The field of Medieval German Literature and Language focuses on the history of German literature from its beginnings to the 16th century in its historical and sociocultural context as well as on the development of the German language in this period.
The central component of the field of educational planning and instructional design is the principles and methods of instructional design. This also includes questions concerning educational planning. Instructional design encompasses the entire instructional process, from the analysis of learning needs and goals to the development of a system of learning. It includes the development of learning materials and tasks as well as the testing and evaluation of the entire instructional process and learning activities. This process can be divided into the following steps:
- Identification of specific educational needs
- Analysis of the target group and framework requirements
- Identification of educational goals
- Selection of content
- Design of the learning environment
- Development of learning material
- Implementation of media
- Implementation of the learning strategy
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of the strategy both during and after the learning process
The successful conception and implementation of technology-based learning environments is a collective product of experts with regard to the learning content to be conveyed, the instructional design, and the implementation of technology. Instructional design is a planning science based on established theories of learning and instruction. It can be described as an interface between various other disciplines, including psychology, cognitive science, instructional science, curriculum and lesson planning theory, computer science, communications, and the sociology of knowledge. However, it is not based entirely on the knowledge of other disciplines, but rather contributes to the development of theories and research itself by way of empirical studies on the effectiveness and transfer efficiency of various learning arrangements.
Biology is a natural science that did not develop into a unified, exact, and experimental science until the 20th century. Since this time, biological research has concentrated primarily on finding universal principles and laws for living things. Biology is divided into the following areas of teaching and research: biochemistry (of plants), botany (plant physiology), botany (functional morphology and bionics), bioinformatics (only as minor field), developmental biology of animals, evolutionary biology and ecology of animals, genetics and molecular biology, geobotany, limnology, microbiology, molecular immunology, neurobiology and biophysics, neurobiology and animal physiology, plant biotechnology, and cell biology. In keeping with the requirements of the teaching education program, the curriculum aims to include the entire spectrum of the field. In contrast to students of the bachelor of science program, students preparing for the state examination for secondary education are not required to choose an area of specialization but may decide for themselves whether to concentrate on a specific area in their elective courses.
The Master Program Caritas Science and Christian Social Ethics is research oriented and consecutive. Caritas Science does theological and interdisciplinary research in and reflects on theory and practice of Caritas and other organizations of public, free and private social welfare. Christian Social Ethics offers the framework of theories of justice for basic and situational questions of social ethics. The program serves the students to acquire of specific knowledge and competences in the fields of theology and related disciplines. Students acquire and improve caritas scientific and ethical competences (both individual and social ethics) as well as communicative skills. In addition, the interdisciplinarilly organized program offers knowledge and competences as to theory and practice of social work as well as law and management in the social field. It enables students to do research in this field empirically as well as conceptionally in this field on theological and interdisciplinary bases.
The goal of the degree program is to prepare students for a career as a secondary-school chemistry teacher. The chemistry teacher must be capable of conveying the foundations and recent findings of chemistry at a level of abstraction appropriate to secondary school students and providing them insight into the significance of chemistry for everyday life. Chemistry class should impart secondary school students with an understanding of the great significance of chemistry for problems humanity is confronted with today, such as insufficient resources and energy, illness and disease, overpopulation, but also the dangers chemical technology can pose for the environment and ecology. The curriculum is geared toward these goals: The first phase of the program focuses on the theoretical foundations of chemistry in the three subdisciplines inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry as well as on the necessary basic skills in mathematics and physics. In addition to theoretical training, great emphasis is placed on the practical application of knowledge in the laboratory. Roughly the same amount of time is devoted to practical and theoretical training. A passion for experimentation and sufficient manual skills are thus essential preconditions for taking up a course of study in chemistry. <br /><br />
The second phase of the program includes courses designed to extend students’ knowledge in specific areas and introduce them to issues concerning the industrial applications of chemistry as well as courses on the theory and methodology of teaching that provide them insight into their future career as chemistry teachers.
The focus of the field of German in research, instruction, and studies is the German language and literature from their beginnings to the present in their historical and sociocultural context. The area of linguistics covers the German language, its history, and its current state of development on the basis of theories of language and communication. The area of literature covers the history of German literature on the basis of literary theories. The Department of German is divided into two sections: the Department of German I concentrates on the German language and medieval German literature, and the Department of German II focuses on German literature from the early modern period to the present.
This minor field program is designed for students who are not fluent in German. It provides international students with basic knowledge of the structure of the German language, theoretical aspects of learning and teaching German as a foreign language, and the necessary language skills for teaching “German as a Foreign Language” in their native country.
The major field program in German Studies has three areas of concentration: The linguistic component of the program deals with the structure and development of the German language, its variants and varieties (dialects, registers, styles), its use in texts and in oral interaction, and its cognitive processing. The area “modern German literature” covers German literature from the 16th century to the present. The texts are analyzed within the context of historical and sociocultural issues and comparative aspects as well as current approaches of literary theory and media theory are considered. The focus of the area “medieval German literature and language“ is the history of German literature from the beginnings to the 16th century in its historical and sociocultural context as well as previous stages in the history of the language. Students of the program must have an excellent command of written and spoken German. Another prerequisite is the ability to read secondary literature in foreign languages, particularly English.
The Department of English of the University of Freiburg conducts research and instruction in the area of English studies, including the English language and its varieties as well as the literature and culture of the English-speaking world. The course of study is divided into two areas: linguistics and literary studies. Linguistics deals with the English language and its history. In addition to present-day British, American English, and earlier stages of development, other varieties of English are also considered. The area of literary studies concentrates primarily on the history of English and American literature. However, the literatures of other English-speaking countries are occasionally also considered, as this is in the interest of the students in a globalized world.
The program in English and American Studies is devoted to the English language and literature in all English-speaking countries. The area of linguistics deals with the English language and its history. While the program focuses primarily on British and American English as well as earlier stages of development of the language, other varieties are also taken into consideration. The area of literary studies concentrates on the history of English and American literature but also takes other English-language literatures into consideration. The curriculum also includes language courses and cultural studies courses, as familiarity with the culture of the English-speaking world is a necessary precondition for studying English language and literature.
The University of Freiburg Master's degree in European Linguistics is a two-year programme which has been running most successfully since 2004. This highly competitive international Master’s programme (on average 80-90 % of the programme participants are international students) is designed for students interested in a more in-depth study of theoretical and descriptive linguistics. It creates a solid basis for linguistic analysis and comparison, conveys a sound understanding of the rich and fascinating linguistic landscape of Europe, and imparts skills in up to four European languages. A wide variety of seminars and lectures are offered in five linguistic modules. An additional research module includes an internship abroad, a conference visit, and classes on research design and presentation skills.
