Choosing your courses

On this page you can find information about the following topics:

1. Course directory
2. Course choice
3. Types of courses
4. Courses in English
5. Courses at other departments
6. Information for non-Sociology exchange students

Course Directory

  • The current course offer can be found in the course directory. For sociology courses, choose „Browse“and then go to “Directorate of Studies 23 – Sociology“. Depending on your level, you may choose courses from the bachelor’s or master’s programme.
  • The course directory for the following winter semester is provided around August, the one for the summer semester is online in the middle of January.
  • In case your home university requires for your Learning Agreement to be signed earlier, please use the course directory of the respective semester of the previous year. This is important, as some courses are only offered in the winter or summer semester.

Course Choice

  • The structure of the Sociology curriculum in Vienna is quite flexible, Viennese students are used to choosing their courses independently, depending on their interests and timetable preferences.
  • Please note that at least 50 % of all courses chosen for your study at the University of Vienna should be from the sociology curriculum!
  • As an ERASMUS+ Incoming student you may choose freely from the offer of the Sociology Department, but decide for yourself if your knowledge is sufficient (for example if a BA student wants to take a MA-course).
  • Research practice ("Forschungspraktika") extends over the whole academic year and hence not suitable for the incoming students who stay one semester.

Types of Courses

  • The Department of Sociology offers various kinds of teaching sessions (“Lehrveranstaltungen“): lectures (VO), courses (KU), lectures combined with a seminar (VOSE), exercises (UE), seminars (SE), proseminars (PS) and workshops (WS). They can be divided into non-continuous assessment courses (NPI) and continuous assessment courses (PI).
  • Non-continuous assessment courses (VO, KU): Oral presentation of subject matters by the teachers (professors), attendance is not compulsory. Written exams usually take place at the end of the semester and require registrationvia the online registration system u:space. Although students can choose between four different exam dates, we highly recommend for Erasmus students to take the first date because the others in general take place during the following semester.
  • Continuous assessment courses (SE, UE, PS, VOSE, WS): Continuous assessment courses involve oral and written contributions throughout the entire semester and a final paper (the exact requirements vary from course to course and are usually listed in the course's entry in the online course directory). They are characterized by compulsory attendance. The number of participants is limited (25 to 40 on average); registration in the online registration system u:space is absolutely necessary. To ensure your participation in a continuous assessment course it is important to be on time for the first lesson.
  • Please note that some courses may be held in the form of blocks instead of continuous classes throughout the semester. These courses are marked as "Blocklehrveranstaltung" and take place mostly on weekends or in other time slots.
  • As an exchange student you do not have to take courses from the STEOP module (“Studieneingangs- und Orientierungsphase“ i.e. “Introduction and Orientation Phase”); you are even recommended not to choose any of these courses.

 Courses at other departments

  • If you are nominated as an exchange students in the field of Sociology and would like to attend courses offered by departments other then Sociology, please inform yourself about the course offer in the course directory.
  • Many departments allow external students to participate in lectures (VO, Vorlesungen). If the department also allows participation in other courses, you are usually required to contact the respective departmental coordinator and/or professor of the course in advance. Since the possibility to attend courses in a field you were not nominated for vary from department to department, please read the information on "Courses outside your nominated field of studies" provided here first.
  • Each field of study handles this topic a bit differently. You will find some initial information regarding the possibility of attending courses outside your nominated field of study in this list.
  • Please note that we can not guarantee by any means that you will be able to attend courses in other fields of study.

Information for non-Sociology exchange students

  • Exchange students who have not been nominated for our field of study but who would still like to take courses at our department can participate in lectures (VO). You do not have to discuss your participation in lectures with our departmental coordinator first. If you want these lectures confirmed on your Learning Agreement, please contact ERASMUS+ student assistant Marie Klein (if you come from another social science, your own departmental coordinator may also sign for our lectures).
  • If you would like to attend a Sociology course with compulsory attendance, please contact ERASMUS+ student assistant Marie Klein  first.

 Courses in English

  • Each semester, a few courses are held in English. However the offer is usually not big enough fo fulfill the number of ECTS required by your home university.
  • If you would like to attend courses held at other departments, please read the information above.