Here you find the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Institute of Law. Please read them carefully and pay attention to the course-specific information on BOKUonline and BOKU learn.

If you are not able to find the answer you are seeking, please contact us (only) via e-mail at law(at)boku.ac.at. Questions which can be answered by the FAQs are not processed.

In order for us to answer your question, please include the following:

-          Full name

-          Matriculation number

-          If applicable: name and/or number of the course

-          Your issue

Note: In this FAQ, the term “basic subjects” refer to the following courses:

VO „Grundlagen des Rechts“ (736.180; 736.105; 736.112)

VO „Rechtliche Grundlagen der Landschaftsplanung und Landschaftsarchitektur“ (736.122)

VO „Rechtsgrundlagen“ (736.102)

General questions

I have a question related to the content of a course. How can I contact the lecturers directly?

Please contact the lecturers in person before, after or during the lecture. We kindly ask you for your understanding that we are not able to process such questions via e-mail.

The lecture notes are not detailed enough for me. Which literature should I use, and where can I obtain it?

On BOKU learn, you can find recommendations for basic and further literature for each lecture unit. You will find all books in the BOKU library. The location of the books can be found by searching the library.

Does the Institute of Law supervise Bachelor, Master or PhD theses in my subject?

Yes, the Institute supervises both bachelor and master theses as well as dissertations. If you want to write a bachelor or master thesis or dissertation at the Institute of Law, please inform yourself about the content and formal requirements under the following link: thesis. Here you will also find information about ongoing and completed theses.

I want a recognition of an exam. How do I proceed?

Exams that you have already taken outside your studies can be recognized as part of your current studies. This means that you do not have to take the corresponding exam again at BOKU. However, some requirements need to be fulfilled. Please read our guidelines for recognition and take the steps described there.

Questions about BOKUonline and BOKU learn

I have problems with BOKUonline.

For all technical questions concerning BOKUonline, please contact the IT support directly at hotline(at)boku.ac.at using your official BOKU e-mail account. For more information, see BOKUonline -Getting Started for Students.

I have problems with BOKU learn.

I have problems with BOKU learn.

For all technical questions concerning e-learning and the use of BOKU learn, please contact the e-learning(at)boku.ac.at support using your official BOKU e-mail account. Further information can be found under  BOKU learn FAQ for students.

I cannot sign up for the exam.

If you cannot sign up for the exam, you probably have not met the prerequisites for exam registration. This may be the case, for example, if you have not yet passed the STEOP and have already completed the maximum ECTS or if the course is recommended for a semester with curriculum for which you cannot take exams without STEOP. If you cannot log in, despite fulfilling all the requirements, please contact the support directly at hotline(at)boku.ac.at.

I could not register for the course on BOKU learn.

For all courses, the registration for the BOKU learn course will be done automatically within 24 hours after registering for the course on BOKUonline. You can also enroll yourself in BOKU learn on all courses taught by the Institute of Law (736.XXX) on your own. For instruction on how to do this, please refer to the next question.

What does "you can enroll yourself in this course on your own" mean?

For all courses, the registration for the BOKU learn course will be done automatically within 24 hours after registering for the course on BOKUonline. You can also enroll yourself in BOKU learn for all courses taught by the Institute of Law (736.XXX) on your own. For self-enrollment, you must register in BOKU learn and search for the course under Course Search. If there is an arrow symbol at the course, self-enrollment is possible. Click on the course and confirm your action via the „Registered“ Button button on the following page.

I cannot find the course on BOKU. Can you register me?

For all courses, the registration for the BOKU learn course will be done automatically within 24 hours after registering for the course on BOKUonline. If the course does not appear in your BOKU learn course list despite registration on BOKUonline, it has not (yet) been made visible by the lecturers. If you are on BOKUonline on the course waiting list, you will not be unlocked for the BOKU learn course. You can also enroll yourself in BOKU learn for all courses taught by the Institute of Law (736.XXX) on your own. For instruction on how to do this, please refer to the previous question.

How can I unsubscribe from a course?

You are automatically enrolled in all courses on BOKU learn for which you registered on BOKUonline. You can unsubscribe for the respective course on BOKUonline and are then automatically unsubscribed the next day on BOKU learn. When the deregistration deadline on BOKUonline has passed, you can no longer unsubscribe from the BOKU learn course.

