Frequently Asked Questions about studying at the German Department

Questions and Answers

• What is a Module?
  A module comprises several courses that are interrelated in terms of content and methodology, are of limited duration, and share the same learning outcomes.

  The modules to be taken in each degree programme can be found in the subject-specific appendices to the examination regulations (PO) for the respective degree programme:

  a) in the LUH Bulletin,

  b) in StudiKOMPAKT (select degree programme and examination regulations),

  c) on the homepage of the German Department (select degree programme) and

  A module is passed if the specified credit points have been achieved through the assigned coursework and examinations.

  The module contents are described in the module catalogue, which you can also download from the German Department’s homepage.

• What is a Studienleistung (SL)?
  A Studienleistung (SL) is an unmarked piece of work. In the German Department, it must be demonstrated in a module course in which no examination is taken. Studienleistungen consists of smaller written and oral assignments, such as tests, essays, presentations, exercises, or even written examinations or preparation for the relevant seminar session. These are defined in Section 6 of the General Part of the Examination Regulations. The necessary Studienleistungen are determined by the lecturers in consultation with the students no later than the start of the course.

• What is a Prüfungsleistung (PL)?
  A Prüfungsleistung is a graded assessment that must be completed in addition to the relevant Studienleistung. For each module, a Prüfungsleistung must usually be completed in accordance with the subject-specific appendix to the relevant examination Studienleistung and Prüfungsleistung specified in the subject-specific appendix to the examination regulations have been demonstrated.

  Prüfungsleistungen are usually essays, presentations or written examinations and are specified in the subject-specific annex to the examination regulations (PO). If, according to the subject-specific annex, several forms of examination are possible within a module, the lecturer shall determine at the start of the course, in accordance with § 6 of the PO, which Prüfungsleistungen the students are required to complete. Different forms of assessment within a single course are not permitted within the same degree programme.

• What are Leistungspunkte (LP)/Credit Points (CP)?
  Leistungspunkte (also known as Credit Points at other universities) measure the quantitative workload required of students. According to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) guidelines, 1 credit point corresponds to a workload of 30 hours (preparation and follow-up work, contact hours and self-study in preparation for coursework and examinations).

  A specific number of credit points is allocated to each module. These credit points are only awarded once all coursework and examinations in a module have been successfully completed (and recorded by the Academic Examinations Office).

  To successfully complete the Bachelor’s degree programme, 180 CP are required. To be eligible to write the Bachelor’s thesis, you must have attained 110 CP. 150 CP are required to apply for a Master’s programme at LUH by 15 July or, if places are available, by 15 January of a given year (the CP requirement may vary in other federal states; therefore, if you plan to change your place of study, you must check the various admission requirements in good time).

  In the Master’s programme, 120

• What happens if I fail a Studienleistung?
  A Studienleistung may be retaken (please note, however, the regulations applicable to certain subjects, particularly Education, as set out in the subject-specific appendix). In order to retake a Studienleistung, it may be necessary to attend the relevant course again. A module is only considered successfully completed once all the requirements for that module have been met and recorded by the Examinations Office.

• What happens if I fail a Prüfungsleistung?
  According to the Study Regulations, a failed Prüfungsleistung may be taken twice (exception: a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis may be resat only once). If the final resit is a written examination, a mark of ‘unsatisfactory’ may only be awarded following a supplementary examination, which is usually held within six weeks. Retake examinations may also be taken with a different lecturer for the same module or in a different examination format.

  If the retake or supplementary examination is also failed, the student will be automatically de-registered.

• What happens if I suddenly fall ill or am otherwise unable to attend on the day of an oral or written exam?
  You can read about the procedures for withdrawing from a course or an exam here: https://www.uni-hannover.de/de/studium/im-studium/pruefungsinfos-fachberatung/pruefungsanmeldung.

