Recognition of examination performances
On request, examination performances achieved elsewhere can be recognised at the Folkwang University of the Arts provided that no significant difference exists in relation to the competences acquired. These performances can have been acquired:
- at a previous study course at a different state or officially recognised university in Germany or abroad
- during an integrated study course at a foreign university (e.g. via ERASMUS+)
- in other study courses at our university
- at non-university institutions (e.g. an orchestra)
Once the verifications of the examination performances eligible for accreditation are available, the application shall be submitted without delay to the examinations committee.
An application for recognition of examination performances is no longer possible,
- as soon as the student is in the examination proceedings with the university for the respective module (i.e. has registered to take the exam).
- if the student has failed the module in the final attempt of all possible repetitions.
Framework conditions for a recognition process
The framework conditions for a recognition process are laid down in § 17 of the General Examination Regulations for the study courses at the Folkwang University of the Arts (Nr. 344) as well as the study course-specific examination regulations.
In line with the Lisbon Convention ("Agreement on the recognition of qualifications in the field of higher education in the European region”) and based on § 55a of the Art Universities Act of NRW academic performances shall be recognised provided that no significant difference exists in relation to the competences acquired. Indicators for the determination are: learning outcomes (competences acquired), level (in relation to assigning the Bachelor/Master level), workload (time scale to be expended for events, here ECTS serve as a guideline), as well as the profile of the study course.
So far as agreements and conventions of the Federal Republic of Germany with other states on equivalences in the higher education sector (Equivalency Agreements) favour students of foreign states, the provisions of the Equivalency Agreements will take precedence. The applicant has to hand in all the necessary documents with the application for recognition of examination performances.
On application, proficiencies and qualifications acquired outside of higher educational institutes can be credited to university studies on the basis of documents submitted, provided that these proficiencies and qualifications are equivalent in content and level to the examination performances that they are intended to replace. The extent of the volume of qualifications thereby recognised may not exceed half of the ECTS-credits required for completing the relevant study course.
Enrolment as a requirement
Please note that an application for the recognition of examination performances can only be made if you are a student enroled at the Folkwang University of the Arts. Applicants from the field of Music, who are only entitled to reduced lessons – due to previously having received university individual tuition in artistic subjects on another basis, can already submit their application for recognition of the other examination performances following acceptance of a study place. Please bear in mind that we cannot check possible recognitions of students applying for a study course with us in advance.
ECTS-credits / Grades conversion
When recognising an academic performance, the ECTS-credits are registered in the amount of the corresponding examination performances of the study course at the Folkwang University of the Arts and allocated to the respective module or sub-module, provided that it can be determined that the learning objectives have been achieved in full and assigned to the module (or sub-module) concerned. If examination performances are recognised, then the grades of nationally attained performances are accepted and included in the calculation of the overall grade. The grades of examination performances from abroad will not be converted; the note "passed" will be specified.
If the module has been accepted with the specification “passed”, the course study plan though stipulates a graded examination performance, this performance will not be included in the calculation of the overall grade.
Higher study semester admission
On the basis of the recognition, the classification can ensue into a higher study semester, whose number is the result of the extent of the ECTS-credits acquired by the recognition in relation to the overall extent of the ECTS-credits acquirable in the respective study course in total. If the decimal place is smaller than 5, it will be rounded down to the whole semester, else it will be rounded up. The applicant can request the classification into a higher study semester when making the application for the recognition of examination performances.
The entitlement provided for in the course study plan to major subject instruction in the artistic major and subsidiary subject is accordingly reduced, if the students have already taken a study course in the same artistic major and subsidiary subject (or instrument/s). The reduction of the major subject instruction ensues to the extent of the already claimed major subject instruction taking into account the equivalence of competence-oriented learningresults. For this purpose, verification of the major subject instruction already received shall be submitted together with the application for participation in the aptitude test. Upon request, other examination performances already acquired can be recognised in the usual procedure.
The procedure of the recognition process
If you would like to have examination performances from other study courses credited, then it is necessary for a recognition process to be undertaken. The respective examinations committee is responsible for the recognition process. The procedure for the recognition process is as follows:
1. The applicant obtains all the necessary verifications.
2. The applicant completes the application form (with the help of Folkwang advisers – if necessary) by comparing their performances acquired with the semester schedule and the module catalogue of the study course, for which they wish to have their performances recognised.
2a. Applicants of Faculty 2 have to meet with the study programme coordinator of the study programme for which examination performances should be accredited for a personal consultation. The study programme coordinator subsequently confirms his/her approval of the recognition with his/her signature on the application form.
2b. Applicants from Faculty 4 have to consult the respective teaching staff, for whose (sub-)modules they wish the performances to be recognised. The teaching staff then confirm their endorsement of the recognition by signing the recognition application.
3. The applicant submits the application for recognition and copies of the verifications required by the date due to the relevant Examinations Office. If there is any doubt as to the authenticity of the achievement certificate, then the original will be requested. We recommend that you keep a copy of the application for recognition for your records.
4. The relevant faculty examinations committee will check the application and make a decision at its next meeting.
5. The administration department of the examinations committees will inform the applicant of the result in writing.
6. The Examinations Office will document the ensued recognition in the Transcript of Records.
Verification of examination performances achieved
As verification of the examination performances achieved, you have to present official transcripts of records or other official confirmations (with stamp and signature) of the institution, at which you achieved the performances. Furthermore, you must also provide verification of the tuition content, the scope (e.g. semester period per week, number and hourly duration of orchestral performances) and the competences acquired. Suitable verifications are, say, module/seminar descriptions of the courses, which you would like to be credited. If no such descriptions exist, then you are obliged to acquire comparable verifications, from which it is possible to derive the abilities and knowledge acquired (e.g. course documentation, work results, study profile description). Should a different than the German grading system be employed in your certificates then please also include a description of the grading system used. The verifications shall be presented in the German language or in a language recognised by the examinations committee.
Advice on the recognition process
The Student Advisory Service would be delighted to give you general advice on the recognition process and help you to complete the application.
For a subject-related assessment of the recognisability of your performances, please contact the person responsible for your study course or teaching staff of the individual courses.
Application deadlines and dates of meetings
The examinations committees generally meet twice per semester. Applications have to be submitted not later than two weeks before the date of the meeting. Exceptions in the case of newly enroled students are possible. The dates of the meeting will be announced on the website of the administration department of the examinations committee.
Special features in the recognition of academic performances obtained abroad under ERASMUS+ (Learning Agreement)
If you study at a partner university abroad for one to two semesters under the ERASMUS+ Programme, then you have to clarify beforehand the possible recognition of your examination performances to be acquired during your study abroad with the responsible Folkwang examinations committee and record them in the Learning Agreement document. This binding confirmation of the possible recognition by the home university – in the form of the signature of the Chair of the Examination Committee – will provide you with planning security.
Before the signing by the Chair of the Examination Committee, students of Faculty 4 have to consult the individual teaching staff, for whose (sub-)modules they wish performances to be recognised, and obtain the signature of the individual teaching staff on a copy of the completed learning agreement next to the lecture concerning them in Table B for the purpose of confirming that they endorse the recognition.
Following the study abroad, you can decide whether or not you wish the examination performances acquired abroad to be recognised. If you decide for a recognition, then please submit the application for recognition (together with the verifications required) to the Examinations Office responsible. The recognition of courses already confirmed in the learning agreement is merely a formality.
More information on the ERASMUS+ Programme is available in the International Office.