Questions about the course

„Grundlagen des Rechts“, „Rechtliche Grundlagen“ and „Rechtsgrundlagen“ - Is there a difference between these lectures? The lecture dates of another course are a better fit for my schedule. May I attend the other course?

Yes, there are differences between these lectures. It is not recommended to attend the lecture of another curriculum because you have to write the exam for the lecture of your curriculum. The course contents of the lectures differ!

For example, if you study Agrarwissenschaften, you must attend Lecture 736.112 "Grundlagen des Rechts" as indicated in your curriculum and should not attend Lecture 736.102 "Rechtsgrundlagen" from the curriculum Lebensmittel- und Biotechnologie.

You will find the corresponding assignments on BOKUonline under the study offer and the corresponding study. Please pay attention to the correct course number before registering for the course on BOKUonline.

How do I register for the course?

Registration for the courses is exclusively via BOKUonline. Please note the registration and deregistration deadlines. The Institute does not perform any registrations or deregistrations for you.

Are there requirements for attending the course?

Content requirements and requirements according to the curriculum can be found in the course description on BOKUonline.

Where can I get the latest course materials?

You will find the current teaching documents in the corresponding courses on BOKU learn. If you need documents from previous semesters, you can enroll yourself in the corresponding course. How to do this is shown in the FAQ at ‘What does "You can enroll yourself in this course" mean?’ (under the category Questions to BOKUonline and BOKU learn).

Additional documents from past courses can also be found at Courses under Downloads.

Please note that you must be logged in to the BOKU website in order to access the download.

Why did I get deregistered from the seminar? I had a fixed place.

If you do not attend the first session of a seminar, your place will be offered to another student, and you will be deregistered. If you are unable to attend the first session but still want to attend the seminar, please send an e-mail to law(at)boku.ac.at well in advance of the first session.

Questions about the exam - examination dates

How often do exams take place?

There are at least three exam dates per semester offered: at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the semester. The current dates can be found on BOKUonline. You will find all exam dates of the Institute of Law on   BOKUonline under Departments -> Economic and Social Sciences (WiSo) -> Law -> Examination Dates.

Is there an exam date in the month XY? / When will the next exam take place?

All exam dates are set on BOKUonline at the beginning of the semester; there are no additional dates. At least three examination dates per semester are offered. You will find all exam dates of the Institute of Law on BOKUonline under Departments -> Economic and Social Sciences (WiSo) -> Law -> Examination Dates.

When shall I do the exam?

The first exam date will be held as soon as the current lecture series is over. Depending on the semester, this is either the end of January / beginning of February (winter semester) or the end of June / beginning of July (summer semester).

Until the end of the current lecture series, the lecture content of the previous academic year is relevant for the exam. Please make sure that you study with the appropriate documents! Since the content of the lectures is based on current legislation, it is very likely that there will be changes to the documents from previous semesters. You can also enroll yourself in BOKU learn on all courses taught by the Institute of Law (736.XXX). How to do this is shown in the FAQ at ‘What does "You can enroll yourself in this course" mean?’ (under the category Questions to BOKUonline and BOKU learn).

The following table shows how long the respective exam material of a course is being examined. The exam dates are for orientation only; there may be minor changes.

 

Exam material LV WiSe 2017/18

Exam material LV SoSe 2018

1st exam date

Jan/Feb 2018

June/July 2018

2nd exam date

March 2018

Sept/Oct 2018

3rd exam date

May 2018

Nov 2018

4th exam date

June/July 2018

Jan/Feb 2019

5th exam date

Sept/Oct 2018

March 2019

6th exam date

Nov 2018

May 2019

 

So, if you attend the lecture in WS17, you should attend, at the earliest, at the dates in January/February 2018!

On BOKUonline, you can see the semester for which the exam date is assigned (Screenshot).

Are there other examination dates apart from the given dates, eg on request, if I want to take the exam quickly because of a scholarship?

Unfortunately, due to the high number of students, we cannot offer individual examination dates. Please inform yourself in good time about the exam dates offered. You will find all the examination dates of the Institute of Law on BOKUonline under Departments -> Economic and Social Sciences (WiSo) -> Law -> Examination Dates.

When will the exam dates for the next semester be announced?

The exam dates are, as soon as they are confirmed, published on BOKUonline. The dates for the following semester are usually fixed towards the end of the current semester and entered into the system. You will find all the examination dates of the Institute of Law on BOKUonline under Departments -> Economic and Social Sciences (WiSo) -> Law -> Examination Dates.

