Master Architecture

Master Architecture

During the Master's degree course in Architecture, it is possible to spend semesters abroad at universities as well as internships at home or abroad.

Both can take place as part of a voluntary semester abroad. Alternatively, a semester abroad can also be completed as a regular semester (see below). An additional semester as a semester of leave (for internship or study) can be applied for, for example to study abroad for a whole year.

Credit points (CP) can only be awarded in the Master's degree program in Architecture for partial studies abroad, but not for an internship.

For a voluntary semester abroad, the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism has not yet set a minimum number of credits to be earned. However, the partner or host university can specify a certain number of credit points (CP) to be taken per semester.

In the Master of Architecture, there are no additional 3 CP for the preparation and follow-up of the stay abroad.

Recognition of coursework completed abroad takes place upon application by the student after their return from abroad. The application must be submitted to the examination board responsible for the Master's degree program. It is recommended to prepare the application (digitally, by post or in person) with the contact person for semesters abroad in the Master's Architecture, Ms. Dipl.-Ing. Nicole Wichmann-Sperl (contact by e-mail: counsellor[at]archit.uni-weimar.de).

As part of the recognition process, individual courses from abroad are assigned 1:1 to courses (subjects, teaching areas) in the Master's degree program in Architecture. Only courses which are provided for in the curriculum according to the study and examination regulations, which are equivalent in terms of course content and scope and which have not already been completed by the student can be recognized.

A maximum of 1 design studio that has been completed at another faculty or university can be recognized, provided that a design has not already been completed at another faculty at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.]archit.uni-weimar.de).

Credits und Grades

“Credits” and grades from the semester abroad are transferred or converted according to generally applicable procedures; subsequent grading only takes place if no grades are awarded at a foreign university, but courses are only graded as ‘passed’. Courses assessed as “failed” abroad are also assessed as “failed”, i.e. they are not subsequently awarded credits and are not reassessed or upgraded. However, Master's Architecture students can choose in their application for recognition which of the courses taken abroad they would like to have credited to their studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

In order for a design studio to be recognized, a certificate of equivalency must be submitted, which is issued by a design professorship in the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism upon request by the student. To this end, students submit the design work they have completed at the partner university to the professorship, including the assessment they have received from the partner university on their transcript of records. Depending on the professorship and situation, this can also be done digitally, by post or during office hours. Students can contact a design professorship of their choice for this purpose.

The professorship is not obliged to issue the certificate; in particular, drafts that do not fit the subject area of a professorship can be returned for review by another professorship.

The following forms are required for recognition:

a) the application for recognition of academic achievements from abroad/ when changing degree programs (students should fill out the application in the header section themselves and also make entries in the left half of the table. The right half can be completed together with the contact person (Nicole Wichmann-Sperl) during the (digital) office hours).

b) the transcript of records of the foreign university, i.e. the overview of the courses taken by a student during a semester abroad, including credits and grades (Some host universities send the document to the students, others send it directly to the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar or to the International Office. The latter forwards incoming transcripts of records to the faculty).

c) a description of the courses taken abroad, e.g. from the (online) course catalog of the host university, from which the examination board can see the exact content of the courses taken at the host university. (If necessary, students can add their own explanations and work results to the application. Especially for course descriptions that are not written in German or English, students must enclose translations with the application. These can be translations they have produced themselves, including those that summarize the content of courses in abridged form. In cases of doubt, certified translations or summaries in German may be requested. Tip: Many foreign universities publish the course catalog in digital form in several languages, so that students only have to select the appropriate language in the menu).

d) The learning agreement, if one was required before you stay abroad.

If a design studio is to be recognized, additionally:

e) the application for equivalence assessment (in self-completed and signed form)

f) the certificate of equivalence (in a form already confirmed by a design professorship. Before students consult a professorship, they should already enter their personal details in the upper part of the form).

