General Information


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	GENERAL INFORMATION / ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES

The Fachhochschule Gelsenkirchen courses of studies have been designed for a normal duration of eight semesters. They begin with the basic study programme which can be completed in three or four semesters, depending on which field of study is chosen, and is concluded with a so-called intermediate examination. Upon successful completion, students proceed with the main study programme which can be completed in four or five semesters and is concluded with final examinations and graduation.
     The courses are divided into semesters. The winter semester lectures officially begin around the 21^st of September and take about sixteen weeks with exams being written at the end of January or the beginning of February. The summer semester lectures usually start around the 8^th of March and last approximately fourteen weeks, with exams being written at the end of June or the beginning of July. Additional dates for exams are usually offered at the beginning of each semester before courses begin. During the free periods between semesters, students have the opportunity to go over material covered throughout the previous semester and to prepare themselves for the upcoming semester, e.g. by writing assignments. This is also a good time for students to fulfil practical training requirements.
     During their main study programme, students must complete a practical placement semester of at least twenty weeks. This may be accomplished in a company within the region, anywhere in Germany or even abroad.
     The teaching staff in the department will assist students looking for a placement position. International students are strongly advised to search for placements in the vicinity of Gelsenkirchen so that they can keep their room and social environment during the placement period.
     German Students are encouraged to spend their placements abroad. To increase the number of students in international placements, special seminars are being held at all three campuses giving students the skills and information needed for the preparation and funding of international practical placements.

The Various Types of Courses

The amount of time needed for each course is measured in weekly semester hours and varies according to how each one is classified. One weekly semester hour equals forty-five minutes of course time. Courses meet once a week throughout the entire semester for the total amount of weekly semester hours indicated in the timetable.

The contents of each of the subjects are taught in different types of courses:

The main type of course is a seminar-like lecture course, with a small to medium number of students, in which the lecturer presents the subject material in a dialogue with the participating students.
Practical Exercises present a more in-depth and practical-related learning method aimed towards teaching the students how to recognise and solve problems on their own.
Laboratory Workshops strive for a more in-depth approach at or a confirmation of the theoretical knowledge through research and experimentation in a laboratory under the guidance of professors and their assistant lecturers.

Examination Admission Requirements and Performance Evaluation

According to examination regulations, the preliminary subject exams and the final exams consist of:

written exams and
oral exams.

The exams are graded and evaluated in accordance with the following scale:

1.0 - 1.3	= excellent	= an outstanding performance
1.7 - 2.3	= good	= a performance decidedly better than average
2.7 - 3.3	= satisfactory	= an average performance fulfilling the pequirements
3.7 - 4.0	= adequate	= a perfomance that is below average but still fulfils the requirements
>= 5.0	= unsatisfactory	= a poor perfomance not good enough to fulfil the requirements

A certain number of performance certificates are needed to fulfil admission requirements for final exams in some subjects. These certificates are graded and can be obtained through the satisfactory completion of a research paper, a report presentation, or a written or oral exam.
     Proof of completion of a practical training may be an additional admission requirement for the exams.
     Students conclude their academic programme by writing a degree thesis to prove that they are capable of completing a practical-oriented assignment directly related to their field of study with a specified time limit. The thesis is evidence of the knowledge in subject-related material and their insight into the interdisciplinary correlation of the scientific and practical methods generally applied to their subject.
     The degree thesis is complemented with a oral exam in the form of a Colloquium. The graduation candidates must demonstrate the ability to verbally present and independently support the results of their thesis, the technical fundamentals, the interdisciplinary correlation as well as additional subjects related to that field. They must also be able to assess the practical significance of their research.
     The certification by the Fachhochschule Gelsenkirchen consists of a degree supplemented with (FH) for Fachhochschule. The degree conferred can be described as a degree in between a Bachelor's (Honours) Degree and a Master's Degree with a strong bias on practice.
     Fachhochschule Gelsenkirchen will soon be offering Bachelor´s and Master´s programmes in the areas of business and engineering.


	© Der Rektor der Fachhochschule Gelsenkirchen summer 1999