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Study and Examination Regulations for the
Master of Science in Life Sciences Degree Programme
at the Swiss College of Agriculture SHL
(SPR MSCLS)
(Appendix to the Framework of Study Regulations RSO for the Master of Science in Life Sciences at Bern
University of Applied Sciences dated 23 June 2008)
The Board of Governors of Bern University of Applied Sciences,
pursuant to Article 5 paragraph 4 of the Federal Act of 6 October 1995 concerning the universities of applied
sciences (Fachhochschulgesetz, FHSG) 1, Article 33 paragraph 1 letter n of the Act of 19 June 2003 concern-
ing Bern University of Applied Sciences (FaG) 2, , Article 56a and Article 62 of the Ordinance of 5 May 2004
concerning Bern University of Applied Sciences (FaV) 3
has decided:
1. Validity
Principles Art 1 1 These Study and Examination Regulations are based on the
Framework of Study Regulations RSO for the Master of Science in Life Sci-
ences dated 23 June 2008.
2
The Study and Examination Regulations comprise the university-specific
addenda referred to in the Framework of Study Regulations as the Appendix.
Specialisations Art 2 The specialisations available are set out in the degree programme.
2. Admission
1
Acceptance onto a Art 3 To be accepted onto a Master’s degree programme, candidates
Master’s Degree must have a Bachelor’s degree from a Swiss university of applied sciences in
Programme one of the following degree disciplines with either the ECTS grade A or B or
at least a mark 5:
- Agronomy
- Forestry
- Landscape Architecture
- Environmental Engineering
- Food Technology
- Wood Engineering
- Oenology
1
SR 414.71
2
BSG 435.411
3
BSG 436.811
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2
Candidates who have an equivalent previous education and professional
experience are also admitted. The board of studies submits such applications
to the board of directors, which decides whether to allow admission.
3
Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree from an academic university must pro-
vide evidence of at least half a year of professional experience recognised by
the Swiss College of Agriculture (SHL). If this condition is not fulfilled, candi-
dates must complete a work placement recognised by the SHL before begin-
ning the degree course.
4
In order to be able to follow the taught elements of the degree programme,
ability in English at least equivalent to Level B2 of the European Language
Portfolio is required. It is the responsibility of students to ensure that this
condition is fulfilled. No official English certificate will be requested.
5
The following documents should accompany the completed application form:
a statement of personal motivation
b curriculum vitae
c certificate of marital/civil status
d certificates of academic degree(s)
e certificates of academic education (transcripts of records)
f references/certifications of employment
g secondary school leaving certificates
h evidence of payment of the application fee
i a certified translations of each document that is in a language other than
German, French, Italian or English.
Aptitude Assessment, Art 4 1 An aptitude assessment is carried out for candidates
Elements, Acceptance a with partially recognised previous education and professional experience
or
b with a final Bachelor’s ECTS grade C or lower in one of the degree disci-
plines listed in Article 3 paragraph 1.
2
The member of the board of directors responsible for teaching decides on
the partially recognised previous education and professional experience men-
tioned in paragraph 1 letter a.
3
The aptitude assessments generally consist of the following elements:
a written and oral examinations,
b interviews and
c letters of recommendation.
4
At the request of the board of studies, the member of the board of directors
responsible for teaching may take previous education into account for the
aptitude assessment.
5
The aptitude assessment as a whole is judged by the board of directors as
a passed,
b partially passed or
c failed.
6
The assessment criteria for the aptitude assessment are the technical ability
and interdisciplinary skills of relevance for the Master’s degree programme in
the chosen specialisation.
7
The member of the board of directors responsible for teaching decides
whether to take previous education into account, at the request of the board
of studies.
8
Passing an aptitude assessment entitles candidates to enter the Master’s
degree programme and is valid for three years.
9
An aptitude assessment is considered to have been passed when evidence
of ability with a minimum ECTS grade of C is submitted.
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10
An aptitude assessment is considered to have been partially passed when
evidence of ability with an ECTS grade of E or D is submitted.
11
In the case of partially passed aptitude assessments, obligations will be set
which must be fulfilled before entering the Master’s degree programme.
12
A failed aptitude assessment may be re-taken once. Candidates who fail at
this second attempt are definitively rejected.
