You can find the course catalogue here. 

There is both, an English and a German version. You can change the language in the top right corner of the window. Please keep in mind that not all courses have translated titles and content. The course language however, is stated on the right in the course description.

How to find the list of courses available to you:

• Choose the right semester (on the top right) and then the department “Political and Social Sciences“ (Politik- und Sozialwissenschaften)
• BA students (undergraduate) click on "Incoming Students at Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science" underneath the top section titled "Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science" and then choose "B.A. Political Science (Incomings)". 
• MA students (graduate), respectively, click on "Master' programme" and choose "Political Science (2013)".

Note: The course catalogue for the Winter term will not go online before September; the course catalogue for the Summer term usually goes online in late February or March. Please use an older course catalogue to finish your Learning Agreement Before the Mobility, should you have to provide your university with one before course catalogues are being released. You can then change your course selection in the first weeks of the term. 

Please take into account that we cannot guarantee completeness and immutability of the course catalogue. Teachers and faculty can make changes at any time and especially before the first week of classes.

The OSI offers different types of courses.

Lectures (“Vorlesung (V)”), provide you with an introductory overview of the respective study area. Generally, the assignment you have to complete to receive a certificate of achievement (“Leistungsschein”) in this type of course is a written exam. There is also tutorials (“Tutorium (T)”) and exercises (“Übungen (Ü”), which are held to provide you with further information about the subject of the lecture and give you the possibility to ask questions on the topic. They may be valuable to you, even if no ECTS are awarded for them.

In addition, there are seminars (“Seminar (S)”). There are three different kinds of seminars available at the OSI. In general, they treat specific subjects more in depth than lectures. In these types of courses your participation, your questions and taking part in discussions will directly add to the seminar. There are introductory seminars (“Proseminare (PS)”) and advanced seminars (“Hauptseminare (HS)”), as well as core advanced seminars (“Kernhauptseminare (K-HS)”).

Introductory seminars (PS) are suitable for undergraduate students (up to about the fourth semester), while the advanced seminars (HS) are usually only available for students at the end of their Bachelor or Master students. The core advanced seminars (K-HS) are the basic seminars, belonging to the advanced seminars (HS) of the Master program. They all give you an overview over a certain field of study.

All courses are mostly held weekly and last two hours (“Semesterwochenstunden” (SWS)), which makes 90 minutes in total. An exception are block seminars (Blockseminare), which are held during a few days throughout the semester but last more hours.

Please note that the course structure at other departments and faculties might differ.

In the BA and MA programs some courses are regularly held in English and in other languages. However, this offer varies each semester. In most cases the language of the course is indicated in the specific course descriptions on the right. The course catalogue is updated each semester and is usually available at the end of the previous semester (about March/September). If you want to find only those classes that are being offered in English (or any other language), please navigate around the right-hand side of the course catalogue and click on the arrow button next to the "search now" button. It will give you the option of "advanced search". You may then choose your filters.

Additionally, the university also offers courses that are only for international students. Some of these also are also in English and have a political science focus. You can find more information here.

Generally, the majority of courses should be chosen from the political science course catalogue (Vorlesungsverzeichnis) or the courses for international exchange students. You can also choose language courses at the Language Center.

With few exceptions, all political science courses can be taken. Courses with the addition “PS/TWA“ or “PS/MWA” (B.A.) and courses that are part of the module "Introduction to Political Science Methodology" are only eligible for home students in the first semester and may NOT be taken by Erasmus students.You are also not eligible to participate in the Colloquiums (BA and MA).

It is also generally possible to choose a limited amount of courses from other institutions/departments. However you won’t be able to register for those courses directly and have to ask individual permission from the lecturers to join.

Please be aware that Erasmus students of political sciences are also not eligible to take courses at the faculty of law.

The module system (one participation + one examination = 10 ECTS) does not apply to Erasmus students. Only regular FU students need to complete modules. Erasmus students can pick single courses according to their own interest and requirements set by their universities. For each course they can get either 3 or 7 ECTS.

To register for a class at OSI, you need to sign up on Campus Management and register for classes. The platform will then let you know whether you have been registered for the course or not. You can find a video explaining Campus Management and how to enroll in classes in German and in English here. The video was made for home students, so the information on modules is not relevant for Erasmus students, nonetheless it will help you understand the program. You will receive further information about Campus Management from the central incoming office (incoming@fu-berlin.de).

