FAQ - Study Program Basics

Degree, Subject, Modules

What is meant by the words "degree", "subjects" and "modules" at the University of Zurich? How do I book a module?

Read this guide.

Language of instruction

In which language are our courses taught?

All courses on the BA and MA level offered by the CL Department are taught in English.

Study time limit

Is the study time limited? Do I have to complete my studies within a certain period of time? How long is a proof of achievement, e.g. a passed module, valid?

For subjects of the Faculty of Arts there is currently neither a time limit for study nor a limited validity of credits.

First year Courses

Which minimum courses should I take in the first and second semesters when studying Computational Linguistics & Language Technology?

The most important information is compiled on the page First Notes for Beginners. More detailed information can be found in the guidelines. There you will find a list of all relevant modules and a sample curriculum for each course, which will give you a reasonable idea of how you can organise your studies. Read the relevant guidelines carefully.

Main challenge of the CL study

The main topics of the study include machine learning, which is the dominant approach in the field. To effectively understand and apply machine learning, students need particular mathematical skills, including statistics, as well as mandatory programming skills in Python. The main challenge of the study lies in acquiring these mathematical and programming competencies. However, we teach all necessary concepts from the ground up, assuming only a high school level.

Minors for a CL Major

For your CL BA (120 ECTS) you need a 60 ECTS minor. For your CL MA (90 ECTS) a 30 ECTS minor.

Combinations of other UZH programs with our BA and MA Major Computational Linguistics and Language Technology

Can I combine Computational Linguistics with any other program?

Yes. But you cannot combine the MA major "Computational Linguistics and Language Technology" with our 30 MA minor "Digital Linguistics".

Course Requirements for Modules

Can a CL student attend any CL course at any time and get ECTS points that count towards the grade?

No, some modules have prerequisites that must be completed first. Additionally, the study regulations require a minimum number of ECTS points per module group. You cannot compensate for missing ECTS points in one module group with extra points from another group.

Irregular Courses

What does it mean if a course is offered irregularly ("Date: irregular") or "by arrangement" in the electronic course catalogue?

• irregular: These are usually block courses and the like, which are offered on a few dates during the semester. The actual dates can then be found in the Course Catalogue.
• by arrangement: The date of the course (often an examination or similar, which is not linked to a course) must be negotiated bilaterally with the lecturer.

Cancel Module Bookings or Assessments

Can I cancel the booking of a module? What happens if I forget to cancel?

Modules with or without place restrictions can be canceled within the deadlines set by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. More information is available here or in the course catalogue for the corresponding module. After the deadline, you can only cancel a module if you have a verifiable reason, such as illness, as outlined in § 24/25 RVO PhF. More information

For a valid deregistration after the deadline, you must carry out these two steps:
1. you must immediately inform the responsible persons (lecturer/module supervisor) of your deregistration.
2. you must also submit a deregistration request in the Student Portal via the app "My applications". This justified deregistration request contains the relevant confirmations such as a doctor's certificate and you must submit it no later than five working days after the date of the assessment.

Otherwise — and even in the case of a module booking made only in error — failure to provide assessment will be permanently noted in your credit journal as "not fulfilled".

Term paper

How do I design a term paper?

The most important notes and rules are summarised here.