Range of courses offered
The degree programs at TU Dresden have a modular structure, i.e. various modules (compulsory or optional) must be completed during the course of the degree program. In a module, courses and examinations are combined into a thematic unit. For each degree program, study regulations describe the structure, sequence and selectable focal points of the course. The annex to the study regulations describes the content and qualification objectives, the type and duration of the courses and examinations as well as the necessary prerequisites for each module. In addition, each set of study regulations contains a study plan which specifies a recommended sequence for taking the modules. The daily timetable of courses is generally standardized throughout the university. The specific range of courses is published for each semester in a course catalog and includes lectures, seminars, tutorials, practicals and excursions:
Lectures mostly convey larger thematic areas within a semester and are held on a larger scale. As a general rule, professors give the lectures and require the students to primarily follow the thoughts and to take notes rather than to actively participate.
In seminars small groups of students work on a particular topic of a specialist subject. Generally, within one module several seminars on different topics will be offered, allowing the students to make an individual, interest-based selection. The lecturer takes up the role of a moderator. Students are required to actively partake in the discussions.
The goal of the exercises is to put into practice the theoretical knowledge or to practice the studied foreign language and to expand one’s active knowledge. When it comes to applying theoretical knowledge the exercise is virtually almost held in parallel to a lecture. In natural science subjects it serves the purpose of explaining and solving the exercise task.
Tutorials are held by students in advanced semesters and are directly linked to the lectures. They are most commonly held in the first three semesters. Here, the material conveyed in lectures is discussed, questions are clarified and exercises are conducted. As a general rule, students have the opportunity to take a mock examination as well as discuss and debate it.
The objective of internships is to prove that the students can apply the theoretical knowledge into practice. Depending on the study regulations the internships can take place within or outside of the university. They can also be completed entirely outside the university. In natural science subjects practical exercises in the laboratory are often called internships (Praktikum).
Study trips provide students with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the content of their studies through on-the-spot fieldwork. Subjects such as geography and art history frequently take students abroad. Other subjects however are less suitable for study trips.
Teaching at TU Dresden mainly takes place on campus: near the city center of Dresden, at the University Hospital or, for example, in Tharandt, 20 minutes away. However, the coronavirus pandemic has also led to major developments in digital teaching at TU Dresden: Whether live lectures on YouTube, interactive chats with lecturers or internship preparation from home, lecturers at our university also offer most of their courses digitally.
Outside of their degree program, TU Dresden students can attend additional courses to acquire further interdisciplinary qualifications. A wide range of courses are offered as part of the studium generale in particular, including courses that have been specially designed for the studium generale and students on all degree programs. The current offerings for each semester can be found in the studium generale course catalog .
TU Dresden students can also choose up to 10 semester hours per week (150 lessons) of foreign language training free of charge, depending on the degree they are aiming for. On behalf of TU Dresden, TUDIAS offers students from all Departments study-related and curricular general and technical foreign language training (modularized). The range of languages on offer includes Ancient Greek, Arabic, English, Finnish, French, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Czech, Chinese and Japanese. Chinese and Japanese. German as a foreign language has recently been added to the list of languages. All essential information can be found on the "TU Dresden Language Training" website.
OPAL - the online platform for academic teaching and learning - is the central learning platform of the Saxon universities. It can be used by students, staff and lecturers at TU Dresden with a valid ZIH login or by guests.