The course registration process is open for about three weeks after courses have started, meaning that you can still register or opt out of courses. That being said, it often makes sense to attend all courses you have selected during the first week, if not the second and third week as well. You or other students might not show up, change their minds on the course or the like, and further spots become available. Teachers might provide you with more information or simply their individual way of handling these processes during the first session.

You may also have noticed that Campus Management was unfortunately only designed for home students’ requirement. That poses some challenges for incoming students:

1. You cannot register for multiple seminars in one module. Simply try to find the additional course(s) in other modules and register for them there. If that is not possible. Please attend the session in the first week, explain your issue and ask if the teacher would allow you to participate regardless and issue you a certificate (see below) at the end of the term, instead of being registered on Campus Management.
2. You can’t sign up for courses of different departments/faculties via Campus Management. If you want to choose a course in economics, you have to contact the Erasmus office of their department/faculty (international@wiwiss.fu-berlin.de) and they will register you. If you want to take a course at any other department/faculty, you must speak to the teachers of these courses individually and ask for permission to participate, as well as for a certificate at the end of the semester, instead of a Campus Management registration. Usually, departments/faculties have their own forms. When in doubt, always contact the Erasmus offices of the different departments/faculties. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to take courses at the law faculty.
3. If you are not registered on Campus Management, you may have to give your teacher your (Zedat) email address, so that they can add you to the e-learning system (Blackboard). That way, you will be able to access the course material.
4. You cannot participate in courses that are labeled PS/MWA or PS/TWA.
5. The module structure that you see on Campus management does not apply to you. At the end of your exchange you hand in a request for your transcript of records (see FAQs) by providing us with a request form, your Campus Management overview (pdf) and any certificates you might have collected, and we will issue you an Erasmus-specific Transcript of Records.

About certificates (“Scheine“): If you cannot sign up for a specific course on Campus Management, course instructors will fill in a certificate (“Schein”) at the end of the semester. This Schein must contain information on the title of the course, the course number, the type of the course, and on the kind of assignment (written exam, oral examination etc.) you have completed. If you finish a course with a certificate of achievement (“Leistungsnachweis”), this certificate will be graded, otherwise it will be marked with a “P“ for participation. The certificate (“Schein”) must be signed and stamped by the lecturer. The Erasmus office fills in the respective ECTS-points unless the course is provided by a different department/faculty and they do it. You can find a blank certificate here. If the course instructor is not an employee at the OSI, but an external lecturer, they can obtain the required stamp in the office of the coordinator of the respective field of study (e.g. political theory). It is your responsibility to provide the lecturers with prepared certificates.

Please keep in mind that the number of ECTS is not up for negotiation between you and individual lecturers.

You can receive 3 or 7 ECTS for political science courses at the Otto-Suhr-Institute, depending on the type of certificate you obtain.

If you complete a seminar or a lecture (Vorlesung) with a certificate of participation (“Teilnahmeschein”) you will receive 3 ECTS. A Teilnahmeschein usually requires regular participation and preparatory reading, but no written exam or research paper. However, the specific requirements are up to the individual lecturers. Teilnahmescheine are not graded. They are marked with a “P“ for participation.

If you complete a course with a certificate of achievement (“Leistungsschein”) you will be awarded with 7 ECTS. Besides regular participation in class, a Leistungsschein mostly requires writing an exam or a research paper. Leistungsscheine are graded.

It is you who decides whether you would like to complete a "Teilnahmeschein" ( 3 ECTS) or a "Leistungsschein" (7 ECTS) based on the requirements teachers share with you in the first week. Please note that no extra credit points can be awarded for extra work and that the number of ECTS is not up for negotiation between you and individual lecturers.

If you attend courses at other FU institutions, e.g. language courses, you receive the number of ECTS points determined by the other institution. Please contact the ERASMUS coordinators of the respective departments to receive more information. You can receive 5 ECTS for the courses for international exchange students (more information here: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/international/studium_fu/auslandssemester/Studienangebot-fuer-internationale-Gaststudierende/index.html).

In general, the required work for a certificate of achievement (“Leistungsschein”) is more complex than the one for a certificate of participation (“Teilnahmeschein”).

If you obtain a  "Teilnahmeschein" you will receive 3 ECTS for your active participation in a course. Besides regular attendance, the requirements can include readings, a presentation, reviews or more. During the first week, teachers will share with you with the specific requirements for their course. This kind of certificate is NOT graded, but marked with a “P“ for participation.

