Exchange semester and internships
Auslandssemester und Praktika
Here you can find information about the opportunities and duties regarding stays abroad and internships in the degree programs at our faculty.
Bachelor Architecture
Mobility Semester Bachelor Architecture
A compulsory mobility semester is planned in the 3rd year of study (usually in the 5th semester). It can be completed either as a semester abroad (study visit to a university abroad) or as a practical work placement (internship) in Germany or abroad. Internships are therefore also possible in an architectural office in the local area, e.g. in Erfurt, Jena or Weimar.
The mobility semester is concluded with a documentation. This final report and the preparation for the mobility are assessed to the extent of 3 CP.
Study achievements at another university in Germany or abroad must comprise at least 21 CP and a maximum of 27 CP. This includes a design work with at least 9 CP.
An internship is recognized as coursework, provided that at least 21 CP are proven by the hours worked. 30 working hours correspond to 1 CP. A maximum of 27 CP can be recognized as coursework.
In order for the internship to be recognized, a signed certificate from the internship office is required, on which the type of activity and the hours worked are noted. The internship can be completed in the following typical fields of activity of an architect:
- Basic evaluation / strategic planning
- Preliminary design planning / preliminary studies
- Design planning / project planning
- Approval planning / project submission
- Implementation and detailed planning
- Tendering and awarding
- Project supervision / site management
- Project supervision and documentation
Of these 8 fields of activity, work in at least 4 areas must be verified by the internship office.
Students can propose an internship themselves. This must be discussed with the potential internship provider (architecture firm, etc.) and then confirmed by a professor from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism on the mobility registration form (see below). A contact list of possible internship offices can be found on Moodle under the course/room name “Internships in the Bachelor of Architecture mobility semester”.
Advertised internship positions can also be found on the message board or the Careers Service job portal.
Procedure and Preparation
1) Before the start of the partial study program or internship, an application for mobility must be submitted to the Examination Office (by post, by dropping it in the white mailbox in front of the Dean's Office, by e-mail to pruefungsamt@archit.uni-weimar.de). In the case of an internship or part of a degree program at a host university with which no partnership agreement exists (free mover), confirmation must be obtained from a professor. The following form must be used for this purpose:
- Registration mobility (at the Examination Office)
2.) Proof of the duration and content of the internship is provided by the Internship Office. The internship must take place under the supervision of an architect / chamber member authorized to submit building plans (or equivalent according to the regulations of the respective country). The following form is to be used as proof:
Recognition of the mobility semester
After completing the mobility, a report on the experience gained, including brief documentation of a project completed during the internship or part of the course, must be prepared.
- Submission of experience report (after semesters abroad, you must also submit a report to the International Office)
In order for the internship to be recognized as academic achievement, confirmation must be obtained from the supervising professor. For this purpose, the experience report and the internship certificate (according to point 2.) must be submitted. The following form is to be used for confirmation by the professor:
After the partial study program, the "Certificate of Partial Study Program" (see below) must be submitted to the professorship that originally nominated the student for the partial study program. The completed experience report (including project documentation), the learning agreement, the transcript of records and any other required evidence/documents must be submitted to the professorship as attachments. The professorship certifies all partial achievements completed during the mobility semester on the form mentioned. The additional signature of a suitable design professor with regard to the subject matter of the design taken in the partial study program must only be obtained in the event that the "sending professor" or the supervisor for the partner university is a lecturer who is not able to assess the design (e.g. a purely academic, non-design person).
Options: be elsewhere for longer
In addition to the mandatory mobility semester, it is possible to use an additional semester for an internship or (extended) partial studies. This makes it possible, for example, to study abroad for a full year. For the semester that is not the mobility semester, a semester of leave can be applied for at the Campus.Office (also possible online). Please note: Credit points (CP) can be awarded for partial studies abroad during a further, voluntary semester abroad (e.g. recognition of a draft as a 5th core module), but not for a voluntary internship. An internship can only be credited towards the degree program if it is completed as a mobility semester.
