FAQ – Managing Your Study Path

This FAQ part is intended primarily for students who are already enrolled in one of our study programs. It covers questions about changing study programs, additional requirements, transfer of credits, recognition of external courses, module administration, and other practical matters.

If you are still deciding whether to study Computational Linguistics and Language Technology, please see the FAQ – Study Program Basics.

Starting or changing a study program

How do I apply for a CL Master’s program?

Applicants holding a Bachelor’s degree with at least 60 ECTS credits in Computational Linguistics can normally apply to our MA programs in Computational Linguistics and Language Technology (30 and 90 ECTS) without additional requirements.

If you do not have a Bachelor’s degree in Computational Linguistics with at least 60 ECTS credits in Computational Linguistics, you may be required to complete up to 60 ECTS credits from our BA program. These requirements are determined case by case during the application process. If you already completed BA-level CL courses at UZH, the corresponding ECTS credits can be used for fulfilling these requirements.

Can I change my BA or MA study program?

Changing your study program can be done by submitting a request in the Student Service Portal. Please read the help pages for the Student Portal.

ECTS credits from completed courses of the old study program can only be transferred to a new study program if they have been cross-listed. Check the UZH course catalogue; under the tab "Component" of each module you will find a list of all study programs for which the module can be booked.

Can I book CL modules before changing my study program?

Yes. As soon as you are enrolled in a study program, you can book modules without being enrolled in the corresponding minor or major subject. In the module booking tool, select "all ECTS degree programmes and minor subjects" or the corresponding option before starting the search. If you later change your minor or major, your ECTS credits will be retained, provided they can be assigned to the new program according to the study regulations.

Which courses transfer when changing from the Linguistics Monomaster to the CL MA?

All courses that are listed in the course catalogue as part of the MA program "Computational Linguistics and Language Technology" are transferred.

BA courses listed as components of the BA program "Computational Linguistics and Language Technology" count towards the additional requirements, up to 60 ECTS credits from our BA program. These CL BA courses might be MA courses in the Linguistics Monomaster, but they will be used as BA courses in case of a program change.

Courses that are MA courses of the Linguistics Monomaster but neither BA nor MA courses of CL cannot be transferred, for example Quantitative Methods. Some of these courses may be similar in content to CL BA courses. In such cases, a further reduction of BA ECTS requirements may be possible. However, we cannot determine the reduction in advance.

Additional requirements

What are additional requirements?

Additional requirements are Bachelor-level courses or credits that you must complete for your Master’s studies if your previous academic background does not fully match the requirements of the MA program. They are assigned during the admission process.

How many additional requirements can I receive?

The maximum is 60 ECTS credits combined for your major and minor programs. If the total additional requirements exceed 60 ECTS credits, your application will be rejected. To avoid this, select your MA study programs carefully to minimize additional requirements.

If your major or minor is related to Informatics, additional requirements for CL and Informatics may be coordinated. The exact distribution is determined during the admission process and depends on your chosen combination of study programs.

When should I complete additional requirements?

Ideally, additional requirements from our BA program should be completed within the first year of your Master’s studies. However, you may enroll in MA courses from the start of your studies, provided you have the necessary background knowledge.

Be aware that some programs from the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics define specific deadlines for fulfilling their requirements. Missing such deadlines can result in your permanent exclusion from the program.

Which courses count towards additional requirements?

Currently, the additional requirements are not tied to specific CL modules. This means that you can choose freely which CL BA courses to take in order to fulfill them. However, we strongly recommend first completing all mandatory CL courses, followed by the core CL modules. If you already have the competencies of a CL module, you may attend courses that teach you something new.

Informatics modules that are cross-listed for our program in a given semester also count for CL additional requirements.

How can I assign BA courses as additional requirements for my Master studies?

The study app allows you to assign CL BA courses as additional requirements. Bachelor’s modules that can be credited at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level (vertically cross-listed modules) may under certain circumstances be automatically assigned to your Master’s program. In this case, please request an adjustment to your requirements using the online form.

Which courses from previous studies can count towards additional requirements?

Upon MA application, the study advisor reviews all completed courses from your BA study program and decides which courses count towards the general requirements of up to 60 ECTS credits. ECTS credits of approved courses are subtracted from the additional requirements. In general, only courses from computer science, mathematics, or computational linguistics are candidates, but not purely linguistics courses.

Planning your studies

Can I take Master’s modules before completing my Bachelor’s degree?

The module catalog (MK) specifies for each module under "Vorziehbarkeit" whether this module can be booked and passed while finishing your BA CL program.

Can I complete the minor before the major?

You can fulfill the requirements of your programs in any order. However, certain modules require the completion of other modules. Not following the recommended curriculum for your study programs typically extends the duration of your studies.

What can I do if courses in my major and minor overlap?

First determine which courses are compulsory in the programs concerned; these have priority when booking. Then identify which courses must be completed in a specific order. The more other courses depend on a given course, the higher priority this course should receive.

Also consider the size of the study programs. Since a 30 ECTS minor can often be completed within one or two years, the study program with the larger number of ECTS credits should usually take priority if there is a scheduling conflict.

Can one module count for two study programs?

No. ECTS credits can only be credited once. If module X is a compulsory module in both programs, you will need to substitute it in the program with the fewer credit points by taking another module that you have not yet completed within that program. This is particularly relevant if you are also taking modules as part of a minor in Informatics. To ensure you meet all requirements, consult the student advisors for both programs.

Where can I find advice if I am unsure how to plan my studies?

If you are unsure about your study plan, module selection, additional requirements, or program combinations, please contact the CL study advisor or book an advising appointment. More information is available on our page about general issues related to studying Computational Linguistics and Language Technology

Modules and assessments

What learning formats are used in the CL study programs?

A more detailed description of our Learning Formats explains how you can fulfill your study program.

Can I cancel a module booking after the official deadline?

Cancellation after the official deadline is only possible in cases of significant issues, such as prolonged illness, and requires formal documentation. You have to request a cancellation via the self service desk.

You must also inform the responsible persons, such as the lecturer or module supervisor, immediately. Requests must normally be submitted no later than five working days after the date of the assessment.

How do I write a term paper?

The most important notes and rules are summarised here.

Recognition of external courses

Can ETH Zurich courses count towards my CL degree?

Yes, provided they are relevant NLP courses. Please send an email to study@cl.uzh.ch with links to the course pages that you would like to count towards your CL degree. A formal agreement regarding the module group assignment will be set up. After successful completion, send your transcript from ETH Zurich to study@cl.uzh.ch so that the recognition process can be initiated.

How many ETH Zurich credits can I transfer?

For BA or MA major studies, at most 18 ECTS credits can be transferred. For a BA minor, at most 12 ECTS credits can be transferred; for an MA minor, at most 6 ECTS credits can be transferred.

Special situations

Can I study CL after being excluded from Computer Science?

Yes. The informatics modules are part of your CL study program. The modules still count towards your study program at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.