Learning and studying at university is in many ways different from doing so at school. Some courses and examination formats may be familiar, many others will be new. In addition, personal responsibility, self-organization, and time management will play an even greater role.

The types of courses, examinations, working methods, and requirements you will come across most often depend on your program of study. Therefore, it’s a good idea to look for information on how your program of study works.

You can find this information in the examination regulations or by asking the appropriate academic advisory office.

At JGU, you will encounter the following types of courses.

Lectures
In lectures, a single university teacher will hold presentations on a specific topic over the course of the entire semester – usually in front of a larger group of students. Lectures are primarily intended to give an overview of a specific topic.
Practice classes
A practice class serves to supplement and consolidate or practice the material conveyed via lecture. Interaction between practice class supervisors and students is possible and encouraged.
Seminars
In seminars, small groups of students examine a specific topic from several viewpoints, discuss questions and debate results – often after students have held presentations on the topic of that day's class. Generally, a distinction is made between introductory seminars (Proseminar) for beginner students and graduate seminars (Hauptseminar/Oberseminar) for advanced students.
Internships and lab courses
Internships are mandatory in many degree programs, which is a good thing, as internships – also voluntary ones – can help with professional orientation and when transitioning to a profession. In an internship, you will put the theoretical knowledge you acquire in your program of study into practice and gain practical experience in potential future professional fields outside the university.
In the natural sciences, internships often (but not exclusively) take place in university laboratories and practice rooms and, in this context, are generally designed to teach experimental skills.
Field trips
On field trips, you will explore the teaching subject on-site, e.g., in biology (research in nature), archaeology (visits to excavation sites), geography (trips to other countries/cultural areas), or art history (viewing artwork in museums). Field trips sometimes take place during semester breaks if they require longer trips.
Tutorials/work groups
Tutorials accompany lectures, practice classes, or seminars and offer additional help, especially for first-year students. The tutors in these work groups are usually students from advanced semesters or academic staff members.
Colloquiums
A colloquium is a roundtable discussion for students in advanced semesters (shortly before graduating). Oftentimes, professors personally invite students. During colloquiums, current research projects or final theses are frequently presented and discussed.

Location, duration, scope

Many – but not all – of the courses take place on-site and in person. Some courses additionally have mandatory attendance. At JGU, classroom teaching is supplemented by online teaching. For example, in many degree programs, lectures can be streamed whenever you like, class material can be used online, or entire courses can be hybrid or online.

The scope of courses at the university is generally defined in terms of semester hours per week. For example, a course with 2 semester hours per week will take place for two hours every week during the lecture period. Most courses meet every week during the lecture period (approximately 15 weeks of the semester). During the lecture-free period (semester break) at the beginning and end of the semester, there may be examinations, or, in exceptional cases, block courses. The remaining semester break can be used for internships, preparing for or following up on courses, additional or qualifying programs, or for vacation and leisure time.

Just like in school, you will have to complete assignments and pass examinations in order to earn a degree.

At JGU, we generally distinguish between three types.

Active participation in courses
This means regular attendance and participation in courses as well as preparation and follow-up work.
Coursework
These are class assignments which must be completed or passed, but are often ungraded and can be repeated any number of times.
Examinations
Examinations are graded, must be passed, and can only be repeated a limited number of times. They may also consist of several interim examinations. In bachelor's and master's degree programs, (module) examination grades are usually included in the final overall grade.

Depending on your program of study, you will be exposed to different types of examinations.

Possible types of examinations are

Written examinations
At the end of a semester’s lecture period, supervised written examinations take place in many courses. They are often carried out in conditions similar to school tests (e.g., in terms of duration and resources allowed to be used).
Term papers
Term papers are written reports (e.g., of 10–12 pages) in which a research question is answered using academic literature and other sources. The term paper is written on a topic related to the course which is decided upon in consultation with the course lecturer. In general, you will have several weeks to complete a term paper. As a rule, term papers are written during the semester break.
Oral examinations
In this type of examination, the material covered in the course is tested orally. During an oral examination, another person generally takes down the minutes so that the questions and answers, as well as the result of the examination, are recorded in writing.
Presentations
For this examination, one student or a group of students gives a presentation on a specific topic in the course. This helps you learn an important soft skill – how to present knowledge in an engaging way. Additionally, not all of the students will have to figure out the topic on their own, but can instead learn from each other by dividing and conquering. Generally, students will use additional audio and/or visual aids (such as slides) and distribute position papers for the presentation. Depending on the program of study, there is often a lot of freedom in designing your presentation.
Portfolios
A portfolio is made up of an introduction, a collection of documents, and a critical reflection. Documents must be independently written, selected, and organized, and cover the module or course topics. Generally, students hand in individual portfolios, though sometimes group exams are possible.

Many examinations take place at the end of the lecture period or at the beginning of the semester break. However, there may be exceptions.

As a rule, you will receive grades for the exams you take and you will earn credits for the courses and modules you complete.

For more information on this topic, visit our program structure webpage.

You can find all of the information about the course and examination types of your subject in the module catalog, which is available for download on your subject’s homepage.