The sustainable use of natural resources is one of the key issues of the 21st century. The M.Sc. Forest Ecology and Management focuses on the sustainable management of forested landscapes. In a world, where both the environmental conditions as well as the aspirations of society are highly dynamic, our environment cannot be managed according to fixed recipes. Adaptive management, a fundamental concept of ecosystem management, addresses this uncertainty, and provides the framework for the content of this M.Sc. course.
The study programme aims at:
an understanding and analysis of the direct and indirect effects of mankind on forests and other terrestrial ecosystems,
an in-depth understanding of ecological and environmental processes at various levels: cells, individuals, populations, ecosystems, landscapes and global systems, and
the provision of methodological knowledge and competence to design and evaluate management plans and accompanying research for a range of natural resources.
This course of study focuses on the language, literature, and media culture of areas of the world in which French is spoken, e.g., France in Europe, Morocco in Africa, and Quebec in Canada. Special emphasis is placed on various forms of media, such as print media, film, electronic media, and the Internet. Students learn how to select appropriate media for particular purposes, take a critical stance on media issues, and orient themselves in the flood of information we are confronted with every day. This requires a familiarity with the historical and societal background of the francophone world, and of course also with the language. Students thus also receive intensive training in spoken and written French as well as translation.
The minor field program in French focuses on French literature and the French language as spoken in various countries in Europe (e.g., in France, Belgium, and Switzerland) as well as in other parts of the world (e.g., Morocco in Africa or Quebec in Canada). Students also receive intensive training in spoken and written French as well as translation.
This course of study concentrates on the French language, literature, and culture in their historical and sociocultural context. It is thus divided into two main areas: linguistics and literary and cultural studies. Courses in these areas provide students with the necessary skills for academic study of the francophone world as well as general philological skills such as literary interpretation and academic writing (analytical reading, writing one’s own texts).
In addition, the curriculum also includes language courses designed to help students achieve fluency in oral and written French.
Since French studies are part of larger area of Romance philology, students are also required to acquire basic skills in at least one other Romance language. Students acquire the skills necessary for a career as a secondary school teacher in general and subject-specific courses in pedagogy and teaching methodology as well as an internship at a local school. The teacher education degree program leads to the First State Examination in a standard period of study of ten semesters. Graduates are qualified to begin the practical phase of their teacher training.
Geography is a particularly broad discipline. It focuses on the differentiation of (natural and cultural) spaces of the Earth. It describes and explains the relationships between models and evaluations of space in order to draw consequences for spatial planning. Thus, the field is concerned with natural as well as social and economic issues.
Geography is divided into two large subdisciplines, each with various areas of specialization: physical and cultural geography. The former includes geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, soil science, biogeography, and geoecology, and the latter includes population geography, social geography, historical geography, economic geography, transportation geography, and political geography.
Geography is a particularly broad discipline. It focuses on the differentiation of (natural and cultural) spaces of the Earth. It describes and explains the relationships between models and evaluations of space in order to draw consequences for spatial planning. Thus, the field is concerned with natural as well as social and economic issues.
Geography is divided into two large subdisciplines, each with various areas of specialization: physical and cultural geography. The former includes geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, soil science, biogeography, and geoecology, and the latter includes population geography, social geography, historical geography, economic geography, transportation geography, and political geography.
The degree program in history (teaching degree) deals with European and world history since antiquity. The knowledge historians acquire is always based on historical evidence from the epoch under study. By studying these sources with the help of a critical method, historians attempt to build up a solid knowledge base concerning historical events. The goal is not just to reconstruct political events but also to study the economic developments, social structures, cultural trends, and mentalities of the epoch under study. Historians call traditional interpretations of historical events into question again and again by approaching them anew from a contemporary perspective. Although the teaching degree program in history is primarily geared toward students who wish to pursue a career as a secondary school history teacher, it is also suitable for those who are interested in working in other professions (journalism, museums, publishing, public relations).
This degree program focuses on the language and literature of ancient Greece from Homer (8th century BC) to the end of Antiquity (6th century AD). In contrast to modern philology, however, the focus is not limited to literature in a strict sense but also includes philosophical and scientific texts. The goal of the program is to teach students to understand and interpret the preserved corpus of Greek literature using the methods of philology (linguistics and literary theory). The curriculum is divided into three stages: In the first semester, students hone their language skills in Greek-German and German-Greek translation courses. In the second stage, which ends with the intermediate examination, students develop their translating skills further in reading and stylistics courses and learn the fundamentals of textual interpretation in introductory seminars. They are introduced to the most important philological methods and disciplines, including textual criticism, literary theory, prosody, rhetoric, and mythology. After passing the intermediate examination, students perfect their skills in the methodical interpretation of texts in advanced reading, stylistics, and interpretation courses and learn how to conduct independent philological research.
To create robots that work independently, computers that learn to understand images, mind-controlled prostheses or algorithms that are getting faster and smarter - that's how exciting and diverse computer science is in Freiburg. We teach and research on topics that will shape our everyday lives in the future.
The indispensability of computer science
Computer science has become such an integral part of our lives, whether it’s our smartphone, cars that drive themselves or an Internet search. From medicine to business administration, mechanical engineering, biology, psychology to sociology and archeology - all spheres of life and science today rely on computer science. Acquire the necessary skills to develop versatile systems.
Our main focuses in computer science studies are:
Robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning
Machine vision and computer graphics
Algorithms and navigation
Software and security
The benefits you will have as a computer science student in Freiburg:
With about 900 students and 22 professors, we offer you an excellent student-teacher ratio.
A balanced combination of theory and practice is our goal.
Our lectures are mostly recorded. Regardless of place and time, you can thus repeat the material before an examination.
Innovative teaching methods and modern equipment await you.
Computer science is the science of systematic information processing, particularly automatic processing with the help of computers. The core concept of computer science is the algorithm, a procedure for solving a class of problems that can be described in formal terms and reproduced mechanically. As a foundational discipline and an applied science, computer science influences and has had an impact on the recent development of almost all domains of academia and society. A course of study in computer science is thus suitable for students interested in the humanities and the social sciences as well as for those interested in mathematics and the natural sciences. The most important subdisciplines of computer science are:
<br />- Theoretical Computer Science: Central questions include the description and study of computers and formal languages as well as the complexity of calculations.
<br />- Practical Computer Science: Objects of study include methods of writing programs and concrete development environments with program translators, information systems, and simulators.
<br />- Applied Computer Science: This subdiscipline investigates possibilities for the automatization of activities in various domains. The methods applied for the development of program systems are taken primarily from engineering.
