5 until 4.0: sufficient - a performance that meets average requirements, though lacking
above 4.0: fail - a performance that lacks severely and therefore does not meet average requirements
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Should a student complete their studies with a final grade better than 1.3, then they may be awarded the title “with distinction” for it. 5This matter is decided upon by the Examination Board on recommendation by the Registrar’s Office. 6The title is included in the Master Cer-tificate and Transcript of Records.
(5) For converting the final grade for transfer purposes, following ECTS-scale is used for all results which are at least passed:
A the best 10% B the next 25% C the next 30% D the next 25% E the next 10%
Failed performances can be differentiated as follows: FX fail - some more work required to pass
F fail - considerable further work required.
3The issuing of ECTS grades assumes a sufficient size of the bracket.
§ 13 Regulations for Repeating an Examination
(1) 1Failed performance verifications may be repeated twice (repeat examination). 2If upon second repetition the performance verification is still graded with “failed” or counted as “failed”, then the performance verification is conclusively failed.
(2) 1Registration for a repeat examination must take place at the latest one week prior to the examination date. 2First repetitions of a performance verification are conducted in the same
form as the failed performance verification. 3Exceptions are decided upon by the Examination Board.
(3) 1Dates for repetitions for performance verifications (first repetition) are to be offered every semester. 2Students are required to attend the first repetition within a year after the first ex-amination. 3The second repetition is to be performed within an additional semester.
4Exceptions are decided upon by the Examination Board.
(4) A unique switch of a compulsory elective module is possible after failing the first exam or the first repeat exam.
(5) 1An examinee loses their claim to an examination when they have ultimately not passed all repeat exams. 2This includes the case of absence without sufficient justification.
(6) Failed attempts in a different course at the BTU or the same course at a different univer-sity or college of equal standing in the Federal Republic of Germany are added to the amount of repeat examinations in paragraph 1.
(7) The paragraphs 1 to 3 count for multiple parts of a performance verification respectively. (8) § 21 regulates the repetition of the Master’s thesis.
§ 14 Examination Board
(1) 1An Examination Board is to be formed to fulfil and organize the duties assigned by the examination regulations. 2The Examination Board consists of five members representing the status groups and is made up as follows:
three professors, one academic employee, one student.
3The tenure for members of the Examination Board lasts three years, for students one year. 4Insofar decisions concern the grading of performance verifications, student members only
have consulting status.
(2) The members are appointed by the faculty council and elect a head and his or her dep-uty, both of whom have to be professors.
(3) 1The Examination Board ensures that the examination regulation is followed. 2It regularly reports the development of time spent studying and in examinations to the faculty council including the actual time spent on Master’s theses as well as the distribution of module and final grades. 3The report is to be published in a suitable manner by the faculty. 4The Exami-nation Board offers advice on reforms to the examiExami-nation and study regulations and the cur-riculums. 5The Examination Board may decide to impart duties to the head. 6Members of the Examination Board may not perform their responsibilities if they are involved in a matter of examination.
(4) 1Decisions in the committee are voted on with a simple majority, with ties being broken with the head’s vote. 2The members of the Examination Board have the right to attend ex-aminations.
(5) The members of the Examination Board are subject to discretion; as long as they are not employed as civil servants, they are bound to discretion by the head.
§ 15 Examiners and Observers
(1) All persons according to § 20 paragraph 5 BbgHG are eligible to be examiners or observ-ers.
(2) As a rule, a module’s performance verification is conducted by the person teaching the module, who also determines the observers.
(3) 1The examiners are independent in their duties as such. 2They are only subject to the examination regulation of the programme.
(4) Examiners and observers are subject to § 14 paragraph 5 respectively.
(5) 1Should examiners for sound reasons be unable to attend their examination at all or only at a different date, the Examination Board may appoint other examiners or allow a change of the examination date. 2The affected candidates are to be heard by the Examination Board.
3Nominated examiners may appeal to the Examination Board to nominate other examiners,
requiring that they justify this.
(6) 1Primary examiner of the Master’s thesis and defence is generally the corresponding su-pervisor. 2The candidate may suggest the secondary examiner. 3The decision is made by the primary examiner. 4Primary examiners must be members or dependants of the BTU.
§ 16 Justification for Missing Deadlines, Absences, Omissions and Withdrawal
(1) 1If a candidate, after registering and after the passing of the withdrawal deadline, fails to attend an examination without justification or if he or she withdraws from an already begun examination without justification then the examination is considered failed and will be graded as such (5,0). 2The same goes for failure to submit written performance verifications on the deadline given.
