CoVid19-relevant information for our students
Dear students,
we provide you with following official information:
Rules for exams with physical presence winter term 2020/21: to find in German (FAQs German version).
and
FAQs
You have any questions, so do no hesitate to contact us.
General questions about our institute?
Questions to the professors?
Questions regarding organising issues?
When you send us an email: the more detailled your information is, the easier we can help you. Let us know your full name, your matriculation number, your exact question(s), if necessary tell us the number of the lesson (lecture number), date or whatever is relevant for us to know.
The most important questions from A to Z at one glance
General questions
Where is the institute located?
You find us at both BOKU sites, at the "Türkenschanze" in Vienna as well as in Tulln at the "UFT".
How do I get in contact with the institute?
We are available via email, telephone and of course personally after arranging an appointment. All contact persons including email addresses and telephone numbers are to find here: staff.
You can also visit us but be aware that the opening hours of the BOKU's institute offices are very different and individually organised.
If your concerns are related to a specific lecture or exam, please contact the responsible lecturer or professor directly.
For the contact via email use the BOKU email address (<firstname.surname>@students.boku.ac.at). We always try to answer accordingly and as soon as possible. The more information and details you provide us with (e.g. your full name, your matriculation number, the number of the lecture, a date etc.), the easier and faster we can help you.
Are you supervising Bachelor-, Master- and PhD-thesis?
Yes, we supervise Bachelor-, Master- as well as PhD-thesis.
The Bachelor-thesis’ topics are presented in the lecture "Bachelor Seminar" (lecture number 951109) offered in both summer and winter semester.
The Master- and PhD-thesis’ topics can be find on the institute's website "Master thesis (current offers)".
BOKU online & BOKU learn
Which kind of systems are BOKU online & BOKU learn?
BOKU online and BOKU learn differ in their function, features and offered tools.
BOKU online is the online Campus management system, which helps to organise and manage all necessary tasks and processes connected to the university's daily lecture and examination issues. It contains the information about lectures, exam dates, registration and deregistration for exams, examination marks etc. BOKU online will accompany you during your entire study period. How it works in detail you can find here: first steps with BOKU online.
BOKU learn is an additional Moodle-based learning platform supporting all relevant lecture-related issue. It is used by most of the professors and lecturers. How it works, is described on the BOKU's website "E-learning" (only German version available at the moment): FAQs BOKU learn for students.
You have technical problems?
As far as it concerns BOKU online please find help here: hotline(at)boku.ac.at
Whereas concerning BOKU learn please contact: e-learning(at)boku.ac.at
New version 3.0 BOKUonline (Sept. 2020)
The BOKU-IT offers a current information for the latest version 3.0 of BOKUonline.
Find all details on the BOKU-IT's website here.
Communicating with us - how to get in contact
You already know about the different ways to get in contact with us.
Your question is very urgent? Of course you can call us.
The answer to your question can wait a little bit, then send us an email, e.g. to the institute's office. Be careful: the opening hours of the BOKU's institute offices are very different and organised individually.
Your concerns are related to a specific lecture or exam? Then please contact the responsible lecturer or professor directly.
We always try to answer accordingly and quickly. The more information and details you provide us with, the easier we can help you. Tell us your full name, your matriculation number, the number of the lecture, a date, whatever helps us to help you.
IMPORTANT: You have your own student's BOKU email address: <firstname.surname>@students.boku.ac.at . This address is used by all BOKU services to get in contact with you. All important official informations from BOKU and from the institutes itselves are communicated via this address. Please use it and check it on a regular basis.
Lectures
Which lectures and courses does the Institute of Plant Protection offer?
All our current lectures are to find on our website-link "courses".
Which types of lectures and courses do I find there - VO, SE, UE - what does this mean?
The BOKU's studying services helps you to find an overview on this topic "types of courses".
How can I register to a course?
Via BOKUonline. To all lectures you find one registration group at least. Please take good look to the periods and deadlines given there for registration. This can be very different from course to course. Get in touch with BOKU online in time and get the details accordingly.
Sometimes you can find more than one participant group. The reason for that could be a limited number of participants (e.g. in case of "UE"-courses with exercises). Time and date of the groups within one course can be different. So inform yourself in time and coordinate appropriately.
