FAQ

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Which subjects can I take as an elective module BZUS (=block/additional)? How do I register for this? How many credits do I get for it?

You can take any subject that is offered at RWTH Aachen University and for which semester hours are given. You register the exam directly with the respective lecturer/chair - not via RWTHonline or the ZPA (=Zentrales Prüfungsamt). You are not entitled to take exams in these subjects, i.e. the lecturer may refuse to examine you, e.g. because the number of participants in the exam is limited. The subjects in this module are ungraded examination performances, which are only assessed with "pass" or "fail".

Language courses:

Language courses, for example, fall under the BZUS area. These are registered via the Language Center of RWTH Aachen University. If you have taken the language courses in your current degree program, you can also mail the language course certificates directly to the ZPA with the request to be entered in catalog BZUS. If the language courses are to be credited in the consecutive Master's degree program in Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering, submit the certificate together with an application for recognition in catalog ADDITIONAL to the Examination Board once you are enrolled in the Master program. You can find this in the download area.

Other examinations from RWTH:

After successful completion, you will receive a certificate of the examination performance, on which the German and English title and semester hours must be indicated. You submit this certificate to the examination board together with an application for recognition of additional qualifications (BZUS). You can find this in the download area.

For modules that originate from our study program, you will receive the CP that are designated for this subject.

For language courses of the RWTH Language Center, you will receive the credits as indicated on your course certificate.

The crediting of modules from other faculties depends on various factors and does not necessarily correspond to the crediting in the core study program. If you are unsure, please contact Departmental Academic Advising.

I am still in the Bachelor program and would like to take modules from the Master curriculum. How do I do that?

As soon as you have reached 120 CPs in your Bachelor program, you can take modules from the Master program. But be careful. The focus should still be on completing the Bachelor program.

You can register in RWTHonline via the catalog "Vorgezogene Mastermodule/Master’s modules completed in advance", which you can find at the very bottom of the Curriculum Support. When registering, you must select a specialization for the Master degree in order to access the course offerings. However, this does not yet determine the final specialization for the Master, this is done only after enrollment in the Master program.

I do not want to take part in an exam at short notice. How does that work?

According to §15 para. 1 of the general examination regulations, you can deregister from examinations online up to three working days before the respective examination date without giving reasons.

On the corresponding page of the examination office you will find more information about the deadlines and instructions.

In the official announcements you will find the legally binding examination regulations for your course of study.

You can obtain advice on the subject of exam deregistration, etc., from Departmental Academic Advising during the office hours indicated, or at .

In case of illness on the day of the exam, you must submit a certificate to the ZPA stating that you are unable to take the exam (you are “prüfungsunfähig”). All further information as well as a form and how to submit it correctly can be found on the ZPA website.

Will I be automatically registered for exams or repeat exams?

No. You must register again in RWTHonline for each exam.

What are the consequences of failed attempts ("not passed") in exams?

If you fail an exam, you are usually committed to passing that exam in upcoming exam periods. If you fail to show up for an exam date without having officially deregisterd or having submitted a doctor’s certificate for incapacity to take examinations due to illness, that exam will be considered failed. You can finally deregister a failed examination during the course of your studies by applying to the examination board - this does not apply to compulsory subjects.

You have three examination attempts per subject and, if applicable, an oral supplementary examination after the third failed written attempt - if all these attempts are unsuccessful, you cannot continue your studies ("ultimately failed"). This does not apply to the ungraded examinations from the BZUS module; here, unsuccessful participation in the examination has no consequences.

I would like to change a subject within my major. What do I have to do?

According to § 12 (2) of the Bachelor Examination Regulations, it is not possible to change compulsory modules.

You can replace elective compulsory subjects in your major once as long as this is permitted by the module catalog and you have not ultimately failed the subject you want to deselect.  

If no examination attempt has taken place so far, please contact the ZPA and ask to deselect the subject.

If an unsuccessful examination attempt has already taken place, you must apply to the examination board for final deregistration from the examination.

The application for deregistration/deregistration of an examination can be found in the download area.

I would like to change my major. What do I have to do?

According to § 12 (3) of the Bachelor Examination Regulations, the chosen major can be changed once. You can find the application for changing the major in the download area.

Please submit it to the examination board.

I would like to take additional subjects. What do I have to do?

According to § 8 of the general examination regulations, extracurricular subjects can be taken in addition to the curriculum (i.e. in addition to all achievements that are part of the degree program). These do not count towards the overall grade of the bachelor's degree.

