▁from ▁October ▁ 1 ▁– ▁March ▁ 3 1 ▁and ▁the ▁summer ▁sem ester ▁from ▁April ▁ 1 ▁– ▁September ▁ 3 0 . ▁Online ▁and ▁self - stud y ▁courses ▁are ▁held ▁from ▁mid - Oct ober ▁to ▁mid - F ebru ary ▁and ▁mid - A pril ▁to ▁mid - J uly . ▁Additionally , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁H agen ▁offers ▁presence ▁classes ▁and ▁special ▁sem in ars , ▁some ▁of ▁which ▁are ▁required ▁to ▁gradu ate ▁successfully . ▁Stud ents ▁can ▁generally ▁begin ▁their ▁studies ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁or ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁sem ester . ▁The ▁standard ▁time ▁required ▁to ▁finish ▁a ▁Bach elor ' s ▁degree ' s ▁course ▁load ▁of ▁ 1 8 0 ▁E CT S ▁in ▁full - time ▁study ▁is ▁set ▁at ▁six ▁sem esters . ▁The ▁overall ▁period ▁of ▁study ▁for ▁an ▁under grad uate ▁degree ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁two ▁parts : ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁basic ▁study , ▁equ alling ▁a ▁course ▁load ▁of ▁four ▁sem esters , ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁which ▁students ▁must ▁sit ▁a ▁formal ▁exam ination , ▁and ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁advanced ▁study , ▁equ alling ▁the ▁course ▁load ▁of ▁two ▁sem esters , ▁after ▁which ▁students ▁take ▁their ▁final ▁exam in ations . ▁Master ' s ▁degrees , ▁if ▁done ▁as ▁full - time ▁study , ▁usually ▁equ alling ▁the ▁course ▁load ▁of ▁four ▁sem esters . ▁However , ▁since ▁a ▁large ▁proportion ▁of ▁the ▁student ▁body ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁H agen ▁is ▁studying ▁in ▁part - time