General Studies

One of the primary goals of university instruction is to provide students with interdisciplinary competence.

The University of Münster aims to ensure that its graduates leave with an academic profile that qualifies them to actively participate in multiple areas of professional and non-professional life. In this respect, the core objective of a university programme is to impart subject-oriented academic skills. In order to tap the full potential of these qualifications effectively, it is necessary to interconnect academic elements with interdisciplinary course offerings. General Studies not only encourages students in bachelor's degree programmes to act in an independent, self-responsible manner, but also enables them to anchor their newly acquired skills in as many levels of reflection and application as possible.

The General Studies courses are offered by numerous faculties and central facilities of the University and are assigned to various areas of competence. Please note: Only General Studies courses explicitly listed as such in the course catalogue can be recognised as General Studies courses. These courses require students to complete graded degree-relevant examinations. Important information and the course submission form can be found under the link "Coordination of General Studies" below.

Participating faculties and central institutes

Course catalogue

Special instructions for teaching staff

Coordination of General Studies (incl. course submission form) [de]

Competence areas

Competence area 1: (Foreign) language competence

Competence area 2: Scientific-philosophical competence

Competence area 3: Rhetorical skills and presentation competence

Competence area 4: Career preparation and practical competence

Competence area 5: (Inter-)cultural and creative competence

Competence area 6: Sustainability

I am taking General Studies courses in a ...

• Two-subject bachelor's programme

  Academic workload in General Studies
  In a two-subject bachelor's programme (as put forth in the framework examination regulations of 2011), students are required to earn 20 credit points (CP) in General Studies courses. In two-subject degree programmes, each subject may require students to complete General Studies courses of 5 CP each. Please refer to the provisions of your respective General Studies examination and study regulations and your subject-specific examination regulations.

  Students enrolled after WS 2013/2014
  The following General Studies examination regulations apply to all students who enrolled in a two-subject bachelor's degree programme starting in the winter semester 2013/2014 in accordance with the framework regulations of 6 June 2011:
  General Studies examination regulations (for students enrolled in WS 2013/2014 and later)
  Please note § 4 par. 3: Students are obliged to successfully complete courses in at least two different competence areas.

  Students enrolled prior to WS 2013/2014
  The following General Studies study regulations apply to all students who enrolled in a two-subject bachelor's degree programme prior to the winter semester 2013/2014 in accordance with the framework regulations of 6 June 2011:
  General Studies study regulations (for students enrolled prior to WS 2013/2014)
  Amendment statute to the study regulations

  Registration for degree-relevant examinations
  Students are required to register online for degree-relevant examinations via QISPOS. The instructor is responsible for documenting the achieved credit points and final grade. In your final semester, please make sure that you have received the sufficient number of credit points in General Studies.

• Two-subject bachelor's programme prior to WS 2010/11

  Academic workload in General Studies
  In a two-subject bachelor's programme (as put forth in the framework examination regulations of 2004), students are required to earn 20 credit points (CP) in General Studies courses. In two-subject degree programmes, each subject may require students to complete General Studies courses of 5 CP each.  Students, who wish to pursue a teaching degree, are required to complete specific mandatory courses in the competence area "Career Preparation and Practical Competence". Please refer to the provisions of your respective General Studies examination and study regulations and your subject-specific examination regulations.
  The following study regulations apply to all students who enrolled in a two-subject bachelor's degree programme in accordance with the framework regulations of 22 January 2004:
  General Studies study regulations

  Registration for degree-relevant examinations
  Students are required to register online for degree-relevant examinations via QISPOS. The instructor is responsible for documenting the achieved credit points and final grade. In your final semester, please make sure that you have received the sufficient number of credit points in General Studies.

• One-subject bachelor's programme

  Academic workload
  The General Studies workload varies according to the student's choice of degree programme. Please refer to the relevant provisions outlined in your examination regulations and module descriptions.

  Registration for degree-relevant examinations
  Students are normally required to register online for degree-relevant examinations via QISPOS. The instructor is responsible for documenting the credit points and final grade. If a degree programme does not explicitly require students to register for General Studies examinations online, students should register for these by notifying their instructor. The grade of the corresponding examination is documented by the instructor on a printed form. The student is responsible for submitting this form to the Examinations Office in order to have his/her credit points and final grade documented. These printed forms are available as a download from the websites of the Examinations Offices.