What everyday student life looks like depends greatly on the subject. Studying computer science, for example, is very different from studying English.
Nevertheless, there are some formats that are worth knowing about – you can see how strongly they are represented in a degree programme by looking at the module handbook. In most cases, courses on a particular topic take place weekly throughout the semester and build on each other in terms of content.
Lecture
- Usually ‘held’ by a lecturer in a lecture hall: a professor or member of staff from the department gives a presentation on a specific topic
- Varying sizes: lectures can be attended by as few as 20 people – the Audimax, the university’s largest lecture hall, can seat 788 people
- Additional materials are often available on the ‘Ilias’ learning platform:
- Further reading
- A ‘script’ (i.e. a written summary of what was said)
- A recording of the lecture for review
- Always follow up: Take notes during the lecture and then research any open questions and discuss them with fellow students or the lecturer.
Seminar
A seminar takes place in smaller groups than a lecture, and registration is required. Led by a professor or staff member, a topic is explored and discussed through intensive exchange, discussions, exercises, presentations and group work. Block seminars are offered in consecutive sessions.
Exercise
Topics covered in lectures are explored in greater depth and applied in a practical context, usually as a supplement to mathematics or language courses. Practical tasks reinforce the lecture material.
Tutoring
Here, students (especially those in their first semesters) meet in small groups under the regular guidance of older students (the tutors) to discuss lecture content or exercise sheets, for example.
Practical exercises
Practical exercises to reinforce what has been learned. Varies greatly depending on the subject; in the natural sciences, this often takes the form of laboratory work.
‘My first lecture’ – Alex attends a sociology lecture given by Prof. Manuela Boatcă and learns what she considers important in a lecture.
English subtitles can be activated in the controls.
By the way
Courses at university usually start a quarter of an hour after the hour – these 15 minutes are also known as the ‘academic quarter’. When a course begins this way, it is indicated by the addition of ‘c.t.’ for cum tempore (Latin for ‘with time’). If it begins punctually on the hour, this is indicated by ‘s.t.’, sine tempore (Latin for ‘without time’).