Certificates and Documents

Individual exams with the notes 1.0, 1.3 (very good), 1.7, 2.0, 2.3 (good), 2.7, 3.0, 3.3 (satisfactory) or 3.7, 4.0 (sufficient) are considered as passed. The notes 4.3, 4.7 and 5.0 are considered as not passed.

When grades from several individual tests are calculated, the resulting average will be given to the second decimal. (For example, the average of the notes 1.0, 1.0, and 3.0 is 1.66).

The module’s grades are usually uploaded by the examiner to the MeinCampus website, where you can see them anytime. Please be aware that the grade registration can sometimes be delayed until after the closure of the course; it can take even longer than the closure to upload the grades under special circumstances, where extra work is required (for example when you weren’t registered for the exam, if it is a module outside of the department of physics, or if the MeinCampus site is not working).

In many cases, examiners will give the results somewhere outside of the MeinCampus site, per bulletin or also on the internet (anonymous lists with student numbers and grades). It is sometimes helpful to print such a list out in case the result never appears on MeinCampus. If this is not the case and you have reasons to suspect that the entry in MeinCampus has difficulties, you should request the examiner for a written certificate including the following elements:

• University
• Professor and department
• Title and type of module
• Semester
• Number of semester week hours
• ECTS-Points
• Type of exam and grade (when it’s graded) or “successful participation” (not graded)
• Date and signature of the examiner.

In Experimental Physics 1-2 (EP-12) (Ph, PhM) there will be written a final exam after the first and second semester. The final grade will be calculated as the average of the individual grades (for example: with the grades 3.3 and 4.7, you get an average of 4.0 and therefore it would be considered as “passed”, although one of the modules wasn’t passed).

The module Mathematics for physicists 1 (MP-1) (Ph) consists of the two modules Analysis 1 and Linear Algebra 1, and both of them end with a final exam. The whole module is for students who passed the Bachelor physics degree on the condition that the required performance in exercises and homework are fulfilled and they passed at least one of the final exams. The module grade will be then calculated as followed:

Grade (MP-1) = min(4.0,½ [Grade(Analysis 1) + Grade(Linear Algebra 1)]).

Please be aware: in both cases, it is necessary to complete both final exams, also when the result of one of them already ensures the passing. The grade will be registered (and therefore the module will be marked as passed) when both grades are available.

How are the Bachelor and Master grades calculated?

The final results are, in principle, a weighted sum of the respective final module grades with the following formula:

Final grade = Σ(Weight · ECTS · Grade) / Σ(Weight ·ECTS).

The sum runs over all the respective final exams (Bachelor, Master) of the contributed modules. ECTS credits are assigned to the relevant module ECTS points. Besides the following exceptions, the Weight = 1:

• Those in the Bachelor study plan (Appendix 2 of the examination regulations), the first two semesters assigned modules all have weight = 0 (this means the grades do not count for the bachelor’s final grade);
• The module Fundamentals Lab 2 (GP-2) and all key qualifications are not graded (this means Weight = 0);
• The Bachelor thesis and Bachelor colloquium count double (this means Weight = 2).
• In the research phase of the Master degree, the modules FO-1 and FO-2 are not graded (Weight = 0). The Master thesis and the Master colloquium count as double (Weight = 2).

Normally at the end of the Bachelor degree (and/or Master degree), you will have more than one module combination that fulfills the required 180 (120) ECTS points available and at the same time to provide all the conditions established by the examination regulations. Although the examination regulations arrange in these cases an automatic combination that results in the best final grade, it is necessary to discuss personally the module combination with Mrs. Maerker. As long as this does not happen, the bachelor or master certificate (see below) is not issued.

Please be aware that in the election for the respective certificate, the following points are applied for the modules:

• When the “ECTS-denomination doesn’t pass,” one can also be credited more than 180 (or 120) ECTS-Points for the certificate. However, no module can be included if, after its deletion, all requirements are still fulfilled.
• If you have “extra modules” after your Bachelor degree that you want to use for the Master degree, you have to think which of both grades (Bachelor or Master) and which certificate you want to optimize. (Tipp: it is most likely that the Master’s grade is more important in the end, but it can be even more important that the specified modules form a coherent combination. For example, a theoretical module with the grade 3.0 gives a better impression on a physics certificate than, for example, a business study module with a grade of 1.0, even if the note is not as good.)
• Passed modules that are not included will still appear in the Transcript of Records. This means that, in any case, you will have proof of all of your achievements documented. Note that it is also possible to demonstrate any completed key qualifications during the Master degree course.

Which documents will I receive after I passed my Bachelor and/or Master degree program?

As soon as you have completed the final necessary achievements for the degree, your Bachelor (or Master) certificate will be created. Following the agreement with Mrs. Maerker about the module selection to be made (scroll up), then the Bachelor (or Master) certificate, the transcript of records and the Diploma Supplement will be prepared. These documents contain the following information:

• The certificate contains the confirmation that the academic title of a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Master of Science (M.SC.) in physics or material physics is awarded, as well as the date on which this is validated. Caution: This is the date on which the last necessary inspection service is provided and marks the end of one’s studies. This may be relevant for Bafög (see page author).
• The Bachelor (or Master) certificate contains the relationship between grades and ECTS points of the included modules and shows the final grade, and if necessary the title  With Honors. In the case of modules from the elective area, from the area of key qualifications, and in Bachelor thesis and Colloquium the respective title will be given.
• The transcript of records contains the list of all in your successfully completed Modules during your degree, along with the ECTS-Points and grades (if there are any). The transcript of records will be sent to you in a German and an English version.
• The diploma supplement contains a general description of the course of study and all the acquired competencies required by the national higher education system. The diploma supplement will be sent to you in a German and an English version.

In general, the Bachelor Certificate, transcript of records and the diploma supplement are issued together. However, the design of the transcript of records and the diploma supplement is still (as of April 2017) not yet completed, so these documents can be subsequently filed. In urgent cases these documents can be requested from Prof. Dr. Uli Katz.