<br />- Computer Science and Society: This subdiscipline studies the effects of the use of information technology on society.
The minor field program in Italian deals with the Italian language and Italian literature. Other languages spoken in Italy (Romansh, Franco-Provençal, Occitan, Sardinian) may also be treated within the context of the program. Students also receive intensive training in spoken and written Italian as well as translation.
This course of study concentrates on the Italian language, literature, and culture in their historical and sociocultural context. It is thus divided into two main areas: linguistics and literary and culture studies. Courses in these areas provide students with the necessary skills for academic study of Italy as well as general philological skills such as literary interpretation and academic writing (analytical reading, writing one’s own texts). In addition, the curriculum also includes language courses designed to help students achieve fluency in oral and written Italian. Since Italian studies are part of the larger area of Romance philology, students are also required to acquire basic skills in at least one other Romance language. Students acquire the skills necessary for a career as a secondary school teacher in general and subject-specific courses in pedagogy and teaching methodology as well as in an internship at a local school. The teacher education degree program leads to the First State Examination in a standard period of study of ten semesters. Graduates are qualified to begin the practical phase of their teacher training.
The purpose of the field of Catholic theology is to conduct academic study into the Christian understanding of faith, which is based on the historical revelation of God in the Old and New Testament and the interpretation of this revelation by the church community. The various subdisciplines of the field (biblical theology, ecclesiastical history, philosophy, systematic and practical theology) provide a wealth of critical methods for reflecting on faith. The curriculum touches on issues of literary and historical studies, art and cultural history, philosophy, the social sciences, and law. Students of Catholic theology learn to approach basic theological data from an academic perspective, to act appropriately and cooperatively in the areas of school, church, and society out of a sense of theological responsibility, and to teach these abilities to others.
In addition to the traditional subdisciplines biblical, historical, and systematic theology, the teacher education program places emphasis on the pedagogy of religion, which also involves knowledge of the foundations of religious life and learning. The student of the teacher education program, who will subsequently represent the subject of Catholic religion at public secondary schools in Germany, is familiarized with the psychological concepts of religious learning and the teaching methodology of theology through theoretical training and concrete teaching practice.
The main components of the curriculum for a minor in Cognitive Science include: cognitive architectures, i.e., the structural and functional organization of biological and technical systems that are capable of cognitive activity, as well as the foundations of – and problems understanding – cognition as information processing; the representation and organization of general and domain-specific knowledge as well as learning processes involved in the acquisition of knowledge and inference processes involved in the use of knowledge; the processing of natural language as it pertains to information processing as well as perception and sensorimotor processes (control of action); applied cognitive science: human-computer interaction; computerized learning systems; the technology of knowledge-based systems: artificial intelligence programming (“expert systems”) and knowledge engineering; as well as concepts for applying and evaluating “intelligent” computer systems as a further related area. The goals of the course of study are the acquisition of methodological skills from the humanities and the empirical sciences to the extent that they are necessary for research in cognitive science and, in particular, mastery of the methods of cognitive modeling, including programming techniques of artificial intelligence (AI), the acquisition of a broad knowledge base in general cognitive science in combination with specialized knowledge in one of the subdisciplines named above, and the integration and practice of cognitive analysis and modeling of representations and processes in cognitive systems through project work.
The degree program focuses on works of architecture, painting, sculpture, applied arts, and new forms of art in Europe, North America, and societies influenced by these cultures. In addition, the program also includes the history of art and the history of the discipline of art history and its institutions (e.g., museums, preservation of historical monuments, research and educational institutions, exhibitions). The periods included in the program range from the Middle Ages to the present. Art history majors acquire a solid background in the fundamentals and specialized knowledge of the field as well as knowledge of its methods (e.g., identification, stylistic analysis, iconography, iconology), enabling them to cultivate a sensitivity for artistic forms of expression and an understanding of works and theories of art within the context of the historical conditions in which they were created. Students of the bachelor program learn to judge works of art independently on the basis of expert knowledge. Prerequisites for a successful course of study include excellent skills in the German language and good skills in English.
The field of Latin focuses on Roman literature and culture in the broadest sense from the 3rd century before Christ until Late Antiquity (6th/7th century AD). In contrast to modern philology, however, the focus is not limited to literature in a strict sense but also includes philosophical and scientific texts. The goal of the program is to teach students to understand and interpret the preserved corpus of Latin literature using the methods of philology (linguistics) and literary theory and communicate this knowledge.
The course of study begins with introductory lecture courses on analysis and linear algebra and continues with an introduction to several mathematical subdisciplines. It acquaints students with the principles of mathematical thought and work and enables future teachers come to grips with the continually evolving field of school mathematics. Prerequisites for a successful course of study include motivation and interest in mathematics. Prior knowledge in advanced mathematics is not a prerequisite, but a solid background in school mathematics is useful. It is possible to switch between the teacher education program and the bachelor’s program in the early phases of the course of study.
Training for medical doctors includes the following components: 1. a six-year course of study in medicine at a university or equivalent higher education institution, the final year of which should include a practical training phase (practical year) of at least 48 weeks; 2. a training course in first aid; 3. three months service as a nurse; 4. a four-month clinical traineeship; and 5. the medical examination, which must be taken in three stages. The standard period of study, including the examination phase for the second stage, is six years and three months. For more detailed information, please consult the informational booklet offered by the Central Academic Advising Office under "links."
Meteorology is the study of physical and chemical processes and the resulting conditions in the atmosphere, which forms the layer of gases surrounding the Earth. Meteorological processes run in various spatial and temporal scales.
Climatology is a subdiscipline of meteorology that focuses on the analysis and description of intermediate processes and states in the atmosphere (climate) and the climate system and changes to them.
The most widely known area of application of meteorology is weather forecasting. However, meteorology and climatology also play a role in questions of air pollution control, settlement and land-use planning, environmental protection, agriculture and forestry, landscape ecology, and energy management. An area that is currently particularly prominent is research concerning climate change.
Microsystems Engineering: Technology for a smart world!
Make the world a better place
Address the complex challenges facing our society in the areas of climate change, energy conservation, pollution, biodiversity, resource efficiency and biomedicine through innovative solutions.
Engineering science of the future
Energy and environmental technology, medical technology, sustainable mobility or smart applications in information technology and telecommunications - no industry can do without Microsystems Engineering any more.
Active participation in the development of high-tech technologies
With a broad engineering background, you will not only deal with technical matters. You will also adress aspects of sustainability like energy efficiency, environment or resilience. You will work in an interdisciplinary way and develop forward-looking technologies for present and future generations.