3. Degree Programme
Module Categories and Art 5 1 ECTS credits (EC) are assigned to the various module categories as
the ECTS System follows:
Entrepreneurial basics modules 4 EC
Extended theoretical basics modules 3 EC
Specific modules of specialisation 5 EC
Master’s thesis 30 EC
2
EC which have been obtained at the SHL or have been recognised by the
SHL are, in principle, valid in perpetuity. The member of the board of direc-
tors responsible for teaching can declare previously obtained or recognised
EC invalid if the competences evidenced by these EC are no longer of rele-
vance to the degree programme.
3
For each module there is a description which, as a minimum, gives informa-
tion about the following:
a prerequisites to entrance,
b competences to be achieved,
c content of the module,
d teaching and learning methods,
e forms and modalities of assessments of ability,
f ECTS credits assigned to the module.
Progression of the Art 6 1 The standard degree programme is constructed as follows:
Degree Programme Entrepreneurial basics (3 modules) 12 EC
Extended theoretical basics (6 modules) 18 EC
Modules of specialisation (6 modules) 30 EC
Master’s thesis (1 module) 30 EC
2
Full-time study lasts three semesters (including Master’s thesis). If the de-
gree is undertaken part-time, the length of study is extended accordingly.
3
Each semester, modules adding up to a minimum of 12 EC should be taken.
In accordance with Article 15 paragraph 2, fewer EC may be taken under
serious circumstances. The member of the board of directors responsible for
teaching decides about such exceptions.
4
If a student takes a module, he/she is also registered for the assessments of
ability. The assessments of ability must be taken at the specified time.
5
The SHL absence rules govern the presence rules for taught classes.
6
The dates and deadlines of these regulations relate to full-time study of
three semesters. They are amended accordingly for part-time study.
Degree Programme Art 7 1 The compulsory core modules and the optional core modules of
each specialisation are set out in the degree programme.
2
In individual cases, in consultation with the Master’s thesis supervisor, the
compulsory core modules specified can be deviated from. Such deviations
are agreed in writing at the beginning of the Master’s course between the
student and supervisor and also a member of the board of studies. If there is
no agreement, the compulsory core modules must be taken as specified in the
degree programme.
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3
Optional core modules and optional modules are selected from the degree
programme at the beginning of the Master’s course after consultation with the
Master’s thesis supervisor. The selection is documented in writing and is
binding.
4
If the supervisor and the student cannot come to an agreement about which
modules the student should take, the board of studies decides.
Completion of the Art 8 1 The Master’s degree is awarded to students who have
Master’s Degree a obtained at least 90 EC,
Programme b received at least ECTS grade E for all required compulsory core modules
and optional core modules of the specialisation,
c obtained 30 EC for a Master’s thesis assessed with at least ECTS grade
E,
d written their Master’s thesis in their specialisation.
2
On successful completion of the degree programme, the academic degree
Master of Science (MSc) is awarded. The title is supplemented with the de-
scription of the degree discipline and the chosen specialisation as follows:
MSc BFH in Life Sciences with Specialisation in …
Recognition of Student Art 9 1 Equivalent student achievement carried out at another university is
Achievement from Other recognised by the member of the board of directors responsible for teaching
Universities, Work Ex- at the request of the board of studies by means of an assessment of equiva-
perience and Further lency. The recognition, together with an instruction on the right to appeal, is
Education given in writing.
2
For professional qualifications or further education qualifications to be taken
into account on the Master’s degree programme, the recommendations of the
Rectors of Universities of Applied Sciences Conference of 11 March 2008 are
applied. The member of the board of directors responsible for teaching de-
cides at the request of the board of studies.
4. Performance Monitoring
Assessments of Ability Art 10 1 Assessments of ability are a means of performance monitoring
which serve to test the competences acquired in a module.
2
Assessments of ability may take the form of examinations, written or oral
reports, combinations of these forms or other forms of performance monitor-
ing. Monitoring presence during the taught elements of the programme alone
is not a sufficient form of performance monitoring. The form and type of per-
formance evaluation to be used in a module is stated in the degree pro-
gramme.
3
Where the evaluation of competences in a module is measured by several
assessments of ability, the teacher will stipulate the weighting of each as-
sessment of ability.
4
The teacher will inform the students at the beginning of the module when the
assessments of ability are to be performed and how these assessments are
weighted.
Master’s Thesis Art 11 1 The working title of the Master’s thesis is determined at the be-
ginning of the Master’s programme.
