After enrolment
If you are already on a master programme at the WiSo Faculty and have questions concerning it, you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions here. If you have a problem that’s not covered here, you’re always welcome to visit the WiSo Student Service for help.
1. How do I register for examinations as a WiSo student and what are the deadlines?
Students registering for examinations at the WiSo Faculty must do so online via the KLIPS 2.0 portal. Please be aware that registering for courses does not mean that you have registered for the associated examination – you usually have to register for the examinations separately. Instructions can be found here. Possible exceptions are seminar courses where the department/institute concerned might register you with the Examination Office but this will be explained in the first of the seminars. The registration and withdrawal deadlines can also be found in KLIPS 2.
Registration for the examination in a module is binding and students will not be permitted to participate if they miss the deadline, nor will they be able to register with retrospective effect. Instead, they will have to wait for the registration phase for the next examination session. It is also possible to withdraw your registration within a specified period. Should you fail to do so within the specified period, you will remain registered for the examination with binding effect. It is therefore always important to give a lot of thought to the decision as to whether to register for an examination. If you are unsure, the WiSo Student Service will be glad to give you advice.
When registering for an examination, always check the category in which you are registering. It is not possible to move the examination to a different category later (e.g. if the same examination is offered in both your specialisation and your supplementary category). Moreover, when you register for an examination in a category for the first time, you often commit to a specific module by doing so. Information on whether and, if so, how you can cancel your choice can be found here.
2. Am I allowed to gain additional credit points during my master programme?
Students taking master programmes under the PO 2015 examination regulations are not allowed to gain additional credit points in any module category. In each category (basic and advanced, specialisation and supplementary), they must attain the number of ECTS points specified in the Examination Regulations – no more and no less.
3. Can I take a module several times?
A module can only be taken once. Once the examination for the module (e.g. a 2-hour written test) has been passed, the module is deemed to have been passed and cannot be retaken. Nor is it possible to take the module again with a different course. Let us say, for example, you are on the MSc in Business Administration programme and take the Marketing I specialisation module with the “New Product Management” course, passing the examination. However, in the following term, a different course (for example, “Cases in Digital Marketing”) is offered in the Marketing I module. You would not be able to take that course because you have already passed the module in the first course. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact the WiSo Student Service.
4. Can I take language courses at the University of Cologne during my master programme?
Your curriculum does not include any language courses for which you could get ECTS credits recognised in a specific category. In addition, since the master programmes do not offer a “Studium Integrale” component, as is offered for WiSo bachelor programmes, it is not possible to enrol in language courses using KLIPS 2.0. However, the University of Cologne Professional Center does offer Berlitz language courses and students can receive funding for one such course. This opportunity is also open to master students. Information on the courses available can be found here. International master students can attend a German course offered by the International Office. Further information can be found on this website.
The Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo Faculty) offers subject-specific language courses in Business English. The English courses are open to all master students at the WiSo Faculty. Those courses are for free. More information can be found here.
5. How and when can I spend a term abroad during my master programme?
The International Relations Center (ZIB) has lots of information and options available for those wishing to spend a term abroad, which are presented to students at the annual master welcome event when the programmes commence. Important information can also be found on its website. Generally speaking, the deadline for applications to the ZIB is 1 December for both the fall and the spring term. As it takes roughly one year to plan a term abroad, you should look into it at the very beginning of your master programme. Students usually spend a term abroad in the third or fourth term of study. Apart from the ZIB, other faculties and the University of Cologne International Office also offer opportunities for students from any faculty to spend a term abroad. Please contact the faculties or the International Office to find out more.