The miniaturisation and integration of many functions in a minimal space creates small intelligent systems that achieve great things. Our goal is to develop solutions that help to make life more sustainable, healthier, safer, more comfortable, more versatile and, last but not least, easier.
Biomedical Microsystems
Mobile diagnostics with innovative minilabs
Personalised therapies
Intelligent implants
Intelligent Integrated Microsytems
Sensors record energy and material flows
Reduction of energy consumption reduces CO2 emissions
Electrical energy is harvested from the environment
Technical systems take direct measures against climate change
Intelligent Materials and Bio-Inspired Systems
Microelectronics
Glass injection moulding
Biogenic materials
Surfaces with adjustable wetting behaviour
Photonics
Crystals for generating and manipulating laser light, e.g. for fast and acurate sensor technology for industrial quality assurance
Optical chips, e.g. for integrated distance sensors for autonomous driving
Novel laser scanning microscopes with super-resolution or light-sheet as well as optical tweezers, optical traps and particle tracking to better understand living cells, particle dynamics and infectious diseases
Innovative micro-optics, e.g. to pack highly functional cameras into a smartphone
Fluidic optics, e.g. to build a microscope from water drops
The goal of the degree program is to teach the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary to conduct independent scientific work in biomedical research, development, diagnostics, and production. Graduates of the program should be capable of: - formulating scientific questions in theoretical or clinical research independently and addressing them with modern methodology, - linking content and questions of medicine with ways of thinking and working from the natural sciences, - thinking beyond the bounds of individual disciplines and applying interdisciplinary knowledge to clinical questions, - applying statistical procedures and models for describing life processes to questions of clinical and experimental medicine, - illustrating scientific findings and concepts in written and oral form using medical terms and taking into account their ethical and legal background, - with the goal of explaining the causes of illnesses on the molecular level through the methods of molecular biology and cell biology and using this knowledge to derive new possibilities for diagnostics, therapy, and prevention.
The minor field program in Modern German Literature focuses on German literature from the 16th century to the present, taking into account the historical and sociocultural context as well as approaches from literary theory and comparative literature. The goal of the program is to teach students skills in interpreting literary texts.
Pharmacy is the science that deals with medicinal agents and drugs. The curriculum of the state examination program is defined in the nationwide regulations on medical registration for pharmacists. It conveys knowledge related to medicinal drugs and the skills the trained pharmacist needs to conduct scientific research, to critically evaluate findings, and to work responsibly with pharmaceuticals. Graduates practice their profession at public pharmacies, in hospitals, in the pharmaceutical industry, at universities, and in administration. They are engaged in the development, production, and analysis of medicinal drugs as well as in dispensing them and providing information on their effects and side effects. The standard period of study is eight semesters. It is followed by a one-year internship.
Philosophy deals with questions that it is not possible to ask or answer within the context of daily life or scientific research, questions concerning things that are taken for granted in daily life and are simply assumed in scientific inquiry. Thus, as philosophy asks questions that go beyond our trusted action orientations and the empirically validated knowledge of science, it does not lead to knowledge in the usual sense of the word. It is interpretation of life and the world, or in other words: of the possibilities and premises of how we conduct our lives and experience the world. The objective of philosophy is to achieve the most possible clarity concerning our lives as human beings and a world that does not belong to us alone. The possibilities for philosophical analysis also differ from the findings of scientific research in that they cannot be made obsolete by subsequent findings in the sense of a gradual progression of knowledge. Whereas earlier scientific solution proposals are usually outdated, all grand philosophical conceptions that have achieved the status of classic remain valid. They may be modified to a certain extent in contemporary debates, and one must assume them as a premise to understand these debates. In addition, classical conceptions of philosophy provide us an opportunity to view the basic assumptions of our current understanding of life from a distance. Things come more clearly into focus when we see them in a new context that is not colored by our present situation. Only then do they become philosophical in nature. What a course of study in philosophy thus entails above all is inquiry into the great classical philosophies. The classical philosophers include Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Leibniz, Hume, Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Husserl, Wittgenstein, und Heidegger. These authors provide us with the questions and the conceptual possibilities for philosophical thought. Their works are the best way to familiarize oneself with the peculiarities of philosophical ways of thinking. The curriculum takes this into account. The introductory phase includes a two-semester interpretation course on a classical text of philosophy. This interpretation course is a required course. At least two interpretation courses begin each semester. They are supported by two tutorials each, which are also obligatory. Another required course is an introduction to formal logic, which is designed to familiarize students with the possibilities of logical thinking and thus with the formal tool of the philosopher’s trade. This course is offered each winter semester. Philosophy encompasses a variety of questions which are subject to change depending on the current historical situation and on what other philosophies a philosopher draws on. Nevertheless, the various subdisciplines of philosophy have remained essentially the same since the time of Aristotle. A basic distinction is drawn between theoretical and practical philosophy, and the first of the two is traditionally considered to be more important. Theoretical philosophy is concerned with inquiry into the nature of being inasmuch as it is being (“ontology”), which leads to the question of the possibilities of knowledge and belief (“epistemology”). Practical philosophy includes ethics, which is concerned primarily with the question of the individual good life and proper behavior, and political philosophy, which deals with the various forms of political community under the aspect of justice. These basic questions have become differentiated in the course of the modern age. Questions on the nature of the beautiful in art and nature, for instance, have come to be viewed as forming a discreet subdiscipline called philosophical aesthetics under the influence of Kant. By the same token, ontological and epistemological inquiry on the topic of science has come to be known under the name philosophy of science. Areas like philosophy of language, philosophy of history, social philosophy, or action theory, on the other hand, should be viewed more as specializations within the context of the two main philosophical disciplines. In modern times philosophy has been increasingly obliged to justify its way of acquiring knowledge against the possibilities of scientific inquiry. This can happen when philosophical thinking takes a scientific approach, which is not seldom the case in analytical philosophy. The alternative is to emphasize the points in which philosophy has its own justification, which was done in the twentieth century particularly in phenomenological and hermeneutical philosophy. Freiburg is committed to this task on the basis of tradition alone. The goal of both research and instruction is to develop philosophical questions independently within the horizon provided by tradition. A course of study in the field provides a solid grounding in both the history and the methods of philosophy.
The common distinction between experimental physics and theoretical physics at universities only serves as a way to refer to different ways of working within the field of physics; it does not represent two different courses of study. The nature of physics consists in combining experiment and theory, and a course of study in physics includes both in the same measure. The goal of the course of study in Physics is to teach students the foundations of the field. Not until students write their final thesis do they tackle a special problem in physics from a experimental or a theoretical perspective. A very important prerequisite for studying physics is sufficient mathematical aptitude. Since physics makes much more intensive use of mathematics than other natural sciences, the physicist must acquire much better math skills than those taught in school. Mathematics and physics is thus a good combination of fields for students in the teacher education program.
