Who can participate in the Business English courses?
The Business English courses are open to all bachelor's and master's students of the WiSo Faculty as well as to students of the study programmes which are taught in cooperation with the WiSo Faculty (Verbundstudiengänge: BA/MA Regional Studies and Media Studies with Media Management and Media Economics). The courses are also open to incoming guest students from the WiSo Faculty.

Can I receive credit points for successful participation in the English course?
The English course is worth 6 credit points. For bachelor's students of most study programmes of the WiSo Faculty (except students of business education [Lehramt BK1]), the course is part of Studium Integrale (SI). Master's students can attend the course as part of the extracurricular modules option (EA = Extracurriculares Angebot) so a successful completion of the course will be acknowledged in their transcript of record. Also, incoming guest students of the WiSo Faculty (bachelor and master) are eligible to obtain ECTS for the course. Additionally, all students receive a certificate at the end of the course indicating their language level if they have participated regularly and attended the end of semester exam.

How do I pass the course?
To pass the course, you will need to meet the minimum attendance requirement and pass the end of semester exam. Students must attend at least nine out of twelve sessions throughout the semester.

How does the final exam look like?
The final exam usually takes place in the penultimate session. It is a written test including multiple choice as well as open questions and further exercises. The oral grade is determined through the mandatory presentation and the participation throughout the semester.

Where do I find general information on Studium Integrale or extracurricular modules?
Please refer to the information on the Studium Integrale and extracurricular modules of the WiSo Faculty and of the University of Cologne and the Studium Integrale and extracurricular modules website.

How can I register for a course?
A link to the ILIAS registration page will be published on our homepage as soon as registration is available. As part of the registration process, you will either need to take an online placement test or provide a valid English certificate. Once pre-registration is closed and we know the course level of all students, we know how many courses can be offered and can finalise the exact timetable for the semester. We will allocate you to an ILIAS folder of your current language level and you will be able to register for a course for your preferred time slot in the folder.

When can I register?
Registration for a placement test or with an English language certificate for the summer semester starts mid-January and for the winter semester mid-June. Students register via ILIAS, the link to which will be published on the website once the registration phase has started. Slots are limited and allocated on a 'first-come, first-served' basis.

How is the placement test structured?
The placement test consists of two parts: a written test and a short conversation with one of the English language teachers at the English Institute of Cologne. Preparation for the placement test is generally not necessary as the aim is to determine your current level of English.

Do I need to take the placement test if I already have an English language proficiency certificate?
If you already hold a valid certificate, there is no need to participate in the placement test. In this case, please register for the course on ILIAS and join the ‘Students with valid certificates’ group. Please remember to send a short email with a scan of your certificate to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. The language level allocation will be based on your test results.
Only the following certificates are accepted:

• TOEFL Test (iBT, CBT, PBT)
• TELC Certificate
• IELTS Test
• Cambridge Certificate
• FILTERtest of the Englisches Institut Köln

I have already taken the placement test before. Do I need to retake it?
No. If you have already taken it, please register in the 'Students with placement test results from previous semesters' group in order to submit your data and send a short email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de stating which semester you took the test in.

Do I need to register if I already hold a valid certificate or have completed the placement test before?
Yes, please register on ILIAS in the 'Students with valid certificates' or ‘Students with placement test results from previous semesters’ group and send us a short email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. Please either include a scan of your certificate or a note stating which semester you took the placement test in.

Can I register for several placement tests?
No, you can only register for one placement test at a time. Your account will be locked once you have registered. We try to accommodate as many students as possible so please make sure you are able to attend the placement test that you registered for.

How can I deregister from the placement test?
If it is before the deadline for that specific test, you can deregister and register for a different date in ILIAS. If the deadline has passed, please send an email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. After receiving a confirmation email of your deregistration you will have the opportunity to register for another date.

I missed the placement test. Is there another opportunity?
Once you register for a placement test, your account will be locked. If you missed the placement test for any unforeseen reason, please email tp wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. If there are still placement test dates available, your test registration will be cancelled so that you can register for another date.