How can I register to a course in BOKU learn?
For all courses you are automatically registered within 24 hours after subscribing to a course in BOKU online.
You even can sign on to a course by yourself. More information about that is to find on the BOKU's website here (information only given in German):
https://boku.ac.at/lehrentwicklung/e-learning-und-didaktik/themen/e-learning/boku-learn-faq-students/
Which qualifications do I have to fulfill in order to take place in a lecture?
The required qualifications and details are to find in your studying plan and in the course description in BOKU online (click on the title of the course).
Sometimes you find facts from former terms in BOKU online due to a mistake by keeping the system up-to-date. We appreciate if you let us know about the wrong contents, so we can improve our service for you.
Still questions? Then contact aus.
Why did somebody unsubscribe me from the course's participants group?
You maybe missed the information day (to find in the lecture's schedule) without telling us before. Your place will then be free for another, waiting student and you are going to be unregistered. It can happen, that you don't have time for the information day: send an email to the lecturer in time.
Course materials & documents- how do I receive them?
Normally you find all course materials in BOKU learn. If not, you will be informed in time at the beginning or during the course.
Unsubscribe from a course - how can I manage that?
As soon as you are registered on BOKU online you are automatically signed on to the course in BOKU learn. So, as soon as you unsubscribe from the lecture in BOKU online you are unregistered on BOKU learn, too (valid on the next day). Should unsubscribing-date has been gone, it's not possible anymore. Please contact the professor or lecturer.
Exams - dates~registration~deadlines etc.
How many exam dates per lecture are offered in a semester?
Three exam dates are offered for each lecture in a semester. All dates and details are to find on BOKUonline platform.
When do I get informed about dates for exams?
Normally the exam dates are published at the latest before the lecture finishes at the end of semester. As soon as the examination date has been fixed, you can find it on BOKUonline platform.
Which date should I choose?
You can choose the date that fits you the best. The first exam takes place usually at the end of the lecture series.
Be aware that exams are offered for students from different years of study and semesters. In that case, the lecture subjects might not fit the content of the lecture that you have currently attended.
Where does the exam take place?
Beside the lecture number, its title, the examiner’s name, the year and semester of study, date and time, the exact exam venue can be find on the BOKUonline platform.
All locations and external sites of BOKU are to find there: https://boku.ac.at/en/fm/themen/orientierung-und-lageplaene
How can I register or unsubscribe for/from an exam?
You can register via BOKUonline. The deadlines for registration/unsubscribing end five days before the exam, which is a general rule. Please inform yourself in time about all deadlines and details. Pay attention to the year of study and semester.
Sometimes it can happen that it is not possible for you to register for an exam. It can be the case, when you do not fulfill all required preconditions. Please check them and verify your status. You have done it already and you are still not able to register? So then please contact the technical support: hotline(at)boku.ac.at
Waiting list - what's that?
Normally you get a fixed place as soon as you have registered for an exam via BOKUonline. Sometimes, however, the number of participants has to be limited due to different reasons. If too many students register we try to find a solution.
You have to unsubscribe from an exam in time. In the case the unsubscribing deadline is over, please let us know (phone, write an email) as soon as possible that you cannot do an exam, so that other students can get the chance to receive a fixed place. Sometimes unexpected things can happen and you cannot take part, then please contact the examiner and explain your situation.
Deadline for registration has already expired... can I still subscribe to the exam?
Unfortunately, no.
What happens if I do not unsubscribe in time or miss the exam without excuse?
In that case, the exam will be not evaluated and this registration won’t be taken into account concerning the maximum number of your exams for this particular lecture.
However, it results in a 90-day’s time period, in which you are not permit to do another exam for this particular lecture.
It is possible to stop or shorten the 90-days-block?
Generally, no.
In the case of illness, you can provide us with a valid doctor's confirmation.
What happens, when I have to interrupt the exam?
Without providing an explanation or an obvious reason, the exam will be evaluated as "insufficient".
How often may I do the same exam?
Exams, which have been evaluated as "insufficient" can be repeated three times. The third attempt, however, takes part before the examination commission. Even the second attempt - as far as you would like to - can be taken before the commission.
