Credit Transfer & Recognition

Credit transfer & recognition of external academic achievements

Academic achievements completed at other universities can be credited toward your studies at IKMZ, provided they are degree level appropriate, content-wise compatible with our study programs, and have not
already been counted toward a previous degree.

Academic achievements that have already been credited to a degree may be recognized if their content matches our compulsory modules. In such cases, the compulsory module is recognized as fulfilled with 0 ECTS credits. The ECTS credits must then be compensated by other academic achievements. The conditions outlined in the Guidelines for the Recognition of Academic Achievement apply.

If you would like to have academic achievements credited/ recognized, please send us your transcript of records including module descriptions as soon as you are enrolled at UZH: Contact Form. We will then draft a credit recognition agreement. The Recognition Office of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences processes the transfer of credits within a week and is also responsible for eventual grade conversion.

Minor mobility

Students enrolled in a major program at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences have the option to complete their entire minor program at another Swiss university. The option "External Minor Program" can be selected when applying via the application portal. Please make sure to check the conditions of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Minor-Mobility. For credit recognition, please contact the responsible departmental coordinator at your minor: Departmental coordinators outgoing students.

Exchange semester / year abroad

A semester or year abroad during your studies is a fantastic opportunity to gain international experience and explore new worlds – quite literally. IKMZ is happy to support you with this!
All relevant information can be found on the website International.

Maximum number of external ECTS credits

There is no limit to the number of mobility stays, only a maximum number of external ECTS credits. Half of the total credits for the Bachelor's/Master's degree must be earned at UZH. This means students can also earn ECTS credits for their major externally, in addition to minor mobility.

Credit transfer & recognition of internal academic achievements

When you are enrolled at UZH, you can already complete modules offered by our department without being enrolled in "Communication Science and Media Research". If you change programs, the modules will automatically be credited to our programs. Academic achievements from within UZH can only be credited if they are listed in our programs. You can check which programs the modules can be credited to in the course catalogue. Select the relevant semester and search for your module. Under "Component", you can see to which programs and module groups the modules can be credited. It is not possible to substitute compulsory modules with modules from other study programs at UZH – for example, with other methods or statistics modules. Content-wise, modules involving methods and evaluation strategies are strongly subject-specific.

Missing ECTS credits in the student portal

If a module can be credited to both the major and minor programs, it will appear in the student portal under "Academic Achievements Listed Multiple Times". Students must assign the module to a module group themselves as soon as they have passed it.

Substitution of modules within the study program

The relevant modules for a study program are always credited in chronological order. If there are surplus ECTS credits, the most recently completed ECTS credits from elective or optional compulsory modules are removed in chronological order and listed under "Academic achievements not credited toward the degree". Replacing earlier modules with those completed later is not possible.
See also §47: Framework Study Regulations.

Older module descriptions

Older module descriptions can be found In the course catalogue archive of the University of Zurich.

(Lost) degree documents / transcripts

In case you have successfully completed your studies, you can apply to the diploma office for a transcript or degree documents to be issued.