(2) 1Justifications for missing deadlines according to § 10 paragraph 3 sentence 2 must be brought to the attention of and proven to the Registrar’s Office immediately upon their ap-pearance, justifications for withdrawal, absences and omissions according to paragraph 1 within five working days of their appearance. 2Proof in case of illness must always be docu-mented in form of a medical certificate that may not be dated later than the examination date.
3In cases of doubt or recurrence, the Examination Board may ask for an official medical
cer-tificate. 4The student is to be notified hereof in written form. 5If the certificate affirms the in-ability to partake in exams of a student for more than a day and the student attends a per-formance verification in this time, then the certificate becomes invalid for any time afterwards.
6In obvious cases such medical certificates may be waived. 7Should the candidate hand in
written work or other notes, but was prevented to complete the performance verification, he or she is required to justify the prevention immediately afterward to the Registrar’s Office.
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This justification may not contain demands or be retracted. 9The Examination Board decides on acknowledgement of justifications and deadline extensions.
(3) 1The justification of a prevention from completing a written part is void in cases when, after completing parts of the performance verification, a month has already passed.
2Justification for the prevention of participation in an oral examination is void after the results
are published. 3If according to paragraphs 1, 6, 7 a performance verification is graded “failed” (5,0) or the candidate is barred from the examination or the examination is later declared failed or the examination result is corrected then a justification of a prevention is void.
(4) In cases of special hardship the Examination Board may, on application, waive a renewed submission of written work or enact a special order for the repeating of an oral examination.
(5) 1If for important reasons it is unreasonable to demand that a candidate complete either fully or in part an oral or written examination, they are eligible for an application of absence.
2The paragraphs 1 to 4 count in their sense.
(6) 1If a candidate attempts to influence the result of his or her examination through cheating or disallowed aids, he or she participates in an attempt to cheat or he or she disturbs the orderly process of examination or if by wilfully cheating the intellectual property of others is violated and possibly published material of a third party is used without naming the sources (plagiarism) and handed in as independent work, the performance verification will be graded „failed” (5,0) and the affected candidate may be barred from continuing the examination by the examiner. 2The observation is to be made by the examiner and is to be filed. 3In severe cases the Examination Board may bar the candidate from further performance verifications. (7) If offences are discovered after the examination is complete and if the candidate has not completed his or her degree then the examination will be graded “failed” (5,0) as well.
(8) The candidate will be offered an opportunity to make themselves heard before a decision is made.
§ 17 Documentation
(1) The leading teachers of or those responsible for the respective module are responsible for organizing examinations and timely conveyance of the complete results of a module to the Registrar’s Office.
(2) 1The Registrar’s Office keeps an overview on passing and failing, the accumulation of credits as well as the grades of the examinations and study performances. 2Students may receive a certified transcript of records if needed.
§ 18 Accreditation of Time in Programme, Performance Verifications and Credits
(1) 1Time in programmes, performance verifications and credits in the same course at differ-ent universities and colleges of equal standing in the scope of the Hochschulrahmengesetz (Law on College Framework) are officially recognized without additional examinations.
2Otherwise, equivalence is to be determined if the time in the programme and performance
verifications are corresponding in content and scope to as well as meet the requirements of the course to which accreditation is applied for. 3This is not meant to be a schematic com-parison, but an evaluation of the whole with regards to the merit of performances for the pur-pose of examinations according to § 2.
(2) 1The equivalence agreements approved of by the Conference of Education Ministers (KMK) and the Conference of College Directors (HRK) as well as other international agree-ments are to be referred to when determining the equivalence of performance verifications at foreign colleges. 2In case of doubts of equivalence, the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (Central Office for foreign Education Systems) can be heard on the matter.
3Insofar no agreements exist or if a far-reaching accreditation has been applied for, the
Ex-amination Board decides on the equivalence. 4Differing regulations of accreditation based on agreements with foreign colleges remain untouched.
(3) 1Results achieved at foreign colleges are accredited if the student ensures that the Ex-amination Board confirms the accreditation capability through “Learning Agreements” before embarking on a semester abroad. 2The student is responsible for supplying the necessary documents.
(4) 1If the student has already received credits for a module in the Master programme from a module in the Bachelor programme of the same name then the module in the Master pro-gramme may not be counted or attended. 2Modules of the Master programme that were
completed as complementary modules during the Bachelor programme may be accredited up to a volume of 30 credits in the Master Programme. 3The accreditation is decided upon by the Examination Board after hearing the mentor.
