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Forms and useful resources

Forms and Documents

The examination and study regulations for the master's program (PSO) regulate the master's program at the University of Bielefeld. The subject-specific regulations for the Master's Program in Interdisciplinary Studies of Science (ISoS) (FsB) specify the PSO for the ISoS study program. The study content is specified in the module handbook. The Handbooklet contains the key regulations of the programme in English.

The PSO, FsB and Module Handbook for ISoS can be found on the "Study Information: ISoS" page of the Bielefeld Information System (BIS) (under "Navigation", for the module handbook follow the link "Module List (Study Content)").

Study information: ISoS

Mock-up forms for the semester abroad

Registration form for the master's thesis

Stay abroad - exemption form

Internship contract

ISoS Handbooklet

Information sheet on term papers

Glossary of important terms

Individual Supplementary Area (Individueller Ergänzungsbereich): As a student of Interdisciplinary Studies of Science (ISoS) you are required to take 10 supplementary credits as part of the 120 credits needed to complete your degree. The purpose of the supplementary credits is to allow you to deepen your knowledge in some areas that are not automatically covered within your introductory and main modules.
Credit Points (Leistungspunkte / LP): Credit Points (also known as ECTS-Credits) are an estimate of the workload required to complete a course. One credit point = approximately 30 hours of work over a 15-week semester.

For example:

- A lecture or tutorial that is 2 credit points assumes that students will spend 30 hours attending in person, and 30 hours preparing and reviewing materials.
- A final exam that is 2 credit points assumes that students will spend 60 hours preparing for the 90-minute exam or preparing a Prüfungsleistung
- A seminar that is 3 credit points assumes that students will spend 30 hours attending in person, and 60 hours preparing and reviewing materials.
Module (Modul): A module is a 'thematic unit' composed of multiple courses. Typically a student will have to complete more than one course within a module in order to attain the required number of ECTS-credits for its completion. For example, in the 'Introductory Module' in the ISoS program, a student will have to complete 4 courses: Introduction to Science Studies, Introduction to Philosophy of Science, Introduction to Social Studies of Science, and Introduction to History of Science:

There are not always courses available in both the Winter and Summer semesters for every Module, and the courses available for a Module can differ from semester to semester, and year to year. If students are particularly interested in specific courses, they should enquire with the Professor / Faculty member providing the course about how frequently it will be offered (every semester, only in a particular semester, or even only in a particular year). Thus, students can plan their study accordingly.
Compulsory Module (Pflichtmodul): Students must complete these Modules in order to get their degree.
Compulsory Optional Module (Wahlpflichtmodul): Students must complete a set number of these Modules in order to get the ISoS degree, but the choice of Module is at the student's discretion.
Examination (Prüfungsleistung): To complete a Module, students need to pass some form of examination, also known as 'Modulabschlusspprüfung'. In ISoS, depending on the Module, this can be a written exam, an oral exam, a paper, an essay, or an internship report. Make sure to check each Module's specifications.
bPr (benotete Prüfungsleistung): This abbreviation stands for 'benotete Prüfungsleistung' and indicates that a Module includes a 'graded examination'.
uPr (unbenotete Prüfungsleistung): This abbreviation stands for 'unbenotete Prüfungsleistung' and indicates that a Module includes 'ungraded examinations'.
Study requirement (Studienleistung): These are tasks that the lecturer will ask students to complete prior to the end of the semester. Typically, they will be short written or oral assignments, such as making a presentation, leading a class discussion, or writing a short essay.

Written assignments will be fewer than 1200 words, and oral assignments will require between 10 and 20 minutes of speaking time.

Typically, these assignments will not be graded, but will still be listed in the student transcript as completed or not completed.