School of Business and Economics

Why are changes to exam regulations necessary?

Quality assurance in the framework of system accreditation

The university is system-accredited and thus responsible for quality assurance of its study programs. The last accreditation of the study programs at the School of Business and Economics took place in 2017/2018. Now the School went through the process of re-accreditation in 2023: On the one hand, there are certain formal requirements which need to be implemented and on the other hand, the process offers the opportunity to introduce improvements. Students have also been involved! They provided valuable feedback as part of the 2022 study program evaluation with a questionnaire and in round table discussions with the program coordinators. Revisions were developed in task forces at the department, during numerous discussions in various statutory bodies, and via expert opinions. Subsequently, the study program documents were revised. The new examination regulations went into effect on October 1, 2023.

Students who are already studying at the School can either stay in their examination regulations and finish their studies or switch to a new examination regulation. To change examination regulations, a written application must be submitted to the Examination Office by November 30, 2023, if possible (by March 31, 2024, at the latest). After March 31, 2024 switching into the examination regulations 2024 will not be possible anymore. Detailed study plans can be found in the new module handbooks, which are available for download. Attention! The regulations as described here apply to students of the new examination regulations, i.e. first-year students from winter semester 2023/24 or students switching to the new system! What are the most important changes? The following is a list for the individual study programs:

M.Sc. European Management

When switching to the new examination regulations 2023, the following changes apply:

  • As before, students choose 1-3 specializations depending on the variant (1st semester in Tübingen or at the partner university) according to the specifications in the module handbook and take a core module for 9 ECTS in each selected specialization. Depending on the variant, a certain number of ECTS credits must be taken in the specialization areas in addition to the basic modules. Students are free to choose how many ECTS they would like to acquire in which of the selected specialization areas. The PO 2023 does not specify how many ECTS are to be acquired in which specialization area, i.e. it is also possible to specialize in only one area by taking additional courses.
  • To complete the program with the additional entry “with PhD-orientation” in the degree certificate, it is sufficient that students complete 18 ECTS in modules outside the Core Studies that are marked as PhD-oriented in the module handbook or Alma. The additional requirements of a publishable M.Sc. thesis and a public presentation of the thesis will no longer be upheld.

M.Sc. Economics and Finance

When switching to the new examination regulations 2023, the following changes apply:

  • Students will be able to take 27 ECTS in the Free Elective Studies. All courses from the School of Business and Economics as well as from the handbook for external courses are eligible for these credits. The previous separation into Elective Studies Economics, Elective Studies Econometrics etc. will not be continued in the new PO 2023 in favor of these unified Free Elective Studies.
  • To complete the program with the additional entry “with PhD-orientation” in the degree certificate, it is sufficient that students complete 27 ECTS in modules outside the Core Studies that are marked as PhD-oriented in the module handbook or Alma. The additional requirements of a publishable M.Sc. thesis and a public presentation of the thesis will no longer be upheld.

M.Sc. Economics

When switching to the new examination regulations 2023, the following changes apply:

  • The M.Sc. Economics can be completed with one of three specialization tracks with interdisciplinary course options. The available specialization tracks are
    • Economic History and Development
    • Empirical Methods and Data Analysis
    • International Economics
  • If a specialization track is chosen, the M.Sc. certificate will state the track in the form “M.Sc. Economics with Track [chosen track]”.
  • The previously separate areas “Specialization Studies Applied Economics”, “Specialization Studies Economic Theory”, “Elective Studies Economics”, “Elective Studies Finance”, “Elective Studies Econometrics” and “Elective Studies International Economics” are integrated into a unified area “Economics, Econometrics & Finance” in which students are able to choose freely from courses in these three fields.
  • Students who choose either of the three specialization tracks complete between 21 and 30 ECTS credits in their track modules and between 21 and 39 ECTS credits in the “Economics, Econometrics & Finance” modules.
    • In the track Economic History and Development, students choose between 18 and 27 ECTS credits from the compulsory track modules and between 3 and 12 ECTS credits from the elective track modules
    • In the track Empirical Methods and Data Analysis students choose between 21 and 30 ECTS credits from the elective track modules.
    • In the track International Economics students choose between 18 and 27 ECTS credits from the compulsory track modules and between 3 and 12 ECTS credits from the elective track modules.
  • In total, students have to complete at least 51 ECTS credits from the track modules and the “Economics, Econometrics & Finance” modules.
  • Alternatively, the M.Sc. in Economics can be studied as an extensive and very flexible program in Economics with the "no track option". Students who choose to study the program without a track complete at least 51 ECTS credits in the “Economics, Econometrics & Finance” modules.
  • The M.Sc. thesis is reduced from 30 ECTS to 24 ECTS
  • To complete the program with the additional entry “with PhD-orientation” in the degree certificate, it is sufficient that students complete 27 ECTS in modules outside the Core Studies that are marked as PhD-oriented in the module handbook or Alma. The additional requirements of a publishable M.Sc. thesis and a public presentation of the thesis will no longer be upheld.

M.Sc. International Economics

  • In the M.Sc. International Economics, no new applications will be accepted beginning in winter semester 2023/24. Applicants who are interested in International Economics are directed towards the newly established specialization track International Economics within the M.Sc. Economics.

M.Sc. European Economics

When switching to the new examination regulations 2023, the following changes apply:

  • To complete the program with the additional entry “with PhD-orientation” in the degree certificate, it is sufficient that students complete 18 ECTS in modules outside the Core Studies that are marked as PhD-oriented in the module handbook or Alma. The additional requirements of a publishable M.Sc. thesis and a public presentation of the thesis will be dropped.

M.Sc. Management and Economics

When switching to the new examination regulations 2023, the following changes apply:

  • To complete the program with the additional entry “with PhD-orientation” in the degree certificate, it is sufficient that students complete 12 ECTS in modules outside the Core Studies that are marked as PhD-oriented in the module handbook or Alma. The additional requirements of a publishable M.Sc. thesis and a public presentation of the thesis will be dropped.