In addition, the academic advisory offices advise in such matters.

Whether in classes, teaching, or research – the most important skill you need at university is the ability to adhere to good scientific practice. This includes working on and answering research questions in an objective and factual manner while taking into account existing research findings. Correctly citing sources and handling copyrighted material are essential for the scientific community – and therefore also for you in your program of study and examinations. As a member of the university, you are obliged to maintain academic integrity.

Respect copyrights
Only use sources which are freely available or for which the copyright holders have allowed use.

Cite sources properly
Indicate the external contents and sources you use in your work. Clearly and transparently mark which content, ideas, and results were taken from other sources, whether word-for-word or paraphrased, using your department’s standards for citation. External content includes everything from outside sources, e.g., text, audio, or visuals from publications (books, journals, etc.), the internet (including search machines, data bases, etc.) or other media.

Do not plagiarize
If you include external content either word-for-word or in paraphrased form and do not mark the sources according to the applicable regulations or wrongfully present them as your own, you are plagiarizing. This is a serious violation of academic integrity and good scientific practice. Accordingly, such cheating will be severely punished by examiners and examination committees. The copyright holders can also take legal action if their copyright is violated. Therefore, it is imperative you adhere to the principles of good scientific practice.

Not sure which specifications apply to you or if you are doing everything right?

Don’t worry! You will learn what good scientific practice is, how to work academically, and how to correctly cite in your work during your first semesters at JGU. Additionally, you can ask your lecturers or examiners or your subject’s examination office. The Center for Academic Integrity (Kompetenzstelle Akademische Integrität, AkIn) can also give you further support and tips.

Attending courses and following up on them, preparing for and delivering presentations, studying for examinations and managing your own study time. You have already learned a lot of the working techniques that you will need for university at secondary school. However, universities do differ from schools in a few areas and have different requirements.

General prerequisites
A thirst to learn, openness to the rest of the world and other people, and the desire to immerse yourself in a subject – what was important in school is even more important at university. At university, you will get to the bottom of things. Scholarship refers to the generation of knowledge, which includes critically questioning and classifying facts. You will need to think and act flexibly and independently, and you should enjoy communicating and making decisions. If these skills are combined with an enthusiasm for your subject, you have all you need to find success at university.
Managing yourself and your time
Personal responsibility and self-management are key at university. For example, you will put together your own course schedule in most subjects, actively design your course sequence (including stays abroad, career orientation, and supplementary qualifications), and prepare for your examinations largely on your own. Self-management also includes motivating yourself to study, as external incentives such as regular performance monitoring or feedback from lecturers play a smaller role at university. Simultaneously, this also gives you more freedom and increases your ability to tailor your studies to your needs or to the demands outside the university.
Reading, writing, speaking
At university, the need to independently research literature, understand large amounts of text, and write longer papers increases. Independently filtering and finding relevant literature, selective reading, i.e., only reading the passages pertinent to your own research, and writing, structuring, and rewriting extensive texts – these are only a few examples of the independent work that will be necessary.
Subject-specific work and learning techniques
Researching sources and discovering artifacts, designing and evaluating questionnaires and experiments and analyzing the results – depending on your program of study, you will need a variety of strategies and methods to gain new knowledge and complete your studies. These skills are generally learned at university, not in school. In special (introductory) courses, we will teach you everything you need to know for your program of study. This includes a general ability to work in adherence with good scientific practice (see above). The examination requirements may also differ depending on your program of study: In some programs, the challenge is to memorize course material, while in others, the ability to understand complex connections and apply those insights to case studies is required.

As you can see, you either already possess the knowledge and skills you need to succeed at university from your school years, or you will learn them in your program of study. If you still feel you are struggling or need extra support for certain areas, study techniques can be learned and practiced.

JGU has a variety of support services, including

advisory services from your academic advisory office – for questions about subject-specific requirements and techniques
the campus-wide Writing Center – for questions about writing academic papers
Mental Health Services for Students – courses on self-management, time management, preparing for examinations, etc.
the University library – courses on how to search for literature and how to cite properly; literature on different topics regarding work and learning techniques
the Career Service – a variety of events for learning soft skills (e.g., during the spring and fall university)

Similarly to school, at university you will also be studying according to a course schedule including all of your weekly courses. Only a small number of degree programs have a fixed course schedule; in most cases, you will put your course schedule together yourself every semester. You will enjoy a great deal of flexibility, especially in the bachelor's and master's degree programs, and you have the freedom to decide for yourself which courses you will take as well as which examinations you want to register for.

In every degree program, the examination regulations specify which courses you must complete and which examinations you must pass. Each institution additionally generally offers a compact overview of all courses and types of examinations – the module catalog – as well as a recommended or prescribed course sequence intended to give you an idea of when to take which courses in order to complete your degree program within the standard period of study. Therefore, first check the recommended course sequence and find out which courses you should take during the next semester. This gives you a good starting point for your course schedule.