To receive a "Leistungsschein", and therefore 7 ECTS, you will have to meet all of the requirements of an active participation and additionally complete an assignment at the end of the semester. This will usually be a research paper or exam, which will be graded. During the first week, teachers will share with you the specific requirements.

This applies to courses offered by the Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science. The regulations and forms of certification at other departments and faculties may differ. Please note that the number of ECTS is a matter of the Erasmus office, not individual lecturers. No extra credit points will be awarded for extra work, since we need to be consistent with the ECTS rules within our faculty.

To register for a class at OSI, you need to sign up on Campus Management and register for classes. The platform will then let you know whether you have been registered for the course or not. You can find a video explaining Campus Management and how to enroll in classes in German and in English here. The video was made for home students, so the information on modules is not relevant for Erasmus students, nonetheless it will help you understand the program. You will get further information on Campus Management by the central incoming office (incoming@fu-berlin.de)

The course registration process is open for about three weeks after courses have started, meaning that you can still register or opt out of courses. That being said, it often makes sense to attend all courses you have selected during the first week, if not the second and third week as well. You or other students might not show up, change their minds on the course or the like, and further spots become available. Teachers might provide you with more information or simply their individual way of handling these processes during the first session.

You may also have noticed that Campus Management was unfortunately only designed for home students’ requirement. That poses some challenges for incoming students:

1. You cannot register for multiple seminars in one module. Simply try to find the additional course(s) in other modules and register for them there. If that is not possible. Please attend the session in the first week, explain your issue and ask if the teacher would allow you to participate regardless and issue you a certificate (see below) at the end of the term, instead of being registered on Campus Management.
2. You can’t sign up for courses of different departments/faculties via Campus Management. If you want to choose a course in economics, you have to contact the Erasmus office of their department/faculty (international@wiwiss.fu-berlin.de) and they will register you. If you want to take a course at any other department/faculty, you must speak to the teachers of these courses individually and ask for permission, as well as ask for a certificate instead of a Campus Management registration. Usually, departments/faculties have their own forms. When in doubt, always contact the Erasmus offices of the different departments/faculties. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to take courses at the law faculty.
3. If you are not registered on Campus Management, you may have to give your teacher your (Zedat) email address, so that they can add you to the e-learning system (Blackboard). That way, you will be able to access the course material.
4. You cannot participate in courses that are labeled PS/MWA or PS/TWA.
5. The module structure that you see on Campus management, does not apply to you. At the end of your term/stay you hand in a request for your transcript of records (see FAQs) by providing us with a request form, your Campus Management overview (pdf) and any certificates you might have collected, and we will issue you an Erasmus-specific transcript.

About certificates (“Scheine“): If you cannot sign up for a specific course on Campus Management, course instructors will fill in a certificate (“Schein”) at the end of the semester. This Schein must contain information on the title of the course, the course number, the type of the course, and on the kind of assignment (written exam, oral examination etc.) you have completed. If you finish a course with a certificate of achievement (“Leistungsnachweis”), this certificate will be graded, otherwise it will be marked with a “P“ for participation. The certificate (“Schein”) must be signed and stamped by the lecturer. The Erasmus office fills in the respective ECTS-points unless the course is provided by a different department/faculty and they do it. You can find a blank certificate here. If the course instructor is not an employee at the OSI, but an external lecturer, they can obtain the required stamp in the office of the coordinator of the respective field of study (e.g. political theory). It is your responsibility to provide the lecturers with prepared certificates.

Please keep in mind that the number of ECTS is not up for negotiation between you and individual lecturers.

The Learning Agreement is a contract (study contract) between an exchange student, the sending university and the receiving university. Your home university (sending university) is supposed to provide you with more details.

By signing your Learning Agreement, the receiving university's coordinator agrees (preliminarily) to your choice of courses. This confirms that, should these courses be available and offer spots, you can attend them during your semester abroad. The sending university confirms that the course selection is compatible with your regular study program.

Important: Your graduation requirements at the sending (home) university have top priority. Please check in with your Erasmus-coordinators before you leave for Berlin. You are solely responsible for meeting your home university's requirements!

We understand that our course catalogue is usually being updated or released after you are supposed to hand in your first Learning Agreement Before the Mobility. However, please use former/current course catalogues as an orientation for your first choice of courses. You will be able to make changes to your Learning Agreement later on.