2
The module description of the Master’s thesis defines the content and timing
requirements for the students’ performance. Students choose a subject from
a selection given for their specialisation. They may also propose their own
subjects.
3
Students are supervised during the writing of their Master’s thesis by a pro-
fessor/lecturer, a research assistant or, exceptionally, an external lecturer.
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4
The subject and the conceptual formulation of the Master’s thesis are docu-
mented by the supervisor; the submission of the Master’s thesis is docu-
mented by the board of directors. The supervisor is responsible for correcting
and assessing the thesis.
5
On completion of the Master’s thesis, students are examined orally on the
subject of their thesis and its related field of knowledge.
6
The oral examination is conducted by the thesis supervisor with the partici-
pation of a specialist. The specialists are selected by the board of directors
at the request of the board of studies and act in an advisory capacity.
7
The evaluation of the oral examination is integrated into the evaluation of
the Master’s thesis. The evaluation modalities are set out in the ‘Guidelines
for Master Theses’.
8
If a Master’s thesis is evaluated with the ECTS grades E, FX or F, the whole
thesis is additionally evaluated by the specialist. For the definitive evaluation,
the evaluation of both the teacher responsible for supervising the thesis and
the expert are considered.
9
The board of directors issues ‘Guidelines for Master’s Theses’, which gov-
erns further items.
Preparation of, Art 12 1 The people who teach the module are responsible for the prepara-
Execution of and tion, execution, correction and evaluation of the assessments of ability. They
Responsibility for may contract other colleagues to fulfil these tasks but they alone are respon-
the Evaluation of sible for the final evaluation.
Performance in 2
In certain cases the member of the board of directors responsible for teach-
Taught Modules
ing may appoint other competent people for the evaluation of performance.
3
The examining teachers are responsible for the execution of the examina-
tions in accordance with the rules. If third parties are contracted to invigilate,
they must be informed at length and in good time of the applicable examina-
tion conditions. They ensure that the invigilation is correctly carried out.
4
In oral examinations, a second person must be present to take the minutes,
in addition to the examining teacher. For this task, a second teacher or a
member of the mid-level faculty with relevant specialist competence may be
appointed.
1
Public Art 13 Assessments of ability are generally not public.
2
The oral examination for the thesis (Article 11, paragraph 5) is public.
1
Languages Art 14 Assessments of ability can be taken in German, French or Eng-
lish.
2
With the agreement of the teacher concerned, an assessment of ability may
be taken in Italian or Spanish. If translation costs at the expense of SHL
result, the prior approval of the member of the board of directors responsible
for teaching is required.
3
Examination tasks are given only in English.
Deferral of Assessments Art 15 1 If a student is unable to take an assessment of ability due to seri-
of Ability ous circumstances, it is possible on application to take this assessment at a
later date.
2
Serious circumstances are, namely, military service, civilian service, preg-
nancy, illness, accident, unavoidable obligations to care for a close family
member or the death of a loved one. In the case of illness or accident, a
doctor’s certificate must be submitted without delay. The board of directors
reserves the right to reject a doctor’s certificate as a result of a medical ex-
aminer’s judgement.
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3
The teacher responsible for the module concerned is responsible for the re-
scheduling of dates.
Absence and Art 16 1 If a student has no serious reason (Article 15 paragraph 2) for
Withdrawal missing or withdrawing from an assessment of ability, he/she will receive the
rating ‘not fulfilled’ or the ECTS grade F.
2
The member of the board of directors responsible for teaching immediately
decides on the permissibility of the absence or withdrawal. If necessary, the
teachers responsible for the assessment of ability will take provisional meas-
ures. They will record the incident in writing.
Dishonesty and Art 17 1 Assessments of ability are to be carried out independently, without
Disturbance the illicit help of third parties and only with the aids allowed by the responsi-
ble teacher. In written work, all citations must be indicated.
2
In cases of contravention of the clauses in paragraph 1 (Dishonesty), the
member of the board of directors responsible for teaching decrees, at the
request of the teacher, the evaluation ‘failed’ (F) or ‘not fulfilled’ for the as-
sessment of ability.
3
Should the dishonest behaviour be discovered only after an evaluation of
the assessment of ability has been carried out, the member of the board of
directors responsible for teaching can, at the request of the board of studies,
retroactively evaluate the assessment of ability as ‘failed’ (F) or ‘not fulfilled’.
