How to organize your studies
- Course Catalog (winter term 2024-25)
- Course Overview (winter term 2024-25)
- Course Registration
- Exams & Master Thesis
- Resources for Students
- Student Advising
Course registration
Campus Management and Blackboard are two necessary tools that help you organize your studies.
Campus Management is the tool for course (de-)registration and gives you an overview of your (completed) courses and grades. It also serves as the basis for the generation of your Transcript of Records. Learn more.
On Blackboard, you can find all courses that you have registered for in Campus Management and any information about these courses that the lecturer has uploaded, such as announcements for future sessions, reading material, presentations, etc. Learn more.
If you wish to attend extracurricular classes that you cannot enroll in via Campus Management, or if you are lacking access to a blackboard course for other reasons, please address the lecturer of the course by e-mail. Please note that given the limited number of places, enrollment cannot be guaranteed.
The course registration period for the summer term is normally in the first half of April. The specific dates will be announced as soon as possible.
1. Semester
|
Module |
ECTS |
Courses |
Forms of Active Participation |
Module Exam/Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
10 |
Introductory Course (Lecture) |
Recap of the lecture, discussion on the basis of the preparatory reading |
Written exam in introductory course (lecture) |
|
Main Seminar* |
1 seminar paper/ 3 essays as main performance, perhaps presentation, group work |
|||
|
2 |
10 |
Introductory Course (Lecture) |
Written test in introductory course |
Seminar paper/Essays |
|
Main Seminar* |
Presentations, group work, preparation of excerpts and thesis papers |
|||
|
3 |
10 |
Introductory course (lecture) |
Recap of the lecture, discussion on the basis of the preparatory reading |
Written exam in introductory course (lecture) |
|
Main Seminar* |
1 seminar paper/ 3 essays as main performance, perhaps presentation, group work |
The table shows the first semester of the master’s program with modules 1-3. Every module consists of one introductory course, which is a lecture and one main seminar.
For Module 1, it is required to take a 90 minute written exam in the introductory course (lecture), and to write one seminar paper (~3000 words) or three essays in the main seminar. The grade for this module will result from the written exam.
Module 2 requires written tests in the introductory course (lecture) and one seminar paper (~3000 words) or three essays in the main seminar. The grade for this module will result from the seminar paper or the essays in the main seminar.
Module 3 has the same structure as module 1. One needs to write one exam in the introductory course (lecture) and one seminar paper (~3000 words) or three essays in the main seminar. The grade for this module will result from the written exam.
2. Semester
|
Module |
ECTS |
Courses |
Forms of Active Participation |
Module Exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4 |
10 |
Specialisation Lecture |
Written exam in specialisation lecture |
Seminar paper/Essays (approx. 3,000 words) or an oral exam (25 min) in seminar |
|
Main Seminar* |
Presentations, group work, preparation of excerpts and thesis papers |
|||
|
5 |
10 |
Specialisation Lecture |
Written exam in specialisation lecture |
Seminar paper/Essays (approx. 3,000 words) or an oral exam (25 min) in seminar |
|
Main Seminar* |
Presentations, group work, preparation of excerpts and thesis papers |
|||
|
6 |
10 |
Specialisation Lecture |
Written exam in specialisation lecture |
Seminar paper/Essays (approx. 3,000 words) or an oral exam (25 min) in seminar |
|
Main Seminar* |
Presentations, group work, preparation of excerpts and thesis papers |
Modules 4-6 are planned for the second semester. Each of these modules consists of one specialization lecture and one main seminar.
The modules 4 , 5 and 6 have the same structure and examination requirements. For all three lectures, a written exam is required. The grades for the modules 4-6 however, are given in the main seminars. In one of the modules, the grade is determined by an oral exam. In the two other modules, the grade results from seminar papers. The students are free to decide in which of the three modules they want to do the oral exam. It is not possible to do more than one oral exam.
3. Semester
|
Module |
ECTS |
Courses |
Forms of Active Participation |
Module Exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7 |
15 |
Research Placement* |
Presentations, group work, preparation of excerpts and thesis papers, submission of the first draft of the research report |
Research report (approx. 10,000 words) in research placement |
|
8 |
15 |
Specialisation Seminar* |
Essay or thesis papers (approx. 1,500 words), perhaps presentation, group work |
Seminar paper/Essays (approx. 3,000 words) in one of the Specialisation seminars |
|
Specialisation Seminar* |
Essay or thesis papers (approx. 1,500 words), perhaps presentation, group work |
In the third semester, the students are supposed to do their specialization with completing Module 7 and 8.
Module 7 is a research placement, in which the students carry out a small-scale theory-based empirical study. It is required to write a research report of the research placement of about 10,000 words. This report makes up the grade for this module.