(5) 1The grades of compatible grading systems of performance verifications that were ac-credited are carried over and make up the final and course grade as according to the exami-nation regulation. 2If the grading system is ordinally scaled, the mean of the grade is to be carried over. 3If the grading system is incompatible, the grade is recorded as “passed” if the overall impression was positive. 4Special marking in the Transcript of Records is allowed. (6) Paragraphs 1 to 3 as well as 5 count for time in programmes, performance verifications and credits in state recognized correspondence courses respectively.
(7) Knowledges and skills acquired outside the higher education system may be recognized up to a scope of 50 % if they are equivalent in content and standards to the part of the study programme that they should replace.
(8) 1As a rule, the deadline for recognition procedures after registration as well as the return from abroad or a semester off is one semester, in which the recognition must applied for.
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Afterwards, all applications for recognition will be denied.
§ 19 Master’s Thesis
(1) 1The Master’s thesis is an examination in which the student must show that he or she can independently and successfully deal with an assignment within a set deadline and contribute scientifically founded theoretical and practical knowledge to the solving of a problem. 2The Master’s thesis should correspond to the advanced knowledge base of the subject. 3The Master’s thesis consists of written work and its defence.
(2) 1As a rule, the Master’s thesis may be assigned and looked after by college professors.
2Exceptions are decided upon by the Examination Board. 3Subject-related rules may have
further regulations.
(3) 1The requirements of the necessary work are to be defined in a module description. 2They must correspond to the advanced status of the subject. 3As a rule, the scope of the module Master’s thesis covers 30 credits. 4The fourth semester of the standard length in the pro-gramme is intended for the conception and finishing (defence) of the Master’s thesis. 5Exact deadlines for the project are defined in the respective subject-related regulations. 6The date of distribution and handing in is to be filed. 7The requirements must be such so that they can be met within the deadline.
(4) Admission requirements may be regulated by the respective subject-related regulations. (5) 1The topic of the written work can only be changed once and only in the first two months of time reserved for the project. 2In individual cases, the Examination Board may extend the deadline for candidates that have made a justified application; the application is to be made in written form up to four weeks prior to the deadline. 3The opinion of the responsible exam-iner is to be attached.
(6) On handing in the written work the candidate has to assure in written form that he or she composed the work independently and that no other sources or aids besides those listed were used as well as that quotes were marked correctly.
§ 20 Acceptance and Evaluation of the Master’s Thesis
(1) 1Two copies of the written work are to be handed in to the primary examiner on time; the deadline is to be filed. 2If the work is not handed in on time, it will be graded “failed” (5,0). 3§ 9 paragraphs 6 and 8 apply to the process of completing the written work. 4The written work
will be assessed in written form by two examiners (according to § 20 paragraph 5 BbgHG) and graded according to § 12 paragraph 1.
(2) 1If the written work achieves a grade of at least “adequate” (4,0) the defence follows. 2§ 9 paragraphs 5 to 8 applies to the procedure of the defence. 3This will be conducted as an in-dividual or group examination and will be graded according to § 12 paragraph 1. 4Defences are generally open to all at the university. 5Exceptions are regulated by the Examination Board.
(3) 1The Master’s thesis is passed if the final grade including the defence is graded at least “adequate” (4.0). 2If only one of the evaluations of the written work is “failed” (5.0), then the Bachelor’s Thesis is to be evaluated by an additional examiner. 3If two evaluations of “failed” (5.0) have been made, then the Master’s Thesis counts as not passed. 4Otherwise, the evaluation of the written work is the arithmetical rounded mean of all evaluations of the ex-aminers analogous to § 12 paragraph 4. 5If the defence was also evaluated at least “ade-quate” (4.0), then the final grade of the Master’s Thesis is calculated. 6It is formed by the ar-ithmetical rounded, weighted mean of the evaluation of the written work with a weight of 0.75 and the evaluation of the defence with a weight of 0.25 analogous to § 12 paragraph 4. 7The subject-related regulations can implement regulations different from sentence 4ff.
(4) The Examination Board must present the result of the Master’s Thesis (examination reg-istration arch) as well as the opinions in original form within two weeks to the Registrar’s Of-fice.
§ 21 Repeating the Master’s Thesis
(1) 1A Master’s thesis graded with “failed” (5.0) may be repeated once. 2A second repetition is not allowed.
(2) Changing the topic of the Master’s thesis within the deadline defined in § 19 paragraph 6 sentence 1 is only allowed if the candidate made no use of this privilege during the first at-tempt.