Automatic re-registration for examinations in BISON also takes place during a registered semester of leave, so that participation in subsequent and repeat examinations is possible. As in regular semesters, students can withdraw from examinations in BISON within the deadlines set for this purpose. The deadlines can be viewed online on the website of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism.
For voluntary semesters abroad, there are no additional 3 CP for the preparation and follow-up of the mobility. As part of the recognition process, individual courses from abroad are assigned 1:1 to courses (subjects, teaching areas) in the Bachelor's degree program in Architecture: Only courses that are provided for in the curriculum according to the study and examination regulations, that are equivalent in terms of teaching content and scope and that have not already been completed by the student can be credited.
It is not possible to retroactively swap courses that have already been completed with courses abroad, even if the grades from abroad are better.
The 5th core module can be taken abroad, but the thesis must be written in Weimar.
Follow-up and repeat examinations during the mobility semester
As the mobility semester counts as a regular semester, BISON automatically re-registers students for examinations that they did not take in semesters prior to the mobility semester (illness, withdrawal) or that they did not pass. Students therefore have the opportunity to take re-examinations and repeat examinations that take place during the mobility semester. This is useful, for example, if a semester abroad or internship ends well before the start of examinations in Weimar. If this is not the case, or if students would prefer to take subsequent or repeat examinations in a later semester, students must remember to withdraw from the examinations in BISON themselves. Please note the deadlines provided for this (available online on the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Studies website).
Internships before your studies, during the semester break or as a job during the first semester
If you have already completed an internship in an architecture firm before your studies, this cannot be recognized as a mobility semester for your studies. The same applies if you work in an office during the semester break or if you work in an office throughout your studies: All these variants - and similar constructions - cannot be recognized as mobility semesters for your studies.
This is because the mobility semester is an independent, closed semester, the learning objectives of which can only be achieved if students already have a range of basic subject knowledge acquired in the previous semesters.
For this reason, the mobility semester - as an internship in Germany or abroad or as a semester abroad at a partner university - is usually completed in the 5th semester. Occasionally, some students postpone it to the 6th semester. In exceptional cases, it can also be completed in the 4th semester.
In terms of time, the mobility semester does not have to coincide exactly with the lecture period of a semester; it can even cross semester boundaries as long as the core phase (main period) is within a semester. This means, for example, that an internship or a semester abroad can start in September or even at the beginning of November, and end in December if it starts early, or at the end of March if it starts later.
In addition, for quality assurance purposes, the approval of one of our faculty's design professors for the internship you have found is required before the start of the mobility semester (see above).
Finally, certain tasks must be fulfilled during the internship if it is to be recognized as a mobility semester (see above).
What is possible, however, is that you can ask a design professor at our faculty before the start of the 5th semester whether you can obtain approval for an internship in an office where you have already been working. If you receive this approval and you continue to work in the office in the 5th (or 6th) semester, your work in the office can be recognized as a mobility semester - always provided that you are allowed to work in the above-mentioned areas of responsibility in the office and the duration of the internship is sufficient for recognition (see above).
If an office cannot offer to employ you for the sufficient duration of the mobility semester, you may exceptionally complete the internship in two different offices. In this case, you must first obtain the approval of a design professor from our faculty for each office. You are free to choose which design professorship you approach. However, you should obtain the approval of the same professor for both offices. The hours worked in both offices will be added together at the end of both internships and converted into credit points (CP; credits) by the professorship. 30 working hours correspond to 1 CP. A maximum of 27 CP can be credited. There should be no more than 40 working hours per week in one office.
FAQs - Answers to frequently asked questions and further information
Number of courses to be taken or credits to be earned (according to ECTS)
A maximum of 27 credit points (CP; credits according to ECTS) can be recognized in the mobility semester of the Bachelor of Architecture. In addition, 3 points for the preparation and follow-up of the mobility are credited to the degree program. The minimum is 21 CP/credits (according to ECTS), which must be completed during the semester abroad (plus the 3 points for preparation and follow-up work). This range of 21-27 CP takes account of different local conditions and also aspects such as language requirements.