Exam registration and deregistration

Which exam should I register for? Can I take any basic subject exam? The exam dates of another basic subject course fits my schedule better. Can I take this exam?

You are not allowed to take an exam from another curriculum. For example, if you study Agrarwissenschaften, you will need to take the 736.112 "Grundlagen des Rechts" course exam, and you will not be allowed to take the 736.105 "Grundlagen des Rechts" course from the curriculum for Kulturtechnik- und Wasserwirtschaft. Please pay attention to the correct course number before registering for the exam on BOKUonline.

How can I register or deregister for the exam?

The registration and deregistration for exams is done exclusively via BOKUonline. The deregistration period usually ends three days before the examination date. Please inform yourself in good time about the registration and deregistration deadlines on BOKUonline. The Institute does not do any registration or deregistration.

When can I register or deregister for the exam?

The registration deadline usually ends three days before the exam date. The exact registration and deregistration deadlines can be found on BOKUonline. You cannot deregister after the end of the deregistration period. The Institute does not do any registration or deregistration.

Can I write the exam even though I'm on the waiting list?

The Institute of Law usually does not limit the exam places. If more students register than seats are available, we will organise an additional room. Therefore, if you sign up for a lecture exam, you will usually receive a fixed place immediately. There are no waiting list places.

The deregistration deadline is over. Can I still write the exam?

No. You can only take the exam if you have registered on BOKUonline. Please note the registration and deregistration deadlines on BOKUonline. The Institute does not do any registration or deregistration.

The deregistration deadline is over. Can I still deregister?

No. The Institute does not do any registration or deregistration. Please inform yourself in good time about the registration and deregistration deadlines on BOKUonline.

I'm registered for the exam - what happens if I do not write it?

If you do not take the exam despite being registered, this will not be counted as an attempt to pass the exam. So, you do not receive a negative grade, nor do you lose a chance to write the exam. However, you will be banned for 90 days from exam registration. Usually, you will miss the next exam date, and you can take the exam again at the earliest at the exam after the next. If you are unable to attend for health reasons, you can submit a medical certificate no later than one week after the exam. In this case, the ban is eliminated. Please contact law(at)boku.ac.at.

What does the 90-day ban mean?

If you stay away from an exam unexcused, you will be banned from exam registration for the next 90 days. That means that you will not be able to enroll for 90 days for this exam. Usually, you will miss the next exam date, and you can take the exam again at the earliest at the exam after the next.

Could you please lift the 90-day ban because ...

We have no control over the 90-day ban and therefore cannot lift the ban for you. Please inform yourself in good time about the registration and deregistration deadlines. If you are unable to attend for health reasons, you can submit a medical certificate no later than one week after the exam. In this case, the ban is lifted. Please contact law(at)boku.ac.at.

I am ill and cannot take the exam. What should I do?

If you are unable to take the exam for health reasons, you must send a medical certificate to law(at)boku.ac.at no later than one week after the exam. In this case, the 90-day ban is lifted.

I cannot come to the exam for personal reasons. What should I do?

Unfortunately, we cannot consider personal reasons. If you have registered for the exam but are not taking it, you will be suspended for 90 days from registration.

Should you be prevented for official reasons (eg convocation order, court date, etc.) please send an official confirmation to law(at)boku.ac.at no later than one week after the examination. In this case, the 90-day ban is lifted.

Exam attempts

Does nonattendance count as an attempt?

No. If you do not take the exam despite being registered, this will not be counted as starting. So, you do not receive a negative grade, nor do you lose an exam attempt. However, you will be banned for 90 days from exam registration.

How many attempts do I have?

You have three regular attempts to pass an exam. The fourth attempt is the last possible one and is held before a board. Further information about the board examination can be found here.

It is my third attempt. What happens if I am negative again?

If your third attempt is negative, you have to take the next examination before a board. The board examination is the fourth and last possible attempt. Further information about the board examination can be found here.

Exam preparation

What is the content of the exam?

What is the content of the exam?

You will find all information about the exam material on BOKUonline or BOKU learn.

Until the end of the current lecture series, the lecture content of the previous academic year is relevant for the exam. Please make sure you are studying with the relevant documents. Since the content of the lectures is based on current legislation, it is very likely that there will be changes to the material from previous semesters. Find out how to get to the material of the past and current semesters in the next question.

