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• When can or should I apply for the Master's degree program in Geography?

  Here you will find the general application and admission deadlines of the University of Vienna. As the processing of an application for admission can take several weeks, we recommend that you submit your application as early as possible.
• What are the requirements for admission to the Master's degree program in Geography and how do I know if I meet them?

  Students of the University of Vienna can use the Master Access Guide to find out which previous studies and supplementary examinations are required for admission to the Master's degree program in Geography. Students from all other universities (Austria and abroad) will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and must apply for admission. Unfortunately, it is not possible for the SSC to inform you in advance.
• Can I also start my studies in the summer semester?

  Yes, this is possible in principle, but with restrictions, as the ideal course of study for the Master's in Geography is based on a winter semester start. This means that you can only be guaranteed to study within the minimum period of study if you start in the winter semester. For example, the Basics courses, which are the prerequisites for the specializations, only take place in the winter semester. See the curriculum and the recommended study path (last page).
• Where can I find information about admission (admission requirements, admission procedure, start and end of my studies, language certificate, etc.)?

  Please direct all questions regarding admission not to the SSC but to the Admissions Office of the University of Vienna.
• I have questions about my tuition fee. Who can I ask?

  Please direct all questions regarding your tuition fee exclusively to the Admissions Office of the University of Vienna.

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• Which courses require registration?

  In principle, a distinction must be made between courses with continuous assessment (pi LV) and courses with non-continuous assessment (npi LV). 

  o Courses with non-continuous assessment are usually lectures (VO) which are freely accessible, have no seating restrictions and for which attendance is not compulsory. You only need to register for these courses via u:find and are not subject to any obligations. The main purpose of registration is to give you access to Moodle if necessary. For the examination at the end of the course, however, registration via the registration system is mandatory. You can find more information about npi LVs here.

  o Registration via the registration system is required for courses with continuous assessment. These courses have a limited number of participants and attendance is compulsory. You can find more information on pi LVs here.

  You can find more detailed information on registering for courses and examinations here.
• When can I register for courses with continuous assessment?

  As a rule, registration takes place a few weeks before the start of the semester - at the beginning of September for the winter semester and at the beginning of February for the summer semester. Registration phases are set up for this purpose, about which students are informed in good time and which are also published on our homepage under the News section and also on u:find under the respective course.
• I cannot register for a course. Why is that?

  There may be several reasons for this:

  o Not yet admitted to the degree program: Please note that admission to a degree program can take up to three months (we are unable to answer questions about admission itself or how long it takes to process; please contact Admissions for this). It is therefore possible that you have submitted your application for admission within the admission period, but have not yet been admitted to the degree program during the registration phase. In this case, it is not possible to register independently for courses that are inherent to the examination. If this is the case, please send us a message after the registration phase. We will try - if possible - to find a place for you, but cannot guarantee it. Please note that registration for courses is only necessary for courses with continuous assessment (pi LV). You do not need to register for courses with non-continuous assessment (npi LV) (registration is only required at the end of the semester for the exam), so you can attend them even if you have not yet been admitted to the course. 

  o Registration period over: There is a registration period before the start of each semester during which you can register for courses with continuous assessment. After this period, independent registration is no longer possible.

  o Status "prerequisite currently not met": For the compulsory module Specialization, you must first complete the module Mastering the Basics for the Specialization. You cannot "bring forward" courses from the Specialization module if you have not completed the Basics module. 

  o "Registration not possible, because no module available": To register for the Basics module you need to select your specialization (A, B, C or D according to the curriculum) via u:space ("Studies" -> "Record of examinations" -> select specialization; see also here).

  For general questions about the registration system, please click here.
• How do I register for my specialization and when do I have to do this?

  To register for the Basics-Modul you need to select your specialization (A, B, C or D according to the curriculum) via u:space ("Studies" -> "Record of examinations" -> select specialisation; see also here).

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• Where can I find information about my supplementary examinations?

  u:find - Course Directory (univie.ac.at)
• I have to take supplementary examinations for my degree course. How long do I have time for this?

  The supplementary examinations must be taken within the first two semesters.
• The supplementary exams are only offered in German. Do I also have to take the exam in German?

  No, you can also write the exam in English (since this is a lecture and therefore a course with non-continuous assessment, it is not necessary to attend the course). You can find more information about this and where you can get learning material in English here.
• Where can I find the examination dates for my supplementary examinations and when do they take place?

  Each course always has four examination dates. In our course catalog u:find you will always find the current courses including the dates for your supplementary examinations (please make sure that you are always in the current semester, which is displayed at the top right). To register for an examination date, please click on the relevant course to display the upcoming examination dates. Now select the desired examination date.
• Are the grades for my supplementary examinations included in the overall grade for my Master's degree?

