Recognition of Academic Achievement

If you have completed coursework at another university, you can use them for your studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (PhF) under certain conditions. To do so, you must have these achievements recognized. We distinguish the following two processes of recognition:

If you are commencing studies at UZH and have already completed some modules at another university beforehand, you can have these modules recognized as follows: 

1. Once you are admitted, report to the Departmental Coordination for Mobility of your study programs. 
2. There you need to submit the documents on your previous achievement:
   • official transcript of records showing the coursework to be recognized (including grades);
   • if necessary, further information on the grading scale used, from official offices authorized to provide information (International Relations Office, Dean's Office or others), if the grading scale differs from Switzerland;
   • if needed, certified translations in Latin alphabet.
3. Together you will draw up a recognition arrangement (AV) for each study program. This lists the modules that can be recognized. 
4. The Departmental Coordination for Mobility will forward a copy of the AV to the Office of Student Affairs. We will recognize the modules as soon as possible.
5. The modules you agreed upon in the AV will be recognized once the first semester of your enrollment has begun.

Completed achievements in the context of mobility stays during your UZH studies can be recognized as follows:

1. As soon as your mobility stay is certain, contact the Departmental Coordination for Mobility of your study programs.
2. Together you will draw up a recognition arrangement (AV). On the one side, this lists the external modules that you complete during the mobility stay. On the other side, it lists the PhF modules that will be recognized accordingly.
3. After your mobility stay, contact the Departmental Coordination for Mobility again with the following documents:
   • official transcript of records showing the coursework to be recognized (including grades);
   • if necessary, further information on the workload and the grading scale used, from official offices authorized to provide information (International Relations Office, Dean's Office or others), if the grading scale differs from Switzerland;
   • if needed, certified translations in Latin alphabet.
4. If you have adjusted your module choice during your mobility stay, you can also adjust the AV. After that, you sign the AV.
5. The Departmental Coordination for Mobility forwards a copy of the AV to the Office of Student Affairs. We determine the definitive conversion of grades and of the workload. Subsequently, we recognize the modules according to your AV. 

Compensation of compulsory modules

As a rule, we do not recognize achievements that you have already used for a degree. An exception is externally completed achievements as well as proven language skills whose acquired competencies correspond to a compulsory module in your study program. We can recognize the corresponding compulsory module as fulfilled with 0 ECTS credits. As compensation, you complete other study achievements to the extent of the recognized ECTS credits. Where you compensate the modules depends on the study plan. Please consult your study advisor beforehand.

Academic achievement at ETH Zurich

If you would like to have ETH credits recognized, follow the same procedure as for mobility achievements. Before booking the ETH module, contact the Departmental Coordination for Mobility of your study programs. After completing the module, forward the myStudies overview of ETH to your Departmental Coordination for Mobility. They will check your achievements and submit them to the Student Affairs Office for recognition using the AV. 
Some ETH modules are automatically recognized. You can recognize these by the fact that they are also listed in the UZH course catalogue, as they form part of our curricula.

Language courses offered by the Language Center of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich

We will recognize the language courses of the Language Center for you. You do not need to do anything else for this.

The following provisions apply to all types of recognition. 

Academic achievement may be recognized provided that...

• you have completed them at an accredited university,
• you have not already used them for a degree, (with the exception of «Compensation of Compulsory Modules»);
• it is appropriate to the academic level;
• it can be transferred to the study programs in terms of subject content.

Excluded from recognition are...

• German courses, since knowledge of German is a basic admission requirement for the University of Zurich. This does not apply to the course « Wissenschaftlich Schreiben: Schreibwerkstatt; C1–C2». If you are studying in a program combination without German as a basic admission requirement, you can receive credit for German courses offered by the Language Center, provided these courses are part of your curriculum. 
• Coursework of continuing education degree programs, such as Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS), Master of Advanced Studies (MAS).
• external Bachelor's or Master's thesis.

General notes

• Information on recognition: Before your admission and enrollment, we cannot bindingly clarify the recognition of your previous education.
• Recognition agreement (AV) per study program: To recognize credits in multiple study programs, you must create a separate AV for each program with the subject Departmental Coordination for Mobility of your study programs.
• Conversion of grades: If necessary, we convert grades uniformly according to the modified Bavarian formula. We have provided a grade converter based on this formula for you.
• Conversion of workload: Credit points that are not specified in ECTS credits are converted into ECTS credits according to their workload. In this case, please enclose documentation with the AV from which the workload can be taken.
• Transcript of records: We will inform you of recognized academic achievements in a binding manner through the transcript of records.
• Changes to the recognition: Any recognized achievement communicated in the transcript of records cannot be changed.
• Proportion of external achievements: For the Bachelor's and Master's levels, half of the required coursework (in ECTS credits) for each of the Major and Mono study programs must have been completed at PhF.
   

Student Services will answer your questions about recognition, especially about the conversion of grades and ECTS credits.

The Departmental Coordinations for Mobility (incoming and outgoing) of the study programs are the contact persons for the subject-related examination of the academic achievements and the preparation of the recognition agreement (AV). 

The Global Student Experience (GSE) department supports you in planning and implementing your stay abroad.
 

§ 37, 43ff, Framework Ordinance on Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programs at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

 § 11, Ordinance on the cross-university Master’s degree program in Film Studies at the University of Zurich Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

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