Master FAQ

Note: The texts on this page were originally prepared by the Fachverein Anglistik FAVA and have been adapted for the English Department website.

Students receive ECTS credits for passing modules.

Every ECTS credit is supposed to represent 30 hours of work at UZH. However - according to the Fachverein Anglistik FAVA - this often a very generous estimate and if the aim is to 'just pass' a module, one can sometimes manage to do so with much less work (though of course we do not recommend such a minimalist approach).

Students need 180 ECTS to complete a UZH Bachelor degree and 120 ECTS for a UZH Master degree.

A full-time student usually does 30 ECTS credits per semester. Some students finish their Bachelor degree after six semesters (6 x 30 ECTS = 180 ECTS), but most study for one or several semesters longer.

A module is basically a unit of teaching. It might consist of a lecture or a seminar or a combination of the two. 

A module also includes the Leistungsnachweis (i.e. course assessment). Lecture courses are often assessed on the basis of written exams, but other modules may be assessed differently or feature a combination of Leistungsnachweise (e.g. a paper, an oral presentation, and a written exam).

OLAT (Online Learning And Training) is where students can find all lecture slides, homework, preparatory reading and so on. You can access it at www.olat.uzh.ch.

Before you can log in, you need your UZH shortname, so make sure you have that and know your password. (Some instructors upload slides prior to the respective session, others do it afterwards. If an instructor's policy is unclear, or if they seem to have forgotten to upload their slides, it is best to contact them by email.)

Please make sure to activate your OLAT account as soon as you have received your UZH shortname and password.

Students enrolled in the UZH Bachelor program in English Literature and Linguistics may book pre-Master's modules. More information is available in the sub-section on pre-Master's modules.

There a different types of courses at university, including:

• lecture: mostly based on input by the instructor(s), with the students listening, taking notes, and asking questions; usually assessed with a written exam
• seminar: an interactive type of course with some shorter inputs by the instructor(s), but mainly focusing on discussions, group work, and student input; usually assessed with a seminar paper, often combined with another type of assessment (e.g. oral presentation or learning portfolio)
• colloquium: similar to a seminar, but more 'casual' (i.e. less time-consuming) and not usually assessed with a paper
• tutorial: classes taught by advanced students, usually in tandem with a lecture and/or seminar, to provide further support and input

What to book for the first year if you are a Major student. 

What to book for the first year if you are a Minor student. 

This can happen quite often because there are a huge amount of programs at UZH, all with their own timetables – and there are only so many hours in the week.

If two mandatory lectures clash with one another, there is, unfortunately, nothing you can do. You will have to drop one of them and do it later. (You could try to visit one course in one week and the other course the next week, or try to keep up with uploaded slides only, but this is not a good idea – not least because exams usually take place in the lecture time slot and you cannot write two exams at the same time.)

Try to check the lecture times as early on as possible. If only one of the modules that clash with each other is mandatory, it is generally best to prioritize that module. However, note that if it’s a seminar group that is part of a mandatory first-year module, you might be able to change to a different group.

It is worth checking the lecture times for the second semester as well, to avoid clashes between two-semester modules booked in the fall and modules that you may have to take in the spring (e.g. mandatory modules for your other study program).

Feel free to contact englishstudies@es.uzh.ch if you need any further advice regarding your timetable.

You can find more information on module booking on the subsites for the MA Major and the MA Minor. 
 

PLH (Plattenstrasse 47) is the building that houses the English Department's secretary's office as well as three of the four classrooms. The other building, PET (Pestalozzistrasse 50) houses the English Department library and one additional classroom.

You will probably have seminar courses in both PLH and PET. (Note: The large lectures usually take place in or near KOL, i.e. the UZH main building.)

Each module can only be booked twice (and only if you fail it the first time). If you fail a module twice, you cannot repeat it again. 

In the case of compulsory modules, failing twice leads to a subject ban (i.e. Fachsperre), meaning you can no longer graduate from any program in which this module is a mandatory requirement. Additional requirements are also considered compulsory modules. 

In the case of core elective or elective modules, it is possible to substitute equivalent modules should you fail a module twice. 

You can find the requirements for the programs on the websites for the Master Major and the Master Minor. 

If you have failed a compulsory module twice or have exhausted all core electives, contact the study advisor at englishstudies@es.uzh.ch.

The amount of work you will be able to do comfortably will depend on many factors.

If you are studying full-time, there is likely not much room left for you to work outside the university, if any. (According to student experience, for some, 40% of work is fine, others do about 20% and are fine with it, for others again, 20% may be too much. Note that one option is to work during semester breaks only.)

Depending on your circumstances, you may also want to contact the Student Financial Aid Office for further advice.

If you'd like to go on an exchange for one or two semesters, the English Department offers many study abroad places.

More information is available on the stay abroad website.

It is possible to start the Master Major and the Master Minor program English/Literature in the spring semester.

One can only postpone deadlines or extend exam/presentation dates in cases of force majeure. For more information, please consult the subpage on Extending Deadlines, Module Cancelations, Accommodations.
 

If you have a disability, a chronic illness, mental health conditions or live with neurodivergence, you may be eligible for accommodations (Nachteilsausgleich). Please contact the UZH Disability office as soon as possible. 

You can find more information on the Master Thesis on the Master Thesis subsite. 

Information on how to request a semester of leave is available on the website of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. 

You can find more information on graduating on the graduation subpage. 

Information on the Teaching Diploma can be found on the Teaching Diploma subsite. 

You can find more information on doing a PhD in English studies on the PhD subsite.