Procedure of the exam
All details about the exams' method (written or oral etc.) are to find on BOKUonline among the lecture’s details ("Exam Information").
Exams for lectures offered in English will be done in English.
In order to be able to identify you, please take a passport or any other identification card with you.
You are not allowed to copy or photograph etc. to duplicate the test documents. Neither before, nor during or after the examination.
May I use supporting materials?
No, only if the examiner allows you to do that.
May I use a dictionary? German is not my mother-language.
Yes, but only after the examiner has checked your materials prior the exam.
Examination result
The result of the oral examination has to be communicate just after the exam.
The result of a written exam has to be communicated as soon as possible, at the latest 4 weeks after the exam.
You can find all marks on the BOKUonline platform. Due to the safety rules you won’t be informed about the note neither on the phone nor via email.
Access to graded exam scripts
You can have an access to your graded exam script. To do that, please arrange the appointment with the examiner and bring your identification document.
The BOKU Studying Services offer you some further information, too:
Information about examinations
More details about legal basics and studying-legal aspects you can find on the BOKU's Homepage, too (they are given in German):
aktuelle Satzung der Universität für Bodenkultur Wien vom 10.4.2019
Final Thesis (including templates and information for the cover-page MANDATORY from winter term 2021/22 on)
Where can I find topics for final thesis, offered currently by the Institute of Plant Protection?
Bachelor thesis: topics are offered and presented regularly within the framework of the lecture "Bachelorseminar Pflanzliche Produktion/Bachelor's thesis seminar - agronomy (951109)" in winter and summer term.
Master thesis: On the institute's website you can find current topics: click here for details
BOKU also offers an online-application: "Abschlussarbeitenbörse"
I found a topic, and now?
Bachelor Thesis: the procedure therefore is organised very individually. Details and further steps are explained by your supervisor and given in the lecture "951109 Bachelor's thesis seminar - agronomy". The lecture takes part in summer-term as well as in winter-term.
Master Thesis: Your first step is to register for the thesis. After completing the form (thesis' title, supervisor etc.) submit the form to the studying services in order to obtain official approval.
Formal basics, editing the thesis, citing rules - what do I have to take care of when writing my thesis?
Helpful Information compiled by the studying services.
Are there any mandatory templates or formal documents?
Yes, starting in winter term 2021/22 you must use a cover page standardized by BOKU for your final thesis.
Please find all details, templates and explanations under following Links:
PhD: https://short.boku.ac.at/infos-studienabschluss/doktorat-phd
Master: https://short.boku.ac.at/infos-studienabschluss/masterstudien/boku
International Master: https://short.boku.ac.at/infos-studienabschluss/masterstudien/international
Where do I submit my final written work and which documents do I have to prepare for the final exam?
Check in time if you took all required lectures and exams for completing your studies and for submitting your thesis.
Master's thesis seminar (in Eng.)?
Each BOKU-department offers the lecture Master's thesis seminar. In the Department of Crop Sciences you attend the lecture number 950300 (same number in winter- and summer term).
"Which master's thesis seminar on which department shall I attend?" Please ask your supervisor.
Our department's seminar offers mainly to schedulded dates: one date for the preliminary discussion to get prepared for the programm & procedure and one date for the presentation of your master thesis' topic (short presentation about your work). Beside your presentation in the Master's Thesis Seminar you have to fulfill continuous tasks for the final assessment of the lecture. Your supervisor will explain you further details therefor.
All details (schedule, organising institute, contact person etc.) you find as usual in BOKUonline.
Who are my examiners?
Who is part of the examination commission?
The organisation and compilation of the examination commission is officially done on behalf of the Academic Dean of studies.
You are allowed to suggest the examiners as well as the date for your final exam.
As a rule, your supervisor is one of your thesis' reviewers and a part of the final examination's commission. Beside your supervisor two further lecturers of BOKU are participating in the commission. Head of the examination commission must be a member of a BOKU's department, which your supervisor does not belong to.
In the case, that your supervisor is an external lecturer (outside of BOKU) the second examiner must be part of BOKU's staff.