  No. The grades are independent ("supplementary") to the curriculum and do not appear on the final certificate. 

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• I have not yet completed all the courses prescribed in the curriculum for my Master's degree program. Can I still start my Master's thesis?

  Yes, writing and submitting the Master's thesis is independent of the course of study. The final point of your Master's degree program is your final examination (defensio). All examinations prescribed by the curriculum must have been completed and the Master's thesis assessed.
• What if it takes me longer than six months to complete my Master's thesis?

  Our curriculum states: "The assignment for the master’s thesis must be so chosen that the participant can reasonably be expected to complete it within six months." However, if you need longer than the specified period to complete your thesis, this has no consequences for you in terms of study law (apart from a possible delay in your studies and a resulting demand for tuition fees).
• Why do I have to submit a disposition in advance of my Master's thesis? What is a disposition?

  In the disposition you explain the concept of your Master's thesis, a first (rough) outline and your task or the questions to be dealt with in the Master's thesis on approx. two to three pages. In addition, you should provide an initial preview of the literature that you will use for your Master's thesis. The head of the study program will then decide on the basis of your disposition whether the topic and the project of your Master's thesis can be approved.
• What formal criteria do I have to observe when writing my Master's thesis?

  Here you will find the formal requirements for writing your Master's thesis. For all other criteria, such as font size, font type or line spacing, there are no specifications set by our directorate of studies. However, you can use the following as a guide: 

  o Font: Times New Roman

  o Font size: 12 (10 in the footnotes)

  o Line spacing: 1.5 (1 in the footnotes)

  If you have any further questions about formatting, please contact the supervisor of your Master's thesis directly.
• Who can take over the chair for my Defensio?

  In principle, the chair - depending on the respective subject area - is assumed by the individual directorates of studies. Here you will find our 4 SPLs. If the assigned SPLs are unable to take on the chair, we recommend that you request someone from the list of possible supervisors for a Master's thesis as chair.
• Does the University of Vienna offer support for writing my Master's thesis?

  Yes, the Center for Teaching and Learning offers writing mentoring. This is a support service for students at the University of Vienna who want to develop their academic writing skills (not only for Master's students).
• How will my final exam (Defensio) proceed?

  Here you will find information on the procedure for your Master's examination. You will also find a paragraph on your Master's examination in the respective curriculum of your degree program.
• On what date will my final examination and therefore my degree be entered?

  Since the final examination is the last achievement in your degree program, the date of your graduation coincides with the date of the final examination. The date depends on the day on which you took your final examination. For example, if the final examination takes place at the end of April, but the assessment is only entered a few days later, the date at the end of April applies. The same applies to the issue of the certificate: if this is issued in mid-May, for example, the date at the end of April still counts. In this case, it would not be necessary to enrol for the summer semester.

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• What is the purpose of the Mobility Module?

  The purpose of the Mobility Module is to allow you to sharpen your competencies in the area of Global Change and Sustainability in general and your specialization track in particular through scientific and/or practical engagements. The Mobility Module allows you to be flexible within the specialization you have chosen and to focus your studies individually according to your study and career goals. In the Mobility Module you can attend courses at the university (not in the same program, ideally outside of geography) and other institutions, participate in research projects, do internships (up to 10 ECTS) and study abroad (Erasmus etc.). This means that the Mobility Module gives you a lot of freedom to design your studies in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary way and to strengthen your profile where you lack skills and experiences which are also not addressed within the curriculum.
• What should I do in the Mobility Module?

  In order to use the Mobility Module fruitfully and effectively for your goals, you should first think about what goals you want to achieve during your studies and what goals you are aiming for in your Master's thesis and after your studies. What experiences and skills do you already bring with you? Which ones will be taught as part of your studies? Where are there still gaps? Fill these gaps with the help of the Mobility Module.

  You can find potential courses here (only courses with the tag “en” are in english). But you can also attend courses from other universities and research institutions.

  The Open Minds I course during the first semester will include activities which will support you in the development of your plans.
• Can I decide by myself what is eligible for the Mobility Module?

  Your plans for the Mobility Module should be checked and granted by the person responsible for the specialization beforehand. Write a brief email explaining a) what you want to do, b) what the content of what you want to do is and c) how it is helping you to reach your goals. You will receive a positive or negative response via email. Please save and store these emails.
• How are the courses registered as Mobility Module courses/activities?

  Please present the email which grants your Mobility Module plans to the StudyServiceCenter after completing the course as proof that the courses/activities qualify for the Mobility Module.