The minor field program in Portuguese deals with the Portuguese language as spoken in Portugal in Europe as well as Brazil in South America, and with the literature of these countries. Students also receive intensive training in spoken and written Portuguese as well as translation.
As a rule, students of law study the field full time for ten semesters without a minor field. The first part of a two-phase course of study leading to qualification for entry in the legal professions ends with the First Legal Examination. This examination serves to determine whether the student has the aptitude to begin the practical phase of his or her training and includes an examination conducted by the state on required subjects (State Examination) and an examination conducted by the university on an area of specialization (University Examination). The first exam is prepared and conducted by the State Law Examination Office, the second by the university. The course of study includes training in the three main areas civil law, criminal law, and public law as well as in an area of specialization. The foundations of law and international law also receive consideration. Courses in the required areas include the necessary knowledge for the State Examination, while those in the area of specialization serve to build upon this knowledge and prepare the student for the University Examination.
The major field program in Russia Studies focuses on the historical and cultural development of Russia from the beginnings to the present. The course of study teaches active skills in the Russian language and knowledge concerning the Russian cultural area in its geographical context. The program focuses on history, literature, and regional and cultural studies. Graduates should be capable of analyzing and understanding the historical, linguistic, and cultural processes and structures of Russia. The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures would like to point out that the program Russia Studies is not intended for native speakers of Russian. The department recommends for native speakers to select Slavic Studies as a major field instead.
Students of Scandinavian Studies investigate the diverse cultures of the north from the early Middle Ages to the present. The main emphasis of the course of study is on the Scandinavian languages and literatures. Beginning students are not required to possess skills in a Scandinavian language; they have the option of learning Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish during the course of study. Students also receive training in historical forms of the Scandinavian languages, like Old Norse, and in the history of the Scandinavian languages and cultures. The literatures of the individual countries play an important role in the course of study, as do film and other important cultural media. In addition to language skills, students of Scandinavian Studies learn to understand, interpret, and evaluate texts, media, and cultural phenomena in their historical context.
The major field program in Slavic Studies teaches active skills in two Slavic languages and knowledge of the geography, history, cultural development, and current situation of the Slavic cultural area. The program focuses on linguistics, literature, regional and cultural studies, and language skills. Graduates are capable of analyzing and understanding historical, linguistic, and cultural processes and structures.
The GSP builds its curriculum upon two dimensions which both widen and deepen the academic training of the students. On one level, students reflect upon globalization processes, their meaning, causes and consequences through four modules. Each module sheds light on different theoretical and empirical aspects of globalisation, stemming from different fields of the Social Sciences. This contributes to the systematic analysis of globalisation within a rich, cross-disciplinary framework.
On another level, these four modules are integrated with the different approaches and views on globalisation from five campuses: Albert-Ludwigs-University (Freiburg), Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok), FLACSO Argentina (Buenos Aires), Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi) and University of Cape Town (Cape Town). The programme thereby creates space for comparative and dialogical forms of scientific inquiry and academic cooperation. In this way, the GSP deals not only with the current social science research agenda worldwide, but also bridges the gap between academic inquiry and the contemporary real world by sending the students abroad.
Consequently, the transdisciplinary coherence of the Global Studies Programme does not arise from a misunderstood interdisciplinary dialogue between different social scientific subjects. On the contrary, unlike a neokantian understanding of the social sciences would suppose, it rather comes from a realist understanding of the selected real objects of research which are the conflictual cultural and societal experiences of globalisation processes in different world regions:
Processes of globalisation which appear in different conceptual maps seen from the North, the South and the East (module 1: Globalisation)
Structures and institutions of a hierarchical world-system whose macrodynamics generate the scope for decentralised actors and structures of action (module 2: Global Governance)
Scientific and everyday world views and identities in which violent ethnic, political and religious answers to cultural or economic homogenisation and geographical distribution are mirrored, as well as the search for a fair world order (module 3: Cultural Change)
Interdisciplinary mixed methods of inquiry which are required to decode these processes (4: Methodology)
The minor field program in Spanish deals with Spanish-language literature and culture and the Spanish language as spoken in various parts of Europe and Central and South America, e.g., Spain, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Chile. Other languages spoken in Spain, particularly Catalan and Galician, may also be treated within the context of the program. Students also receive intensive training in spoken and written Spanish as well as translation.
This course of study concentrates on the Spanish language, literature, and culture in their historical and sociocultural context. It is thus divided into two main areas: linguistics and literary and culture studies. Courses in these areas provide students with the necessary skills for academic study of the Spanish-speaking world as well as general philological skills such as literary interpretation and academic writing (analytical reading, writing one’s own texts). In addition, the curriculum also includes language courses designed to help students achieve fluency in oral and written Spanish. Since Spanish studies are part of the larger area of Romance philology, students are also required to acquire basic skills in at least one other Romance language. Students acquire the skills necessary for a career as a secondary school teacher in general and subject-specific courses in pedagogy and teaching methodology as well as an internship at a local school. The teacher education degree program leads to the First State Examination in a standard period of study of ten semesters. Graduates are qualified to begin the practical phase of their teacher training.
The minor field program in German Linguistics teaches basic knowledge on the structure and development of the German languages, its variants and varieties (dialects, registers, styles), its use in texts and in oral interaction, and its cognitive processing. It covers the areas “linguistic description,” “text linguistics,” “linguistic interaction/pragmatics,” “language/culture/society,” and “language and cognition.” The content of these areas is taught in courses that are arranged in various modules. Students of the program must have an excellent command of written and spoken German. The language of international linguistic scholarship is English. The ability to read secondary literature in English is thus a prerequisite for a successful course of study.
Environmental problems and their immense impact on the ground, the air, water, forests, and landscapes are currently in the public eye more than ever before. Thus, experts in environmental natural sciences are increasingly called upon to make sense of the complex interactions within ecosystems and their relation to human actions.
The course of study in Environmental Natural Sciences is an interdisciplinary program that provides a solid grounding in the foundations of natural science (mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology) as well as the ability to understand and analyze environmental processes. The entire curriculum has a strong practical orientation: It includes a variety of excursions and field exercises as well as practical laboratory courses and guest lectures from professionals in the area of environmental protection.
