Graduation (of the course of study)

Please note

A renewal of your student registration for the next semester is not necessary if the following condition applies:
The definitive Master`s thesis and evaluation were submitted before week 8 or 38 to the secretariat of the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Science.

Procedure

Approval of your Master's thesis

Approval for the evaluation of the Master`s thesis by the faculty (in accordance with RSL Phil.-nat., Art. 53, Section 1)

1. Submit your Master`s thesis to your thesis supervisor for correction.
2. Subsequently, the following documents must be submitted to the Dean's Office:
   - Evaluation (original or digital form)
   - Master's thesis in digital form by e-mail to:
     info.natdek@unibe.ch
     (please consult the Guidelines for the design of the master thesis (PDF, 45KB)).
3. The secretariat of the directorate of studies of your subject will enter the grade for your Master's thesis into the Core Teaching System (CTS).

   • Important: Please decide with your thesis supervisor who will submit the above mentioned documents to the secretariat of the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Science.

4. Generally, you will receive the definitive grade for your Master's thesis via the CTS after approx. ten days (referendum deadline).

   Attention: During semester breaks this deadline may be extended!

To apply for Graduation in CTS

1. Make sure that all information for your entire course of study (including your Master's thesis) has been entered correctly into the CTS.
2. If everything is there and entered correctly:

• In CTS, in the second row press "Request graduation" as follows:
  (Please do NOT press "Request completion" in the top row! This wont work and you will get an error message)

• Due to your application, the directorate of studies for your subject will be alerted. The directorate will check your academic attainments and if everything is ok, will change the status of your study program in the CTS to "Requirements fulfilled" and reports this status change to the Dean's Office. (from now on, no further changes can be made in the CTS)
• From this point on, you can request a confirmation of completion from the Dean's Office.

Dean's Office

As soon as the Dean's Office receives the information that your subject requirements are fulfilled (from the directorate of studies), the Dean's Office will change your degree status in the CTS to "completed." A diploma supplement and the degree certificate will be issued, and you will receive an invitation via e-mail from the secretariat of the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Science to pick up your documents. This usually takes about 3 to 5 working days (longer during semester breaks). Please bring along the following documents:

• Completion of the Master degree (PDF, 251KB)
• A receipt confirming the payment of CHF 300 for the performance assessment fee (Leistungskontrollengebühr). The payment shall be made to:

Bank account information for paying the examination fee

Payment for:
Berner Kantonalbank
3001 Bern

On the account of:
BEKB Bern
CH87 0079 0016 7091 7104 6 (Konto 30-106-9)
SWIFT number: KBBECH22XXX (for payments from abroad)
Universität Bern
Dekanat der Phil.-nat. Fakultät
Sidlerstrasse 5
CH-3012 Bern

Invoice examination fees

Graduation ceremony for Master's degree students

The next graduation ceremony for the Faculty of Science will be held on February 19, 2025.

All students who have completed their Master in 2024 (incl. all students whose degree is set in KSL by 31.01.2025 at the latest) can participate in the ceremony.

Für PH Interessierte

Die Phil.-nat. Fakultät bietet für Studierende der PH Bern Fachstudien in naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern – die sog. fachwissenschaftliche Basis – für angehende Lehrkräfte der Sekundarstufe I bzw. Sekundarstufe II an. Weiterführende Informationen zum Studium an der Pädagogischen Hochschule Bern finden Sie hier: http://www.phbern.ch/

FAQ for graduation at master's level

Please note

A renewal of your student`s registration for the next semester is not necessary if the following condition applies:
The PhD defence must take place in any given year at the latest by January 31^st (fall semester) or July 31^st (spring semester). Please note: Doctoral candidates must remain registered at the university including the semester in which the doctoral examination takes place.

Procedure

Please consult the  Guidelines for the design of the dissertation (DOCX, 28KB).

Application for PhD graduation

1. Set a date, time and location for your doctoral examination with your supervisor (including the reservation of a lecture hall). Fill out the "Registration for the PhD - Defence (PDF, 510KB)" with your supervisor and the responsible directorate of studies.

2. Register for your doctoral examination at the secretariat of the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Science (check the registration dates as shown in the table below)  by submitting the following documents to us in person, by post or by e-mail to nadja.susedka@unibe.ch:

• Registration for the PhD - Defence (PDF, 510KB)
• Declaration of consent (PDF, 572KB) in accordance with Article 18 of the PromR Phil.-nat 19
• Confirmation of publication doctoral thesis.pdf (PDF, 58KB)
• A receipt confirming payment of CHF 400 for the PhD fee. Payment should be made into the account held by the Faculty of Science (see the bank information below)
• Confirmation of fulfilled supplementary courses (only if you were admitted to the doctorate on condition of additional courses).

Submission of the dissertation

The definitive and (if needed) corrected dissertation (1 copy), along with the supervisor's evaluation and the evaluation of the external co-referee, must be submitted to the secretariat of the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Science (check the submission dates as shown in the table below).
After successful completion of the doctoral examination, you are required to publish your dissertation via BORIS Theses on the server of the University Library.

The dissertation can be published on the server of the University Library

Detailed instructions can be found here.

Issuing of the degree documents

After the successful completion of the doctoral examination, the graduation record and the degree certificate will be issued. You will receive an invitation via e-mail from the secretariat of the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Science to pick up your documents.

Please consider the secretariat's hours of operation.

Bank account information for paying the examination fee

Payment for:
Berner Kantonalbank
3001 Bern

On the account of:
BEKB Bern
CH87 0079 0016 7091 7104 6 (Konto 30-106-9)
SWIFT number: KBBECH22XXX (for payments from abroad)
Universität Bern
Dekanat der Phil.-nat. Fakultät
Sidlerstrasse 5
CH-3012 Bern

Graduation ceremony for PhD students

The next graduation ceremony for the Faculty of Science will be held on February 19, 2025.

All students who have completed their PhD in 2024 (incl. all students whose degree is set in KSL by 31.01.2025 at the latest) can participate in the ceremony.

Important notes and codes of practice:

• Code of practice doctoral degree programm
• Information leaflet for evaluations
• Application (authorization to serve as an supervisor/co-supervisor for the dissertation; examiner, external evaluator)
• Evaluation in English

Registration and submission deadlines for PhD degrees

New: PhD examinations can now be conducted during the semester breaks.

* Please consider the secretariat's hours of operation.

Lecture-free period: Examination weeks 52-7 and 23-37

Issuing of degree documents during the lecture-free period: Within a month after the examination date.

FAQ for Completion of a PhD