Will the course allocation level that I have been assigned be my final English level for Business English?
No, the course allocation reflects your starting-level based on your placement test or English certificate. The CEFR English level you attain at the end of the course will appear is noted on your certificate from the English Institute of Cologne.
Neither the level you are allocated to nor the final level you achieve in the exam will appear on your transcript.

I am unhappy with the level of my course allocation. What can I do?
The course allocations are based on either your placement test results or the English certificate you provide and reflect your current English level. We can only allocate you courses which match your current English level. Our aim is to assign you to a course level, which is most appropriate for you, so that you can have the opportunity to learn most effectively. Please bear in mind that your course allocation reflects your starting-level and that it is most likely will improve your English skills throughout the course.

I registered for a course but will not be able to participate. How can I deregister?
As long as the course registration in ILIAS is open, you can deregister yourself. Once it is closed and for any reason you have to withdraw from the course, please send an email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. This needs to be before the deadline which we will communicate in ILIAS. Should you deregister after the deadline has expired, we will not be able to accept future registrations from you for the Business English course.

Why do I need to deregister if I am not going to participate in the course?
We aim to provide the course to as many students as possible. As places are limited and the demand is higher than capacity, we ask you to deregister so that another student on the waiting list can take the place. If you fail to deregister from a course before the deadline, you will not be allowed to enrol for a course in a future semester free of charge as you have used up your spot.

What happens if I miss a class?
You should contact one of your fellow students to make sure you come prepared for the next class. To pass the course, you need to attend a minimum of 9 of the 12 sessions.

Can I participate several times in the Business English courses offered by the WiSo Faculty?
You may take the course free of charge once during their bachelor's and once during their master's degree studies. If you did not de-register in time, you will not be able to do the course in a different semester as you have used up your spot. However, if you bear the cost of the course yourself, you may participate in a second course. Please contact the Englisches Institut Köln directly for further information regarding procedures and fees.

Do I need any course materials?
Yes, you will need course materials, which will be provided by the Englisches Institut Köln. You will be informed where to collect them once the course allocation has been finalised. The course materials are free of charge and will become your property after collection.

How many credits is the course worth?
The course is worth 6 credit points and is just a passed/ not passed course type. For bachelor's students of most study programmes of the WiSo Faculty (except students of business education [Lehramt BK1]), the course is part of Studium Integrale (SI). Master's students can attend the course as part of the extracurricular modules option (EA = Extracurriculares Angebot) so a successful completion of the course will be acknowledged in their transcript of record. Also, incoming guest students of the WiSo Faculty (bachelor and master) are eligible to obtain ECTS for the course. To receive the credit points, students need to attend the course regularly and participate in the end of semester exam. Additionally, all students receive a certificate at the end of the course indicating their language level.

How can I receive credits for the course to the Studium Integrale or extracurricular section of my programme?

Registration for the exam takes place after the courses have commenced. We will inform you once the exam registration is open. After the course has ended and given that you participated in the course at least 9 out of 12 times, participated in the exam and registered before on KLIPS, you will receive the credits automatically.

When will I receive my certificate for the Business English course?
We will provide you your digital certificate by email as soon as the certificates are issued.

What can the certificate be used for?
You can use the certificate to support your application for an internship or a job. If an English certificate is mandatory to show your language skills in an application, it is up to the institution to which you are applying to decide which English language certificates it accepts.

Can I use the Business English certificate for an application at the WiSo Faculty for a semester abroad during my Bachelor's degree studies (STAP Bachelor) or for the summer school WiSo@NYC or WiSo@London?
In general: Yes, you can. If you are taking the Business English course in the same fall semester in which you are applying for one of these programmes, please see the specifications on the respective websites (STAP Bachelor, see details on the procedure in the application manual; WiSo@NYC and WiSo@London).

The courses take place once a week and start in the first of the lecture period of that semester unless otherwise specified.

The classes will be scheduled during the following time slots: Monday and Tuesday: 14:00-17:00 and 18:00-21:00; Wedenesday and Thursday: 9:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00 and 18:00-21:00. The exact timetable for the semester will be finalised after all students have participated in the placement test and we know how many courses can be offered and in which time slot.

The courses are made up of 12 sessions with the penultimate or final session reserved for the end of course exam.