KIT Department of Informatics
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KIT Department of Informatics
KIT Department of Informatics
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"It's a tough galaxy. If you want to survive, you've gotta know...where your towel is."

- Ford Prefect on Informatics studies

Hi student,

have you just registered for Informatics, Information Systems or Informatics Teacher Education at the KIT? Then you are exactly right here! Welcome to the "start of studies" page of the department of Informatics. So much in advance: our goal is to prepare you for the organizational ups and downs and to make you fit for the galaxy of the Informatics course. Here are a few tips and offers to help you get started. Sounds good? Then grab your towel and off you go!

5 general study tips from experienced students
 
  • Friends, study groups and tutors are important to be successful in your studies. Yes, going to the professor also helps if there are problems or questions. The university is a platform for exchange!
  • The beginning can be difficult - maths in particular is a challenge for many. With some subjects you just have to persevere and stick with it, then sooner or later you will get into the mindset.
  • Don't forget to enjoy student life too! Take a break sometime, do sports, pursue your hobbies and don't neglect your social life, but try to create a balance between university and free time.
  • The hurdles of the first semester are mainly the exercise certificates, which take a lot of time. Good organization is required here and also a little help from and for others, then you can also manage the exercise sheets.
  • Before the semester, you should consider attending one of the preparatory courses at the MINT-Kolleg, as you will repeat the school material a bit and above all get to know people (that is actually much more important). During the semester there are also MINT courses that are particularly helpful for the math subjects because you apply the material and learn in smaller groups (see also under “Contact person” on the previous page).
     

 

Info Bits & Bites

"We're talking about the bits and bytes of college - while you're biting your lunch at home!"
Sometimes you have to eat the world of studies in small bites. Therefore, in our new online information video series, we would like to talk to you about important topics and useful offers in study life. In addition, you can enjoy your lunch break and pester us with questions out of the protection of your trusted home.

The Info-Bites are a format for students at the KIT department of Informatics, which will this semester (WS 20/21) take place for the second time - however, due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 virus, for the first time in online format .
Basically, it is about giving all students of the department of Informatics specific tips about their subjects, the new learning situation in their home office and about the KIT and other important questions - from first-hand reports.
To take part, you can set up a small, informal lunch break (with a tasty snack) between your virtual lectures and then enter the YouTube channel of the department of Informatics. This way you can use your lunch break effectively and pick up valuable tips on "learning and studying in your home office".

So prepare something yummy, tell your friends and then see you at the next online Info Bites session!

eezi goIN' Info-Bites in the summersemester 2021

Who: Students of Informatics, Informatics Teacher Education and Information Systems.
Where: The events take place through ZOOM. We will send the link to the respective event via your student mail addresses at least one hour before the event!

1. eezi Bites: Information Systems - "With momentum into the 2nd semester"

This orientation event focuses on entering the second semester of Information Systems.

In this presentation, the WI-Forum, in cooperation with the Informatics Study Program Service (ISS) and the eezi goIN' team, will address the following topics:
  • Which lectures do I attend in the second semester
  • Tips and tricks for respective lectures
  • Orientation exams
  • Possibilities in case of failed practice certificates/exams
  • Support options
  • Corona regulations and studies

When: 6th April 2021, 4pm 
You can find the slides of the event here:
The recording of the event is available on YouTube:
 
2. eezi Bites: Informatics - "With momentum into the 2nd semester"

This orientation event focuses on entering the second Informatics semester.

In this presentation, the faculty of Informatics, in cooperation with the Informatics Study Program Service (ISS) and the eezi goIN' team, will address the following topics:
  • Which lectures do I attend in the second semester
  • Tips and tricks for respective lectures
  • Orientation exams
  • Possibilities in case of failed practice certificates/exams
  • Support options
  • Corona regulations and studies

When: 7th April 2021, 4pm 
You can find the slides of the event here:
The recording of the event is available on YouTube:
 
3. eezi Bites: "Programming - Best Practices and learning partner forum"

This Info-Bites event will focus on the "programming" lecture and the learning partner forum.
In this session, Yves R. Kirschner (SDQ), part of the exercise instructor team for the Programming module, presents so-called "best practices" for the Programming course. These include tips and tricks for successfully completing the module.
The eezi team then addresses the topic of "learning groups" and arranges learning groups in the learning partner forum.
Again, you will have the opportunity to ask questions in a Q&A section to get answers and advice from the people present.

The event is designed for students who...
  • want to complete the practice certificate and the final assignments of the Programming module in the summersemester 2021.
  • are looking for learning partners for the Programming module and/or the 2nd semester.


When: 22nd April 2021, 6pm
You can find the slides of the event here:
The recording of the event is available on YouTube:
 

4. eezi Bites: "I am going to study abroad"

This online info-event is intended to provide an overview of the various study abroad opportunities available to students of the Informatics faculty.

When: 29th April 2021, 6pm
You can find the slides of the event here:
The recording of the event is available on YouTube:
 
5. eezi Bites: "Balancing Act: You are able to manage it"

This online info-event is for all students who want to take exams in the summersemester 2021.

In this presentation, the eezi team will address the following topics:
  • Tips for exam preparation
  • Planning and structuring of the exam phase 
  • Tips for dealing with stress

When: 8th July 2021, 6pm
You can find the slides of the event here:
The recording of the event is available on YouTube:
 

 

eezi – An introduction to Informatics studies at the KIT

eezi is a module designed to offer freshmen at the department of Informatics a methodical approach to the challenges of their studies and to provide them with tips for their first semester.