However, it should be noted that if less than 30 CP (27 + 3 CP) are completed during the mobility semester, the difference must be compensated for by additional courses in the compulsory elective area. Any missing design work must be completed in the form of a core module. "Surplus" credits in the compulsory elective area from the semesters before the mobility semester can be taken into account. In most cases, however, the missing 30 CP points are completed after the mobility semester.
If the partner university stipulates in its plans that you must complete three additional credits, i.e. 30 ECTS credits, instead of the maximum 27 credits required (according to ECTS), then this applies. This is because we cannot impose any requirements on our partner universities.
In some countries (e.g. Sweden), it is common practice that all exchange students from all countries must take 30 ECTS credits - regardless of how many credits they actually need for their home university. These are the rules of the game. The same applies to the requirement to take certain courses: If the partner university restricts the choice of courses for Erasmus/exchange students or requires them to take certain courses, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar cannot influence this. Otherwise, your study and examination regulations for the Bachelor of Architecture give you a great deal of freedom in terms of course selection during the mobility semester, as long as the courses are essentially in the field of architecture and include a design for which you receive at least 9 credits (according to ECTS) (more on this and language courses below).
There is also no restriction on choosing courses from specific academic years or semesters, unless the partner university requires this. However, it is not recommended to take courses from the first year of study at the exchange university. Also, no courses from Master's degree programs can be credited for the mobility semester in Bachelor's Architecture, even if the exchange university allows Bachelor's students to participate in such courses.
What happens if I do not pass al courses?
If you do not pass all the courses you take at your partner university during the mobility semester, the following applies: Failed courses will not appear in your transcript of records at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, only the total number of credits passed. Grades are not transferred and are not converted accordingly. The courses to be credited must only be passed.
Furthermore, if you do not pass courses during your semester abroad, you can "make up" the missing credits in your degree program at the Bauhaus-Universität by taking courses from the compulsory elective area. If you do not pass the design abroad, you will have to take a design (core module) in Weimar.
Information on choosing courses, taking language courses and completing the Learning Agreement
The learning agreement is generally useful for clarifying the creditability of courses taken abroad for the degree program in which you are enrolled at your home university before the start of a semester abroad.
Here are some important tips for completing the Learning Agreement:
- Please enter: 1st cycle (or Bachelor) in the learning agreement under "study cycle".
- Academic Year: Enter the academic year in which your semester abroad takes place. The academic year begins with the winter semester of a given year. Example: the semester abroad takes place in winter semester 2021/22 or summer semester 2022, then in both cases the "academic year" is 2021/22.
- Field of education: 0731
- Faculty/Department: Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism.
As the contact person in the form (or in a portal for Online Learning Agreements), please enter the contact person responsible for your degree program for stays abroad at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. For the Bachelor of Architecture, this is the faculty's International Counsellor.
Table A of the learning agreement: Here you enter the courses you would like to take during your semester abroad at the partner university. At the beginning of the semester abroad, you can then use the "During the Mobility" part of the learning agreement if there are any deviations from the original study plan as per Table A. You should limit the choice of courses at the partner university to between 21 and 27 credits, whereby it is important that you take a draft with at least 9 credits (according to ECTS). It is also advisable to take courses (e.g. seminars, lectures) that match the content or methodology of the design topic, if this is possible. This is particularly important if the partner university only offers courses with fewer than 9 credits. In this case, the courses that match the design project in terms of content or methodology can fill up the number of design credits. If the partner university only offers design projects that run over two semesters (annual projects), please ask there whether you can receive part of the credit for your participation in the course after one semester.
