What does the Assessment Year entail?

Instruction, support and qualification in this first year are coordinated so that all the students pass through the same stages together, working towards their Bachelor's Level qualification.

Content of the Assessment Year
The purpose of Assessment Year is for students to develop a solid basis of knowledge in a particular field along with a set of basic academic qualifications. This entails teaching curriculum appropriate to students’ level, opening up academic perspectives and developing personal skills. These are the prerequisites for the advanced levels of the degree course. The Assessment Year is the ideal preparation for your studies at the Bachelor’s and Master’s Levels.

Organisation and structure of the Assessment Year
Studies during the Assessment Year are divided into the Core Studies and Contextual Studies

Core Studies is comprised of Contact Studies and Independent Studies. Contact Studies and Independent Studies are made up of the core subjects of business administration, economics and law. Contact Studies take up about 50% of students' study time or 12 hours of instruction per week, in addition to the necessary preparation and follow-up. Independent Studies take up about 25% of students study time, corresponding to six hours of instruction per week. This is a requirement for all students. The entire Core Studies element is therefore limited to 18 hours per week.

Contextual Studies with the areas of leadership skills, critical thinking and cultural awareness also take up 25% of students' study time. The following skills are taught: 

• The leadership skills area includes exercises aimed at teaching “methods and procedures of scholarly inquiry” as well as “interdisciplinary problem solving”.
• In the area of critical thinking, you can choose from a wide range of courses in history, sociology, philosophy and psychology. The objective is to introduce different ways of thinking, value systems and methods of interpretation by means of selected examples. 
• In the area of cultural awareness, you can take language courses at a variety of levels.

Requirements/work
The Assessment Year demands a high level of motivation, a willingness to work hard and an ability to study independently in order to keep up with the fast pace of work. This cultivates a sense of responsibility for one's own personal development. For Core Studies, this requires students to invest a considerable amount of time in the form of preparation and reviewing material from courses, writing term papers, completing group and individual assignments, preparing for examinations, etc. At the end of this year, students are in a position to determine whether the aims and expectations of the University of St.Gallen are compatible with their own ideas and potential.

Repeatability
The Assessment Year can be repeated in its entirety only once. If you do not pass the overall examination of the Assessment Year, you must repeat all of the individual examinations for the entire Assessment Year. Past examination results will not be recognised, with the exception of credits already awarded for the accountancy examination or accounting knowledge.

Freshman Week 
A week before the start of the semester, Freshman Week gives you an opportunity as a new student to familiarise yourself with your new working environment, new colleagues as well as your new responsibilities and role. In groups of about 20 new students accompanied by two tutors (HSG students currently in later stages of their studies), you will confront complex new tasks. The shared experience of Freshman Week is designed to strengthen your ties with your fellow students as well as your alma mater. It is also intended to engender cooperation, team spirit, responsibility and independent thinking.

General programme
Each Freshman Week has a “leitmotif” or theme with which students engage throughout the week. This theme is presented in the form of a case study. You will also receive a basic introduction into the HSG academic system, IT infrastructure and library. Guest appearances and opportunities to interact with these guests, as well as the “Freshman Week Café” complement Freshman Week with daily highlights. The party at the end of Freshman Week brings the week to a congenial close before beginning the actual semester.

Who is involved
During Freshman Week you will receive intensive support all day long: the Academic Director of the Assessment Year, the Freshman Week team, professors and faculty of the HSG, the chairman of the Student Union, administrative staff and tutors are available to provide practical advice and assistance during your first week.

The busy Freshman Week programme fills the entire day's schedule and leaves little time for house-hunting, shopping, appointments with administrative agencies or other errands. The Freshman Week team therefore recommends settling in to your new place of study before the first day of Freshman Week.