The application is submitted by the students to the examination board of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism responsible for their degree program. It is recommended to prepare the application (digitally, by post or in person) with the contact person for semesters abroad in the Master of Architecture, Ms. Dipl.-Ing. Nicole Wichmann-Sperl (contact by e-mail: counsellor[at]archit.uni-weimar.de)

In-depth information: Planning, implementation and recognition of semesters abroad

Learning agreement and semester off abroad

In the Master of Architecture, a semester abroad is a “voluntary mobility”, i.e. unlike in the Bachelor of Architecture at our faculty, there is no mandatory mobility semester. Students can therefore attend courses at a foreign university purely out of interest, without having to consider their course of study in Weimar. After returning to Weimar, they can then see what can be credited to their studies. Alternatively, students can strive in advance to ensure that all courses taken during the semester abroad can be credited to their studies in Weimar.

In both cases, students need a learning agreement for an exchange semester at one of the partner universities in the Erasmus region, as it is assumed that there is a (certain) interest in the creditability of courses taken abroad, especially as funding (Erasmus or similar) is often paid. Students who look for a place at a foreign university themselves as so-called “free movers” in order to study there for one or two semesters as a “non-degree-seeking student” do not require a learning agreement; the same applies to students who study for one or two exchange semesters at an exchange university of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism which is not part of the Erasmus area or which is not funded within the Erasmus/DAAD-program.

In-depth information: Planning, implementation and crediting of Nevertheless, it is recommended that students who realize their stay abroad as “free movers” or via so-called “bilateral exchange agreements” have a learning agreement signed at least by the home university before departure in order to have the creditability of the courses taken abroad clarified in advance.

As the maximum duration of study is limited in the Master's in Architecture, it may be advisable to apply for a semester of leave of absence in order to take a voluntary semester abroad. The academic achievements acquired during a semester abroad can be credited to your studies in Weimar despite a leave of absence (see matriculation regulations) - always provided that the courses taken abroad can be credited with regard to the degree program and the individual course of studies (see below). However, before students apply for a semester abroad at the Campus.Office (can be found online here), they should check for themselves whether their stay abroad is financially supported by funding bodies (e.g. Bafög office) that allow a semester abroad to be taken for the purpose of studying abroad. In the event of any necessary inquiries to funding bodies, students can point out that, despite taking a leave of absence, it is possible to receive credit for coursework completed during the semester abroad, based on the regulations in § 14 of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar's enrolment regulations, which can be found online here.

Recognition of academic achievements from semesters abroad

In the Master's program in Architecture, credits earned during a semester abroad are recognized after completion of the stay abroad. In principle, students submit an application to the Examination Board of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. Decisions are therefore always made on a case-by-case basis. Nevertheless, the learning agreement mentioned above has an important function: the learning agreement serves to clarify in advance whether courses taken at host universities can be credited.

In principle, only courses that students still need to complete their studies or be admitted to the Master's examination can be taken into account for credit transfer. For example, if students have already completed all the project modules required for the Master's degree program, no further design work from abroad can be transferred to the faculty. The same applies, for example, if students have already received all 6 possible credit points in the elective module area.

If students have requirements, they can also fulfill them by successfully completing courses during their semester abroad. There may be requirements for the Master's degree program if students have not completed their Bachelor's degree in Architecture in Weimar. Students should be aware of these requirements.

The number of credit points required for a project module (18 CP) can be achieved by combining a design course taken at the host university with one or two other courses thematically related to the design. If this is not possible, design-related courses can be made up by choosing suitable seminars or lectures from the compulsory elective area.

After returning from the semester abroad, Master's Architecture students can choose for themselves which of the courses they successfully completed at the host university they would like to apply for recognition for. It is not possible to “swap” courses, i.e. courses already completed at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, for courses from the semester abroad, even if the corresponding grades were better during the semester abroad.

Crediting of language courses

Language courses can be credited with a maximum of 3 CP in the elective module area (not in the compulsory elective area). However, this is only possible if students have not already earned the maximum number of credit points required for the elective module area through their studies in Weimar (see examination regulations). A further prerequisite for credit transfer is that at least 3 ECTS credits have been awarded for the course at the partner university, which have been certified on the transcript of records (= course/grade certificate from the partner university) or on a separate certificate. It is also possible for a language course to be recognized if students have already taken a language course in Weimar that has been recognized for their studies.

For further information and signature on Learning Agreement please contact Dipl.-Ing. Frau Wichmann-Sperl:counsellor[at]archit.uni-weimar.de