Examination regulations for the Joint Master s Programme Environmental Policy and Planning of the Department of Politics and Social Sciences at the Freie Universität Berlin and the Faculty Planning Building Environment at the Technische Universität Berlin Preamble On the basis of Section 74 of the law regulating higher education institutions in Berlin (Berlin Higher Education Act BerlHG) in the version of the publication of the amended version of 26 July 2011 (Law and Ordinance Gazette [GVBl] p. 378) in conjunction with Section 14 paragraph 1 nor. 2 of the Partial University Constitution (Trial version) of the Freie Universität Berlin of 27 October 1998 (FU Mitteilungen [Gazette of the Freie Universität Berlin] 24/1998) and Section 18 paragraph 1 no. 1 of the University Constitution of the Technische Universität Berlin (Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt [Official Gazette] of the Technical University Berlin 2/2006), the Joint Committee for the Joint Master s Programme Environmental Policy and Planning of the Department of Politics and Social Sciences at the Freie Universität Berlin and the Faculty Planning Building Environment at the Technische Universität Berlin issued the following study regulations for the Joint Master s Programme Environmental Policy and Planning on 27 May 2013: 1 Contents Section 1 Area of application Section 2 Examination committee Section 3 Usual study duration Section 4 Scope of attainment Section 5 Master s thesis Section 6 Final degree Section 7 Coming into effect Annex 1: Attainments, admission requirements, attendance obligation and credit points 1 The executive board of the Freie Universität Berlin confirmed these regulations on 26 August 2013. The executive board of the Technische Universität Berlin confirmed these regulations on 20 August 2013.
Section 1 Area of application These regulations supplement the Framework study and examination regulations of the Freie Universität Berlin (RSPO) and the regulations applying to the general examination procedure in Bachelor and Master s programmes at the Technische Universität Berlin (AllgPO) and apply to the requirements and procedures for examination attainments in the Joint Master s programme Environmental Policy and Planning at the Freie Universität Berlin and the Faculty Planning Building Environment at the Technische Universität Berlin (Master s programme). Section 2 Examination committee The joint committee of the Department of Politics and Social Sciences at the Freie Universität Berlin and the Faculty Planning Building Environment at the Technische Universität Berlin appoints an examination committee. The examination committee is responsible for the organisation of the examinations and other tasks listed in the RSPO for examination matters at the Freie Universität Berlin and the organisation of the examinations and other tasks listed in the AllgPO for examination matters at the Technische Universität Berlin. In the case of contradictory regulations, the regulations at the university where the student is registered will apply. The usual period of study is four semesters. Section 3 Usual period of study Section 4 Scope of attainments (1) A total of 120 credit points (CP) must be attained in the Master s programme of which (a) 90 CP for the modules of which 50 CP in the compulsory area, 30 CP in the compulsory elective area and 10 CP in the elective area in accordance with Section 4 of the study regulations and (b) 30 CP for the Master s thesis and the accompanying colloquium. (2) Information on the examination attainment to be achieved in the course of individual modules, the admission requirements to the individual modules, information on the obligation to attend the teaching and learning regularly and the credit points allotted to each module can be found in Annex 1. For the modules which may be selected in accordance with Section 4 paragraph 4 of the study regulations, students are referred to the relevant examination regulations. Section 5 Master s thesis (1) The Master s thesis is intended to demonstrate that the student is capable of working independently on an issue in the field of Environmental Policy and Planning using scientific methods and to present the findings appropriately in writing. (2) Students are admitted to the Master s thesis on application when they 1. have been recently registered on the Master s programme at the Freie Universität Berlin or at the Technische Universität Berlin and
2. have successfully completed all modules in the compulsory area comprising a total of 50 CP in accordance with Section 4 paragraph 2 of the study regulations. (3) The application for admittance to the Master s thesis must include proof of the fulfilment of the conditions in accordance with paragraph 2 as well as written confirmation by an authorised examiner in the Master s programme of his/her willingness to take on the supervision of the Master s thesis. The relevant examination committee will decide on the application. Students have the opportunity to suggest their own topic; the right to take this topic is not guaranteed. (4) The Master s thesis must be submitted within 23 weeks. (5) The date for the beginning of work on the master s thesis is the date on which the topic was issued by the examination committee. The topic and scope of work must be such that the thesis can be completed within the time permitted. Three bound copies of the master s thesis are to be submitted by the completion deadline. Issue of the topic and submission of the Master s thesis must be recorded. When they submit their thesis, students must also confirm in writing that they have written the thesis personally and independently and have used no aids other than the sources and aids listed. (6) The master s thesis should comprise approx. 60 to 80 pages with approx. 18,000 to 25,000 words including footnotes and bibliography. (7) The master s thesis is to be evaluated by two authorised examiners. The assessments should be available to the examination committee within four weeks after the thesis was submitted. The grade of the master s thesis is the arithmetic average of the two individual marks. (8) If the master s thesis has not reached at least the grade sufficient (4.0) it may be retaken once. Retaking the thesis to improve the grade is not possible. Section 6 Final degree (1) The prerequisite for the award of the final degree is proof of the attainments required in accordance with Section 4 paragraph 1 of these regulations in conjunction with Section 4 of the study regulations. The award of the final degree is not possible if the student has irrevocably failed to achieve the required attainment or has irrevocably failed the examination or is in a pending examination procedure at another university in the same programme of studies, the same subject or in a module which is identical to or comparable with a module to be taken in the Master s programme. (2) The application for confirmation of the final degree must include proof of the fulfilment of the requirements according to paragraph 1 clause 1 and a statement that none of the cases according to paragraph 1 clause 2 applies to the applicant. The relevant examination committee will decide on the application. (3) Students who have passed the examinations receive a report and a certificate as well as a diploma supplement (in English and German). English translations of the report and certificate will also be issued on application. A further diploma supplement with information on individual modules and their parts (transcript) will also be issued. Section 7 Coming into effect These regulations come into effect on the day after their publication in the FU Mitteilung [Gazette of the Freie Universität Berlin] and the Amtliche Mitteilungsblatt [Official Gazette] of the Technische Universität Berlin.
