Institute of History

Study Program

Written Assignments

  • For most larger written assignments (see below) it is not necessary to register your attendance in KSL, the grade will be entered directly.
  • For information on the formalities of writing your paper, please contact your supervisor directly.
  • Further information can be found in the curriculum 05 of the Institute of History for the individual study programmes.
  • Written papers must always be submitted in electronic and paper form. Please note the minimum requirements for a title page for written papers and discuss the details with your supervisor.
    Avoid plastic covers wherever possible and use naturally recyclable covers instead.
  • If you experience difficulties in writing your paper please speak to the writing advice service of the University Library.

Proseminar Paper (5 ECTS)

Scope (guideline): 15 pages or 37,000 characters (including comments, but excluding all annexes). Please note the deadlines with regard to the fulfilment of the introductory courses (Propaedeutikum).

Seminar Paper (7 ECTS)

Scope (guideline): 25 pages or 62,000 characters (including comments, but excluding all annexes).

Please note the relevant deadlines  for the submission of your seminar paper and bachelor thesis when transferring to the master's level study programme.

Bachelor thesis (10 ECTS)

Scope (guideline): 40 pages or 95,000 characters (including comments, but excluding all attachments).

Please note the relevant deadlines for the submission of your seminar paper and bachelor thesis when transferring to the master's level study programme.

Master thesis (30 ECTS)

Scope (guideline): 110 pages or 270,000 characters (including comments, but excluding all annexes). All other requirements are the responsibility of the supervisor. Together with the Master's thesis, an abstract of the thesis must also be submitted consisting of a maximum of 1.5 pages or 5’000 characters (including spaces), which can also be sent to the Institute in electronic form and subsequently published.

The abstract of the Master's thesis must be submitted to Sandra Brander. The formal requirements for the abstract can be found on the Bernese Historical Notices (BeHMi) webpage , under Information for Students.

Registration for the Master's thesis is handled by the faculty. Please note the corresponding submission deadlines.

According to the legal service of the University of Bern and a decision of the Collegium Decanale of the Faculty of Humanities, Master's theses may not be made publicly accessible without the express consent of the author. Only employees of the Institute of Hstory may view the Master's theses without the express permission of the author. Students must therefore submit a declaration to the Dean's Office together with the Master's thesis in which the student declares whether or not the thesis should be made publicly accessible in the library of the institute.