It is important that you fill in your Learning Agreement correctly!

   Contact person: Lisa van Hoof-Maurer

   Contact email: osi-erasmus@polsoz.fu-berlin.de

   Contact phone: +49 30 83855055

   Contact function: Erasmus Coordinator

   Responsible Person: Prof. Dr. Anja Osei

   Res. Email: osi-erasmus@polsoz.fu-berlin.de

   Res. Phone: +49 30 83855055

   Res. Function: Erasmus Programme Representative

Please make sure to put in the contact details above, add the right amounts of ECTS (e.g., 3 or 7 ECTS for courses offered by the Department of Political and Social Sciences) and sign the Learning Agreement yourself.

If you use the online platform to issue your Learning Agreement and have put in the correct contact email (osi-erasmus@polsoz.fu-berlin.de), we will receive a notification and can sign your Learning Agreement online.

If your home university requires you to use a pdf version of the Learning Agreement, please sent the complete document to osi-erasmus@polsoz.fu-berlin.de to receive a signature.

Your Transcript of Records (ToR) is issued at the end of your studies at the FU Berlin, once you have collected all of your grades and certificates ("Scheine"), and only upon your request. Transcripts are not produced automatically!

Please forward your "Scheine" (certificates) or the PDF overview of your Campus Managament to us via email (PDF scans only). We do not have access to Campus Management ourselves.

After signing in on Campus Management, click “Kategorie Noten und Punkte“, “Übersicht Icon“ and pick the third option “Leistungsübersicht über begonnene und abgeschlossene Modulleistungen“. Click “ok“ and send it to us. We do not accept screenshots. Should you already have lost your Campus Management access, please contact fbv-erasmus@polsoz.fu-berlin.de to receive a copy of your overview. Please also make sure to send us any certificates for classes that do not appear on you Campus Management overview.

Additionally, in order to officially request your ToR, you will need to fill in a form (click here) and send it to us together with your "Scheine". Once we have received all of these documents, we will be able to issue your ToR. Please note that this may take up to three weeks until you or your home institution receive your ToR. Therefore, please make sure to start the process early, should your home university require you to send the ToR soon.

From our side there is no deadline to request your ToR. 

The grading process can take up to several weeks after the lecture period has ended. You may well have returned to your home countries by the time your grades are available (either in Campus Management oder as "Scheine"). This should, however, not be a problem. Just make sure you keep the contact details of your professors safe and that you provide them with an alternative email address in case your FU email address expires. Stay in touch with your professors and, if needed, remind them to send you the graded Schein via email. Alternatively, professors may send them to the OSI Erasmus office directly.

You will lose access to Campus Management at some point. If this happens just contact fbv-erasmus@polsoz.fu-berlin.de to receive a copy of your Campus Management overview.

No, we cannot give you credits for internships completed during your stay in Berlin. You will have to ask for credits at your home university. We are also not responsible for signing Learning Agreements for internships.

While your home university might accept thesis work, research, self study or the like, the FU does not grant ECTS for this type of work. It will not be included in your transcript of records nor can we confirm any ECTS for this in your Learning Agreement.

General information regarding your stay in Berlin can be found on the website of the central incoming Erasmus office of the Freie Universität Berlin: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/international/studium_fu/auslandssemester/erasmus_in/infos_incomingstudents/index.html  

Blackboard is an online teaching and learning platform that many of our course instructors use for their seminars or lectures. When you "enroll" in a class on Blackboard, you gain access to important course content uploaded by the course instructor. This usually includes readings, the syllabus, announcements, etc. You will usually need a password to access this information. This password will be shared with you by the course instructor during the first class.

Please note that "enrolling" in a class on Blackboard does not mean you are officially enrolled for this class! Should you not be registered for the class on Campus Management, please get in touch with the respective course instructor at the beginning of the semester and provide them with your zedat-mail-address so they can manually add you to Blackboard.

Yes, it is possible to complete an internship. Please contact the Career Service for detailed information.

You can find further information here: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/international/network/erasmus/smp-incoming.html https://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/ausbildung/praktikum/Informationen-fuer-internationale-Praktikantinnen-und-Praktikanten/index.html

Important: We do not grant ECTS for internships! Internships may only be graded and credited by the home university. We also don't offer internships at our departmental Erasmus office.