Do I have to attend (all) exercises/lectures?
In general, attendance is not compulsory for almost all courses. However, you should still attend the lectures and especially the exercises regularly and study continuously in order to pass the exam at the end. In contrast to the lectures, the exercises usually cover the same material several times a week (unless they are different types of exercises, e.g. plenary exercise, tutor exercise, etc.). This means that it is sufficient if you attend one of the exercise groups and (depending on the course) also the plenary exercise, for example. If in doubt, simply ask your lecturer.
Do I have to work on the exercise sheets?
In most cases, no, you don’t have to. But you should. Only if you study continuously and work on the exercises do you have a realistic chance of passing the exam and getting a good grade. The exercise sheets always cover the current material from the lecture and are thus already a very good preparation for the exam. In addition, the tasks of the exam are sometimes based on the exercises.
In rare cases, the exercise sheets are actually compulsory: with Corona and online teaching, some lecturers have converted the examination into a portfolio examination. This means that you already have to do the exam work during the semester - for example, in the form of compulsory exercise sheets. Sometimes you also have to complete a certain number of exercises in order to be admitted to the exam. If you have to work on exercise sheets in a course, the lecturer or exercise instructor will draw your attention to this at the beginning of the semester.
Are the exercise sheets discussed together?
As a rule, an exercise sheet is handed out once per week and course. You should then work on it until the next exercise and - depending on the lecturer - also hand it in. In the exercise, the solutions are then presented or worked out together and the corrected exercise sheet is returned. Caution: Each lecturer has his or her own mode here, so if you are unclear, just ask the tutor.
It is often advisable to work on exercise sheets in small groups. The exchange with other students contributes to better understanding and promotes the ability to communicate one’s own train of thought in a comprehensible way. In addition, it is simply more fun to work on the assignments together with others. Many lecturers explicitly point out that exercise sheets may be worked on and handed in in groups. You only have to work independently on assignments that are part of a portfolio examination.
Do I have to take notes?
To make it short: No. Only if you think it makes sense. For many courses, documents are made available via Stud.IP. Find out about this at the beginning of the semester.
How do I create my timetable?
Unlike at school, you don’t get a ready-made timetable at university. First think about which courses you would like to attend this semester and then register for these courses in Stud.IP. You can then call up a clear weekly schedule under “Planner”. Decide on one date per week for exercises so that you do not have any overlaps with other courses. For a better overview, you can also hide dates or mark them in colour. If you need help creating your timetable, just contact us. (Please note: This paragraph refers to the timetable, i.e. the events you attend each week. The study plan, on the other hand, describes the course of your studies, i.e. which courses you take in which semester).
Do I have to take courses in a certain order?
In principle, you can arrange the courses in your degree programme as you wish, e.g. you could also take Programming II before Programming I. You must decide for yourself how sensible this is. There are also compulsory prerequisites for individual courses, e.g. for SEP. Details can be found in the module catalogue of your degree programme and in the sample study plans.
How does the exam registration work?
Registering for an exam is absolutely necessary if you want to take the exam in question. Just like deregistration, it runs completely independently of Stud.IP via the campus portal and is only possible during a certain period. The period for registering for and deregistering from exams can vary depending on the faculty. You will be sufficiently informed about the beginning and end of this period by the university, by us and also by some lecturers. At FIM, we have the advantage that almost all exams are offered on two dates (at the beginning and end of the semester break), for which you can register independently of each other.
What and where is this module catalogue?
In the module catalogue you will find all the courses relevant to your studies and important information about them, such as compulsory prerequisites, ECTS credits and learning content. The module catalogue for FIM degree programmes can be found here, for teacher training degree programmes here.
By the way, the module catalogue also offers a suggestion for your study plan, but you are not formally bound to it and it may partly differ from our suggestion in the QuiX-Guide. If you have any questions or are unclear about the module catalogue, study planning, etc., we will be happy to help you!
What and where are the examination regulations?
The examination regulations are the legally binding basis for your studies, which, among other things, define the framework conditions for examinations and studying in general. You can find the examination regulations on the website of the FIM.
Can I be expelled from my degree programme?
Yes! For example, if you do not meet the point limits for Bachelor’s degree programmes (min. 30 ECTS after three semesters or min. 40 ECTS after four semesters) or if you exceed the maximum duration of study, you may be exmatriculated. You will also be exmatriculated if you fail an examination in a compulsory subject more than twice. By the way: You will also be exmatriculated if you fail to re-register for the next semester by paying the semester fee on time.
What do “s.t.” and “c.t.” mean?
The suffix “c.t.” after a time stands for “cum tempore” and means that the course will start 15 minutes later than stated in the schedule. (This is the normal case.) The abbreviation “s.t.”, on the other hand, stands for “sine tempore” and means that the event will begin exactly at the time stated. Often neither “s.t.” nor “c.t.” in the time indication. It is advisable to come to the first lecture of the semester at “s.t.” to be on the safe side.