Political science aims at scientific analysis of the “political” in all of its facets. In particular, the course of study focuses on various forms of government, political institutions, and leadership structures, as well as their social and economic foundations and the values on which they are based. Owing to the methods applied and the questions dealt with in political science, the field has many points of contact with other disciplines, e.g., law, economics, history, sociology, and philosophy. This broad disciplinary scope led one of the early practitioners of political science (Arnold Bergstraesser) to refer to it as a “synoptic science.” However, the field has also been subject to an increasing specialization in the past decades. Today it is common to draw a basic distinction between the subdisciplines “political theory and the history of ideas,” “comparative government” or “comparative analysis of political systems,” and “international politics.” In basic terms, the field of political science deals, first, with the preconditions, criteria, and general framework of politics and political action, second, with the analysis of political processes, and third, with the study of special fields of politics, such as developmental politics, environmental politics, or gender politics. In the first case it is interested particularly in the legal, economic, and societal foundations of politics. The central concept in this context is “constitution,” both in a direct and a metaphorical sense. The analysis of political processes and their actors, on the other hand, focuses on the concepts of “power” and “conflict”: How do politicians acquire, maintain, and pass on power? How are conflicts dealt with and regulated in a national and international context? Finally, research on fields of politics concentrates on the actors involved in the particular fields and the question of how political decisions are reached and implemented in them. These three dimensions refer both to politics in the national and the international sphere. These three areas may be approached from an empirical, historical, or theoretical stance. In order to meet scientific standards, the political scientist must explain which approach is being applied and carefully document each step of the argumentation.
According to the regulations for a medical license, the course of study in Dentistry should prepare the future dentist for his or her profession by providing practical training on a solid scientific foundation. Practical and theoretical training thus both play a major role in the degree program. The field of dentistry focuses on the diagnosis and therapy of tooth, mouth, and jaw diseases. Practical work on patients includes the preservation of teeth, dental surgery, prosthetic measures, and the regulation of tooth and jaw anomalies. Another important task is prophylaxis, i.e., education concerning the causes of tooth diseases (preventive dentistry). The program includes a ten-semester course of study in dentistry, including a preclinical and a clinical phase of at least five semesters each. The standard period of study, including the final examination, is ten semesters and six months. Students must take the following examinations in the course of the program: - intermediate natural science examination, - intermediate dentistry examination, - final dentistry examination. The preclinical phase of the course of study ends with the intermediate dentistry examination, the “Physikum,” but also includes an additional examination at the end of the second study semester: the intermediate natural science examination or “Vorphysikum.” After completing the examinations of the preclinical phase, the student proceeds to the clinical phase, which terminates with the State Examination, i.e., the final dentistry examination. The many required courses leading up to the examinations are very time-consuming. Most of these courses build upon the content of the previous course and thus leave students little room for freedom in organizing their course of study. After completing the program, graduates must take two years of practical training to qualify for a license as a dentist for patients with statutory health insurance. This phase of work as a dental assistant may be completed either at a private dental practice or at a university dental clinic. It is then possible to receive qualification as an orthodontist or an oral surgeon in a total of four additional years of training.
Sustainable development and sustainability in the manifold relationships between humans and the environment have become integral rules of conduct in politics and society. One of the major challenges to the implementation of the overall concept of sustainable development concerns effective governance processes between various stakeholders within companies, administrations, organisations, and society at large.
The M.Sc. ‘Environmental Governance’ (MEG) addresses this special need. Unique worldwide, its focus is on facilitating the institutionalisation of context-effective environmental governance arrangements that combine the regulation of market, state and civil society for sustainable development.
The field of European ethnology focuses on scientific study of the everyday cultures of the “many” in Europe, the members of the middle and lower classes. European ethnology deals with cultures in the sense of human interpretation and orientation systems in spaces of various sizes (local cultures, regional cultures, cultures of large regions of Europe such as the Mediterranean, the Alps, the Baltic states, etc.). It is a core belief of the field that cultures can not be defined by ethnicity alone and that it is necessary to take a critical stance against an ethnicization of culture. Research and instruction focus on the coexistence of people of various ethnic background, migratory movements, integration processes, and the relation between majorities and minorities.
The earth sciences focus on the planet Earth and the processes that shape it. In particular, the field investigates the structure and dynamics of the planet, the genesis and decay of the material the Earth is composed of, and the history of the Earth’s development. The course of study explores the commonly known geo-phenomena (e.g.: volcanoes, earthquakes, hot springs, caves, fossils, crude oil, minerals, ground heat, crystals, groundwater, and many more). The curriculum is characterized by a well-balanced combination of theoretical foundations, laboratory courses, practical courses, and field work. An understanding of geology and geomaterials requires a working knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics, physics, and chemistry.
The course of study IberoCultura focuses on the language, literature, and culture of the Spanish-speaking countries of Europe and Central and South America, such as Spain, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Chile. It also examines the media of these language areas in seminars on media culture and analysis. In addition, the curriculum also includes intensive training in oral and written Spanish as well as translation. The program is designed to teach students the skills necessary for careers in a Spanish-speaking environment or as an external cultural liaison, an important prerequisite of which is knowledge of the historical, societal, and cultural background of the Spanish-speaking world.
Computer science is one of the most dynamic fields of study. It continues to develop at a rapid speed and new visions are always on the horizon.
At the Department of Computer Science, our goal is to turn our visions into tomorrow’s solutions.
The Master’s programme in Computer Science offers you three options:
Open curriculum: where you can combine various topics such as algorithmics, data analysis, computer graphics, software and hardware development, machine learning and bioinformatics.
Specialization in Artificial Intelligence: where you can put a special focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, robotics, computer vision, computer graphics and neuroscience.
Specialization in Cyber-Physical Systems: where you can specialize in design, verification and analysis of hardware and software systems, programming languages, distributed or embedded systems, security and efficiency.
The goal of the minor field program in International Forestry is to teach students knowledge of the ecological and socioeconomic foundations of forestry in developing countries. Graduates of this program are qualified to work at organizations that deal with the cultivation of natural resources or to pursue a career in research. In addition to providing professional skills for work in international forestry, this minor field program also serves to prepare students for an internationally oriented master’s program, such as “Environmental Governance,” “Forest Ecology and Management,” or “European Forestry.”
Latin Studies This course of study focuses on the Latin language and culture of antiquity as documented in the preserved corpus of texts. Students acquire the skills necessary to approach these texts from a linguistic, literary, and philosophical perspective, also taking into account their historical background. Special emphasis is placed on the acquisition of solid language skills. The curriculum is designed to allow students to acquire an additional specialization in the philology of medieval Latin in the last two semesters of the program.
In addition to classical themes from natural protection and landscape conservation, such as morphology, species and biotope protection, scientific concepts, practical landscape conservation, and biotope management, this course of study also includes the content necessary to place natural protection and landscape conservation in a normative, political, legal, organizational, and pedagogical context.