The following table shows how long the respective exam material of a course is being examined. The exam dates are for orientation only. There may be deviations in the details.

 

 

Exam content LV WiSe 2017/18

Exam content LV SoSe 2018

1.       Exam date

Jan/Feb 2018

June/July 2018

2.       Exam date

March 2018

Sept/Oct 2018

3.       Exam date

May 2018

Nov 2018

4.       Exam date

June/July 2018

Jan/Feb 2019

5.       Exam date

Sept/Oct 2018

March 2019

6.       Exam date

Nov 2018

May 2019

Which material should I use when preparing for the exam?

On BOKUonline and BOKU learn, you will find information about the exam preparation material. Be sure to study with the material for the right semester.

To get to the material, you can also enroll yourself in BOKU learn for all courses of the Institute of Law (736.XXX). For how to do this, read the FAQ at ‘What does "You can enroll yourself in this course" mean?’ (see the category Questions to BOKUonline and BOKU learn).

The materials for the exam preparation are mostly the lecture slides and recommendations for basic and further literature. You will find all specified books in the BOKU library. The location of the books can be found by searching the library.

The basic subjects also offer digital exam preparation material, such as interactive exercises and sample exams. However, these treat only the basic parts of the substance and by no means replace the learning materials (slides and further reading).

Is it sufficient to study with old course materials?

No. Please make sure you study with the material that is relevant for your exam. Since the content of the lectures is based on current legislation, it is very likely that there will be changes to the material from previous semesters. You can also enroll yourself in BOKU learn on all courses taught by the Institute of Law (736.XXX). How to do this is shown in the FAQ at ‘What does "You can enroll yourself in this course" mean?’ (under the category Questions to BOKUonline and BOKU learn).

Can I study with the documents from another basic subject?

No. The content of the courses differ.

For example, if you study Agrarwissenschaften, you must have mastered the contents of the 736.112 "Grundlagen des Rechts" lecture given in your curriculum, not those of Lecture 736.102 "Rechtsgrundlagen” of the curriculum for Lebensmittel- und Biotechnologie.

Procedure of the exam

What is the mode of the exam?

The basic subjects are examined as a multiple choice exam. Information on the mode of all examinations of the Institute can be found on BOKUonline and in the current BOKU learn course of the respective course.

How is the exam organised?

Exact information on the structure of the exam can be found in the current BOKU learn course. Detailed information on completing multiple-choice exams will also be provided there.

How long does the exam take?

The basic subject exams take 60 minutes. Information on the duration of the examinations of other courses of the Institute can be found on BOKUonline and in the current BOKU learn course of the respective course.

Am I allowed to use tools in the exam?

For the basic subjects, no tools (course materials, slides, scripts, transcripts, RIS printouts, summaries, cell phones, smart watches, calculators ...) are allowed. In other tests of the Institute, tools are partly allowed. Information on this can be found on BOKUonline and in the current BOKU learn course of the respective course.

German is not my native language. Am I allowed to use a dictionary?

Yes, you may use a dictionary if German is not your native language.

Where can I find the room where the exam is taking place?

You can find the room where the exam is held on BOKUonline. The location of the rooms can also be found on BOKUonline.

I lost / forgot my student ID. Can I still take the exam?

Yes, you can take the exam anyway. We need to be able to determine your identity during the exam. You can also identify yourself with another official photo ID, preferably a passport, identity card or driver's license.

Correction of the exam

How long does the exam correction take? When do I receive my grade? When will my grade be entered into the system?

The schedule after you take your exam will look like this: correction of all exams; entering the preliminary grade on BOKUonline; sending the results and information about the course of the inspection; fixing the grades after the exam review has been held. This process can take up to four weeks. Unfortunately, questions about the time remaining do not speed up this process.

Can I review my exam?

Yes, you can review your exam. All multiple-choice exams allow both electronic review on BOKU learn and personal review at the Institute. For all other courses, the exam can be reviewed personally.

When does the review take place?

You will receive information about the course of the examination and the dates after you have entered the provisional grade on BOKUonline by e-mail. The appointment is usually held within ten days of the announcement of the results.

Can I copy the multiple-choice exam?

No. You may not copy, photograph or duplicate multiple-choice exams.

Can someone else come to the review instead of me?

No, you have to come in person. Please bring along your student ID or official photo ID for the review.