Courses and academics
Course registration takes place two and a half weeks before lectures begin in St.Gallen. Please take a moment now to familiarise yourself with our wide selection of courses.
The definitive list of courses for the coming semester will be available on the online timetable about one month before the semester begins. We will inform guest students by e-mail well in advance.
Course programme and bidding
With a few exceptions, guest students may select courses from all departments. You should choose courses based on your current level of study.
In exceptional cases, Bachelor guest students may take Master level courses (except Strategy and International Management SIM).
The CEMS core course is open only to CEMS students.
Courses for Assessment, Doctoral/Ph.D., teacher education, economic journalism, business education/ educational mangement, and MBA programmes are closed to guest students.
The course registration process «bidding» for guest students starts approximately two and a half weeks prior the beginning of the lecture period. Detailed information is avalable in the fact sheet bidding guest students.
Course numbering system
| Course number |
Level |
Semester offered |
Remarks |
| 1,xxx |
Assessment |
fall |
not open to guest students |
| 2,xxx |
spring |
| 3,xxx |
Bachelor |
fall |
open to all guest students |
| 4,xxx |
spring |
| 5,xxx |
fall |
| 6,xxx |
spring |
| 7,xxx |
Master |
fall |
- Master courses open to all Master guest students
- Master courses open to Bachelor guest students in exceptional cases only
- SIM courses not open to Bachelor guest students
- CEMS courses open only to CEMS students
|
| 8,xxx |
spring |
| 9,xxx |
fall |
| 10,xxx |
Doctoral/Ph.D. |
|
not open to guest students |
Workload
The workload per semester averages 24-30 ECTS credits. We recommend that guest students take at least 16 ECTS credits per semester during their exchange semester at HSG. A full term workload at the University of St. Gallen corresponds to 30 ECTS credits (1 ECTS = 30 course working hours).
HSG grading system
Academic performance at the HSG is graded on a 1 to 6 scale, 6 being the highest grade and 1 the lowest. To pass a course and to be granted credits, you must earn a minimum grade of 4.
HSG – ECTS grading system
| HSG grade |
|
ECTS grade |
| 6.0 |
excellent |
A |
| 5.5 |
very good |
B |
| 5.0 |
good |
C |
| 4.5 |
satisfactory |
D |
| 4.0 |
marginal |
E |
| 3.5 |
unsatisfactory |
F |
| 3.0 |
poor |
| 2.5 |
poor to very poor |
| 2.0 |
very poor |
| 1.5 |
very poor to useless |
| 1.0 |
useless |
Examinations
As a visiting student, you are permitted to take examinations. Most guest students take examinations during the term time - before Christmas for the Fall semester and late May for the Spring semester.
Depending on your course, examinations may also be held during the central examination block. This is in January/February for the Fall semester and June/July for the Spring semester. Guest students may also take these examinations.
Students enrolled for TWO exchange semesters:
You are required in the case of first semester courses, to take the exam as stated in the course description. This may include central exams. Central exams of fall semester courses take place mid-January to mid-February and spring semester courses from mid-June to mid-July. Please consult the course descriptions for information on examination type.
Certificates
At the end of the semester we provide each guest student with a transcript containing the following:
- course name
- HSG grade
- ECTS grade
- ECTS credits
The transcript is generally sent directly to your home university about two months after the semester ends.
Continuing studies at the HSG
If you would like to begin a regular course of study at the HSG after your visiting semester, please note that examinations can only be counted towards your studies at the HSG if they are taken at official HSG examination sittings. However, we cannot guarantee the crediting of these examinations. Applications for a full course of study at the HSG are reviewed again by the Admissions and Crediting Office.