03
Faculty
of Social Sciences
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Studying at the Faculty

Seminars and Registration

The courses offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences can be found in the electronic course catalogue (QIS/LSF). 

If you are enrolled as a Master student of Political Theory or International Peace and Conflict Studies and want to take courses offered by the TU Darmstadt you need to register via TUCAN.Catalogue for courses in English

Our regular offer of seminars in English for the winter term 2025/2026 is now published: for Bachelor students and Master students. Seminars in English from previous terms are documented in our archive.

Students must register via QIS for all courses they want to attend. This applies regardless of whether a course is limited or not. Places in seminars are regulated through priorities set by students. . 

The registration period for courses in each semester is divided into several phases. During the first phase (priority assignment), students can register for courses; the exact time of registration within this phase does not matter. In the second phase (Free registration – lottery proces), any remaining spots are allocated through a lottery system. Afterwards, a third phase (Remaining space exchange) takes place.

Incoming students who enroll at the university only after the first registration phase has ended cannot register for courses via QIS. Instead, they should contact the instructors directly by email.

You can find the contact information in the QIS.

Registrations for courses with no limited attendance may be made or canceled throughout the whole registration period: 
09/24/2025 9:00 am to 10/19/2025 9:00 am

Phase 1: Priority assignment09/24/2025 9:00 am to 10/01/2025 9:00 am
Phase 2: Free registration - lottery procedure10/06/2025 9:00 am to 10/10/2025 9:00 am
Phase 3: Remaining space exchange10/11/2025 9:00 am to 10/19/2025 9:00 am

You can find information on registration in this document and and on the website of the  Global Office. ERASMUS+ students may attend courses in other departments of Goethe University with the approval of the respective departmental coordinator.

At the Faculty of Social Sciences students can achieve:


3 ECTS credits for attendance and participation (i.e. regular attendance in class and giving a presentation) and additional 4 (or 5) ECTS credits for an exam/paper. Accordingly, you will get a maximum of 7 ECTS credits for a course on Bachelor's level and 8 ECTS credits for a course on Master's level. It is highly recommended to clarify with the lecturer at the beginning of each course which requirements are exactly needed to accomplish 3 ECTS credits or 7 (8) ECTS credits. If you do not want to take an exam/paper, you will normally not get a grade for this class. You will receive a certificate of attendance, which equals 3 ECTS credits. However, upon request, you might be able to receive an individual grade for participation.

You can distinguish the levels according to their name:

1) “Seminar mit Proseminar"
A Seminar mit Proseminar is a course on Bachelor's level. If you only attend, you will gain 3 ECTS credits. If you take an additional exam/paper, you will gain 7 ECTS credits.

2) “Seminar"
A Seminar is a course on Master's level. If you only attend, you will gain 3 ECTS credits. If you take an additional exam/paper, you will gain 8 ECTS credits.

Further useful information in English can be found here:

Our Global Office created a series of how-to-videos that introduce you to important topics regarding your studies at Goethe University. Find answers to your questions about many topics the quick and easy way.

Support for International Students

Starting your first days at a university can be very challenging. To help you get started in Frankfurt, Goethe University provides several support services.

The Faculty 03 frequently offers courses in English, and you do not need to be proficient in German to enrol. Additionally, the Global Office provides a German-intensive language course for exchange students (DIA) at the beginning of each semester. Each year, the application deadline for the September course is June 15, for the March course it is December 15.

To make it easier for you to find your way around Goethe University and Frankfurt, the Global Office offers an orientation program for your first days in Germany, as well as a buddy program. You can also connect with fellow students through the Internationaler Studientreff.

The innovative certification programme, Kompass³ International offers a variety of workshops catered to international students. International students are also welcome to participate in the courses of the Frankfurt Academic Key Competence Center.

Account of the Hochschulrechenzentrum (HRZ-Account)

In order to be able to use the various online systems of the university (e.g. the course catalog QIS / LSF, the learning platform OLAT or the uni-wide WLAN network) you need an account of the Hochschulrechenzentrum (HRZ). You will receive it together with your Goethe Card, your combined student, canteen and library card. You can pick up your Goethe Card and your HRZ Account in the Global Office of Goethe University about one week after your enrollement.

Some seminars at the Faculty 03 require a registration via QIS / LSF a few weeks before lectures start. However, registration is not mandatory for every course and the procedure can be decided individually by the teachers/professors. Please check the registration procedures for the courses you would like to attend well in advance.

If you would like to attend a seminar that requires registration via QIS / LSF, but you did not yet receive your HRZ-Account in the specified registration period, please contact the respective teachers by e-mail in advance or go to their classes on the first day and register personally. Registration is generally possible between the end of March and mid-April and between the end of September and mid-October.

Credits (top to bottom): Uwe Dettmar, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt; Kristin Langolz, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt; Uwe Dettmar, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt