College from A to Z
AG DSN: The “Dresden Student Network Working Group” manages Internet access for many dormitories in Dresden. You can apply for membership with them and, for a small semester fee, gain access to the Internet.
Distance Learning Working Group: Supports distance learners in the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering. Distributes course materials, which are very useful for studying.
AQua: “General and Interdisciplinary Qualifications.” A wide range of lectures on a variety of topics. The purpose is to help students look beyond the boundaries of their own field of study. Attendance at one AQua event is mandatory. In our faculty, you should first inquire which courses are recognized.
Audimax: At many universities, the largest lecture hall is called the “Auditorium maximum” or “Audimax.” At TU Dresden, this name refers to the large lecture hall HSZ/Audi/H in the Auditorium Center (HSZ).
Advanced Studies Program: A specialized degree program in Dresden where students earn a Diplom degree within the standard five-semester study period. The admission requirement is a bachelor’s degree. In the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering, students can pursue a mechanical engineering postgraduate course, a Process Engineering and Natural Materials Technology postgraduate course, or both.
Bachelor’s: Allows students to complete a mechanical engineering program after the sixth or seventh semester with a “Bachelor of Science” degree. This option is limited, however, since students must complete the same rigorous foundational coursework, which—unlike with the Diplom—is factored into the final grade.
BAföG: Federal Training Assistance Act. State financial aid for a first degree, calculated based on parental income. Information materials and application forms regarding BAföG are available at the StuRa. Applications for BAföG should be submitted to the BAföG Office at Fritz-Löffler-Straße 18 as soon as possible—in your own best interest—since payments begin no earlier than the month the application is submitted.
Division: An organizational grouping of “faculties” with related disciplines. The Faculties of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, and the Faculty of Computer Science form the “School of Engineering Sciences”.
Bomb Crater: An unofficial nickname for the large Lichtenheldt Lecture Hall in the » Zeuner Building (ZEU1222), whose steeply rising rows of seats arranged in a semicircle give rise to this association. Or, to put it another way: The forum by students for students in mechanical engineering. Here you can ask any questions related to your studies.
CAE Pool (CAD): Computer labs for computer-aided engineering in the Zeuner Building, Willers Building, or ZINT.
Campus: The area where most of the university’s buildings are located. TU Dresden has four campuses: the main campus in Südvorstadt, the campus in Johannstadt, the campus in Tharandt (Forestry), and the campus on Bergstraße (ZINT).
Campus Navigator: A website that helps you find buildings and rooms at TU Dresden.
CAZ: A free newspaper published every 14 days. The “Herz und Schmerz” section is especially recommended!
Cloudstore: Cloud storage offered by the university, free of charge for students.
Dean: The dean leads and represents the faculty and implements the decisions of the Faculty Board. Currently, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Beckmann holds this position.
Dies academicus: At TU Dresden, “ Dies academicus” (DA) refers to a day without classes when students, professors, and staff are encouraged to “think outside the box.” A wide variety of events organized by the faculties are designed to encourage participants to explore research and activities at other faculties.
Diplom: “Diplom-Ingenieur” (Dipl-Ing.) is the academic degree awarded upon successful completion of a Diplom program. To earn this degree, students must complete a Diplom thesis (in the final semester) and defend it in an oral examination. TU Dresden is one of the few universities in Germany that awards the Diplom as the degree for the mechanical engineering program.
Lecturer: Anyone who gives a lecture is a lecturer. This may be a professor, but does not have to be.
Dubbel: Short name for the “Handbook of Mechanical Engineering,” a comprehensive standard reference work covering all aspects of mechanical engineering.
Dropbox: Sooner or later, every class creates a cloud folder to store important documents related to their studies. Recently, this has also been done via Google Drive.
Placement Test: Typically taken at the beginning of a lab. Passing the test is a prerequisite for participating in the lab. If you fail, you must retake the lab at a later date. The difficulty level ranges from “very challenging” to “absolutely doable.” Before the lab, check the “Bombentrichter” for information about the placement test. For physics labs, klausurschokola.de is also a great resource.
Registration: Signing up for a course of study, a language course, or an exam. Anyone who wants to take an exam must register for it in advance. This is done online (viathe Selma portal) four weeks before the exam period.
ESE: “First-Semester Orientation .” It’s worth attending the events just to get to know your fellow students better.
Evaluation forms: These are passed around the classroom during lectures in the middle of the semester. They ask detailed questions about the course’s strengths and areas for improvement. This evaluation helps improve the quality of teaching.