The minor field program endeavors to relate this content to concrete professions; examples include administrative positions the EU, the federal government and state and local government, positions at national and regional confederations and associations (nature and environmental conservation, hiking, tourism), and many others. In addition, the program lays the foundation for further study in a master’s program, such as “Forestry,” “Environmental Governance,” or ”Forest Ecology and Management” in Freiburg.
Philosophy is interpretation of the possibilities and premises of how we conduct our lives and experience the world. Things come more clearly into focus when we see them in a new context that is not colored by our present situation. Only then do they become philosophical in nature. Philosophy encompasses a variety of questions which are subject to change depending on the current historical situation and on what other philosophies a philosopher draws on. What a course of study in philosophy thus entails above all is inquiry into the great classical philosophies. They are the best way to familiarize oneself with the peculiarities of philosophical ways of thinking. In addition, classical conceptions of philosophy provide us an opportunity to view the basic assumptions of our current understanding of life from a distance. The objective of philosophy is to achieve the most possible clarity concerning our lives as human beings and a world that does not belong to us alone. 190 Politikwissenschaft Political Science The goal of the course of study is to provide students with the skills and abilities necessary for engagement with normative foundations, political processes, and decisions and for critical analysis of the functional logic of political institutions, processes, and systems. In particular, political science includes the following three subdisciplines: - Comparative Political Science - International Politics - Political Theory
The goal of the course of study is to provide students with the skills and abilities necessary for engagement with normative foundations, political processes, and decisions and for critical analysis of the functional logic of political institutions, processes, and systems. In particular, political science includes the following three subdisciplines: - Comparative Political Science - International Politics - Political Theory
Psychology is an empirical science that deals with the experiences and behavior of humans in research and instruction. In the course of the program, students are expected to acquire knowledge, skills, and experiences that will enable them to identify psychological dimensions of problems, formulate suitable methods for solving them, and implement these methods in a scientifically sound manner in a later professional context. The first phase of the course of study includes various foundations courses which convey important theoretical knowledge and central research findings of the field. In the second phase, students build on the knowledge and skills acquired in the first phase and apply them to selected areas of activity and research.
The core content of the course of study Forestry and Environment is the management of (forest) ecosystems and forest landscapes on a scientific basis. The course of study thus focuses on the interrelationships between “forest and humankind” in a variety of dimensions. The program integrates disciplines from the natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences. The curriculum deals with the conservation and the sustainable use of the Earth’s forests and forest landscapes. This often involves complex ecosystems humans are dependent on for their very survival: for their water, their air, and the relaxation they provide, for their effects on the global climate, their animals, and their plants, and last but not least for their wood – a renewable ecological raw material. The content and findings of research on forest ecosystems can serve as a model for every innovative strategy for managing natural resources.
This is a joint degree program organized by the University of Freiburg and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP), Aix-en-Provence. The courses are taught in French at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) in Aix-en-Provence and in German at the University of Freiburg. The degree is conferred by the University of Freiburg. The goal of the course of study is to provide students with the knowledge and abilities necessary for engagement with normative foundations, political processes, and decisions and for critical analysis of the functional logic of political institutions, processes, and systems. These skills are practiced within the context of a six-month internship. The field “applied political science“ encompasses the three subdisciplines of political science: “comparative political science,” “international politics,” and “political theory.” In addition, the program places special emphasis on comparative political culture. The interdisciplinary and comparative approach facilitates a rapid understanding of problems and allows students to orient themselves quickly in various topics. The academic and pedagogical experiences in the German and French higher education system offered by the program also promote the acquisition of cultural skills.
Cultural and social anthropology studies the diversity of cultures around the world. It investigates cultural forms and intercultural networks within the context of various confrontations, relations, constellations of power, and conflicts in order to promote intercultural competence in a global world. Special emphasis is placed on cultural diversity, i.e., the field does not just focus on majority societies but also on cultural, religious, and ethnic minorities. Graduates find jobs in areas like developmental cooperation, international organizations or non-government organizations, media and public relations, documentation and research institutions, universities, the foreign service, museums, regional and international cultural management, catastrophe relief, tourism, social work, etc.
The main goal of the major field program in History is to provide an overview of the historical periods from classical antiquity to the 20th century, the ability to take a critical stance on the past and its interpretations and portrayals, insight into how history has shaped the development and conditions of contemporary society, an in-depth understanding for the otherness of past and foreign living environments through the study of the diachronic development of various cultures, and the ability to engage in networked thinking. The course of study also enables students to develop research questions on their own, conduct independent research, reflect critically on different research positions on concrete topics, and, most importantly, to employ the methods, critical approaches, and tools of the historian.
Islamic Studies The degree program in Islamic Studies provides in-depth knowledge on the Islamic world and its history and culture, profound insight into the Islamic religion, cultural, historical, and political understanding of current events and processes in Islamic societies, and solid skills in two of the three languages Arabic, Farsi, or Turkish. It focuses on a geographical area that encompasses North and West Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Southern Europe and Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Indonesia. Besides conveying knowledge of diverse forms of Islamic culture in their historical depth, the program also concentrates on the intellectual, cultural, and social phenomena and problems of the present-day Islamic world. Students are required to learn two of the three languages Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish. Over and above the modern written language, students also learn how to read written sources from older stages of development of these languages in the original version and use them for independent study. In addition to providing a solid grounding in Islamic studies and the necessary philological skills for academic research, the program enables students to engage critically with selected questions of Islamic studies and conduct independent research on them.
This bachelor’s program is organized jointly by the University of Freiburg and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) in Aix-en-Provence. The goal of the program is to apply the fundamental knowledge of other disciplines to political scientific analysis. The instructional content necessary for this is taken from the fields of history, law, and economics. The goal is to provide students with the knowledge and abilities necessary for engagement with the normative foundations of political processes and decisions and for critical analysis of the functional logic of political institutions, processes, and systems.
The goal of the major field program in Early Modern and Modern History is to provide an overview of the historical periods from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages and profound knowledge of the modern period (starting in 1500), the ability to take a critical stance on the past and its interpretations and portrayals, insight into how history has shaped the development and conditions of contemporary society, an in-depth understanding for the otherness of past and foreign living environments through the study of the diachronic development of various cultures, and the ability to engage in networked thinking. The course of study should also enable students to develop research questions on their own, conduct independent research, reflect critically on different research positions on concrete topics through independent interpretation of critical sources, and present and communicate findings in an understandable and convincing way.
