Modulehandbook summary
DISCLAIMER: this guide was made by students for students! It might contain MISTAKES. You may use it as a GUIDE, but always check what is written in the official Modulehandbook and Prüfungsordnung.
Computational Linguistics Majors (BA)
Orientation exam (Orientierungsprüfung)
The following modules and courses are a part of your orientation exam and add up to 42 ECTS: Intro to CL{Intro to CL and DSA 1} Methods 1{Logic and Data Analysis (python)} Methods 2 Linguistics Fundamentals (Intro to GL) DSA 2
You have to finish these courses by your third semester as of the 2016 Prüfungsordnung (Examination Regulation).
DSA2 and Methods 2 are only available in the summer, so this might put a bit more pressure on you. If a retake exam is offered depends on the lecturer. If you cannot participate in the offered retake exam, you need to write the Prüfungsamt (Examination Office) why you could not participate and ask for an extension. (NOTE: There is no guarantee that you get an extension! Extensions are for emergencies.)
Intermediate exam (Zwischenprüfung)
The following courses are a part of your intermediate exam and add up to 42 ECTS:
- Text Technology
- DSA 3
- Parsing
- SNLP
- Grammar Formalisms
There are also 27 ECTS from the Linguistics section that are a part of the intermediate exam, see next section.
This has to be finished by your 6th semester.
Wahlpflichtbereich 39 ECTS
27 ECTS are part of the Intermediate exam and 12 ECTS part Bachelor Exam.
There are four courses for the Intermediate Exam: Phonetics and Phonology, Syntax and Semantics, Semantics and Pragmatics and Psycholinguistics. Each of these is worth 9 ECTS. You have to pass at least two of the following:
- Phonetics and Phonology
- Syntax and Semantics
- Semantics and Pragmatics
Psycholinguistics does not fall under those three!
To finish the Bachelor Exam of your minor, you must complete ONE of the 12 ECTS Modules. A Module once opened has to be closed! Even if you have 39 ECTS, you will not pass the Wahlpflichtbereich.
There are three further modules that would get you to the final amount of 39 ECTS. You do not need to fill all of them. Variation, Evolution and Change {Graded 6 ECTS, Ungraded 6 ECTS} Language and Cognition {Graded 6 ECTS, Ungraded 6 ECTS} Language Use {Graded 6 ECTS, Ungraded 3ECTS}
Bachelor Modules (36 ECTS):
The following three modules are part of the Bachelor Modules:
- the internship Module (9 ECTS)
- the Specialization Module (15 ECTS: 9 graded, 6 ungraded)
- Thesis (12 ECTS)
The Internship (9 ECTS)
You can apply for an Internship (Praktikum) or get a Hiwi/Werkstudenten Job (Working Student). You have to complete at least 190 hours of programming, HTML and CSS do not count. At the end, you have to write a 10-page report and hold a 10-minute presentation about it. The presentations are taking place once per semester.
You are advised to check your email regularly because the lecturers sometimes send job offers from other institutes. There is also a list of jobs currently available on our website.
The Specialization Module (15 ECTS)
Consists of:
- 9 ECTS graded
- 6 ECTS ungraded You have to write a graded paper in this module!
Thesis (12 ECTS)
You can only start the thesis you have completed everything else; meaning you need 168 ECTS. It is recommended to choose courses from the specialization module to find topics that interest you. Many people found their Bachelor Advisor by doing that. Your advisor has to have a PhD, except in some special cases (but you have to request it beforehand and has to be approved). After you register your thesis, you have 9 weeks to write 20 - 25 pages.
The thesis makes up 20% of your final grade.
Computational Linguistics Minors (BA)
Orientation exam (Orientierungsprüfung)
The following modules and courses are a part of your orientation exam and add up to 12 ECTS: Intro to CL{} or DSA 2
The Orientation Exam is only one module: Either pass the intro to CL module which is DSA1 and Intro to CL or DSA2. It is strongly recommended passing the orientation exam with intro with CL because if you don’t pass DSA1 you can’t take DSA2.
Intermediate exam (Zwischenprüfung):
The following modules and courses are a part of your orientation exam and add up to 27 ECTS: Methods 1 {Logic and Data Analysis}, Linguistics Fundamentals (Intro to GL) Text Technology ISCL-BANF-01 {Parsing and SNLP} Grammar Formalisms
Bachelor Exam
The Specialization Module is 9 points, but you have to do it in one go. Meaning you can’t take two Hauptseminars but one which is normally a Project with a paper for 9 credit points.