„When I heard about the eezi module in my first semester, I had low expectations of it at first, but still participated. Over time, I realized how important the module is for every student and tried to apply the topics (or techniques) as much as possible.“ – B.Rittner, Informatics B.Sc.

FAQ – eezi
 
  • Who can participate?
    eezi is for students of Informatics, Information Systems and Informatics Teacher Education, who start their studies this semester – so all freshmen students.
  • What do I have to do?
    In order to pass eezi, at least three of the five tutorials must be attended. Accompanying the tutorials are five exercise sheets, all of which have to be handed in and are evaluated by the tutors (you can only pass/fail, the size of the sheets is not particularly large). Furthermore, at the end of the semester you have to do a counseling interview at the ISS, which is conducted individually and serves to answer questions about your studies and to assess your study situation.
  • How is eezi structured?
    The eezi curriculum is divided into three lectures, attendance of which is voluntary, and five tutorials, which take place every two weeks. The lectures are held by different KIT staff members and also take place biweekly. The tutorials are led by students from higher semesters and are based on the material from the lecture.
  • What to expect?
    Participants of eezi can expect interesting lectures on topics that can be helpful not only in Informatics, but in the general course of studies. In the tutorials, we strive to create a casual and relaxed atmosphere. It won't just be frontal teaching, but we want to interact with the students and to have frequent conversations and discussions, maybe even an active break. The main thing is that it doesn't get boring!
  • Where do I register?
    Registration for the module takes place via the CAS campus system. For the tutorials, a separate registration will be activated on webinscribe.ira.uka.de during the first week of lectures. Here you can choose your eezi tutorial by specifying priorities, as well as other first semester tutorials. Exercise sheets are managed via the Ilias portal (see materials).
  • Where can I find the materials for eezi?
    All materials used in the lectures, exercises and tutorials are provided via the Ilias system. The exercise sheets are also distributed and collected here.
     
Contact

If a question has not yet been clarified from the above information, an email can be sent to: eezi∂informatik.kit.edu.
 

 

Study planning

It will be helpful for you if you plan your bachelor's degree and update and adapt this plan regularly. Keep in mind:

  • What do I have to do?
  • What is mandatory and by when does it have to be done?
  • When are the courses offered?
  • When can I write which exam?
  • What do i want to do?
    • What is the content that interests me the most?
    • Which courses do I want to attend?
    • Do I want to study abroad?
    • An internship in the industry?
  • Prioritize. Mandatory modules almost always come first.
  • Do you tend to put off uncomfortable but important things?
  • Monitor yourself and your behavior regularly.

The tables below are an offer to structure your planning and to keep an overview. Please always compare this document with the latest version of the module manual and the Campus Management for Students (CAS). If there are any differences, the information of the module manual and CAS always have the priority.

PDF: SPO15_Uebersicht_Studienplanung_20200304_VorlageWebseite.pdf
Excel: SPO15_Uebersicht_Studienplanung_20200304_VorlageWebseite.xlsx

 

What is recommended in terms of effort during the semester

 

Lectures

Lectures: Frontal lecture by the lecturer (usually professor) who presents the contents of the module. Mostly illustrated with the help of a Power Point presentation or other means. For lectures there are actually always at least the slides, often also a script available. In most cases, no registration is necessary, and attendance is not compulsory.
 
Tutorials

Tutorial: Review of the material and work on exercises in small groups, supervised by a tutor who himself is a student in a higher semester. Attendance is recommended, as this is the best place to ask questions. In some modules, attendance is compulsory in the tutorial. Registration is usually done online.

Tip: Tutorials are offered for most courses. Since these are the best opportunity to ask specific questions and exchange ideas with fellow students who already know the subject, it is recommended to attend tutorials consistently. If you cannot attend a tutorial, it is usually no problem to drop in at another date or another tutors session.
Exercises and exercise certificates

Exercise: Review and supplementation of the lecture material based on examples by the instructor (usually doctoral students of the professor). No registration necessary, no compulsory attendance. In most cases, solutions of the assignments for the exercise certificates are discussed here.

Tip: It is also advisable to work on non-compulsory exercise certificates, as the continuous work on the material leads to greater learning and examination success. It should be ensured that the entire exercise certificate is worked on and not just the sheets at the beginning of the semester when you still have the time for it.
 
MINT courses

It is not without reason that the MINT-Kolleg Baden-Württemberg offers semester-long, supporting courses on various subjects. These courses are based on the material of the lecture and work on it in a comprehensible way using small exercises. In addition, you have the opportunity to ask specific questions to the MINT lecturers, since the material is taught in smaller groups.

Tip: Who has not registered, just try it anyway with an e-mail to info∂mint-kolleg.kit.edu.

"I participated in the MINT-Kolleg's supporting Linear Algebra course and also in it's preparatory course for the Linear Algebra 1 exam [...]. I passed all orientation exams, i.e. Programming, Basic Concepts of Computer Science, and Linear Algebra 1." – WS2018/19 Informatics freshman at the KIT
 
Counseling services at the KIT - Questions concerning studies

Contacts for technical questions:  

Other contacts: