Recognition and crediting of study and examination achievements

Fundamentals

The examination regulations of the business and economics degree programs stipulate that the achievements required in the curriculum of the respective degree program can also be proven through the recognition of external achievements. A distinction is made between achievements

• within the higher education system (worldwide, all credits earned at a recognized higher education institution in an accredited degree program);
• outside the higher education system (achievements that have been verified at institutions with a standardized quality assurance system).

In principle, there is no limit to the scope of recognition of credits earned within the higher education system. However, the examination boards of the KIT-WiWi degree programs do not reissue the topic of a thesis that was or is completed before the start of the degree program or in a parallel study program. These achievements are therefore effectively excluded from recognition. Achievements that were acquired outside the university system are recognized up to a maximum of 50% of the LP/ECTS required in the degree program.

The prerequisite for the recognition of an achievement is the determination of competence-oriented equivalence. At the level of the individual course, the learning objectives are used for this purpose; at module level, the qualification objectives are used.
The competences acquired in the external coursework are compared with the learning and qualification objectives of the KIT coursework and checked to see whether they are essentially the same. If this is the case, any differences in learning content between the external coursework and the KIT coursework to be replaced are not an obstacle to recognition.
In principle, the same qualitative requirements apply to the external coursework as exist in the KIT target degree program module.

The principle of competence-oriented equivalence assessment also opens up the possibility of integration into the modular system according to ECTS via recognition, especially for achievements that were acquired outside the university system and that are not structured according to university patterns.

Recognition by the examination board. The decision to recognize an external achievement is made by the examination board. This is based on the opinion of the responsible examiner (see also "Procedure..." below).

Recognition is generally granted with a grade if a grade was awarded externally
> and the grading systems are comparable
> or the grade can be converted in the case of non-comparable grading systems.

If recognition is granted without a grade (within a module or at module examination level), the graded achievements are used to calculate the module or subject grade. A module grade determined in this way is included in the subject grade calculation with the full weight of its credit points.
Example: If the modules Mathematics 1 and Mathematics 2 were recognized without a grade in Mathematics, the subject grade in Mathematics is calculated solely from the grade of the Mathematics 3 module. And this grade is included in the overall grade calculation with the full weight of the credit points in Mathematics.

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Recognition situation

There are two different starting points for the recognition of external credits:

• Recognition of achievements that were completed before starting the KIT degree program
• Recognition of external credits completed during the K IT degree program (from international temporary studies or EUCOR)

1. Recognition of credits earned before commencement of studies (limited in time)

   Anyone who has completed credits before starting the KIT-WiWi degree program (e.g. from a previous degree program)which are equivalent to required or possible achievements in the new KIT-WiWi degree program, can submit an application for recognition. Deadline: The application must be submitted in the first semester after admission. After that, the right to recognition expires.

   (For applicants to higher subject-related semesters, the potential of recognizable prior achievements in the application/admission process is also relevant for classification and admission. However, recognition is not yet granted at this stage. This only takes place upon separate application for recognition after enrolment in the KIT degree program. The above-mentioned deadline also applies here).

   Recognition also in the first semester: If you start your KIT studies in the first semester with recognizable previous achievements, you can also apply for recognition(please note the deadline, see above).

2. Recognition of external credits from an international time study program (or from the EUCOR offer) during the KIT-WiWi study program

   Students who take advantage of the opportunity to participate in a study abroad program (e.g. ERASMUS Plus) as part of the KIT degree program, or who visit a foreign university on their own initiative, will usually complete examinations abroad, which should then be recognized for the current KIT degree program. (This also applies to the use of the EUCOR offer.) There is no deadline for the application for recognition. The application for recognition can therefore be submitted at any time during your studies but before graduation.

   Advance confirmation of recognition from the institute responsible for the subject area
   If the exchange program does not already require it (e.g. ERASMUS/Learning Agreement), it is strongly recommended to discuss the study abroad program with the responsible KIT representative regarding the possibility of recognition of the intended courses. On this occasion, further recognition details will be determined, e.g. in justified exceptional cases, the external grade should not be taken into account for recognition. (In this case, too, the final decision lies with the examination board). The agreement reached is recorded in writing on this form. Should there be any changes to the program later on site, these must be clarified immediately with the institute, e.g. by e-mail.

Important regulations

Documentation of recognitions: Recognition of achievements outside the KIT is indicated in the transcript of records and in the certificate by naming the external university.

Recognition with a grade: All SPOs generally provide for recognition with a grade if there is an external graded achievement and the external grading system can be converted in a largely consistent manner. Justified exceptions are permitted. The decision lies with the examination board of the degree program.

Recognition of a KIT course, with original title or as "Special lecture [module title]"
Recognition of a KIT course: If the content and scope of an external course largely corresponds to a course offered at KIT according to professional judgment, recognition is usually given under the title of the KIT course. Irrespective of the CP of the external course, the CP of the KIT course will be credited.
Recognition in the original title or as a special lecture: Often there is no course with a correspondingly high level of content for the external course at the KIT. If, from a subject-specific point of view, the qualification objective of the KIT module in which it is to be recognized can be equally achieved with an external course, then this course can also be recognized. Recognition is then given either in the original title or - in the case of less common languages or if the original title does not seem appropriate for other reasons - under the generic title "Special lecture [module title]". The number of CPs credited can be based on the CPs of the external course. In this case, however, the number of CPs credited is usually chosen to match the module structure. The more elective options there are in a module, the greater the potential for recognition according to this variant.