Withdrawal from the university: When you leave the university (upon graduation, transfer to another institution, or withdrawal from your program), you must formally withdraw. Mandatory withdrawal occurs if you exceed the maximum duration of study, fail to re-enroll, or definitively fail required exams—that is, on the third attempt.
Professional Internship: A 15-week internship at a company during the seventh semester.
Student Council: All students in a faculty.
Faculty Student Council: Abbreviated as FSR. The representative body of the student body. The office is located in the Zeuner Building (ZEU/221). For more information, see the section on the TU.
Faculty: An academic and administrative unit comprising various related Departments. The Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering consists of the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering and Natural Resources Engineering, as well as Material Science.
Distance learning: A form of study in which students are not required to be physically present at the university on a permanent basis. Coursework is completed through exams and submitted assignments. In all of Germany, the TU Dresden is the only university where students can pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering through a distance learning program. The Distance Learning Working Group (AG Fernstudium) provides support to distance learners.
Google Drive: Usually contains the same content as Dropbox.
Foundation phase: Term for the first four semesters of a degree program, during which the foundations are laid. This is the most challenging part of the program, with the highest dropout rates.
Advanced Studies: The part of the degree program between the preliminary diploma and the diploma, typically the fifth through tenth semesters. During this phase, students focus on the specializations they selected after the fourth semester.
College Sports: The University Sports Center (USZ) offers a wide range of sports at an affordable price. You can find the schedule online. To participate in the activities, you can register online. In many sports, spots fill up in minutes. However, since for some people, enthusiasm for sports fades just as quickly as it flares up, you still have the chance to register late and take their spots.
Auditorium Center: Abbreviated as HSZ. This building houses several lecture halls, including the “Audimax.” Seminars are frequently held in the many small rooms.
Enrollment: Refers to registration at a university. This is completed by submitting an application and paying the semester fee. Enrollment certificates are available for printing on the selma portal.
Enrollment Documents: This form is issued for each semester fee paid. It contains a certificate of enrollment and a BAföG certificate, as well as your initial login credentials (provided only once).
Chancellor: The Chancellor of TU Dresden is appointed by the Ministry and serves as the supervisor for all non-academic staff at the university.
Course Materials: Course materials are prepared for distance learning, but they are also very helpful for understanding lectures and preparing for exams.
Login ID: Use this, along with your first-semester password, to access the university network. You’ll also need it to log in to the CAE Pool, the selma portal, your TU email account, and to register on Opal for lecture content and foreign language courses. You must change your password the first time you use it.
Master’s: Typically a two-year program that students are admitted to upon completion of a bachelor’s degree. Offered only once in the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering (Master’s in Textile Machinery and High Perfomance Material Technology). Not to be confused with the TU’s postgraduate program, which can also be pursued after a Bachelor’s degree but leads to a Diplom rather than a Master’s. The comparability of Master’s and Diplom degrees is confirmed for each graduate with the “Diploma Supplement.”
Student ID Number: Aseven-digit number on the student ID card. It is required for exams.
Cafeteria: There are several cafeterias in Dresden for lunch. The cafeterias on the main campus are the Alte Mensa, the Zeltmensa, and the Mensa U-Boot. The cafeterias have different opening hours. The menu is available in advance via an app or online.
N.N.: Abbreviation for “Nomen nominandus” or “Nomen nescio”—meaning that the lecturer for this course has not yet been determined.
Practicum: For some courses (e.g., Materials Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Automation Technology), students are required to complete practicums during the semester. These are held in small groups and typically last two double periods. They consist of one or more experiments and usually include an assessment at the beginning (entrance test) or at the end. The seventh semester (practical semester) is set aside for a longer internship at a company.
Internship Office: Helps you with questions regarding your (voluntary) general and specialized internships.
Exams: Mostof our exams take place during a four-week period following the end of the lecture period each semester. Exams that are not passed may be retaken twice; the second retake is the final opportunity. Registration takes place online via SELMA.
Exam Results: You can find them in selma or posted at the respective Institute. Announcements often appear in the “Bombentrichter” or in “Facebook groups” when new notices or selma entries are posted. Due to the large number of students, especially in the undergraduate program, it usually takes two months or longer for exam results to be released.
Examination Office: Assists with questions regarding academic and examination regulations and grants admission to diploma, bachelor’s, or master’s examinations. At the Examination Office, you can also, for example, withdraw from exams and obtain a variety of certificates, such as those regarding BAföG eligibility or proof of completed coursework. The Examination Office is located in the Zeuner Building, Room 214.
Legal Counseling: Free legal counseling is provided by the legal advisor of the Studentenwerk, located at Fritz-Löffler-Str. 18, Room 309, as well as at the StuRa in Room 7.
