FAQ
I would like to graduate my Bachelor's program. What do I have to do? To complete your Bachelor’s program (180 ECTS), as well as your Masters’s program (120 ECTS), you have to register for your graduation at the faculty of Arts and Social sciences. It is required that you have achieved the required amount of ECTS for each study program at the appropriate level by the end of the finishing semester. Starting 1 November 2022 you can track and review your progress at any time in the «Study Progress & Graduation» app. If you have fulfilled your program requirements, you can register for graduation via this app. Study guide (available in German only) Chapter 6 Further information about completing Bachelor's studies
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What is the composition of the grade in the Bachelor's diploma? The degree is assessed with a weighted overall grade. The graded modules flow into the respective study program with the weight of their ECTS. The study programs flow into the weighted overall grade with the weight of the given study program size. Both the study program grades, and the weighted overall grade are calculated with unrounded initial values. |
Credits/Imputations
No lectures are offered in this module group. Only seminars or research seminars from old study programs can be credited in this group.
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Can I have modules from my earlier studies credited? Modules can only be credited if they have not been credited to another degree before. If a module is already listed in a certificate, it can no longer be credited for another degree. Recognition of academic achievements (available in German only) |
Compensation of core modules
Can I compensate modules I already completed in my earlier studies? Externally completed courses, as well as proven language skills, can be compensated if these competencies are taught as core modules in your study program at the UZH. The core module will be recognized as completed with 0 ECTS. The core module is then considered as fulfilled. The ECTS of the core modules must be earned with other modules. Recognition of academic achievements (available in German only) |
Bachelor Thesis
As a BA major student, you will have to write a BA Thesis with a scope of 15 ECTS. For more information regarding the required length and other formal guidelines, please ask your supervisor. Important: You have to book the Bachelor Thesis separately from the research seminar! Study regulations §25-28 |
Deadlines
I missed a deadline. Can I still book a module? |
Module bookings
In the first two semesters you should book the core modules from the study entry phase. These are mostly modules from the module groups 'Einführung in die Kommunikationswissenschaft und Medienforschung', as well as 'Grundlagen Methoden und Statistik'. Additionally you can choose lectures from the module groups 'Gegenstandsbereiche der Kommunikationswissenschaft' and 'Weitere Themenfelder der Kommunikationswissenschaft'. Make sure to consider the conditions of eligibility before booking a module. Sample curriculum BA 120 (available in German only) Sample curriculum BA 60 (available in German only)
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Core modules (also referred to as compulsory modules) are offered regularly (each semester or each spring or autumn semester) and are obligatory for all students of the given study program. A failed core module can be repeated once. No substitution is possible. A module failed twice will lead to a definite rejection from the program. Study guide (available in German only) Chapter 3.3
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What to do if having problems with module bookings or cancellations of modules? With problems concerning bookings or cancellations of modules, the student services of the faculty of arts and social sciences can help: modulbuchung@phil.uzh.ch
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How do I know what module group a given module belongs to? There is two ways to determine into which module group a module belongs:
Legal bases Bachelor (available in German only) Legal bases Master (available in German only)
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How do I find a module in the course catalogue? The modules of our BA programs are listed under Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (RVO19) – 120 (Major) or 60 (Minor) Communication Science and Media research. With the search function modules, courses and lecturers can be found directly. |
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Plagiarism and self-plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the complete or partial adoption of another's work without indicating the source and the author. Plagiarism is basically a violation of copyright. If a work or part of it is a plagiarism, the performance record will be graded as unsatisfactory and disciplinary action may be taken. Literal quotations that are not marked as such with quotation marks and are only referenced like a paraphrase with a (cf. source citation) are also considered plagiarism. Factsheet plagiarism UZH [German]
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May I use my own texts for more than one paper?
Self-plagiarism is also plagiarism. This applies to whole papers or parts if the latter have already been submitted as part of another paper. Therefore, you are not allowed to use your achievements twice. In case of double utilization of a work or even only parts of it, both performance records will be graded as insufficient (because the double utilization affects both works). Since you are informed of this, such an attempt will be considered cheating and may also result in further disciplinary action. If you take over text passages from your own work, these must also be marked with quotation marks or, in the case of content takeovers, marked as paraphrases. In the bibliography, your work will then be listed as gray literature. |
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Exams
How many times am I allowed to fail an exam?
Core modules can be repeated once. If a core module is failed twice, this leads to a subject ban. Other modules can be substituted. The type of repetition is listed in the module catalogue. Framework Regulation on the Bachelor and Master programmes at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University Zurich (RVO PhF) (available in German only) Repetition of modules, §28, §29 |
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Do I have to register separately for the examination?
The booking or registration of the module is at the same time also the booking or registration of the examination.
