Application and Admission to Studies

Do you want to start a Master's degree program at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences? The following information explains the specifics of the admission procedure at our faculty.

A Master's program at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences consists of 120 ECTS credits. You can choose a major (90 ECTS credits) and a minor study program (30 ECTS credits) or a mono study program (120 ECTS credits). For master's degree programs, we distinguish between these types of programs:

Consecutive Master's study program 

• Follows on from one or more Bachelor's study programs. 

• Admission is based on a set of academic requirements. 

• We check your knowledge and competencies from the Bachelor's level individually. Missing knowledge and competencies will be defined as a restrictions. You must acquire these at a later date. 

Specialized Master's study program 

• Does not follow on from a specific Bachelor's study program. 
• In addition to the academic requirements, further conditions apply for admission. 

Complementary minor study program 

• Is neither consecutive nor specialized. 
• Is a disciplinary or interdisciplinary addition to the major study programs.
• Does not require any specific requirements. Admission is granted without restrictions.
   

For admission to a consecutive major or minor study program, you must fulfill the academic requirements. The academic requirements contain the knowledge and competencies expected from the Bachelor's degree program. For major or minor study programs it comprises a maximum of 60 ECTS credits, for mono study programs a maximum of 120 ECTS credits. For certain mono study programs you must have completed a specific Bachelor's study program. You can find the academic requirements in the annexes to the relevant program regulation.

If you still lack knowledge of the academic requirements, you will receive restrictions when you are admitted to the Master's study program. Restrictions are achievements from the Bachelor's level that you have to make up in the course of your Master's degree. We recommend that you complete the restrictions at the beginning of your Master's studies. These restrictions may not exceed a total of 60 ECTS credits. If the restrictions exceed 60 ECTS credits, you will not be admitted and your application will be rejected.

For admission to a Master's degree with a Bachelor's degree from a Swiss university of applied sciences or university of teacher education, the above criteria apply. In addition, a Bachelor's degree with an overall grade of at least 5 (unrounded) is required.

Foreign language applicants must prove that they have sufficient knowledge (level C1) of the respective main language of instruction of the chosen study programs. Further information can be found on the website of the UZH Student Services.

Student Services can answer your questions about Master's admission to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

The Student Administration Office is responsible for the application process and for the admission to Bachelor's degree programs with a Swiss educational background.

The Admissions Office accepts your questions regarding Bachelor's degree programs with foreign educational background and general inquiries regarding Master's admission. There you will also find general information on applying for doctoral studies.

The Graduate School has information for you on admission to doctoral studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Ordinance on Admission to Studies at the University of Zurich (VZS)

Program Regulation for the Study Programs at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences  (PDF, 168 KB)

The annexes to the study regulations, which contain the academic requirements can be found in the legal bases for the master's degree program.