Attendance Policy

By law, language courses at universities in NRW are explicitly permitted to require attendance:

§ 64 Abs. 2a HZG NRW

“Eine verpflichtende Teilnahme der Studierenden an Lehrveranstaltungen darf als Teilnahmevoraussetzung für Prüfungsleistungen nicht geregelt werden, es sei denn, bei der Lehrveranstaltung handelt es sich um eine Exkursion, einen Sprachkurs, ein Praktikum, eine praktische Übung oder eine vergleichbare Lehrveranstaltung.”

As we actively practice the use of English during class time and this practice is essential for your success in the exam, attendance in our language courses is compulsory. To receive a BN, you must attend 80% of the class meetings. In a 15-week semester this would mean you may miss 3 classes (to keep the policy as simple as possible, missing 3 classes will be the standard regardless of how many public holidays fall on a particular day of the week in a given semester). For purposes of attendance, it is irrelevant whether the 3 permitted absences are excused or unexcused. If you exceed 3 absences, the instructor may allow you one subsequent excused absence. However, if you are absent 5 times or more, you have missed over a third of the course and must repeat the course.

Please do not notify us of your first 3 absences by email. The only time it is relevant to provide documentation of an excused absence is when it is your fourth absence or you have missed a BN-relevant assignment that was conducted in class (e.g., an in-class writing assignment or a presentation). Excused absences include illness as documented by a medical certificate issued by a physician.

Transportation problems, travel, strikes are all example of unexcused absences. The 3 permitted absences are designed to accommodate these sorts of unforeseen circumstances; therefore, you should not use your 3 permitted absences unless you have no other option.

Please note that if you have missed more that 3 classes, there is no obligation for your instructor to provide an accommodation for an additional excused absence. It is at an instructor’s discretion whether an accommodation will be provided. If you have missed 5 classes, you must retake the course in a subsequent semester. Similarly, if you miss a BN-relevant in-class assignment, your instructor is not obligated to provide an accommodation.

If you miss for the 4^th time or have missed a BN-relevant assignment, please make sure to notify your instructor as soon as possible. In all communications, please provide documentation of your circumstances and explain why you were absent. If no clear reason is provided, the absence will be assumed to be unexcused, and no accommodation will be made. Also please clearly state why you are asking for an accommodation (missing a 4^th class or missing a BN-relevant assignment). If you miss a BN-relevant assignment it is your responsibility to ask for an accommodation and provide appropriate documentation. Your instructor is not obligated to notify you that you have failed to complete a BN-relevant assignment. You are also responsible for keeping track of how many classes you have missed. If you are unsure, ask your instructor before or after class. If you arrive late after attendance has been taken, it is your responsibility to confirm with the instructor after class that you have been entered on the attendance list.