If the partner university has not yet published a current course offer for the semester of your planned stay at the time when you should (or want to) complete the Learning Agreement, you can also enter courses that were offered at the partner university in the last or penultimate semester in Table A of the Learning Agreement. You can usually find lists of courses offered in previous semesters on the universities' websites. You can then later use the "During the Mobility" section of the learning agreement to enter the courses you actually took at the partner university.
Regarding Table B of the Learning Agreement: Courses at Bauhaus-Universität: In the Bachelor of Architecture, it is sufficient if you enter "mobility window" in the table, as you do not replace any specific courses at the BUW with specific courses abroad during the mobility semester (provided, however, that a draft with at least 9 ECTS is among the courses taken abroad). For Credits, write 21-27 and in another line of the table write "report (to be completed upon return to Weimar)" and in the same line for Credits the number 3, as you will receive three additional credit points for the experience report that you write after returning from the exchange semester. For the total number of credits at the bottom of the table, write 24-30.
A note on language courses:
During the mobility semester, a language course with up to 3 credit points (CP) can be included in the 21-27 CP you are expected to earn during the semester abroad. The prerequisite for credit transfer is that ECTS credits have been awarded for the course at the partner university, which have been certified on the transcript of records (= course/grade certificate from the partner university) or on a separate certificate.
Examples: If the partner university awards 2 ECTS credits for a language course, 2 ECTS credits can also be credited for the mobility semester. However, if the partner university awards 4 or more ECTS credits for language courses, a maximum of 3 ECTS credits can still be credited for the mobility semester. The language course should also be listed in the learning agreement signed by all parties.
The crediting of a language course with up to 3 CP is also possible if language courses have already been taken in Weimar or during another semester abroad.
A note on the format of Learning Agreements:
Learning Agreements are exchanged between you, the partner university and the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar partly in the form of PDFs (or similar file types). This is often done by e-mail, sometimes also by uploading PDFs to certain portals of partner universities. What is new in the Erasmus area is the growing use of portals through which so-called OLAs (Online Learning Agreements) are exchanged. See the Learning Agreement link.
You can also find a PDF template for a learning agreement under the link mentioned if you need one.
The mobility semester is a semester of study
As the mobility semester in the Bachelor of Architecture is a compulsory part of your studies, you cannot apply for a semester off for this period. It is a "normal" semester - and you must of course remain enrolled. This applies regardless of whether you complete the mobility semester in the form of an internship in Germany or abroad or whether you do it in the form of an exchange semester at another university. During the mobility semester, please also remember to re-register on time for the semester following your mobility semester.
As far as a possible reimbursement of the public transport part of your semester fee for the period of your mobility semester is concerned, please enquire online at the Campus.Office at: www.uni-weimar.de/de/universitaet/service/informationen-fuer-studierende
Presentations of the information event
For further information, please contact the faculty's International Counsellor: counsellor[at]archit.uni-weimar.de
Master Architecture
Master Architecture
During the Master's degree course in Architecture, it is possible to spend semesters abroad at universities as well as internships at home or abroad.
Both can take place as part of a voluntary semester abroad. Alternatively, a semester abroad can also be completed as a regular semester (see below). An additional semester as a semester of leave (for internship or study) can be applied for, for example to study abroad for a whole year.
Credit points (CP) can only be awarded in the Master's degree program in Architecture for partial studies abroad, but not for an internship.
For a voluntary semester abroad, the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism has not yet set a minimum number of credits to be earned. However, the partner or host university can specify a certain number of credit points (CP) to be taken per semester.
In the Master of Architecture, there are no additional 3 CP for the preparation and follow-up of the stay abroad.
Recognition of coursework completed abroad takes place upon application by the student after their return from abroad. The application must be submitted to the examination board responsible for the Master's degree program. It is recommended to prepare the application (digitally, by post or in person) with the contact person for semesters abroad in the Master's Architecture, Ms. Dipl.-Ing. Nicole Wichmann-Sperl (contact by e-mail: counsellor[at]archit.uni-weimar.de).
