BA studies

You can find all forms on this website (see below).

A complete application means:

• application form (important: valid residential address, title of the BA-thesis)

Important: Your institute (in most cases the Student Advisory Service) must switch the study program to "Fachanforderung erfüllt" (green beam, not only green "E" for "Erfüllt" - see picture).

• A confirmation from your institute Majo/Minor/Mono that you have met all requirements regarding to the study plan as well as RSL05.

You do not have to hand in a certificate for Minors from other faculties (see Tab "completion BA-Minor").

• Confirmation that you paid the completion fee (CHF 300.-), e. g. print the e-banking confirmation.
   -> see also: "completion fee, Dean's office bank account"

You can post the application outside our opening hours in our mailbox just next to our office. In special cases e.g. if you are abroad, you can also send the application as a PDF to Urs Zürcher.

You can hand in the application anytime. There are no deadlines. Please check the deadlines to signing up for Master studies (see Tab "signing up for MA-studies, deadlines").

Minor from a different faculty (Minor at Faculty of Humanities, Major from another Faculty)

The Institute must set the Minor to "Fachanforderung erfüllt" at the KSL (green beam, not just green "E"). When this is done, you can apply for the BA diploma at the Dean's office of the Faculty where your Major is hosted.

Minor from a different faculty (Minor from anotha Faculty, Major at the Faculty of Humanities)

The Dean's office of the Faculty, where your Minor is hosted must set the Minor to "Fachanforderung erfüllt" at the KSL (green beam, not just green "E"). When this is done, you can apply for the BA diploma at tour Dean's office. There is no need for any written confirmation.

Minor from a different university (Minor at Faculty of Humanities, Major from another university)

The Institute must set the Minor to "Fachanforderung erfüllt" at the KSL (green beam, not just green "E"). When this is done, you can apply via Email for a transcript of records or a Minor confirmation. We will send you this via snailmail.

Minor from a different university (Minor from another university, at Faculty of Humanities)

If you apply for the BA diploma, please add a confirmation of the University where you completed your Minor including overall grade, number of ECTS, date, stamp, signature.

You can pay the fee of CHF 300.- via e-banking:

Berner Kantonalbank
3001 Bern
PC: 30-106-9
Konto-Nr. 42 3.117.124.22
Clearing-Nr: 790
IBAN: CH68 0079 0042 3117 1242 2
BIC/SWIFT: KBBECH22XXX

Philosophisch-historische Fakultät
Dekanat
Länggassstrasse 49
3000 Bern 9

The institutes (see top right) define the dates when the BA thesis must be handed in.

If you want to credit a BA thesis or other credits to the running semester, they must be handed in or achieved:

• for the spring semester before calendar week 38 (September) of the running year.
• for the autumn semester before calendar week 8 (February) of the following year.

The ZIB (enrollment office) defines the deadlines to sign up for Master studies.

Further information can be found here and on the portal.

Important: You can only transfer from the ZIB to the Master's program once you have officially completed your Bachelor's degree (diploma applied for and the Bachelor's degree has been completed by the Dean's Office in KSL -> top bar = green -> see image).

Master's degree early

Did you just miss the deadline? Don't worry, you can visit Master classes one semester in advance/before you are enrolled to MA studies.

If you are unable to register for a Master's course, please contact the relevant institute or lecturer directly.

You can move the early Master's credits to the “Clipboard” (NOT “Voluntary additional credits”) container in KSL (and then move them to the appropriate container after transferring them to the Master's program).

The authorization to examine is defined at RSP Art. 65, the PhD-rules Art. 8.1, and at RSL Art. 20, 29 und 37. The following persons are authorized to examine final thesis and final exams at BA level:

• ordinary, extraordinary, and associated professors
• assistant and SNF professors
• habilitated Faculty members
• lecturers and assistant lecturers tenure track
• Lecturers I and II
• Advanced Postdocs and Senior Research Assistants
• "wissenschaftliche Mitarbeitende" with a PhD

If any other person wants to do the final BA examinations, the supervisor must apply for the authorization at the Collegium Decanale. This can be done easily online.

Until when must I apply for the BA diploma?

You can apply anytime, there are no deadlines. Please check the deadlines to sign up for MA studies (see Tab "Signing up for MA studies, deadlines").

Do I have to be enrolled to submit the diploma application?

No. If you are NOT transferring to a Master's degree (at the University of Bern), it is not necessary to be enrolled in order to apply for the diploma.

E.g. if you start your Master's degree at another university or take up a job, etc.

I completed a minor at the phil. Faculty. How do I get a confirmation?

See under “Completion BA minor”.

The institute must set the minor to “Subject requirement fulfilled” (green bar, not just a green “E”) in the CTS. You can then apply to the Dean's Office by email for a transcript of records or a minor confirmation, which we will send to you by post.

You do NOT have to fill out a diploma application.

Into which container (KSL) do I have to move credits that I would like to have recognized in the Master's degree (e.g. early Master's credits)?

These credits belong in the “clipboard” and can be moved by you after they have been transferred to the Master's degree. Please do not move them to the “voluntary additional credits” - these credits are then tied to the Bachelor's degree.

Is there no promotion celebration for BAs?

No. We'll send you the diploma by postal mail.

Until when must I hand in my BA thesis at the professors that I can finish my BA in the following semester?

see also "Until when must I credit a test or thesis to credit it for the running semester?"

This depends on different factors and varies between the institutes:

1. How much times takes the assessment and to register the grade at KSL?
Please ask the professor how long it might take to assess the thesis and when the grade might be in KSL.

2. Must I finish other things than the BA thesis or is there anything that is still not at KSL?
If the institute has not registered all credits at KSL, please ask the your teachers. If not, see 3.

3. Did you hand in the complete application "Antrag für die Ausstellung des Bachelor-Diploms" at the Dean's office?
Issuing the diploma takes maximum three weeks. If the application is not complete, it will take considerably longer.

Until when must my teacher credit my grade at KSL that I can finish my studies at the end of the following semester?

See above, 3.
In most cases, at least three weeks before the targeted date of issue. Please check the deadlines to sign up for MA studies (see Tab "Signing up for MA studies, deadlines").

Can I transfer to the Master's program at ZIB (Admissions Office) as soon as I have submitted my diploma application?

No, not until we have completed your Bachelor's degree in KSL (top bar -> completely green). Approximately one day later, you can contact the ZIB (Admissions Office) to transfer to the Master's program.

Please mention that it is urgent when you apply for the diploma.

See also under “Signing up for MA studies, deadlines”.

If I do not want to start a Master's degree or would like to continue studying at another university, can I exmatriculate as soon as I have submitted my Bachelor's thesis?

Yes, as long as you have completed all the work required to graduate (e.g. submitted work, written examinations).

You do not have to be enrolled to apply for the Bachelor's degree.

What is the maximum number of ECTS in my major/minor?

Maximum +10%. For a 180 ECTS Bachelor's degree = max. 198 ECTS. All additional ECTS must be transferred to the “voluntary additional credits”.

Important regarding achievements that you would like to have credited to your Master's degree -> these must be moved to the “clipboard” in KSL.

Until when must I hand in a thesis or write an exam to have it credited for the running semester?

• for the spring semester: before calendar week 38 (September) of the running year.
• for the autumn semester: before calendar week 8 (February) of the following year.

Why is the signature/stamp missing from the English translation (Diploma & Diploma Supplement)?

This is not an error.

Since it is only a translation, only the original (in German) may be signed. Hence the information at the bottom of the diploma (or the last page of the Diploma Supplement): “This is a translation. The original was issued in German”.

The translation of the diploma (or diploma supplement) must therefore always be presented together with the original.