The Assessment Year

From autumn 2013, the first year of study will be reorganized into three groups: two groups in German and one will be held in English.
The Assessment Year introduces you to various disciplines and familiarises you with the aims and expectations of the University of St.Gallen. The Assessment Year forms the foundation for your further studies.

During your first two semesters at the HSG you will develop your study skills and work strategies, as well as the basic academic skills required for you to succeed in your studies. At the same time, the first year of studies helps to reconcile the requirements of the University with the expectations of the students.

Course curriculum
During the Contact and Independent Studies elements of the Assessment Year you focus on the three core subjects: business administration, economics and law.
You also choose an additional elective course in mathematics or law.
The Contextual Studies element aims to develop the following:

• leadership skills
• critical thinking
• cultural awareness

The sub-areas of Contextual Studies include the following during the Assessment Year:

• The area of leadership skills includes exercises in “Introduction to academic writing” as well as “Integrative Project”.
• As part of the critical thinking area you can choose from a broad range of courses in history, sociology, philosophy and psychology.
• In the area of cultural awareness you can choose from a range of foreign language courses offered at various levels.

Examinations
You will be required to complete many different types of examinations over the course of the academic year. Beyond the traditional comprehensive written examinations, these include seminar and course papers, group work and oral examinations.

Admission to the individual majors
If you have completed the Assessment Year and opted for mathematics, you can then begin with the majors Business Administration, Economics, International Affairs or Law and Economics.

Once you have passed the course Law II, you can declare your major in Law. It is possible to change courses, but you must make up the appropriate examination part accordingly.

Students who do not pass the Assessment Year may only repeat it once, in its entirety.