4
Serious disruption of an assessment of ability (for example, noise, distract-
ing behaviour, other interruptions) will result in expulsion and the ECTS grade
F or the rating ‘not fulfilled’. The reasons will be documented.
Exclusion Art 18 1 Students who can no longer fulfil the requirements needed to gradu-
ate because they have exhausted the re-take possibilities, the requirements
for the successful completion of the Master’s degree programme, will be ex-
cluded from the programme by the board of directors.
2
The supervisory board, at the request of the board of directors, decides on
exclusion from the programme for disciplinary reasons or due to gravely dis-
honest behaviour.
Documentation Art 19 1 The teachers are responsible for documenting the results of as-
sessments of ability.
2
Written work and the minutes of oral examinations are to be kept by the
teachers for at least one year after graduation.
Justification and Art 20 1 In cases of objection or appeal, evaluations of insufficiency must be
Inspection of Records justified in writing.
2
Candidates have the right to see their examinations and other written work
as well as the corrections thereto. The inspection comprises a compilation of
copies for which a cash payment must be made.
Evaluation Art 21 1 The overall evaluation of competences acquired during a module is
given in the form of an ECTS grade.
2
The evaluation with ECTS grades complies with the ECTS rules. The indi-
vidual ECTS grades have the following significance.
A excellent
B very good
C good
D satisfactory
E sufficient
FX fail; subsequent improvement possible
F fail
3
The FX grade is provisory. The student is given the chance to improve this
evaluation by means of additional performance. The teacher responsible for
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awarding the grade defines the method and the date for the subsequent im-
provement. If subsequent improvement is achieved and the results are suffi-
cient, the FX grade is replaced by grade E. If the opportunity for subsequent
improvement is not taken or the results are insufficient, the FX grade is re-
placed by grade F.
Pass Grade for Art 22 1 A module is considered to have been passed when at least grade E
Modules, Allocation of has been achieved.
ECTS Credits 2
A passed module is awarded the full number of EC allocated to the module.
A failed module is awarded no EC.
Repetition of Modules Art 23 1 Failed modules may be re-taken once, as long as none of the rea-
sons for exclusion listed in Article 18 exist.
2
Repetition should generally occur at the soonest possible date.
3
If the Master’s thesis is evaluated with an ECTS grade F, it can only be re-
submitted with a new concept. The student will then be supervised by a
teacher other than the teacher who failed the first thesis.
4
Repetition of passed modules for the purpose of improving grades is not
permitted.
Disclosure of Results Art 24 1 Students are informed in writing of the overall evaluation of each
module by the member of the board of directors responsible for teaching.
This information is communicated twice a year. The member of the board of
directors responsible for teaching stipulates the dates.
2
Evaluations of performance given before the information from the member of
the board of directors responsible for teaching is issued are not binding.
1
Final Evaluation Art 25 The final evaluation appears on the degree certificate.
2
The final evaluation constitutes a relative assessment of the performance of
the individual student in comparison with that of all students in the same
graduating year. It is determined on the basis of the overall evaluations in the
compulsory core modules and the optional core modules taken. The weight-
ing of the overall evaluations is calculated by means of the ECTS credits of
the modules under consideration.
3
The final evaluation is calculated in accordance with the rules of the ECTS
system:
ECTS Percentage of students who Definition
grades normally achieve this grade
A 10 Excellent
B 25 Very good
C 30 Good
D 25 Satisfactory
E 10 Sufficient
FX - Failed (subsequent im-
provement possible)
F - Failed
4
The final evaluation appears on the degree certificate without the percent-
age, only with an indication of the grade.
5. Judicature
Art 26 1 Judicature complies with the legislation concerning Bern University
of Applied Sciences.
2
Written objections to the rules set out in Articles 3 paragraph 2, 18 and 24
paragraph 1 may be submitted to the board of directors within thirty days.
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3
Written complaints about the decisions taken on objections mentioned in
paragraph 2 may be submitted to the appeals committee of Bern University of
Applied Sciences. The contestation of inappropriateness is inadmissible.
6. Final Clause
Legal Validity Art 27 These Regulations came into effect on 1 August 2008.
This document is an English translation of the ‘Studien- und Prüfungsreglement für den Studiengang Master
of Science in Life Sciences der Schweizerischen Hochschule für Landwirtschaft SHL (SPR MSCLS)’ dated 23
June 2008. This translation is for information purposes only and is not legally binding. For legal purposes the
German version should be referred to.
Ste, Hew (March 2009)
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