Prüfungsausschuss der Fakultät für Informatik Regelungen
This collection of regulations summarizes relevant resolutions of the Examination Board of the Faculty of Computer Science. In case of doubt, the wording of the resolutions of the Examination Board applies.
Contents:
Nutzung von generativer KI für Abschlussarbeiten und Prüfungs(vor)leistungen
Regeln für das Nebenfach (Studiengang Informatik)
Prüfungsanmeldefristen und Lehrexporte
Abschlussarbeiten
The Faculty Council (resolution 022/19) has decided that supervisors of Bachelor's and Master's theses may be all doctoral candidates and experienced doctoral students. This must always be confirmed by a FIN university lecturer. One of the reviewers must be a university lecturer and one must be a FIN member. In the case of Master's theses, both reviewers must be independent (i.e. belong to different working groups).
The criterion for classification as an “experienced doctoral candidate” within the meaning of the Faculty Council resolution is a statement from the doctoral supervisor confirming experience in relation to the topic of the thesis.
The reviewers must first be appointed by the Chair of the Examination Board, then they are commissioned.
Sample for an embargo notice in theses:
The submitted Bachelor's/Master's thesis with the title xxxx contains confidential information and data of the company XXX. This Bachelor's/Master's thesis or individual parts (exact designation) may only be viewed by the first and second assessor and authorized members of the examination board. Reproduction and publication of the Bachelor's/Master's thesis, even in part, is not permitted. This thesis may only be made accessible to third parties with the express permission of the author and company. The defense of the Bachelor's/Master's thesis in the colloquium takes place in public at the university. The contents of the thesis presented during the defense are therefore accessible to the university public. The embargo is limited in time from (start date) to (end date, max. 2 years later). After expiry of the time limit, the thesis is to be made accessible to the public.
Nutzung von generativer KI für Abschlussarbeiten und Prüfungs(vor)leistungen
The Faculty Council (Resolution 019/25) has adopted the following regulation for the use of generative AI for theses and (preliminary) examinations:
The use of content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in a thesis or an answer to a question (including but not limited to text, figures, images and code) must be disclosed. The AI system used must be specified, and specific sections of the paper or answer where AI-generated content is used must be identified and accompanied by a brief explanation of the level at which the AI system was used to generate the content. The reason for using the tools should also be stated.
The use of AI systems for editing and improving grammar is common practice. Disclosure as described above is also required in this case, but it can be provided in summary form for the entire work.
Even when using generative AI, the scientific contribution must be made by the author.
Regeln für das Nebenfach (Studiengang Informatik)
In the minor subject, students should gain an insight into the way of thinking and working, the methods and the results of another academic discipline. The minor subject can be freely selected from courses offered by other faculties of the OvGU, but the selection made must meet certain conditions.
Courses from other faculties cannot be chosen as a minor subject if their content is largely a repetition - even in a slightly modified form - of content from the compulsory curriculum in computer science and mathematics. This includes, for example, all courses of the type 'Computer Science for XY' or 'XY Programming for Z' and similar, but also introductory courses from other faculties on mathematical methods and tools in their disciplines such as - as an example - 'Descriptive Statistics and Probability Theory' in the field of Psychology. - Furthermore, courses from other faculties that can be assigned to the area of key and methodological skills (SMK) in the broadest sense cannot be selected. These include courses on time management and the like. Language courses are permitted as a minor subject in the Bachelor of Computer Science. In the Master's degree in Computer Science, language courses can be recognized as a minor subject with a maximum of 6 CP if they are completed in the country of the language.
If the courses of the minor subject are not selected from a list of already approved subjects and subject combinations, the selection proposed by students must be applied for informally to the head of degree program (by e-mail). The Examination Board decides on acceptance or rejection. It can also delegate the decision to the head of degree program.
Requirements for the courses of the minor subject in the Master's program in Computer Science: as a rule, the courses should be at MSc level. Exceptions:
If students choose a minor subject for the first time, an introductory course from the BSc area of this subject can also be combined with one (or more) in-depth course(s) from the MSc area.
If a course from the BSc area of another faculty is classified as particularly difficult and demanding for students of computer science, it can be chosen upon application without being combined with other MSc courses.
Application procedure: In order to be able to plan and pursue alternatives in a timely manner if your application is rejected, students are advised to have their planned choice of minor subject approved as early as possible, i.e. before the start of the courses.