§ 22 Complementary Modules
(1) The students may attend other modules than those named in the subject-related regula-tions (in the annexes 1 and 2) offered at the BTU Cottbus (including those offered on a one-time basis by contract teachers and guest lecturers) or relevant events or modules (comple-mentary modules) offered during the semester abroad and receive credits and partake per-formance verifications in them.
(2) 1Complementary modules need to be approved of by the Examination Board in advance.
2It must be explicitly determined whether the complementary module serves to accumulate
credits (study performance, completed with “passed”) or to partake in a graded examination. (3) 1Modules from the Bachelor programme of the same name at the BTU (consecutive pro-grammes) may be used to accumulate credits in a limited scope insofar this serves to fill gaps. 2Earning credits twice from both the Bachelor and Master programmes is prohibited. (4) Details are regulated by the subject-related regulations in section II.
§ 23 Additional Modules
(1) In addition to the modules required by the subject-related regulations of the examination and study regulation, the student may partake in examinations of other modules (additional modules) offered at the BTU in the framework of the Master Programme.
(2) 1The results of these performance verifications are added to the Transcript of Records on application by the candidate to the Registrar’s Office. 2They are not eligible for accumulating credits and do not make up the final grade.
(3) The requirements of these performance verifications are regulated by their module de-scriptions and the regulations of their programme.
§ 24 Transcript of Records and Master Certificate
(1) The Master programme is successfully completed by those that successfully partake in all modules required by the subject-related regulations, including the Master’s thesis and its defence and accumulated the necessary credits.
(2) 1Furthermore, the BTU hands out a Transcript of Records certifying the results, a diploma supplement, as well as a certificate with the date of the transcript. 2The degree’s documents will be printed in German and English. 3Further details are regulated by a statute on the form of degree documents.
(3) 1In the event of the final failure of the Master programme and on application to the Regis-trar’s Office, the candidate receives a certification on the successfully completed and in the application mentioned performance verifications, which points out that only part of the pro-gramme was successfully accomplished. 2This also counts for students that leave the BTU before finishing their programme.
§ 25 Inspection of Examination and Programme Records 1
The candidate is allowed, on application after the completion of every examination and un-der supervision, to examine his or her work, the comments of the examiners, which partook in the examination and the corresponding protocols. 2The application is to be made to the examiner within four weeks of the publishing of the result of the individual examination. 3The examiner chooses date and location of the inspection.
§ 26 Invalidation of Performance Verifications and Revocation of the Master Degree
(1) If the candidate cheated in a performance verification and this fact comes to the attention after the Transcript of Records has been awarded then the Examination Board may correct the results of the performance verifications in which the candidate cheated and declare the performance verification totally or partially failed.
(2) 1If prerequisites to partake in a performance verification were not met without the candi-date wilfully deceiving anyone and if this fact comes to the attention of the Examination Board after the Transcript of Records has been awarded, then this wrong is reconciled with completing the performance verification. 2If the candidate wilfully obtained an admission to a performance verification then the Examination Board decides on revoking the illegal award with respect to the law.
(3) 1The illegitimate Transcript of Records is to be retracted and if necessary a new one is to be issued. 2The Master certificate is to be retracted with the Transcript of Records if the per-formance verification is deemed “failed” (5,0) because pf the deception. 3Decisions according to paragraphs 1 and 2 are excluded after five years from the date on the certificate.
§ 27 Objection Procedures and Individual Case Decisions
(1) 1Denials and other burdening decisions that are made according to this examination regu-lation are to be justified in written form, are to include references to legal options and are to
be made public according to § 2 paragraph 3 no. 2 VwVfG Bbg in connection with § 41 VwVfG Bbg. 2Objections may be submitted to the Examination Board within one month after the decision according to §§ 68 ff. of the Verwaltungsgerichtsordnung (administrative tribunal regulation).
(2) Insofar the objection is directed against the evaluation made by an examiner, the Exami-nation Board decides according to paragraphs 3 and 5.
(3) 1If the objection is directed against a decision of examiners according to paragraph 2, the Examination Board decides after hearing the examiner. 2If the examiner changes the evalua-tion as demanded by the objecevalua-tion then the Examinaevalua-tion Board treats the objecevalua-tion accord-ingly. 3Otherwise the Examination Board examines the decision based on the statement of the examiner on whether
1. the examination procedure was executed improperly, 2. the evaluation was based on faulty facts,
3. general fundamentals of evaluation weren’t taken into account, 4. a justifiable and well supported solution was deemed wrong, 5. irrelevant exterior influences guided the examiners decision.
