Englisches Seminar

FAQ

For first-step FAQs see the ZDV-alma pages.

1. What is a parallel group? The term "parallel group" is an alma term for alternative sessions. These sessions may be held by different tutors and take place at different times, but do not differ in content and belong all to the same main course (seminar or lecture).
2. What is the difference between a parallel group and a course?

A parallel group is the concrete instance of a course, i. e. a parallel group contains information about the time and the location of a particular course. For example: the lecture "Introduction to Cultural Studies" takes place every semester, but may take place in a different room, at different times and with a different lecturer each term. The course content may also slighty vary. Hence: the parallel group(s) for the lecture differ each term, but the course as such (type of the course, course title, type of exam at the end of the course) does not. Every course has to have at least one parallel group, but may have more than one.

See entry "What is a parallel group".
3. I have enrolled for a course. Do I still need to register for the exam?

Yes. Courses and exams are two distinct entities. They are linked in the sense that courses are assigned to exams. This is indicated by the exam number in the name of a course group. A course may belong to more than one course group and thus be linked to more than one exam.

You have to enroll in a course in order to gain admission and you have to register for and pass an associated exam in order to receive credit for the course.
4. I have enrolled for a course in the wrong module. Can I still get the credits in the correct module? It depends, see also FAQ 5. Course enrollment and exam registration are indendent of each other. A course may be assigned to more than one module and you can register for any exam in any module to which the course is assigned, irrespective of the module in which you enrolled. However, you cannot pick and choose the module of your preference. Students cannot change module assignments.
5. I have registered for the wrong exam? Can I change my exam registration? It depends. As indicated above, a course may be linked to more than one exam in more than one module. You can register for any exam associated with a course. But: you cannot register for an exam that is not associated with the course for which you want to receive credit.
6. Can students see a list of all their exam registrations?

Yes, students can see and download a list of exam registrations (referred to as enrollments in alma).  The listing can be viewed at My Studies > Enrollments
7. I do not see an Apply-button. The official enrollment or registration period has not yet started or is already expired. The Apply-button is only visible during the enrollment and registration periods.
8. I have missed the deadline for course enrollment. What can I do? Students who miss the deadline for enrollment need to contact the lecturer of the course they wish to attend.
9. I have missed the deadline for exam registration. What can I do?

Students who have missed the registration deadline need to write and sign an informal letter to the examination office of the faculty, asking for subsequent registration. The letter must include the following details:

  • student's full name
  • matriculation number
  • study program
  • course title, name of the lecturer and the semester of the course(s) in question
  • name of the module
  • reason for not having registered in time

The letter should be addressed to:

Universität Tübingen

Prüfungsamt der Philosophischen Fakultät

Vorsitzender des Prüfungsausschusses

Keplerstr. 2

72074 Tübingen

The letter may either be sent by post or as scancopy by email to paspam prevention@philosophie.uni-tuebingen.de
10. If I am unable to take an exam for which I have registered, what should I do?

You need to withdraw from the exam. As long as you are registered for an exam you will not be able to register for this exam in alma in a later semester. The best option is to withdraw using alma within the official registration/withdrawal period. Students who missed the official deadline for withdrawing, need to contact the exam office (paspam prevention@philosophie.uni-tuebingen.de) As per examination regulations students have the right to withdraw without giving reasons up to and including one working day (excluding Saturdays) before the first day of the examination. In the case of oral examinations, the withdrawal must be declared no later than three working days (excluding Saturdays) before the day of the examination in question.

Please note: as a rule it is not possible to withdraw after the exam date. In this case a failed attempt will be posted in the system.
11. When I want to register, I get a message that I am already admitted. But I have not registered in the current term.

The system remembers registrations in past semesters. You cannot register twice for the same exam. You can see the registration status for each exam in the overview of the study planner. What matters is the status that is displayed for a particular examination element on the same line as the element.

See screenshot.

If you do not intend to take the exam for which you previously registered, you must ask the examination office to de-register you. Please note: this may be recorded as failed attempt.

We strongly advise you to only register for an exam if you seriously intend to take the exam. If you are unable to take the exam you should sign out during the withdrawal period.
12. My course is not listed under the exam I wish to take. This happens when the course has not been linked to the exam that you wish to register for. In this case please contact the academic advisor (Studienfachberater) of your study program to enquire if a course credit can be acknowledged for this exam. If yes, then the lecturer of the course will have to issue a paper certificate. The student has to submit the certificate to the academic advisor to acknowledge the course work and then the certificate needs to be submitted to the examination office so that the valuation can be entered in alma.
13. I attend a course that is offered by another department and I want to take the exam and receive credits for my study program. Can I register for the exam in alma? It depends. If the course has been exported to your own study program then you will see the course in your study study planner in alma and the registration procedure is the same as explained above. If the course has not been exported, then the lecturer will need to issue a paper certificate which - in most cases - needs to be acknowledged by the academic advisor of your own study program and then submitted to the examinations office responsible for your study program.
14. When do I still need a paper certificate ("Papierschein")?

A paper cerificate will be required, if

  • you have attended a course of another department / study program and the course has not been exported to your own study program
  • you have attended a course that is not linked to the exam for which you wish to be credited.
  • if you have attended a course that you wish to be credited as a key qualification (Schlüsselqualifikation).

In all above-mentioned cases you will have to submit the paper certificate to your academic advisor to have the course achievement acknowledged as needed. With this acknowledgement you can submit the paper certificate to the examination office that is responsible for your study program.
15. I need to apply for a graded exam and an ungraded exam that both belong to the same course. Is this possible?

Yes. Students may have to complete modules that consist of a seminar with a graded exam and an ungraded element, e. g. a workgroup or a study project that belongs to the seminar. In these cases one course is linked to two exams within one module and students can (and should) register for both, the graded and the ungraded exam.

If you encounter a situation where this is technically not possible, please contact amerikanistik@uni-tuebingen.de
16. I need to take an exam that covers the content of two courses, usually a seminar and a lecture. Do I only need to register for the course, whose lecturer takes the exam? No. In the case of joint exams, you need to register for the graded AND the ungraded exam linked to the courses on which you are examined. Only then will you receive credits for the module. Examples: Focus Modules Literary and Cultural Studies in the BA English and American Studies, Focus Module Themes in the BA Interdisciplinary American Studies.
17. How do I access my transcript of records? Go to My studies > My achievements in your planner of studies. Select the study program for which you wish to download the transcript and select all semesters that should be included. At the bottom of the page you will see the download links for all available versions of the transcript. See sreenshot.
18. When registering for an exam, I find the display of courses confusing. Can I hide them?

Yes, you can. On the top right corner in the menu bar of the study planner you see two eye-icons that allow you to either hide lectures (=courses) or hide exams. Click on Hide lectures if you just want to see courses.