Module Booking

To attend courses and earn academic credits, you must book your modules via the UZH student portal  within the specified deadlines. This applies to all students with a valid semester enrollment. Without module booking, you cannot take assessments and earn ECTS credits. General administrative information is available on the UZH Module Booking page.

Preparation

At IKMZ, there are no fixed timetables. The sample curriculum (MC) – Important Documents Bachelor’s Degree / Master’s Degree – offers a suggested way to distribute modules across semesters, but you are free to design your own course of study. See our guidance on the Getting Started pages. The course catalogue lists all courses offered at UZH. Navigate from the homepage to your faculty, then to your degree program, and finally to the indi-vidual study program.

Module Types and Booking Deadlines

Modules are categorized as either:

• Booking modules: No space limitations. You can book them directly during the official booking period.
• Request modules: Have limited spots. You must request a place during the request period. Places are al-located based on your priorities.

The deadlines are binding. Booking, requesting, or canceling modules is only possible within the designated timeframes. These actions cannot be completed by study advisors or lecturers on your behalf.

Module Booking in Three Steps

1. Browse the course catalogue and note the modules you’re interested in.
2. Book or request the modules via the "Noted Items & Module Booking" app.
3. Check or modify your bookings in the"My Modules" app.

Booking Deadlines

You can only book, change, or cancel modules within the defined deadlines. After these deadlines, no changes can be made – not even by university staff.

Plan B and C for Limited-Space Modules

Especially for seminars, demand can exceed available spots. To improve your chances:

• Request more seminars than you need, but cancel any unnecessary places promptly.
• You are only guaranteed a spot in a module you need – not necessarily in your preferred ones.

Place Allocation for Request Modules

• Priority levels are considered first; otherwise, allocation is random.
• The timing of your request does not affect your chances.
• If not allocated a place, you will be added to the waiting list.
• When someone cancels, students on the waiting list move up.

Be Fair: Cancel Early

If you no longer wish to attend a requested module, cancel it as soon as possible to make space available for others.

Waiting Progression Period

During the waiting list progression period, any remaining spots in request modules can be booked directly – even if you didn’t submit a request during the request period. Check availability through the course catalogue.

Exercise Groups

Some modules (e.g. Academic Work and Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis) include group exercises in addition to the lectures. You will be assigned to a group in OLAT at the beginning of the semester. For technical reasons, all exercise groups are displayed in your timetable.

Module Overlaps

Due to the wide range of courses and subject combinations, scheduling conflicts may occur. Consider:

• Whether the affected module can be postponed without extending your studies.
• In case of conflict: Prioritize compulsory modules over electives, and major subject modules over minors.

OLAT

Where possible, lecturers provide additional information (e.g. the syllabus) in the OLAT course for the relevant module.

Repeat Examinations

Repeat exams must also be booked actively within the relevant deadlines (available in the course catalogue).

Module Transferability

Only modules listed in your study program can be credited to your study program. You can check if a module is listed in your program:

• By navigating the course catalogue to your specific study program.
• Or by reviewing the "Part of" section for each module, which lists applicable programs.

More information on credit transfer can be found on the page Credit Transfer & Recognition.

Recordings

UZH is a face-to-face university. Recordings are intended as supplements, not substitutes.

• Recordings are usually offered for compulsory modules with low interactivity.
• Special case: Advanced Methods of Empirical Communication Research
  This compulsory lecture includes interactive exercises and will not be recorded.
• (Core) Elective modules may be recorded on a case-by-case basis, depending on teaching methods and technical setup.

Attendance

While attendance is not formally compulsory at UZH:

• The university operates as an attendance-based institution.
• Booking a seminar comes with the expectation that you actively engage with the material. Regular participation (e.g. in discussions, presentations, group work) is essential for learning success and is included in the workload.

Rooms and Orientation

Room details are added to the course catalogue after the module booking process has begun, approximately 2–3 weeks before the start of the semester. Courses take place at various locations. Lecturers are aware that students might have to travel from one location to another and that this can cause slight delays.

Booking Pre-Master’s Modules

If you have earned at least 120 ECTS in your Bachelor’s program, you are entitled to complete up to 30 ECTS credits of pre-Master’s modules. These must be booked during the regular module booking period. Suitable modules are:

• Multivariate Statistics
• Theory of Science and Principles of Research
• Modules from the module group Research Areas Communication Science

Questions?

• General administrative questions?
  Contact PhF Student Services for help with enrollment, confirmations, special requests, or technical issues in the student portal.
• Subject-specific questions?
  Contact IKMZ Student Advisory Service for help with module planning, course content, pre-requisites, or assessment dates.
• Technical issues during the booking period?
  E-mail: modulbuchung@phil.uzh.ch