How ECTS work and recognizing acquired achievements
Understanding Modules
Modules are the heart of your ISME studies—they're complete learning experiences:
- Two courses that build on each other
- One examination that ties it all together
- 15 ECTS credits
- Sometimes spanning two semesters
Understanding ECTS
ECTS credits reflect your actual workload:
- 1 ECTS = about 30 hours (everything: classes, reading, assignments, exam prep)
- 15 ECTS = around 450 hours total
Important detail: In a 15 ECTS module, the credits aren't just split 7.5 + 7.5 between two courses—the examination itself carries ECTS too! Check the study and examination regulations (Studien- und Prüfungsordnung) to see the exact breakdown.
Your Complementary Studies: 15 ECTS of Freedom
This is your space to explore. You have three paths:
Research Perspectives module – Our dedicated 15 ECTS module
Internships – Self-organized, 5, 10, or 15 ECTS
Modules from other programs – Up to 15 ECTS from across FU Berlin (German-language modules welcome!)
You can also mix internships and modules to create your ideal combination.
Recognizing Credits: The Options
The Smoothest Path: Complete Modules
Taking complete modules from other FU departments (or other universities) is the most straightforward route. The recognition process is cleaner, and everything transfers neatly into your complementary area.
The Dream Course Path: Individual Courses
Sometimes there's that one course you've always wanted to take—we get it! You can pursue individual courses, but here's what to know:
The transcript reality: Only achievements from the Department of History and Cultural Studies will show by name on your transcript. If we recognize your philosophy seminar or politics course, it will appear as "recognized credits" without the course title.
The bureaucratic reality: Recognizing individual courses is more complex. For a single course to count toward an ISME module (e.g. like the methods part of Interdisciplinary Perspectives), it needs to:
- Match the content and learning goals of the module closely
- Have the same workload as that specific module part (check the Studien- und Prüfungsordnung—it's not automatically half of 15 ECTS!)
We absolutely try to make individual course recognition work when it makes sense, but the process involves more back-and-forth and careful matching.
Our honest advice: If the course means that much to you—go for it! Even without formal recognition for ISME. Just know it might end up as "recognized credits" only on your transcript, and the approval process takes a bit longer.
How It Works: From Non-ISME Modules and Other FU Departments
1. Let's talk first
Email isme@geschkult.fu-berlin.de before enrolling. Tell us:
- What you want to take (course, module, or both?)
- Why it matters to your studies
- Where you imagine it fitting in ISME
We'll explore what's possible and be upfront about how it will work.
2. The practical steps
- Register via this form by sending it to the Studienbüro
- Complete the course/module
- Get documentation from that department (History & Cultural Studies forms)
- Send it to us with where you'd like it to count
- We recommend to the examination committee
- You hear back in 4-6 weeks
Timeline: We process in February (winter term), and July (summer term)
How It Works: From Other Universities
Studied abroad or at another university? Same process, different paperwork:
Bring module certificates or official transcripts instead of FU forms, then follow the steps above.
What About Transferring Between ISME Modules?
We generally don't move courses between ISME modules (like from Histories to Interdisciplinary Perspectives) because each module is thoughtfully designed as a package with its own course options and flexibility built in.
Questions? Special Situations?
Every student's path is different. Reach out to isme@geschkult.fu-berlin.de and let's figure out what works for you.
Generally no. We don't transfer courses between ISME modules (like moving something from Histories to Interdisciplinary Perspectives) because each module is already designed as a flexible package with lots of course options built in.
If courses are available as part of multiple ISME modules and you chose them in the "wrong" module, you can change the registration via the Studienbüro.
Yes, but know what you're getting into:
The transcript reality: Only courses from History & Cultural Studies show by name on your transcript. That philosophy seminar you loved? It'll appear as "recognized credits" without the course title.
The bureaucratic reality: Single courses are harder to recognize. They need to closely match an ISME module part's content, learning goals, AND workload (which isn't automatically 7.5 ECTS—check the regulations!).
Our take: If it means that much to you, go for it! Just expect more paperwork and a longer process.
YES—you should always check with the relevant instructors first.
YES—if want achievements from these course to be counted towards ISME always email us first at isme@geschkult.fu-berlin.de before you enroll! Tell us:
- What you want to take
- Why it fits your studies
- Where you imagine it counting in ISME
We'll explore what's possible and be honest about how it'll work.
If you are purely auditing the courses or modules, still check with the instructors, but you don't need to check with ISME then.
- Email us first (see above)
- Register using this form—without it, you can't take the exam or get ECTS
- Complete the course/module
- Get documentation from that department (History & Cultural Studies forms here—each department has their own)
- Send everything to us with a note about where it should count
- We recommend to the examination committee
- You hear back in 4-6 weeks
1 ECTS = about 30 hours of work (classes, readings, assignments, exam prep—everything). So 15 ECTS = roughly 450 hours total.
Important: The credits aren't just split evenly between the two courses. The exam itself carries ECTS too! Check the study and examination regulations (Studien- und Prüfungsordnung) to see how it breaks down.
Probably! Every student's path is different. Email isme@geschkult.fu-berlin.de and let's figure out what works for you.
Same process, different paperwork! Bring module certificates or official transcripts from that university instead of FU forms. Then email us at isme@geschkult.fu-berlin.de and we'll walk you through it.
You have three options—and you can mix them!
- Research Perspectives (our 15 ECTS module)
- Internships (5, 10, or 15 ECTS)
- Modules from other programs (up to 15 ECTS from anywhere at FU—German-language modules welcome!)
Combine options 2 and 3 if you want both internship experience and courses from other departments.
