What follows is a general description of what kinds of tests students can expect to take if they are studying under the old system (Magister, Lehramt). Time is running out for students to complete such a course of study, so the information below will become irrelevant to an increasing proportion of students.  

The new system (B.A./M.A.), given its many modules with carefully defined "Leistungen," is fairly self-explanatory. The "rules and regulations" can be found in the Studienordnungen and the Modulhandbücher.

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There are many exams that students must pass in order to move forward with their studies (those required for the linguistics and literature sections of the department are not dealt with here). New students to the programme used to take an entry exam and interview (Sprachlicher Eingangstest), in which writing and speaking skills were assessed by a team of faculty members. This was not an exam per se, but rather an opportunity for us to give you advice on how to begin your studies (strengths and weaknesses, what courses to take, etc).  Given that this "exam" has been abolished, oral expression and various other courses have become the place where one receives such feedback.

The first major hurdles are the translation tests (English > German and German > English). They usually take place near the end of each semester, one on the heels of the other, and are graded on a simple "pass/fail" basis. It is up to you whether you take one or both, though many students try to get them both out of the way on this one evening. One monolingual dictionary can be used. You are allowed to take the translation tests as often as necessary.  Note: The translation exams will be offered for the last time after classes are over, WS 2010/11 (mid-February).

Students also must earn a Phonetikschein. This consists of two parts: theory (passing a test at the end of the semester in what is currently Dr. Ankerstein's lecture) and practice (an Übung, either "British Phonetics and Phonology" or "American Phonetics and Phonology" in FR 4.3).  In the Übung, there is an end-of-term oral exam—a written text and a transcribed text must be read aloud.

Passing the translation exams and earning the Phonetikschein are prerequisites for taking the...

...intermediate exam, perhaps better known as the Zwischenprüfung–Sprachtest (this is not to be confused with the many other Zwischenprüfungen that are given in/by other sections of the department). This is a major exam consisting of sections on vocabulary, grammar, and a composition. Passing the exam allows you to proceed from the Grundstudium to the Hauptstudium. Although you do receive a score on the ZP, the major issue is whether you pass the test or not. You only have three attempts, and once you have passed the test, you are not allowed to take it again.

The Magister Sprachschein exam is similar in form and level difficulty to the Staatsexamen (see below).  It includes sections on vocabulary and grammar; there is an oral component as well (given that one first passes the written test).

For those studying to become teachers, the state exam (Staatsexamen) is of course one of the major capstone events. In addition to a major written test with a composition, major sections on grammar, vocabulary, and translation, there is also an oral exam. The scores earned on the various sections of the Staatsexamen are important to members of the Kultusministerium when they make decisions about Referendariat positions.