Rector: The elected academic head of the university. This position is usually held by a professor.
Re-enrollment: All students must re-enroll for the next semester within the re-enrollment deadline. To do so, the announced semester fee must be transferred to the university’s account. A fee is charged for transfers made after the deadline.
Radio and television fees: Every household must pay GEZ fees. However, BAföG recipients may be eligible for an exemption from these fees. More information is available online and at local government offices.
Semester Ticket: A colloquial term for the annual student pass that all full-time students receive. With this pass and a student ID, students can ride VVO buses, trams, and Elbe ferries in Dresden, among other things. Negotiations regarding the future of the semester ticket have been ongoing for years.
Semester-Weekly Hour (SWS): One SWS corresponds to one weekly hour of instruction taken over the course of a semester. A distinction is made between lectures, lab sessions, and seminars. One SWS lasts 45 minutes.
Seminar group: At the beginning of your studies, you’ll be assigned to seminar groups of 30 people each, with whom you’ll share your class schedule, practicums, and exercises. However, you can also attend other exercises.
SHK: Student Assistant. A fairly well-paid position (€12.00/hour; as of 09/23) in which you support an Institute either in teaching (usually as a tutor) or in research (e.g., setting up experiments).
SELMA: An online portal where you can print enrollment certificates, register for exams, view grades, and submit applications to the Examination Office online.
SLUB: Also known as the Saxon State and University Library Dresden.
Office Hours: If you have specific questions or concerns, you can visit the professor during office hours.
STAV: Student Job Placement Service located in the StuRa Barracks. The quality, availability, and pay of the jobs offered vary greatly depending on the season. To be considered for a job through STAV, you simply need to register there.
Student Council: Represents students’ interests; located in the StuRa Barracks. For more information, see “Committees.”
Studentenwerk: A public-law institution that operates the dining halls and dormitories in Dresden. It is also responsible for BAFÖG, counseling, housing placement, and much more. The Studentenwerk is located at Fritz-Löffler-Str. 18.
Class Schedule: During the introductory phase, a class schedule is drawn up for each seminar group; it can be found on the FSR Mechanical Engineering website shortly before the start of the semester. With the exception of internship dates, the class schedule is not mandatory.
StuRa: Abbreviation for Student Council. The point of contact for all kinds of student concerns and the organizer of many events.
StuRa Barracks: Headquarters of the Student Council and other organizations, such as Integrale (AQua) or STAV. It is located across from the HSZ, directly on the path from the Zeuner Building to the New Cafeteria. Its official name is “Haus der Jugend.”
Calculators: Often helpful, but just as often not allowed in exams. Be sure to check before the exam begins!
Assessment: An assessment is a performance evaluation. It is conducted as part of the admission process or to complete an internship.
Exercise: A course held in a relatively small setting (one to three seminar groups at a time), where students can work through problems and ask questions about the material. This is typically the course that offers the most academic value.
Vordiplom: Formerly an intermediate degree marking the transition from the undergraduate to the graduate phase of study. Today, it serves only as an interim transcript issued after the fourth semester and has no particular significance. Grades from the introductory phase are generally included only in the Vordiplom grade, but not in the final diploma grade. However, the Vordiplom is often required when applying for a specialized internship.
Lecture: A course held in a lecture hall in which the lecturer presents the material and students may ask questions during the session.
Course Catalog: A directory published by the TU listing all courses for a given semester. It is not always very clear; in the first few semesters, the basic course schedules are sufficient. The course catalog is available on the TU website.
Willers Building: In addition to the Faculty of Mathematics and seminar rooms, this building houses the computer center and the math study room, which is useful not only during exam periods. Here, tutors are available to help you with your math questions.
Research Associate: These are the staff members at the departments who support research and, in some cases, teaching as well. Doctoral students are usually also Research Associates.
Residence: Anyone who has found an apartment or a spot in a dormitory in Dresden is required to register with the local district office responsible for their neighborhood within four weeks of moving in. You can find the location of this office in the phone book and online. When deciding between a primary residence and a secondary residence, please note that since January 1, 2006, the City of Dresden has levied a monthly secondary residence tax amounting to 10% of the net rent excluding utilities.
Zeuner Building: The Zeuner Building is the historic, protected main building of the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering. It houses the “Bomb Crater” and other lecture halls, the Faculty Student Council, the mechanical engineering lab, the CAE pool, the Examination Office, and more.
ZINT: Center for Integrated Natural Product Technology. A mini-campus located south of the main campus on Bergstraße. It houses a CAE lab.