Most teaching units have a final performance assessment, usually in the form of an oral or written exam. In general, the exam takes place at the end of the teaching unit. Students must achieve a minimum grade of 4.0 in the exam in order to receive the ECTS credits.
It is important to note that only those students who are registered for a teaching unit can register for the exam for that unit.
Announcement of exam dates and content
Information about the exam is given within the first 14 days of a teaching unit. The information includes:
- the date of the exam
- the type of exam (written, oral, presentation, seminar work)
- the duration of the exam
- any specific requirements, rules or modalities that apply to the exam
Registration
For each teaching unit, the students have to register for the exam before the registration deadline that can be found on the page Organization. The procedure is in the appendix of the exam rules. Students who do not register to take the exam at the end of the teaching unit are not allowed for the repetition exam. Registration for an exam can be cancelled or withdrawn. This procedure depends on when it takes place and is described in the appendix of the exam rules.
Publication of exam results
- oral exams: no later than 1 week after the exam
- written exams: no later than 1 month after the exam
Questions concerning a result of an evaluation
If a student has questions concerning a result of an evaluation, he/she can follow these steps.
- The student can contact the examiner of the concerned evaluation to have a discussion with him/her within 15 days after notification of the result. In case of a written exam, the student may also ask to see his/her exam.
- If the discussion with the examiner was not satisfactory, the student can inform as soon as possible, in writing, the branch committee who will act as a mediator.
- According to the regulations, Art. 36, the result of an evaluation can be appealed up to 30 days after the grade notification. Note that only formal aspects, in particular in case of an insufficient grade, can be claimed in an appeal. The appeal must be submitted to the corresponding competent authority of the student’s home university (Bern, Neuchâtel, Fribourg).
Repetition
If a student fails the exam at the end of the teaching unit, he/she can perform the exam on the date set for the repetition exam. The date set for the repetition exam takes place in the last three weeks of the summer inter-semester period or, upon agreement with the lecturer, earlier. If the evaluation of a teaching unit consists of a continuous evaluation and an exam, the achievement of the continuous evaluation automatically counts for the repetition (cannot be repeated).
Exam fees
Exam fees must be paid to the home university:
- Students matriculated at University of Bern: half of the exam fees have to be paid with entrance into the master program, the rest before the reception of the diploma
- Students matriculated at University of Neuchâtel: exam fees are included in the matriculation fee
- Students matriculated at University of Fribourg: exam fees have to be paid at the end of the master studies