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6.1.3 A few practical tips

Credit hour | Semesterwochenstunde
Semesterwochenstunde or SWS for short is a term often heard in the context of the students' time budget. One SWS is one 45-minute teaching period per week over one semester or, more specifically, during the lecture period (Vorlesungszeit) of a semester. Usually, a course has two credit hours per week (2 SWS).

The academic quarter - c.t. | Akademisches Viertel
In accordance with German academic custom, the beginning of a lecture, class, etc. is announced or understood as ''cum tempore'' or c.t. for short. It means the session actually begins a quarter of an hour later (a so-called akademisches Viertel), which gives students sufficient time to move from one room or location to the next. In contrast, some courses start at the full hour and will be marked with s.t., meaning "sine tempore".

The Transcript of Records
A transcript of records is a credit certificate which is issued to exchange students (ERASMUS+, exchange programmes on the basis of university partnerships, DAAD and other scholarship holders who are not seeking a HU degree). A transcript of records certifies the academic achievements of exchange students during their studies at Humboldt so that they can be recognised at their home university. Generally, only study results that have been completed with an examination (final examination of a module (Modulabschlussprüfung), semester paper (Hausarbeit), written examination (Klausur) et al.) are documented.

A transcript of records is only issued by Humboldt upon the student’s request. For that purpose you need to contact the responsible examination office and request a transcript of records. ERASMUS+ students should contact the ERASMUS+ coordinator of their faculty or department.

Credit certificates can only be issued for the subjects for which you have been matriculated. Please note that semester papers (Hausarbeiten) need to be handed in early enough (at the very latest by 31 July in the summer semester or 28 February in the winter semester) for you to receive your transcript of records before your departure. If this is not possible, you need to clarify individually – with the responsible examination office or ERASMUS+ coordinator – until when and to which address the document should be sent.

Participants in language courses of the Language Centre (German, English etc.) will automatically receive a credit certificate after successful participation. This certificate includes information on the course level (for example B2 or C1), the final grade and the number of study points (credits) earned in the course. Participants in German courses receive their credit certificate in the last course session; participants in all other language courses receive theirs one week after completion of the language course.