General Linguistics Majors (BA)
Orientierungsprüfung:
Linguistics Fundamentals (Intro to GL) Methods 1 {Logic and Data Analysis} Methods 2 Problem → Methods 2 is only available in the summer so this will put a bit more pressure on you. If a retake exam is offered depends on the lecturer. If you cant participate in the offered retake exam, you need to write the Prüfungsamt (Examination Office) why you couldn’t participate and ask for an extension. (NOTE: There is no guarantee that you get an extension! Extensions are for emergencies)
The intermediate Exam (Zwischenprüfung):
Phonetics and Phonology (9 ECTS) Syntax and Semantics (9 ECTS) Psycholinguistics (9 ECTS) Semantics and Pragmatics (9 ECTS) The intermediate Exam is a little less stressful compared to the Orientation exam since you start it in your second semester. The recommended order is Phonetics and Phonology, then Syntax and Semantics and Psycholinguistics and Semantics and Pragmatics in your fourth semester. But if you want you can swap the time of Phonetics and Phonology and Semantics and Pragmatics or Psycholinguistics and Syntax and Semantics since you have technically 4 semesters to pass it. This info might be helpful if a mandatory module of your minor is in the way.
Bachelor Exam:
Variation, Evolution and Change{12 ECTS} Language and Cognition {12 ECTS} Language Use {6 ECTS}: Each Semester has several Seminars that are offered that have either a number code in accordance with the Module Handbook or shortcuts with the Module Names (08 being Variation, 9 Language Cog, and 10 being Language Use). Each Module is like this : 6 ECTS graded and 6 ECTS ungraded (expect Language Use where it is 3 ECTS ungraded). The grade is 100% the 6 ECTS grade but will be counted as 12 so choose wisely. These modules can be started at any given time, so if you see a Seminar that you fancy even thought you’re not done with the Orientation nor Intermediate exam, you can still give it a go!
Thesis (12 ECTS):
Like CL bachelors it is between 20 and 25 pages and makes 20% of your bachelor grade where 80% is what you accumulated during your Bachelors. Your advisor needs to be at least a Dr. It is possible to write the Thesis a bit earlier as a GL student, but that depends on what your minor says.
General Linguistics Minors (BA)
Please read the CL Major guide (GL sections) for more info, since you do the same courses and have the set rules.
Computational Linguistics Masters (MA)
The Master in CL is composed of 6 Modules, which are conveniently named MA-01 to MA-06. They are all 15 ECTS where 9 ECTS is graded and 6 ECTS is ungraded except for the masters which is 30 ECTS. It is possible to do multiple seminars in 3 ECTS bits but keep in mind that you will do a lot more course work compared to 6 ECTS. The Master in CL is very flexible. Assuming you have a bachelor in CL, the only requirement you have to face is 45 ECTS in Core CL Courses. It is possible to do an internship, but that needs to be discussed with the MA advisor (currently Cagri Cöltekin).
If your bachelor’s is only partially related to CL, you’ll have some admission requirements. These are normally the bachelor modules: Intro to CL, DSA 1, DSA2, Grammar Formalisms, SNLP1,SNLP2, a 9 ECTS Linguistics course. Finish these as soon as possible. The Thesis makes 40% of your total grade and should be around 60–100 Pages. Where will be an oral exam after handing in your thesis.
General Linguistics Masters (MA)
There are three big topics in your masters called “Basics & Trends “, “Research Topics” and “Research Apprenticeships”. All Seminars offered in the department offer between 3 and 6 ECTS. Rarely 9 and 12. Meaning, you will have to complete at least 2 seminars to finish one module. It is possible to do an Internship in your Masters, but you need to talk first with the MA Advisor. The name of the current advisor can be found here: The first topic are the modules ASW-MA-01 Linguistic Basics,ASW-MA-05 Research Trends I and ASW-MA-06Research Trends II. You have to do two of them so that you will have 24 ECTS. The next topic, “Research Topic” are ASW-MA-02 Language Variation & Change, ASW-MA-03 Language Structure and ASW-MA-04 Language Processing all for 12 ECTS each. Last but not least is Research Apprenticeships where you have to choose three of the following modules (all 12 ECTS) : ASW-MA-07 Language Variation & Change A ASW-MA-08 Language Variation & Change B ASW-MA-09 Language Structure A ASW-MA-10 Language Structure B ASW-MA-11 Language Processing A 1-3 12 ASW-MA-12 Language Processing B This should leave you with 96 ECTS. The Thesis in GL is 24 ECTS and, like every Thesis in this Department, your advisor needs to be at least a Dr. The Thesis should be around 60 to 100 Pages. The Thesis Module itself is 65% the written Thesis and 35% the oral exam following after handing in your Thesis. Your general grade will be 60% of the modules you have completed in your degree, and the Thesis Grade being 40%
Last updated: 06-DEC-2025