As part of the recognition process, individual courses from abroad are assigned 1:1 to courses (subjects, teaching areas) in the Master's degree program in Architecture. Only courses which are provided for in the curriculum according to the study and examination regulations, which are equivalent in terms of course content and scope and which have not already been completed by the student can be recognized.
A maximum of 1 design studio that has been completed at another faculty or university can be recognized, provided that a design has not already been completed at another faculty at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.]archit.uni-weimar.de).
Credits und Grades
“Credits” and grades from the semester abroad are transferred or converted according to generally applicable procedures; subsequent grading only takes place if no grades are awarded at a foreign university, but courses are only graded as ‘passed’. Courses assessed as “failed” abroad are also assessed as “failed”, i.e. they are not subsequently awarded credits and are not reassessed or upgraded. However, Master's Architecture students can choose in their application for recognition which of the courses taken abroad they would like to have credited to their studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
In order for a design studio to be recognized, a certificate of equivalency must be submitted, which is issued by a design professorship in the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism upon request by the student. To this end, students submit the design work they have completed at the partner university to the professorship, including the assessment they have received from the partner university on their transcript of records. Depending on the professorship and situation, this can also be done digitally, by post or during office hours. Students can contact a design professorship of their choice for this purpose.
The professorship is not obliged to issue the certificate; in particular, drafts that do not fit the subject area of a professorship can be returned for review by another professorship.
The following forms are required for recognition:
a) the application for recognition of academic achievements from abroad/ when changing degree programs (students should fill out the application in the header section themselves and also make entries in the left half of the table. The right half can be completed together with the contact person (Nicole Wichmann-Sperl) during the (digital) office hours).
b) the transcript of records of the foreign university, i.e. the overview of the courses taken by a student during a semester abroad, including credits and grades (Some host universities send the document to the students, others send it directly to the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar or to the International Office. The latter forwards incoming transcripts of records to the faculty).
c) a description of the courses taken abroad, e.g. from the (online) course catalog of the host university, from which the examination board can see the exact content of the courses taken at the host university. (If necessary, students can add their own explanations and work results to the application. Especially for course descriptions that are not written in German or English, students must enclose translations with the application. These can be translations they have produced themselves, including those that summarize the content of courses in abridged form. In cases of doubt, certified translations or summaries in German may be requested. Tip: Many foreign universities publish the course catalog in digital form in several languages, so that students only have to select the appropriate language in the menu).
d) The learning agreement, if one was required before you stay abroad.
If a design studio is to be recognized, additionally:
e) the application for equivalence assessment (in self-completed and signed form)
f) the certificate of equivalence (in a form already confirmed by a design professorship. Before students consult a professorship, they should already enter their personal details in the upper part of the form).
The application is submitted by the students to the examination board of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism responsible for their degree program. It is recommended to prepare the application (digitally, by post or in person) with the contact person for semesters abroad in the Master of Architecture, Ms. Dipl.-Ing. Nicole Wichmann-Sperl (contact by e-mail: counsellor[at]archit.uni-weimar.de)
In-depth information: Planning, implementation and recognition of semesters abroad
Learning agreement and semester off abroad
In the Master of Architecture, a semester abroad is a “voluntary mobility”, i.e. unlike in the Bachelor of Architecture at our faculty, there is no mandatory mobility semester. Students can therefore attend courses at a foreign university purely out of interest, without having to consider their course of study in Weimar. After returning to Weimar, they can then see what can be credited to their studies. Alternatively, students can strive in advance to ensure that all courses taken during the semester abroad can be credited to their studies in Weimar.
In both cases, students need a learning agreement for an exchange semester at one of the partner universities in the Erasmus region, as it is assumed that there is a (certain) interest in the creditability of courses taken abroad, especially as funding (Erasmus or similar) is often paid. Students who look for a place at a foreign university themselves as so-called “free movers” in order to study there for one or two semesters as a “non-degree-seeking student” do not require a learning agreement; the same applies to students who study for one or two exchange semesters at an exchange university of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism which is not part of the Erasmus area or which is not funded within the Erasmus/DAAD-program.
