Welcome to STMAW! Studying at Freie Universität Berlin is exciting, but it can be overwhelming at first. To make starting out easier, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the resources you’ll be using throughout your studies. The five most important resources for studying STMAW are:

1. your account which you use for registering for courses, for accessing your mails, and for using the self-service;
2. the campus managament, where you sign up for courses and exams and also keep track of your academic progress;
3. the  blackboard platform as learning management system for many of your courses;
4. the course catalogue, to check which courses are offered by whom, when, and where;
5. our STMAW website, of course, where you will find all the important information relevant to the program as well as current events and announcements.

In the following sections, we will guide you through the different aspects of studying STMAW to help you understand modules, examinations, grades etc. 

• incoming students
• first semester
• modules
• ECTS and credits
• registering for courses
• examinations
• grades
• complementary area of studies
• transfer of ECTS
• a step-by-step guide to transferring ECTS
• studying abroad

Further aspects of studying STMAW include:

• learning German
• independent language learning
• studying part-time
• leave of absence
• libraries
• frequently asked questions

Incoming students

Important information for incoming students has been collected by the Center for Academic Advising and Psychological Counseling. Check out their website on starting your study program and their fact sheets "Newly enrolled – what next?", as well as "GETTING STARTED at Freie Universität" and "studying 101 – a simple guide for students".

First semester

In the first semester, you take at least four courses from two modules:

1. Knowledge and its Resources: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Wissensgeschichte

1. One elective module

You have to register for the relevant courses via the campus management within the dedicated registration period. 

We highly recommend that you start with our introductory course Knowledge and Its Resources when you begin your studies.

To complete the module Knowledge and Its Resources: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Wissensgeschichte, you have to participate in the basic course and a methods course as well as taking an examination at the end of the semester; this examination will be a written assignment of approx. 5000 words.

For the elective module, you can choose from the entire course catalogue of Freie Universität (or even other universities).

Understanding modules

Modules are the building blocks of many master’s degree programs at the Freie Universität. Typically, a module consists of two courses, which can vary in form, such as a lecture and a seminar, or a seminar and a reading course.

Modules are offered either in one semester or over two semesters. If the module is one semester long, you are expected to complete it within that semester. If the module spans two semesters, the first course is typically taken in the winter semester and the second in the summer semester.

The purpose of the modules is to help students develop specific skills, and successful completion of a module means you have achieved those goals and are making progress towards the goals of the program. The registration requirements, learning goals, content, and examination requirements for each module are outlined in detail in the study and examination regulations.

Understanding ECTS and workload

In many countries, students in college or university get credits based on the time they spend in class each week. But in Germany and other European countries, we use something called the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). ECTS credits show not only the amount of time a student spends in class, but also how much work they have done overall and if they passed their exams. To get ECTS credits, a student must regularly go to class, participate actively, do well on exams, and get a grade of 4 or higher on the German scale (which ranges from 6 to 1). At the Freie Universität, ECTS credits are called “Leistungspunkte,” while other universities in Germany may use other terms such as “Studienpunkte” or “Kreditpunkte”.

Each ECTS credit represents 30 hours of work. To complete the STMAW program, you need 120 ECTS credits, which adds up to 3600 hours of work. If you complete the program in four semesters, you’ll need to do 900 hours of work each semester. This includes the time between terms, when classes are not in session, but you are still working toward completing a module, such as the writing of a term paper. Over the course of two years, you’ll spend around 40 hours a week working on the program for 45 weeks a year.

Registering for courses

If you want to register for modules or module exams at Freie Universität Berlin, you can do so online using Campus Management (LINK). All you need is a valid zedat account (LINK), which you can use to log in to the Campus Management homepage. Once you're logged in, you can navigate through the module registration process.

General information on Campus Management (LINK) will help you understand how to use the system effectively and avoid any potential issues. So, it is good to take some time to read through the instructions before you start. A quick reference guide to using Campus Management (PDF, LINK) as well as a video tutorial (LINK) can help you understand how it works or remind you if you have forgotten. It is important to register for courses during the course registration period, which is always announced on the general website together with relevant orientation events (LINK).

For questions about Campus Management, please contact the info service as explained in our support tab.