All courses at RWTH Aachen University that are not subject to any form of admission restriction are eligible as additional achievements. The additional performances (exams, oral exams, etc.) can usually not be registered modularly, but are registered directly with the lecturer. If a free registration procedure in RWTHonline is available, this can also be used.  The form "Antrag Zusatzleistung Zeugnis" can be found in the forms database of the ZPA.

 You can submit this form directly to the ZPA.

Do I have to fulfill the participation requirements stated in the module handbook in order to take a module?

If content from previous modules is a prerequisite, it is assumed that you already have and bring along corresponding knowledge. It is not required and will not be checked that you have already passed the exams of the previous modules.

The only exception is that you will only be admitted to the exam of Grundgebiete der Elektrotechnik 1 if you have passed the exam Einführung in das Studium.

Something is wrong in my transcript in RWTHonline. Who is my contact person?

Occasionally it happens that the assignment of achievements to the curriculum is not quite correct, or the major is not selected correctly. If the corrections are just of formal nature, contact the responsible person in the ZPA directly.

If the subject matter is unclear, please contact Departmental Academic Advising. 

When can I register the bachelor thesis? How does it work?

The topic of the Bachelor thesis can be issued as soon as you have reached 120 CPs. A circulation procedure is followed to register the Bachelor thesis:

1. pick up Bachelor thesis sheet at the ZPA (here it will be checked if the admission can be granted (120 CP?)).

2. take the bachelor thesis form to the chair where the thesis is to be written (the topic is entered there and whether the thesis is to be completed full-time (3 months) or part-time (6 months), examiner signs it)

3. bachelor thesis form is sent by the chair to the examination board (the chairman of the examination board approves the topic by signature)

4. bachelor worksheet is sent back to the chair (topic is officially issued, date of issue is fixed, date of submission is communicated)

5. now it officially starts for you!

6. bachelor worksheet back to the ZPA

The circulation process usually takes no longer than 2 weeks. However, you must allow for this time.

Bachelor thesis full time or part time? What does it mean?

The "net" processing time of the Bachelor thesis is 3 months in either case.

- In the full-time variant, you must submit the thesis 3 months after registration. This variant is particularly suitable if all other achievements of the study program have been completed and the Bachelor thesis is the last module left.

- In the part-time variant, you have the option of spreading the net working time over 6 months. This variant is particularly suitable if you still have to write exams in addition to the Bachelor thesis. The amount of time you spend on the Bachelor thesis per week can vary over the course of time in agreement with your supervisor. In the part-time version, the submission date indicates when the Bachelor thesis must be handed in at the latest. However, it can also be handed in earlier.

Can I extend the processing time for the Bachelor thesis?

You can apply for an extension of the hand-in deadline by up to 4 weeks at the examination board in justified exceptional cases (§ 15 (4)). This extension must be approved by the supervising professor. For this purpose, please submit an informal application which has to be signed by you and your supervising professor, to the examination board of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.

Valid reasons in this context are illnesses (provide a medical certificate!), problems with equipment that are beyond your control, e.g. that important parts are delivered late.

It is not considered a valid reason if you have misjudged your time management.

In any case, if you have problems of a health or other nature, you should contact your supervisor early.

When is it possible to delete the worst module grade when completing the B.Sc.?

The deletion of the worst weighted module grade is possible according to § 10 (13) of the general examination regulations if all module examinations (including the Bachelor thesis) have been passed within the standard period of study of 6 semesters. As a rule, this means that all examinations must have been passed by 30.09. of the year. In other words: All exams must be written, all certificates of achievement must be provided, all oral exams* must be taken and the Bachelor thesis must be handed in.

*An exception is a possibly necessary oral supplementary examination according to § 14 Abs 2 of the general examination regulations. Such supplementary examinations are closely linked to written examinations and, if successful, only change the result of the written examination to 4.0, but not the date of the written examination.

The cancellation of the worst weighted grade must be requested no later than 1 week after the result of the last examination performance has been announced. To do so, please use the form "Antrag auf Notenstreichung" (Application for Exclusion of Grades) from the ZPA's forms database and submit it to the ZPA by the deadline. In case of late submission, the cancellation cannot be considered.

I have successfully completed my studies. How do I get my certificate now?

The certificates are issued by the Central Examination Office. You can find everything else about this procedure on the website of the ZPA.