The minor field program in Eastern Slavic Studies provides a working knowledge of the Russian language, basic knowledge concerning the Slavic cultural space (history, language, and cultures) with special reference to Russia, and basic skills in Slavic linguistics as well as Slavic literary and cultural studies.
The minor field program in Southern Slavic Studies provides a working knowledge of the Bulgarian or Croatian/Serbian language, basic knowledge concerning the Slavic cultural space (history, language, and cultures) with special reference to the Balkan region, and basic skills in Slavic linguistics as well as Slavic literary and cultural studies.
The minor field program in Western Slavic Studies provides a working knowledge of the Polish or Czech language, basic knowledge concerning the Slavic cultural space (history, language, and cultures) with special reference to Poland and/or the Czech Republic, and basic skills in Slavic linguistics as well as Slavic literary and cultural studies.
The Master of Arts in British and North American Cultural Studies focuses on the theory and practice of English-speaking cultures in Great Britain and North America. This means that we study the world of Shakespeare just as much as the world of Walt Disney, and we work with the textual technologies and media products as well as theoretical and methodological concepts which have been developed and proliferated in the past few decades.
Psychology is an empirical science that deals with the experiences and behavior of humans in research and instruction. Psychological assumptions and theories are tested on the basis of observations and data from scientific experiments. The foundations courses focus on basic questions: How do people solve problems and make decisions? What makes each of us into a distinctive individual? The methods courses teach skills in the organization (planning experiments) and implementation of research methods (conducting interviews, diagnosing achievement and personality). In the practical courses, students acquire practical skills on the basis of the knowledge learned in the foundations courses, e.g., classification of psychological disorders, family counseling, or selection of personnel.
The B.A. program in Archaeological Sciences provides a solid grounding in the content, methods, and theories of archaeological research. It focuses both on archaeological records and monuments still located at their original site and objects from excavations and collections. The course of study covers Europe, the Mediterranean area, and the Near East in all periods, from the first appearance of humans to the early modern period. Students choose an emphasis in four of the following six archeological areas: prehistoric archaeology, Near Eastern archaeology, classical archaeology, archaeology of the Roman provinces, Christian archaeology and Byzantine art history, and early historical archaeology and the archaeology of the Middle Ages.
The field of Jewish studies focuses on the culture, religion, literature, languages, and history of Judaism from their Biblical origins to modern times. It also encompasses an extraordinarily large geographical area, taking into account not only Israel but also the Diaspora in research and instruction. A certain degree of specialization is thus absolutely essential. Jewish studies at the University of Freiburg concentrates on two areas: the Biblical and Talmudic literature, which has a major impact on Judaism to the present day, and contemporary Jewish literature, as the modern state of Israel has become a new center of Jewish life. These two poles are excellent starting points for reaching an understanding of all topics of Jewish studies. In addition to the study of sources, the program emphasizes topics from cultural and religious history.
The bachelor’s program takes the compositional foundations of Western music as a starting point to provide an initial overview of the field of musicology, which is combined from the outset with a methodological grounding. Research and teaching at the department focuses on the area of historical music research, which is concerned primarily with the creation, notation, appearance, rendition, performance, function, and impact of works from the history of European music. It includes music philology (the study of sources and the preparation of critical sheet music), musical analysis, the study of historical performance practice, biography, historical characterizations of music in their cultural and social context, reception research (the history of the impact of works of music), and the historical development of music theory, aesthetics, and musical terminology. In order to complete the course of study, students must possess excellent German language skills as well as good skills in English and one other foreign language. Although musicology is a theory-driven field of study, it is connected to musical practice in numerous ways. Familiarity with the basic principles of music theory and prior practical experience with music are thus necessary prerequisites for a successful course of study in the field. This includes experience with composition, the ability to form a mental picture of music just by reading the sheet music, and basic knowledge of the history of music and the musical repertoire.
Sinology is a philosophical-historical field that focuses on Chinese culture and its development in its intellectual, artistic, and material manifestations. The field is based on the study of primary written and material sources and thus cannot be studied without sufficient skills in the Chinese language and its various stages of development. The individual areas of Chinese culture the field investigates through the study of sources include the language itself as well as history, literature, philosophy, religion, law, economy, society, geography, and ethnology. All of these areas of Sinology are held together by the study of the Chinese language and the acquisition of basic skills in history, literature, and philosophy. Students of the major field program acquire fundamental knowledge of Chinese culture and in-depth knowledge in a selected area of Sinology. In addition, students are expected to develop the ability to conduct independent academic research and acquire basic competencies for a profession with a bearing on China. The goal of the program is to provide students with a solid linguistic and academic basis and thus prepare them for a career or a continuation of their studies in a master’s program.
The curriculum of the degree program in Sociology is divided into three modules: methods, theories, and content/phenomena. Methods are procedures for acquiring and verifying knowledge. Content/phenomena consist of selected domains of reality. The program focuses on social differentiations, social action, social structures, and the development and current state of systems and social norms in families, business, law, politics, and culture. It is oriented toward the norms for the study of sociology developed by the German Sociological Association. Academic training in the field of sociology is also institutionalized as an educational process in which students strengthen and internalize certain personality attributes, such as courage, the use of intellect, alertness and skepticism concerning intellectual self-deception, tolerance in enduring the reality of life, a sense of balance between enthusiasm, willingness to enter into conflict, solidarity, and humility.
The minor field program in Classical and Christian Archaeology provides a solid grounding in the content, methods, and theories of Classical and Christian archaeology, i.e., the archaeology of Greek and Roman antiquity between the late Bronze Age and late antiquity, including the Byzantine Empire. It focuses on the material remains of the Greek, Roman, late antique, and Byzantine material and image cultures: both archaeological records and monuments still located at their original site and objects from excavations and collections. The educational goal is to teach basic skills in archaeology, art history, and cultural history. The methodological, transepochal, and cultural orientation of the minor field program makes it an excellent complement to the B.A. major field programs in History, Greek Studies, Art History, Latin Studies, and Ancient Near Eastern Studies.
Microsystems, MEMS or micromachines – many names for an exciting and dynamic engineering discipline which combines expertise from areas as diverse as electrical and mechanical engineering, materials, life sciences and many more.
With 22 professors and about 300 research and technical staff, our Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) is one of the world’s largest academic institutions in this field. We are dedicated to interdisciplinary high-tech research with a strong focus on its application.
During the first year, you have five mandatory courses (Micro-electronics, Micro-mechanics, Microsystems Technologies and Processes, Microsystems Design Lab I as well as Signal Processing). In addition, you will choose five out of eight compulsory elective courses.
Specialization
You can specialize in one of the following areas:
Circuits and Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Materials and Fabrication
Photonics