Examinations

STMAW's examination regulations (a link will be added soon) govern all matters relating to module examinations. 

One important characteristic of all degree programs at the Freie Universität is that students take examinations during their studies (in German "studienbegleitende Prüfungen"). 

Modules in STMAW are completed by taking a single module examination that covers the two courses that form the module.

The type of examination required for a specific module (written assignment, oral presentation, etc.) is shown in STMAW's examination regulations (new link to be provided soon); the following presents a list of STMAW modules and their relevant forms of examination:

• Knowledge and its Resources: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the History of Knowledge: written assignment of 5000 words.
• Notation, Writing Systems and Human Awareness: project work or written assignment of 5000 words.
• Medicine in the Ancient World: written assignment of 5000 words (graded)
• Divination in the Ancient World: written assignment of 5000 words (graded)
• Astral Sciences and Mathematics in the Ancient World: written assignment of 5000 words (graded)
• Research Colloquium in History of Knowledge in the Ancient World: poster presentation.
• Examinations for modules as electives depend on the relevant examination regulations of the modules themselves. 

Some module examinations are graded on a pass/fail basis and some are graded using differentiated marks (see the next section); the latter grades are, as a general principle, counted toward the student’s overall grade for STMAW. Each module is assigned a certain number of ECTS (usually 15 ECTS for each module in STMAW) that apply to the overall workload of presence in classes, preparation of classes or the examination, and the examination itself. At the end of the program, the student’s overall grade is calculated based on these weighted module grades and the grade earned on the master’s thesis.

Grades

When it comes to getting grades at the Freie Universität, it's important to recognize that you'll only receive grades for your module examinations and not for individual courses. The grading system for modules can vary: some modules are graded on a pass/fail basis, while others are graded using differentiated marks. If you're unsure about the grading system for a particular module, it's always a good idea to check with your professor or academic advisor.

The following grades are awarded for individual exams:

1.0, 1.3, 1.7, 2.0, 2.3, 2.7, 3.0, 3.3, 3.7, 4.0, and 5.0.

The following terms or descriptions are used for module and overall grades falling within the average ranges below:

1.0 through 1.5	= Very Good
1.5 through 2.5	= Good
2.5 through 3.5	= Satisfactory
3.5 through 4.0	= Sufficient
below 4.0	= Not Passed

If the overall examination has been passed, the diploma supplement shows not only the overall grade, but also the grade distribution for all graduates of the same program (or, if the number of graduates is too small, for all graduates of this and similar programs) for the preceding six semesters.

Complementary area of studies

STMAW's complementary areas of study (30 ECTS) allow you to choose two modules (totalling 30 ECTS) from the entire course catalogue of Freie Universität (or even other universities), provided that there are free spots in the course and that the lecturer agrees to your participation and that STMAW’s academic advisors have confirmed that your module choice is in line with the regulations for the complementary areas of study within the STMAW program.

If you plan to take modules from other departments or universities, you won't be able to register through campus management. Instead, you'll need to fill out a form which can be found in the download section (LINK) and submit it to the Office for Academic Affairs at the Department of History and Cultural Studies (Studienbüro für Geschichts- und Kulturwissenschaften). If you do not submit the form, you will not be able to take the exam or receive any ECTS credits. Once the form has been processed, the modules will be added in campus management, so that you can confirm your enrollment. If this isn't possible, you can also request a module/participation/examination certificate (Prüfungs- und/oder Teilnahmebescheinigung) from the person who is teaching the module and have your academic advisor recommend the transfer of these ECTS credits to you.

Transfer of ECTS

The transfer of study or examination credits that you have already gained or that you gain during your studies from other departments or universities may be important if you have already been enrolled at the Freie Universität and wish to include ECTS credits gained at other universities or in courses other than the program that you are in.

To transfer ECTS credits, please contact the academic advisors with all the necessary information and documents (such as certificates or exam- and/or attendance certificates) who will forward a recommendation to the examination committee for the transfer of the credits. The committee will decide on the transfer based on this recommendation. The examination office (LINK) will then send you the final decision via mail.

