Formal requirements of exams

All formal requirements concerning the exams are laid out in the study and examination regulations (StO/PO). 

• Current StO/PO, valid from the winter semester 2013/14 (in German)
• Current StO/PO, valid from the winter semester 2013/14 (in English)
• Previous StO/PO, valid from 2006 to winter semester 2013/14 (in German) 
• Rules for transfer from old to current StO/PO 
• Rahmenstudien- & -prüfungsordnung (RSPO, 2013) (in German)

Important regulations for module exams

At the department of Political and Social Sciences, we currently offer non-binding examinations. This means that the examinations are not binding and students can withdraw from an examination without facing any consequences. Nevertheless, we would ask you to please fill out this form and send it to the Study Office (studienbuero@polsoz.fu-berlin.de) if you wish to withdraw from an examination.

Term papers/seminar papers

As soon as you have been assigned the topic for a seminar paper or essay, the examination is considered as having started. This means that you have to hand in your work before the deadline you have been given, otherwise you will be graded “insufficient (5,0)” or “fail” and the attempt will be counted against the maximum number of attempts!

If you have a good reason for not handing in your work before the deadline, please contact the examiner and / or the examination board immediately. Depending on for example the duration of your illness compared to the overall handling time of your paper, either the deadline will be adjusted or the examination will be cancelled and postponed.

Written exams

As soon as you are being handed the written exam, the examination is considered as having started. If you hand in an empty sheet, your exam will be graded "insufficient (5,0)" and the attempt will be counted against the maximum number of attempts.

Failing at an examination

A failed module exam can be retaken three times (4 attempts). Once an exam has been graded 4.0 or better, a re-take to improve the grade is not possible. If you fail at the final attempt, the module itself is considered failed. If that module is a compulsory requirement for the study program you cannot continue your studies. In this case you will be informed by the examination board.