Täuschungsversuche
In the event of attempted cheating, the examiner shall inform the Examination Office of the attempted cheating. The examination must be continued in such a way that it can be assessed as if there had been no attempt to cheat. The Examinations Office will first inform the student informally, e.g. by email, about the attempted cheating. In the case of plagiarism, the copy of the plagiarism software should be enclosed. This informal letter must include a deadline by which the student can respond.
After the deadline has expired, the Examination Board will issue an official notification with information on legal remedies.
If plagiarism is detected in a thesis, an expert opinion must still be prepared. A TurnItIn report is not sufficient here, as TurnItIn can certainly lead to many false positives (e.g. due to low authorship) and also false negatives (e.g. due to rewording). Of course, not all plagiarized passages must be named and acknowledged in the report, only a sufficient number (for example, 1% plagiarism that only occurs in the literature section could result in a mere devaluation instead of a 5.0). The TurnItIn report should be part of the assessment as an appendix The assessment does not otherwise need to address the work, as the plagiarism is already assessed as an attempt to deceive, which leads to a 5.0. The student must be notified of the plagiarism by the reviewer and informed by email of the opportunity to comment (deadline one week). The examination board must then confirm the plagiarism.
Befangenheit
Intimate relationships between lecturers and students are not prohibited, but lead to bias. The teaching or supervisory relationship must therefore be terminated immediately and a suitable replacement sought, e.g. a new supervisor for the Master's thesis. This applies to all areas of the degree program.
The basis is the Administrative Procedure Act § 21:
“If there is a reason that is suitable to justify mistrust in the impartial exercise of an office, or if a party alleges the existence of such a reason, anyone who is to act for an authority in an administrative procedure must inform the head of the authority or the person appointed by the latter and abstain from participating on the latter's instructions.”
According to legal counsel Müller-Stolze, this law also applies to persons who are not public officials in the narrower sense, but who have nevertheless been assigned tasks with relevance under audit law.
It would be a good idea to appoint a faculty representative as a contact person for such cases. For each status group, this could be the representatives on the examination board.
Prüfungsleistungen
For each subject with written examinations as a form of examination, these should be offered twice a year.
Exceptions to this standard must be applied for by the examiners.
It is generally not possible to move examinations to another area from the “Additional services” area and vice versa (no “cherry-picking”). This also applies if the “Additional services” section was inadvertently selected when registering for the examination. The area is clearly visible in the system.
Information for teaching supervisors: No subsequent changes possible! What is in the module catalog applies.
Examiners are recommended to always document in the minutes of oral examinations not only the questions, but also whether and to what extent answers have been given. In particular, the quality of the answers should be noted so that the course of the examination can be clearly traced.
In principle, examination results (including final theses) can be used for several degree programs. This is a requirement of the HRK.
The assessment of scanned examination documents of students from cooperating institutions is permitted.
Modulzuordnungen
The Faculty Council decides on the module catalog in good time before the start of the semester.
Changes can also be decided by the Examination Board during the semester.
Changes to module descriptions that affect the number of CP and/or the allocation must be forwarded to the Examinations Office so that this can be changed in the organizational records for the courses.
Prüfungsanmeldefristen und Lehrexporte
The “General provisions on the amendment and supplementation of the study and examination regulations at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg regarding examinations (AllgSPO-2023)” apply. In particular, the registration deadlines for the examination types written examination, electronic examination and oral examination are limited to the periods 15.11.-30.11. for examinations in the winter semester and 15.05. for examinations in the summer semester.
winter semester and 15.05.-31.05. for examinations in the summer semester. The examination office responsible for the module sets a two-week admission/registration period for examinations scheduled at a later date (in particular oral examinations). Cancellation can be made up to three calendar days before the respective examination date at the latest.
The Examinations Office and the Chair of the Examination Board request that students who are attending courses that regularly include an oral examination notify the Examinations Office (so that an organizational data record can be created) and inform students of the central registration via LSF (see above for deadlines). After registering via LSF, a specific date must still be arranged later either individually or via a list (otherwise the student will be deregistered from the examination after the end of the semester without any consequences). “Subsequently scheduled examinations” should remain the exception, otherwise the Examinations Office will have extra work. The other faculties in particular have switched to registration via LSF and expect us to do the same.
In addition, the results of the KSL working group on examinations for teaching exports must be observed.