For orientation

We as academic advisors process reccommendations for the transfer of ECTS twice per semester, winter: November, February; summer: May, July. Please note that the study and examination offices currently require up to six weeks for processing. 

Transferring ECTS step by step

1. contact STMAW's academic advisors

If you plan to take a module or course outside of STMAW and want its ECTS credits to be transferred later on, for example to the complementary areas of study, consult STMAW's academic advisors in advance – so before starting the courses.

We recommend always taking whole modules instead of individual courses since modules are designed with specific qualification goals in mind, which can only be achieved when completing a whole module and not just a part of it.

2. register for the relevant module or course via this form (LINK)

Registering for modules and courses for which you cannot register directly in the campus management, for example, when taking courses from other departments or mixing and matching courses and modules within STMAW, is important, since you're only allowed to take examinations and get ECTS credits for courses once you are registered.

Please note that when you take modules or courses from other programs, departments, or universities, you always take them according to the study and examination regulations to which that module or course originally belongs. These regulations form the basis for transferring the ECTS credits later on.

3. participate in the courses and complete them

4. get a participation, examination, or module certificate

If the module or course you are taking cannot be directly documented in Campus Management, you will need to have the instructor fill out forms confirming your participation and – if applicable – examination; if you take a whole module, you need a module certificate. For the Department of History and Cultural Studies (add German), you can find the relevant forms here (LINK).

Please note that every department has their own forms and certificates and you will always need a form from the relevant department. 

5. request that your academic advisors recommend the transfer of the ECTS credits

Send the participation, examination, or module certificate to STMAW's academic advisors along with the following information:

- the module or part of STMAW that the ECTS credits should be transferred to;

- if the ECTS credits from a single course should be transferred to one of STMAW's core or advanced modules, which part of the STMAW module do you want the non-STMAW credits to be transferred to; this is especially important if you have already taken courses in one part of a module and need a transfer of ECTS credits to another part of the module in order for the module to be complete.

6. check the transfer in Campus Management

After a processing time of 4 to 6 weeks, you will be notified by the examination office and be able to check the documentation in Campus Management.

If a transfer of ECTS credits is pending, you can also contact the examination office directly.

Studying abroad

to be added

Learning German

Learning German is not only beneficial for your studies in Germany, but it also adds to your personal development. The Freie Universität offers German language courses from level A1 onwards, and the best part is that they are free of charge for all master students enrolled in English-taught programs (LINK). So, while you study at STMAW, take the opportunity to improve your German language skills.

Here (LINK) is an overview of how to register for German language courses at Freie Universität.

Independent language learning

At the Centre for Independent Language Learning (LINK), you have a lot of options to learn a new language in order to complement your studies or to simply broaden your horizons. Whether you prefer to learn independently or with others, for example in a tandem group (LINK), the facilities are available to you. The Centre for Independent Language Learning offer a variety of materials, workshops, and study guides (LINK) to support your learning journey, and their team of student assistants are always ready to help you out.

If you want to know more about their offerings, take a virtual tour of the Centre for Independent Language Learning (LINK), or better yet, drop by and see them in person!

Studying part-time

If you would like to utilize our teaching and support resources as a part-time student please apply for part-time status (LINK) by the appropriate immatriculation or re-registration deadline, no later than at the start of the semester (April 1st or October 1st). Your semester fees and contributions remain unchanged during part-time studies.

A semester studied on a part-time basis will be counted as half of a subject semester (Fachsemester) and a full university semester (Hochschulsemester).

There is no distinctive part-time study curriculum and all program requirements have to be met whether you are enrolled as part or full time.

Leave of absence

Students who need to interrupt their studies or are unable to participate in the regular course of study during the upcoming semester may apply for a semester-long leave of absence (LINK, in German "Urlaubssemester", Section 14 of the Bylaws on Academic Matters "Satzung für Studienangelegenheiten" of the Freie Universität Berlin).

Semesters on leave do not count as study semesters (“Fachsemester”); therefore, they are not counted as the standard study period in a degree program ("Regelstudienzeit"), which is used as the basis for examination deadlines. They are solely taken into consideration in terms of the total number of university semesters ("Hochschulsemester").

Libraries

to be added

Frequently asked questions