In module 8, students attend two specialization seminars. In one of those two seminars, they need to write one seminar paper (~3000 words) or three essays, which is pass or fail.
The final semester focuses on the master’s thesis and its accompanying colloquium. The master’s thesis should be about approx. 24,000 words/80 pages long and is the last examination in the master’s program. More details on the master's thesis can be found here.
4. Semester
|
Module |
ECTS |
Courses |
Forms of Active Participation |
Module Exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Master thesis |
30 |
Colloquium Master thesis |
Attending and presenting in master colloquium |
Master thesis |
- All formal requirements of exams are based on the study and examination regulations (StO/PO). Read more.
- Regular attendance in all seminars is obligatory.
- Forms of active participation are ultimately in the discretion of the lecturer to decide.
- The oral exam must be taken in one of the three seminars from the modules 4-6. It is not possible to take more than one oral exam.
- The term paper in module 8 must be written in one of the two seminars; students can chose their preferred seminar. The paper will not be graded; it is evaluated pass or fail.
Master's Thesis
Please see our Master's Thesis Guidelines for comprehensive and detailed information.
Each term we offer two dates for master thesis registration (Note: students must have completed 60 ECTS in order to register their thesis). Usually, the first date is at the beginning of the term (in early November or late April), and the second date is towards the end of the term (in early February or early September). Students can decide which date suits them best.
Registration dates in the summer term 2024
23 April 2024, official topic confirmation on 30 April 2024 (start of processing time)Deadline for thesis submission: 1 October 2024 3 September 2024, official topic confirmation on 10 September 2024 (start of processing time)
Deadline for thesis submission: 11 February 2025
Registration dates in the winter term 2024-25
5 November 2024, official topic confirmation on 12 November 2024 (start of processing time)Deadline for thesis submission: 15 April 2025 21 January 2025, official topic confirmation on 28 January 2025 (start of processing time)
Deadline for thesis submission: 1 July 2025
How to register
Study and Examination Regulations 2013
- Form Engl. 'Thesis Registration' (pdf)
- Form Engl. 'Thesis Topic' (pdf)
- 'Declaration in lieu of oath' (pdf)
- Thesis Submission Instructions Engl. (pdf)
How to find a supervisor
You will have to find a first supervisor for your master's thesis yourself. Normally, you ask one of the people on the list of official supervisors at the Institute. Under special circumstances, you can also ask an external supervisor. Note that external supervisors must hold a Ph.D., have to be authorized for examinations, and must be approved by the Examination board. A second supervisor is usually appointed by the Examination Board. You can, however, suggest a second supervisor. Second supervisors from the Institute do not necessarily have to hold a Ph.D.
Lecturers have limited capacities therefore you are strongly advised to approach potential supervisors as early as possible, at least 6 weeks before the official registration date. Moreover, you should approach them with a short exposé, highlighting your research question, its relevance as well as first ideas about your theoretical framework and methodology.
When to attend the MA colloquium?
The MA colloquium is offered during summer and winter terms. Ideally, you take the colloquium parallel to writing your thesis to benefit most from it, as it involves you presenting and discussing your schedule and the preliminary findings of your thesis. However, you can also first attend the colloquium and write your thesis in the following semester (the supervisor is only needed at the moment of registering your thesis, not necessarily for attending the colloquium).
Is it required to be enrolled for writing the Master's thesis?
No, you don't have to be enrolled for registering, writing and submitting your Master's thesis. You only need your last proof of enrollment for registering your thesis. You only have to be enrolled if you have coursework left to complete.
However, after exmatriculation, you will lose access to Campus Management and all other FU services (such as library or specific software programs), so you have to arrange before all documentation in Campus Management is complete.How to complete your studies and exmatriculate
Once your Master’s thesis has been passed you have completed your studies. Now you have to exmatriculate by requesting your completion of studies.
According to the examination guidelines, you are required to make a request for the completion of studies at the Examination Office. This is also necessary for obtaining your degree documents. Since we assume that you intend to finish your studies after the examination, the request for completion of your studies can be submitted together with your Master’s thesis.
Please find all information regarding the completion of studies and relevant forms on the website of the Examination Office (please scroll down the section "Abschlussphase" in the FAQs which contains all necessary information in English).
Where can I find previous master's theses that I can guide myself to?
Here, you can find good samples of master's theses done in the program.
If you want to look at past master's theses done at the Institute, you can also access them here.
How can I publish my MA thesis in the libraries of FU?
Students at the Free University of Berlin have the opportunity to publish their master's theses online on Refubium.
Please use the online publication option via the publication server Refubium, which is provided by the University Library, if you would like to make your thesis publicly available.