4
Objections to the evaluations of multiple examiners are to be treated accordingly.
(4) If the Examination Board does not act on an objection if a violation against paragraph 3 sentence 3 numbers 1 to 5 has occurred or if concrete and substantial objections against the examination procedure have been laid down without the examiner having changed the evaluation as demanded, the performance verifications will be evaluated by other examiners that to date were not concerned with that evaluation or the oral examination will be repeated. (5) Decisions on objections are to be reached as soon as possible.
(6) The objection procedure may not lead to the worsening of a grade.
II. Subject-related Regulations
§ 28 Scope of Validity
1These subject-related regulations regulate the form and structure of the Master programme
“xyz” for the student. 2They are only valid in connection with the general regulations of the Master programme in section I.
3When in doubt, the general provisions take precedence.
§ 29 Goal of the Programme
(short description of educational goals, profile of candidates, interdisciplinary competences, if the programme is to be assigned a profile-type, statement whether the course is of practical or theoretical nature; Take into Account: KMK-requirements, accreditation requirements)
§ 30 Graduation and Degree
§ 31 Additional Admission Requirements (where applicable)
Following prerequisites supplement § 4:
e.g. Definition of subject-specific requirements Examinations to determine suitability
Grade requirements
§ 32 Structure and Form of the Programme
For instance: The Master Programme “xyz” includes
- the mandatory modules described in annex 1 with performance verifications and cred-its,
- compulsory elective modules with x credits from the in annex 1 included catalogue of modules with examinations or performance verifications and credits
- an internship of xy length
- a semester abroad
- a Master’s thesis including its defence, with explanations
If necessary information on the teaching language
(Structure with regards to arrangement of focal points, furtherments and their scope, stan-dard curriculum as annex 2 must be explicitly explained)
If necessary in what scope modules from Bachelor Programmes may be counted Also here: Start of programme in the summer and winter semester (if applicable)
§ 33 Mentors and Curriculum
(see § 8)
§ 34 Retakes (where applicable)
What scope (credits) and under what framework retakes are allowed is to be listed here, if this is desired in the course
§ 35 Examination Board (where applicable)
If any regulations are made that deviate from § 12 list their composition here
§ 36 Examination Deadlines and Admission to the Master’s Thesis
if necessary, examination deadlines beyond § 10, setting down their order (cross reference to § 10, missing deadlines necessary)
if necessary, how many modules must be completed before the Master’s thesis is handed out.
§ 37 Scope and Time required for the Master’s Thesis, including Defence
Time frame between reception and handing in of the topic, other parts
§ 38 Grading of the Master’s Thesis
Only necessary if rules diverging from § 20 paragraph 5 are set down.
Regulations on weighing the grades of written work and defence, other parts for the final grade of the Master’s thesis
§ 39 Regulations of Complementary Modules (where applicable)
See § 22
§ 40 Efficacy
(1) 1This examination and study regulation for Masterr programmes comes into effect the day after its publication in the official announcements of the Brandenburg University of Technol-ogy in Cottbus. 2It is applicable to all valid Master programme examination and study regula-tions.
(2) Simultaneously, the examination and study regulation for Master programmes of 08.10.2004 expires.
(3) The regulations according to § 10 paragraph 1 also apply to all modular diploma exami-nation regulations that are still valid.
(When formulating subject-related instructions, make respective regulations for the individual study programme here.)
Annex (minimum)
Annex 1: Overview of the modules belonging to the programme, examinations and study performances including status (mandatory, compulsory elective) with amount of credits
Annex 2: Curriculum with amount of credits per semesteri Annex 3: Internship regulation (where applicable)
i
The contact hours are placed ahead of the catalog of modules in form of a schedule of a course.
Approved and executed on the grounds of the decision of the Senate of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus of December 2, 2010, the approval by the President of the Brandenburg Univer-sity of Technology Cottbus of December 21, 2010 and the notificaton to the Ministry of Science, Re-search and Culture of the State of Brandenburg with the writ of December 21, 2010.
Cottbus, December 21, 2010 p.p.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Koziol Vice-President
The order was established on March 30, 2011 at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus. The establishment was announced through posting on March 30, 2011 at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus. Thereby March 30, 2011 is the date of announcement.
Cottbus, March 30, 2011 Walther Ch. Zimmerli
Prof. Dr. habil. DPhil. h.c. (University of Stellenbosch) President
