Studies

Academic year schedule

The academic year is divided into two semesters of 16 weeks each. The autumn semester begins in mid-September (calendar week 38), the spring semester in mid-February (calendar week 8). Some degree programmes start a bit earlier. Exams and presentations take place in the weeks immediately before and after the end of the semester. The intermediate semester is used for project work, preparing for exams and/or internships.

One week in November and April is reserved for the Y Toolboxes, during which no other courses take place. The toolboxes are interdisciplinary courses offered by the Y Institute that deal with topics of transdisciplinary significance. The semester dates are posted on the HKB intranet.

The semester dates are posted on the HKB intranet.

ECTS (European Credit Transfer System)

The currency for your studies is ECTS credits. The conversion rate is constant: One ECTS credit corresponds to 30 hours of work per semester. That means that if a module is worth 3 ECTS, 90 hours (contact hours and independent study) are required. A bachelor’s degree requires 180 ECTS, a master’s degree 90 or 120 ECTS.

Modules

A module is a complete unit in terms of content and teaching time, learning and assessment. A module may comprise several courses. A distinction is made between compulsory, elective and optional modules. Compulsory modules are mandatory, elective modules are chosen from a predefined selection, and optional modules cover individual interests that students would like to pursue further. Each module concludes with a certificate of competence. Credits are only awarded to students who have passed the module. The degree programme ends with the thesis module. It consists of a larger artistic and/or theoretical piece of work – this can be for example a performance, a presentation, an exhibition or a publication.

Module plan

The module plan for your degree programme shows which modules you must attend as part of your curriculum: HKB intranet | BFH-Moodle

Module registration

Registration for the modules in your programme and the Y courses is done via the online platform IS-Academia (IS-A). Module registration is a central process at HKB, which many other processes depend on. You can find more information on how this works in the Information Sheet on Module Registrations (pdf). For all the important documents you need to plan your studies, see the intranet page of the HKB Student Administration.

Absences

For most modules, attendance of at least 80% of classes is mandatory. You must notify the lecturer in advance of any anticipated absences. Absences can be excused for the following:

  • Accident, illness (medical certificate required on the third day)

  • Military service, community service, urgent official subpoenas

  • Urgent care obligations for immediate family members

  • Death of a family member or close friend

  • Your own exhibitions, concerts and concert rehearsals

If you are absent for more than two consecutive days, you must obtain in advance a request for leave. In some divisions, absences are subject to specific regulations. Make sure to check with the responsible Administration Office.

Grades

HKB uses the following numerical grading system:

  • 6 = excellent

  • 5.5 = very good

  • 5 = good

  • 4.5 = satisfactory

  • 4 = sufficient

Grades between 1 and 3.5 are considered insufficient. Grade 3.5 may be supplemented with the predicate “subsequent improvement”. Many modules are on a pass/fail basis.

Certificates

At the end of each semester, the modules that you have attended with the respective grade are added to your Transcript of Records (ToR). This document, which you can download and print out at IS-A under “Results”, functions as a certificate. At the end of your studies, you will receive in addition to the completed ToR a diploma and a diploma supplement describing the completed degree programme in a way that ensures international transparency.

Confirmation of Studies

You can download and print the confirmation for the current semester at IS-A under “Documents and links”.

Regulations

The rules governing the degree programmes at HKB are based largely on the provisions of the study regulations for bachelor’s degree programmes (pdf) and master’s degree programmes (pdf). The curricula also provide information on the specific rules and requirements for each degree programme. All basic regulations are available on the BFH website.

Y Institute

The Y Institut is a centre for interdisciplinary teaching. To promote dialogue between the various artistic disciplines, students from all areas come together in the projects and toolboxes of the Y Institute. The theme changes every year and runs like a thread through the current courses. For students in the first year, the cultural history lecture is compulsory.

Research

An arts university does research? But of course! Anyone wanting to find out more about HKB’s research projects is welcome to attend the lectures in our “Research Wednesday” series or to stop by the annual HKB “Research Apéro”. You can also do a minor in research as part of your studies, or register for one of the MA toolboxes, which offer insights and an introduction to various research areas. At the BFH Centre Arts in Context solutions are developed for the practical use of arts in culture, society, public administration and business.

Studies in the Arts SINTA

Studies in the Arts SINTA (formerly Graduate School of the Arts) is an interdisciplinary doctoral programme unique in Switzerland, available to artists interested in undertaking research. The doctoral theses are accompanied and supervised by the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Bern and HKB.

BFHcard

The BFHcard is your student ID card. The card gives you access to the buildings at HKB outside opening hours. It functions as a print and copy card and is your library card for borrowing media at any library of the IDS and NEBIS network. You will automatically receive a BFHcard when your studies commence. Before using it for the first time and at the beginning of each new semester, you have to activate the card at a validation station. To find out where these stations are and what you need to do if you lose your BFHcard, see the HKB intranet.

Email address

When you enrol, you will receive a personal username, a password and an email address as follows: firstname.lastname@students.bfh.ch. All emails from the Administration Offices and the Student Administration are sent to this address. You can access your Calendar, Email and Contacts via Outlook Web Access anytime, anywhere. To log in, you need your username and password. You can change your password on the selfhelp portal.