Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Master's program

This page compiles answers to frequently asked questions about the master's program. Questions that are not answered here or hints can be directed to the Academic Councelling Office. You can find further advisory services and contact persons here.

Notice:
This page is intended to be a guide and is meant to supplement your study plan. You should have read your study plan carefully.
The information reproduced here does not claim to be complete. In cases of doubt, the examination regulations alone are binding.
 

How can the semester hours per week (SWS) be converted into ECTS points in the Master's program?
  • In the Master's program, lectures as well as tutorials are usually credited with 2 ECTS points per SWS. Internships are credited with 1 ECTS point per SWS.
  • An exception to this rule is the non-physics elective subject: here, for the 8 ECTS points, courses with at least 6 SWS are generally expected, with at least 4 lecture hours included.
Which subjects can I have credited as a non-physics elective subject in the master's program?
A list of approved subjects can be found on the departmant homepage. In some cases there are several possible combinations of courses. Subjects deviating from this list must be approved by the examination board.
Can I combine several subjects for my non-physics elective subject in the master's program?
  • The performance in the non-physics elective subject is usually provided by a single oral examination. If several courses are to be combined for this examination, it may be conducted jointly by several examiners.
  • The examination board decides on exceptions.
Will additional achievements be listed on my transcript?
  • All additional achievements are listed in the Transcript of Records and can thus be verified. Upon application to the examination board, additional achievements can be included in the transcript. Please note that additional achievements must be approved by the examination board before taking the corresponding examination.
  • You can have further academic achievements recognized by submitting the transcripts of records ("Scheine") to the examination board. These will only be listed on the Transcript of Records.
Can I also have achievements from other courses of study or courses of study at other universities or externally achieved achievements recognized, and what do I have to do for this?
  • The examination board decides whether achievements from other study programs or at other universities (if applicable, partially) or achievements made outside of universities can be recognized.
    Please note that for new enrollment in a Master's program, applications for recognition must be submitted within one semester after enrollment. (SPO §18 (2)).
  • For this purpose, the examination board checks whether the competences acquired in the courses meet the requirements of the study program at the KIT Department of Physics. If necessary, a detailed overview is required for this purpose, e.g. module handbooks, lecture notes, lecture transcripts, or internship protocols.
  • Decisions on the recognition of courses of other KIT departments are made by the examination board of the corresponding KIT department. This applies in particular to the KIT Department of Mathematics (contact person: Dr. Peer Kunstmann).
  • The procedure is typically as follows:
    • Students of geophysics and meteorology should first contact the subject advisor.
    • You apply for recognition by submitting the required documents, usually in the office hours of the responsible member of the examination board.
    • After reviewing the documents, the Examination Board will issue a form with a list of credits to be recognized.
    • If the recognition only concerns events recognized by the KIT Department of Physics Examination Board, the Examination Board will send the form directly to the Physics Examination Office.
    • If courses of another department still have to be recognized, go with the form to the examination board of the other department and bring the form back to the examination board of the Department of Physics. From there it will be forwarded to the Physics Examination Office.
I would like to take courses during my stay abroad and have them credited later at KIT, is that possible?
  • First of all, it makes sense to submit the desired list of courses to the examination board before the stay abroad and to discuss possibilities of recognition in advance.
  • Abroad, achievements in the physical supplementary subject and minor subject, in the non-physical elective subject as well as interdisciplinary qualifications can be acquired. All other achievements, especially for the major subject, must be acquired at KIT.
  • The topics of the physics complementary and minor subjects should be from one of each of the following areas: Condensed Matter, Nanophysics, Optics and Photonics, Particle Physics, Astroparticle Physics, Theoretical Particle Physics, Condensed Matter Theory, Meteorology, or Geophysics. Other subjects must be approved by the examining committee.
How are the grades of a foreign university converted for crediting?
Grades from foreign universities are usually converted using the modified Bavarian formula:

Formula for converting credits


In this formula, P_min and P_max are the lowest number of points corresponding to a pass and the highest achievable number of points. This is a linear mapping to our grading system after the calculated grade has been rounded to thirds. In some countries, the grading scale is not linear. This is taken into account with a different maximum grade in the Modified Bavarian Formula. Exceptions are France (maximum grade 16 instead of 20), the Netherlands (9 instead of 10) and Portugal (18 instead of 20). As everywhere at KIT, we are thus essentially following the recommendation of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs.
I need an achievement certificate for my BAföG application, what do I have to do?
First, you need the corresponding official "Form 5" from the BAföG office or the website www.bafög.de. With this form and a current extract of your grades, go to the Physics Examination Office (Physikhochhaus, room 9-13, Frau Müller). There the form will be filled out and forwarded to the examination board. If there is no excessive delay in your own study achievements, we will confirm on the form that you have completed the usual achievements in your studies. You will receive the form back in the examination office and can submit it together with the transcript of grades to the BAföG office.
I would like to write an "external" master thesis at another institution. Is this possible? What do I have to do?
  • The examination board can approve master theses at foreign departments, universities, research institutions or companies (also abroad) upon written application. Here you can find a form to apply for an external master thesis.
  • As a first referee you need in any case a professor of the KIT Department of Physics who is willing to officially supervise the thesis. He/she must adhere to the restrictions of the KIT Department regarding the number of external master theses.
  • As a rule, the supervisor at the external institution is a professor or holds a habilitation. In this case, he/she should also be a co-referee. Otherwise, the co-referee must also be a professor or habilitated scientist from the KIT Department of Physics.
  • With the application to the examination board, a work plan of at least one page must be submitted, which is endorsed by the external supervisor and the first referee from the KIT Department of Physics.
  • Please also refer to this KIT leaflet on external theses.