Course Attendance & Absences

Course Registration

You should register in heiCO for all courses you expect to attend before the course begins (https://www.hfjs.eu/en/study/during-studies/course-catalog.html). If this is not possible, an email to the course instructor is sufficient. If neither option works, you may also attend the first session without prior registration.
However, you are required to complete the official registration afterwards, as only officially registered students are permitted to attend the course. If you decide not to attend the course after all, please deregister via heiCO.
Important: Regular attendance is required from the first session onwards in order to successfully complete the course and earn credit points. Every missed session counts towards the permitted number of absences.

What to Do If You Cannot Attend a Course Session

Please inform the course instructor (preferably by email in advance).
You do not need to provide a medical certificate initially. However, if you are absent due to illness, we recommend obtaining a medical certificate.
Please keep medical certificates or, where applicable, other relevant documentation until the end of the semester. You only need to provide them to the course instructor if you have exceeded the permitted number of absences.

Permitted Absences

General rule: At the HfJS, two absences are permitted per course.

What does this mean?

This rule applies to a “regular” course that meets once a week. In this case, you may miss a maximum of two sessions. This corresponds to two full weeks of class time.
Accordingly, in a course that meets several times a week, you may miss a maximum of two full weeks of class time.

Examples:

Most weekly courses comprise 2 SWS (= 2 × 45 minutes of class time per week). You may therefore miss a maximum of 2 × 2 × 45 min = 180 min.
Block seminars also usually comprise 2 SWS (unless otherwise stated in the KVV). Here, too, you may miss a maximum of 2 × 2 × 45 min = 180 min. This corresponds to ²/₁₅ of the total class time.
For a block course with a different number of SWS, you may likewise miss a maximum of ²/₁₅ of the total class time.
Hebrew course with 9 SWS (= 9 × 45 min per week): You may miss a maximum of 2 × 9 × 45 min = 9 × 90 min.
Hebrew course with 6 SWS (= 6 × 45 min per week): You may miss a maximum of 2 × 6 × 45 min = 6 × 90 min.

What Happens If You Exceed the Permitted Number of Absences?

Preparation and follow-up work, as well as regular and active participation, are not interchangeable requirements but essential components of every course. They form the basic requirement for successfully completing a course.

If you exceed the permitted number of absences, the course may be assessed as “failed.” In this case, you will not receive any credit points (0 CP) for the course – even if you have already completed individual course requirements (e.g. a presentation or essay).

Are There Any Exceptions?

In justified individual cases, absences may be compensated for through additional work (e.g. a presentation). The following applies:

There is no entitlement to compensation. The decision is made by the course instructor on a case-by-case basis.
Limits to compensation: Excessive absences can jeopardize successful learning. Absences therefore cannot be compensated for through additional work without limit.
Reduction in credit points: Even if compensation is approved, you may not receive all of the credit points allocated to the course. In such cases, the course may not be eligible to count toward a particular module as originally planned.

What Do I Need to Do?

Absences must be documented with a medical certificate or other appropriate documentation.
Please contact the course instructor first. If necessary, the course instructor will consult with the Examinations Office or the Office of the Dean of Studies.
In the event of problems or uncertainties, the Examination Board will make the final decision.