In-depth information: Planning, implementation and crediting of Nevertheless, it is recommended that students who realize their stay abroad as “free movers” or via so-called “bilateral exchange agreements” have a learning agreement signed at least by the home university before departure in order to have the creditability of the courses taken abroad clarified in advance.
As the maximum duration of study is limited in the Master's in Architecture, it may be advisable to apply for a semester of leave of absence in order to take a voluntary semester abroad. The academic achievements acquired during a semester abroad can be credited to your studies in Weimar despite a leave of absence (see matriculation regulations) - always provided that the courses taken abroad can be credited with regard to the degree program and the individual course of studies (see below). However, before students apply for a semester abroad at the Campus.Office (can be found online here), they should check for themselves whether their stay abroad is financially supported by funding bodies (e.g. Bafög office) that allow a semester abroad to be taken for the purpose of studying abroad. In the event of any necessary inquiries to funding bodies, students can point out that, despite taking a leave of absence, it is possible to receive credit for coursework completed during the semester abroad, based on the regulations in § 14 of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar's enrolment regulations, which can be found online here.
Recognition of academic achievements from semesters abroad
In the Master's program in Architecture, credits earned during a semester abroad are recognized after completion of the stay abroad. In principle, students submit an application to the Examination Board of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. Decisions are therefore always made on a case-by-case basis. Nevertheless, the learning agreement mentioned above has an important function: the learning agreement serves to clarify in advance whether courses taken at host universities can be credited.
In principle, only courses that students still need to complete their studies or be admitted to the Master's examination can be taken into account for credit transfer. For example, if students have already completed all the project modules required for the Master's degree program, no further design work from abroad can be transferred to the faculty. The same applies, for example, if students have already received all 6 possible credit points in the elective module area.
If students have requirements, they can also fulfill them by successfully completing courses during their semester abroad. There may be requirements for the Master's degree program if students have not completed their Bachelor's degree in Architecture in Weimar. Students should be aware of these requirements.
The number of credit points required for a project module (18 CP) can be achieved by combining a design course taken at the host university with one or two other courses thematically related to the design. If this is not possible, design-related courses can be made up by choosing suitable seminars or lectures from the compulsory elective area.
After returning from the semester abroad, Master's Architecture students can choose for themselves which of the courses they successfully completed at the host university they would like to apply for recognition for. It is not possible to “swap” courses, i.e. courses already completed at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, for courses from the semester abroad, even if the corresponding grades were better during the semester abroad.
Crediting of language courses
Language courses can be credited with a maximum of 3 CP in the elective module area (not in the compulsory elective area). However, this is only possible if students have not already earned the maximum number of credit points required for the elective module area through their studies in Weimar (see examination regulations). A further prerequisite for credit transfer is that at least 3 ECTS credits have been awarded for the course at the partner university, which have been certified on the transcript of records (= course/grade certificate from the partner university) or on a separate certificate. It is also possible for a language course to be recognized if students have already taken a language course in Weimar that has been recognized for their studies.
Präsentationen der Info-Veranstaltung
For further information and signature on Learning Agreement please contact Dipl.-Ing. Frau Wichmann-Sperl:counsellor[at]archit.uni-weimar.de
Bachelor Urban Studies
You can find information about exchange possibilities and internships for the Bachelor Urban Studies here.
Master Urban Studies
You can find informationen about exchange possibilities and internships in the Master Urban Studies here.
Master MediaArchitecture
You can find information on exchange possiblities and internships within the Master MediaArchitecture on this website.
European Urban Studies
Experiences and internships abroad are taking place during the 3rd semester in the so-called Guided Research Project.
You can find more information about the master program itself here:
Master Integrated Urban Development and Design
You can find information on exchange possibilities and internships within the Master Integrated Urban Development and Design on the following webpages: Reflective Urban Practice and Advanced Urbanism.