Annex 1: Attainments, admission requirements, attendance obligation and credit points Explanations: The following gives information about each module for the Master s programme, unless other regulations are referred to: - Admission requirements for each module - The examination forms - Regular attendance obligation - Credit points allocated to each module. Where obligatory regular attendance at the teaching and learning is stipulated in the following, it is a requirement for the attainment of the credit points for each module alongside active participation in the learning and teaching and successful completion of the examination. Regular attendance entails at least 85% attendance at the learning and teaching in the module for which attendance is obligatory. If regular attendance at a module s learning and teaching is not obligatory, it is nevertheless strongly recommended. Lecturers may not specify obligatory attendance for learning and teaching if participation in these is merely recommended in the following. The credit points allotted to a module are determined by the total number of study hours estimated to be necessary to complete the module successfully. This includes both hours of attendance and phases of individual study (preparation and follow-up, examination preparation etc.). One credit point is equivalent to approximately 30 hours. The module examination must be taken for each module where an examination is scheduled.. The module examination must be related to the module s qualification aims and tests a sample of these aims. The examination scope is limited to the amount necessary to do this. In modules where alternative forms of examination are scheduled, the lecturer responsible for the module must specify the examination form for each semester at the latest at the first teaching unit. Credit points are awarded for the successful completion of the whole module after regular active participation at learning and teaching and successful completion of the module examination. For modules where no examination is required, active participation and regular attendance at the teaching and learning are the prerequisites for the award of the credit points allotted to the module. Information on contents and qualification aims, module teaching and learning, the student workload estimated as necessary to complete the module successfully, forms of active participation, the usual module duration and the frequency with which it is offered may be found in the Study Regulations of the Master s programme.
Compulsory area Module: Introduction to Environmental Policy Lecture Credit points: 10 LP Presentation (approx. 20 minutes) Module: Introduction to Environmental Planning Lecture Credit points: 10 LP Written examination (90 minutes) Module: Environmental Policy: Theory, Methods and Projects Project seminar Credit points: 15 LP Project report (approx. 8,000 words) Module: Project in Environmental Planning Project Credit points: 15 LP Project report (approx. 6,000 words); the module examination will not be graded in detail
Compulsory elective area Module: International Comparative Environment-, Climate- and Energy Policy Admission requirements: successful completion of the modules: Introduction to Environmental Policy, Introduction to Environmental Planning, Environmental Policy: Theory, Methods and Projects und Project in Environmental Planning Credit points: 10 CP Term paper (approx. 6,000 words) Module: Environment, Climate and Energy Governance Admission requirements: successful completion of the modules: Introduction to Environmental Policy, Introduction to Environmental Planning, Environmental Policy: Theory, Methods and Projects und Project in Environmental Planning Credit points: 10 CP Term paper (approx. 6,000 words) Module: Vulnerability, Resilience and Catastrophe Admission requirements: successful completion of the modules: Introduction to Environmental Policy, Introduction to Environmental Planning, Environmental Policy: Theory, Methods and Projects und Project in Environmental Planning Credit points: 10 CP Term paper (approx. 6,000 words) Module: Internship in Environmental Policy and/or Planning Admission requirements: successful completion of the modules: Introduction to Environmental Policy, Introduction to Environmental Planning, Environmental Policy: Theory, Methods and Projects und Project in Environmental Planning Internship Colloquium Credit points: 10 CP Internship report (approx. 3,000 words)
Module: Environmental Assessment Oral examination (approx. 45 minutes) Module: Methods of Environmental Impact Assessment Written report (approx. 3,000 words) Module: Landscape Planning Oral examination (approx. 25 minutes) Module: Landscape Planning and Society Presentation (approx. 20 minutes) and term paper (approx. 2,500 words)
Module: Geoinformation Systems Poster presentation and presentation (approx. 30 minutes) Module: Remote Sensing in Environmental Planning Written examination (60 minutes) and written report (approx. 3,000 words) Module: Economic Analysis of Environmental Policies Oral examination (approx. 25 minutes) Module: International Environmental Policy Analysis Presentation (approx. 30 minutes) and written report (approx. 2,500 words)