Plan which courses you would like to take in the upcoming semester – depending on the (personal or job-related) demands on your time outside of university. Be sure to allow plenty of time for preparation and follow-up work; a good estimate is the same number of hours as you spend in class. In combined degree programs, you will also have to coordinate the courses from your major and minor subjects.

Please note that the topics covered in courses may change from semester to semester and that many courses are only offered in the winter or summer semester. Deviating significantly from the recommended course sequence may cause delays in your program of study later on.

Take a look at the current course offerings in JGU’s course catalog. You can use it to find out when the courses you want to attend will take place. This is how you create your personalized course schedule for the upcoming semester. Depending on the number of courses, you can then decide which exams to take.

How and when you register for courses and examinations may differ depending on your program of study. In most degree programs, particularly in bachelor's and master's degree programs, you can only register for or withdraw from courses during fixed registration periods. The same applies for registration for and withdrawal from examinations; the registration periods for courses and examinations generally differ.

In your first semester, you usually register for courses during the introduction week. In later semesters, registration will take place during the end of the previous semester’s lecture period.

Registration for courses and examinations is carried out online on JOGU-StINe. Your subject’s student advising office and academic advisory office offer information on and support for putting together your course schedule.

Studying abroad, networking with future employers, acquiring additional skills – studying at JGU offers you much more than simply completing a program of study. Take advantage of the flexibility and options your time at university gives you and learn new things, also outside of the lecture hall, get to know the (professional) world or get involved at university.

Would you like to live abroad for a half or a whole year? Do you want to get to know another language and culture? Would you like to get a different perspective on your particular subject and pep up your resume at the same time? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program at JGU.

You can either organize the stay abroad yourself or take advantage of one of the existing exchange programs. Many subjects recommend doing so during a specific time period in your degree program. However, you can also plan your time studying or interning abroad in a way that works for your course sequence. If you continue studying your subject abroad, you can generally have your credits recognized upon your return and continue studying where you left off. JGU supports you with information and advice on your stay abroad – through interdisciplinary service points as well as through contact points in your subjects.

Lots of theory? How practical! A program of study at university is not the same as vocational training. Despite this, the university prepares you well for practical application and professional life. Upon completing your degree program, you will not only have acquired detailed subject-specific knowledge, but also interdisciplinary skills qualifying you for a wide spectrum of professional fields. As a result, once you earn your degree, a number of other professions will be open to you in addition to the typical professional fields based on your program of study.

It is therefore important to get oriented while still working on your degree in order to find out which professional field is right for you once you have graduated. JGU supports you in doing so in order to help you successfully transition to a profession after you graduate. You can include voluntary internships in your course sequence in addition to compulsory internships, network with possible future employers at career fairs or through the job portal, and acquire additional qualifications needed for your future career through a wide variety of extracurricular programs. Plus, JGU’s Career Service can help you develop an outlook for your professional future and optimize your application for your dream job in personal advising sessions.

Acquiring supplementary qualifications while studying pays off twice: You will broaden your horizon and can pursue existing interests and talents or discover new ones, while at the same time increasing your future career options by acquiring more skills.

JGU has a lot of options available. Among other things, you can

acquire or expand foreign language skills,
take interdisciplinary courses or supplementary classes,
complete software classes in which you learn to use new IT programs,
collect journalistic experience through CampusTV or Campusradio,
get involved in one of the many (public service) university groups or in student self-administration,
or visit one of the many cultural and leisure courses (music, film, theater, art, etc.).

JGU not only offers many (generally free) courses, but also the necessary space and flexibility as well as an excellent infrastructure. Use your time at university to discover what the campus has to offer!

From advocating for better conditions of studying to setting up support and assistance for new students to organizing the next student council party – JGU campus life depends on your involvement.

As a member of Mainz University, you have the right to participate in academic self-administration. This means that you are an advocate for the student body, that you are committed to your program of study and to better conditions of studying, and that you can participate in decision-making processes at JGU.

Elected student body representatives are therefore represented in the most important decision-making bodies – in the JGU Senate as well as in the faculty and student councils. The student councils represent the interests of all students in one subject of study. They advocate for students’ interests in their own faculties, are involved in making decisions on degree programs and structures in the faculty, and organize extracurricular activities for new and older students. They also send representatives to the Central Student Council (ZeFaR).

In addition, the student body elects the Students' Parliament (StuPa) every year, which then elects the divisions of the General Students’ Committee (AStA) and monitors the budget of the student body. The AStA is the central student body representative and focuses on different economic, social, and cultural topics as well as higher education policy.

In addition to being active in these boards, many students are also involved in political, social, or cultural university groups and clubs.

At university, not everything may go as planned. You will likely face new challenges during your time at university. Or your life might be made more difficult by an emerging crisis or problem. You may also encounter small (or large) day-to-day obstacles which threaten your academic progress or weigh on you in general.

JGU can help you overcome these challenges. There are specific contact points that offer advisory services and individual support for nearly every kind of problem related to your time at university. They can help you with your studies and guide you on your path to graduation.

Whether you face unexpected challenges during your time at university or not – if you have questions or need information and advice, we are here to help. JGU has the right contact point for any issues you may have!

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