Recognition of a thesis: With the approval of a KIT examiner responsible for the subject, theses can also be completed in the international time study program. This is then done according to the regulations of the external university. However, the standards of the KIT-SPO must essentially be adhered to. There is no registration of the thesis in the system. After completion and proof of performance, the work is submitted for recognition via the examiner responsible for the subject. Recognizing KIT examiners act as correctors and submit their own grade proposal to the examination board at the end.

Important: If a thesis has been completed or registered for another degree (internal or external to KIT), the same or a similar topic will not be issued again in the KIT-WiWi degree program. The recognition route is therefore excluded. This also applies if a KIT examiner gives his/her approval in principle. For more information, please contact the faculty's Examinations Office.

Recognition of seminars as compulsory seminars in the seminar module: The external seminar performance must also at least meet the standards for compulsory seminars in the seminar module laid down in the KIT-Stg. or be at least equivalent in form and quality. (Express reference should be made to the important aspect of scientific quality, which is often not given in the case of practice-oriented courses, for example).

Recognition of external work as additional work: If external achievements can be recognized on current KIT courses, but these are then not to be assessed curricularly, recognition as a (voluntary) additional achievement is possible. However, recognition is excluded if it cannot be recognized for a current KIT course. Exception: If the recognition serves to fulfill the performance requirement, e.g. of an exchange program, and scholarship benefits are dependent on it (for details, contact the Examination Office). See also here.

Recognition of external achievements as part of the interdisciplinary qualification. External achievements that are part of the interdisciplinary qualifications in the corresponding KIT-WiWi degree program (language courses, regional studies, ...) are recorded directly upon application if a) they are to be documented in the original title and b) they are not to be evaluated in the additional achievement (see previous paragraph), but in the curricular use, e.g. in the Master's seminar module WiIng. All transcripts in English or in Italian, Spanish or French are accepted for the original title. Procedure: The recognition form in the WiWi portal is filled out, printed out as a PDF and sent directly to the WiWi examination secretariat in an email together with a transcript of records as an attachment.

If the external course is to be recognized for a suitable KIT course, the usual route for recognition is via the responsible lecturer at the KIT Language Center, HoC or ZAK. From there, the application for recognition is forwarded internally to the faculty (PS-WiWi) after processing.

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Procedure for the recognition of an already proven external achievement (see also above under A.)

The examination board is responsible for recognition. It makes its decision on the basis of the primarily technical and content-related opinion of the responsible examiner as well as the general regulations on the recognition of achievements derived from the SPO, as explained in more detail below. Recognition is not carried out ex officio, i.e. without further action on the part of the student. In order for the recognition process to begin, an application for recognition must be submitted. This must be done separately for each performance or examination unit in the KIT target degree program (exception: KIT-internal degree program changers with identical examinations or a blanket equivalence regulation. See below).

Before applying for recognition, it must be determined which of the previous or planned coursework could be equivalent. This pre-selection is made by the applicant.

(The module handbook for the target degree program and the course content information therein is very helpful).

The next step is to contact the responsible module examiner (this is listed in the module handbook for each module), preferably by email to the relevant secretary's office. This is also a convenient way to find out what is required in detail for the recognition assessment.(Deviating from this: Requests for recognition in mathematics: Winter, PD Dr. Steffen (STOCH) steffen.winter∂kit.edu, in business administration, basic program: here exclusively all recognition requests to the secretariat of Prof. Ruckes).

Each recognition project must be initiated via the responsible KIT examiner. On behalf of the responsible examination board, the submitted work is assessed for equivalence and a statement is submitted to the examination board.

For KIT-internal course changerswho wish to have identical courses or courses with a general equivalence regulation recognized, a simplified recognition procedure applies via a collective application for all courses concerned. This does not require a specialist assessment for the equivalence check. The required documents are submitted directly to the Faculty's Examinations Office. This is done via a paperless form in the WiWi portal (see below).

KIT-internal transfer students from ING or computer science degree programs can first contact the faculty's examination office for the possibility of recognition of achievements from the basic studies. For achievements in mathematics and some achievements from the ING or info basics, there are agreements with the responsible departments that make it unnecessary to contact the responsible examiner. Simply attach a transcript of records in pdf format in the email to the Examinations Office and ask in the email whether it contains achievements with a general recognition regulation.pruefungssekretariat∂wiwi.kit.edu

Application forms for the recognition of examinations and other academic achievements

• KIT-internal transfer students (Collective application for the recognition of identical achievements or equivalent achievements with flat-rate regulation)

Otherwise, the following applies: The applicant must submit an application using a corresponding form for each individual examination in the KIT target degree program for which recognition is requested. Depending on the applicant's profile, there are two different forms:

• Students enrolled in a KIT-WiWi degree program (individual recognition at module or partial performance level)
• Students not enrolled in a KIT-WiWi degree program (individual recognition at module or partial performance level) The following also applies to the form for non-matriculated students: fill in online and completely - except for the statement of the examiner and examination board.

If a complete module with several examination units is to be recognized, one form is sufficient.

In addition to the original, a copy of a certificate/transcript must be submitted for each recognition, on which the performance on which the recognition is based is listed.

The examiner's statement is also forwarded to the examination board if recognition is refused.

Recognition forms signed by the subject examiner for the application for a higher semester (note the marking on the form) of an economics degree program at KIT are collected internally and submitted to the examination board of the faculty for the classification assessment.