NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

Each individual higher education institution issues examination regulations for each course of study, taking into account the
preconditions for sitting the degree examination, the purpose and nature of the examinations and the examination procedure
and requirements. As a rule, the preconditions for sitting the final examinations are that the student has passed an intermediate
examination (Vorprüfung/Zwischenprüfung), normally taken after the fourth semester, and can present a certain number of
course certificates from special classes. The intermediate examination tests whether students have learned the fundamental
principles and scientific methods relating to their subject. The examination usually consists of written and oral sections.
Students are examined on the entire range of material taught during the first four semesters of the degree programme.
The final degree examination (Magister examination, Diplom examination, first State examination) includes, alongside
written and oral examinations, a dissertation of some length (Magisterarbeit/Diplomarbeit, Zulassungsarbeit — paper
qualifying for admission to the final examination). In this dissertation students must prove that they are capable of carrying
out independent scientific work. The written and oral examinations cover the entire range of material taught during the study
programme but concentrate on some specialist areas.
In the Federal Republic of Germany there is no cumulative testing system involving ‘credits’ or unités de valeur, leading to
the acquisition of a degree on having reached the required minimum number of credits.
I.2.5. Grading system
The German grading system involves five or six grades as a rule, ‘1’ being the best grade and ‘5’ or ‘6’ the worst. A ‘4’ is the
lowest pass grade.