• What happens if I am unable to meet the deadline for a Prüfungsleistung?
  Any extension to the processing time due to illness must be requested separately. Further information can be found here: https://www.uni-hannover.de/de/studium/im-studium/pruefungsinfos-fachberatung/pruefungsanmeldung.

• What happens if I can't meet the deadline for a bachelor's or master's thesis?
  For Bachelor’s and Master’s theses, the assessment process officially begins when the APA issues the topic. If you fail to meet the specified deadline, your thesis will automatically be marked as ‘failed’. If you are ill, you can apply to the APA for an extension by submitting a doctor’s certificate.

• What requirements do I need to meet in order to attend the individual seminars?
  The specific entry requirements can be found in the relevant module catalogue (see above). The modules in the German Studies programme generally build on one another, which is why we ask you to follow our course selection recommendations.

• Which exam do I need to register for, and where?
  All Prüfungsleistunge must be registered for online via the qis portal (https://qis.verwaltung.uni-hannover.de/). Registration for Studienleistungen is done directly with the lecturer.

• Where can I view my Notenspiegel/Transcript of Records?
  You can view your Notenspiegel or Transcript of Records on the QIS portal. You can log in using your LUH ID, which is printed on your student ID card.

• Where can I find my current Immatrikulationsbescheinigung/certificate of enrolment?
  You can download and print your Immatrikulationsbescheinigung or current certificate of enrolment yourself from the QIS portal.

• What is Stud.IP and where can I get the necessary login details?
  Stud.IP is an e-learning/online platform used by many departments at Leibniz University Hannover. You can use it to register for courses, access information and texts, or present your own work. Here you can create an account – this is necessary as the German Department’s courses are coordinated via Stud.IP. You will find your login details in your student records, which are sent to you at the start of the semester or your studies.

  This PDF explains how to view the course catalogue on Stud.IP in order to register for courses.

  For further access authorisations and more detailed information on the areas of General IT and E-Learning at LUH, the RRZN (Regional Computing Centre of Lower Saxony) and the E-Learning Service Department at LUH (elsa for short) are responsible.

• How many modules do I need to take as part of my degree programme/subject?
  You can find the legally binding programme structure in the subject-specific appendix to the examination regulations relevant to you (see above).

• How do I obtain certificates for the BAföG office?
  First, a preliminary assessment is carried out (for contact details, see Preliminary BAföG Assessment on the homepage of the German Department).

  You can download and print the certificate of enrolment required for BAföG yourself via the QIS portal.

• Why should all students – including those aiming for a subject-specific specialisation – take a teaching methodology module as part of the interdisciplinary Bachelor's programme?
  The German Department believes that subject-specific teaching methodology is also valuable for future careers, for example in public relations or other fields outside the school system.

• Which work placements do I need to complete?
  • Interdisciplinary Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Programme in Grammer School Teaching: In the Bachelor’s programme, students specialising in school-based teaching are required to complete one work-related placement and one school placement (General School Placement, ASP), each lasting four weeks. For those specialising in non-school-based teaching, the ASP may be replaced by a further four-week work-related placement. In the Master’s programme, a subject-specific placement of five weeks is completed for each subject taught. The work-related placement and the subject-specific placement are supervised by the German Department, whilst the ASP is supervised by the Institute of Educational Sciences.
  • Please note: Placements in the Bachelor’s programme must have been completed before applying for the Master’s programme!
  • Bachelor’s programme in Technical Education / Master’s programme in Teaching at Vocational Schools: As a general rule, the first general placement is completed in the vocational specialism. Only the second placement (subject-specific placement; in the Master’s programme) is carried out in relation to the subject of German and supervised by the German Department.
  • Bachelor’s/Master’s programme (Teacher Training in) Special Needs Education: In the Special Needs Education programme, no placement is undertaken in the subject of German or Applied Linguistics.
  • In the single-subject Master’s programme in Modern German Literature (NDL), placements are undertaken in the modules M 4 and NDLP.
  • You can find the contact and supervision staff for the respective placements here.