How can I register for a retake in a compulsory module? (valid from fall semester 2022) If you have not passed the exam of a compulsory module on the first date or were unable to take it, you will receive a request in the module booking tool to register for the retake. You can then register yourself within a defined period.
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What do I have to do if I failed an exam? (valid from fall semester 2022) For core modules there is a retake offered in the same semester. If you did not pass the exam on the first date or were unable to take it, you will receive a request in the module booking tool to register for the retake. You can register within an indicated time period. If you do not want to take the repeat exam, you can book the module again in a subsequent semester. For elective modules no possibilities for repetition are offered. In that case you need to book another module in a following semester. Take the opportunity to inspect the examination! Study guide (available in German only) Chapter 3.4 and 3.5 Study guide (available in German only) Chapter 7.4 |
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Changing degree or study program
I would like to switch my major with my minor. Is this possible?
Generally, this is always possible. All our Major and Minor Study programs have the same amount of ECTS in the assessment phase of two semesters. Therefore, you can switch your Major and Minor Study Program without prolonging your studies. |
Start of the study program
I would like to start the Bachelor at IKMZ in spring semester. Is this possible? In general, it is possible to start in the spring semester. However, a start in spring takes one semester longer compared to a start in the fall semester. This is due to the different prerequisites of the individual modules and module groups, as well as the rhythms in which they are offered. If you start in the spring semester, you can already book the two compulsory modules "Basistheorien der Kommunikationswissenschaft" and "Statistik und Datenanalyse: Einführung". In addition, you can book elective and compulsory elective modules from the groups "Gegenstandsbereiche der Kommunikationswissenschaft" and "Weitere Themenfelder der Kommunikationswissenschaft". |
Transitional rules
Who do the transitional rules concern? The transitional rules apply to all students who: Transitional Rules BA 120 (available in German only)
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How many ECTS from the Studium Generale can I get credited to my Bachelor's degree? Studium Generale is only available in the transitional rules. If all the requirements of the module groups are met, 4 ECTS points for minor students and 10 ECTS points for major students can be credited as Studium Generale. Transitional Rules BA 120 (available in German only)
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The amount of ECTS of the module you passed will be credited. If, for example, you have successfully completed an old core lecture to the extent of 4 ECTS, 4 ECTS will be credited to the corresponding module group. Transitional Rules BA 120 (available in German only)
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Should I choose the Bachelor Thesis for 6 or 15 ECTS? The 6 ECTS Bachelor Thesis is normally only chosen by students who have already successfully completed an old two-semester research seminar (12 ECTS). In these old research seminars, a large part of the workload was already used as a preparation for the thesis, which was then only awarded 6 ECTS.
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With the requirements lists from the different modulegroups and the equivalence tables in the transitional rules. The tranisitional rules contain how many ECTS are required for a modulegroups and what core modules are required. Transitional Rules BA 120(available in German only)
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According to the transitional rules for major students, at least 3 ECTS have to be gained in the module group “Gegenstandsbereich der Kommunikationswissenschaften”This means you have to complete at least one core elective module. Transitional rules BA 120 (available in German only)
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No, you completed the module group if you successfully completed all the modules from the equivalent table, even if you reached less ECTS than you would with the new modules. In total you do obviously need 120 resp. 60 ECTS in order to complete your studies. If you, however, met all the requirements of the modulegroups, you can then choose any modules to reach the full amount of ECTS. Transitional rules BA 120 (available in German only)Transitional rules BA 60 (available in German only) |
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Overlap
This is a problem many students have to deal with. Considering the large number of subjects and possible combinations it is unfortunately not possible to prevent this. Study guide Chapter 2.5 (available in German only) |
Pre-Masters modules as part of your BA program
Can I book Master's modules while still being in my Bachelor's program? If your summary of credits shows that you have earned at least 120 ECTS credits in a Bachelor's degree program at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (PhF), you may complete pre-Master's modules from the PhF worth a maximum of 30 ECTS credits (overall & including all semesters) in the following semester. You can book these modules yourself via the module booking tool. Study guide Chapter 3.8 (available in German only)
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Which modules can I book as pre-Master's modules? The module catalog indicates whether the module is suitable as a pre-Master’s module. For us, this includes the P-modules "Multivariate Statistics" and "Science theory and Research Logic", but also all optional lectures from the group "Research Areas of Communication Science". Legal bases Master
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Contacts
Who can I contact if my question was not answered here? General questions about the studies at the faculty of arts and social sciences: studium@phil.uzh.ch Module bookings and cancellations: modulbuchung@phil.uzh.ch Informations about graduating: abschluss@phil.uzh.ch Specific questions about IKMZ study programs: programmkoordination@ikmz.uzh.ch |
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