Courses, credits and semesters
Courses
All courses are listed in the unisonocourse catalog. Further information and video tutorials on unisono can be found here. The contact details of the lecturers and contact persons can also be found there. Courses are published 10 weeks before the start of the lecture period.
Types of courses
The University of Siegen offers various courses, e.g. lectures, seminars or tutorials. A course usually lasts 90 minutes.
- Lectures:
Lectures have a large number of participants and take place in lecture halls. Lecturers work with lecture notes, which are often made available online after the lecture.
In the first year of study, students are also offered lecture series in which several lecturers take turns to give talks on specific topics.
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Seminar:
Seminars usually have a number of participants of approx. 20 - 40 students and take place in smaller seminar rooms. Students actively participate in discussions and usually also give lectures and presentations. Depending on the Schools and department, examinations must be written, presentations given or written papers submitted at the end of the seminar.
A distinction is also sometimes made between proseminars and advanced seminars. The proseminar is a seminar at the beginning of studies in which basic knowledge is taught. The advanced seminar is aimed at students who have already studied a few semesters. -
Basic course:
Basic courses offer an introduction to certain topics for students starting their studies. -
Exercise:
An exercise is usually part of a lecture. This is where exercises are discussed and questions about the lecture are answered. Please note that exercise classes do not award credit points.
Language courses are also referred to as exercises. -
Compact seminar/ block course:
Compact seminars are seminars that do not last the whole semester. The semester hours are spread over a few days. Some of the compact seminars take place during lecture-free periods or on Fridays and Saturdays. The dates are given in unisono and are usually discussed in the first course. -
Colloquium:
A colloquium is a regular meeting of a group of students working on their final thesis. -
Excursion:
Excursions are trips offered by the faculties/departments. - Internship:
In some degree programs, a mandatory internship must be completed.
In Schools IV, the internship usually describes laboratory courses.
The earliest lecture starts at 8.30 am. Subsequent courses usually start 15 minutes after the full hour, provided there are no further remarks.
Time specifications in unisono
Courses usually start a quarter of an hour later than specified in unisono ("academic quarter"). If a lecture is stated as starting at 2 p.m., it does not start until 2.15 p.m.
In unisono, this later start is also sometimes indicated by "c.t."(cum tempore, Latin for "with time").
With the addition "s.t."(sine tempore, lat. without time) the academic quarter does not apply. If the start of the event is indicated as 14:00 s.t., the event will take place punctually at 14:00.
In order to participate in a course, you must register for the courses before the start of the semester via unisono. You can find a description of how to register here. Please note the respective registration deadlines. If you need help creating your timetable, it is best to contact the relevant advisors or your examination office.
At the University of Siegen, credit points are awarded according to European standards (European Credit Transfer System). 1 ECTS point corresponds to 30 hours of work (teaching time, preparation and follow-up work, exam preparation). One semester of full-time study corresponds to 30 ECTS points.
Grades are awarded from 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest grade and 4 being the worst. 5 means "insufficient", the course is therefore not passed and the student does not receive any credit points. Non-graded work is assessed as "passed" or "failed".
| Grade | Designation | Explanation |
| 1 | very good | an outstanding performance |
| 2 | good | a performance that is significantly above the average requirements |
| 3 | satisfactory | a performance that meets average requirements |
| 4 | sufficient | a performance that still meets the requirements despite its shortcomings |
| 5 | not sufficient | a performance that no longer meets the requirements due to significant deficiencies |
Student groups & initiatives
AStA: General Students' Committee
AStA stands for Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss (General Students' Committee) and refers to a student representative body that is regularly elected by the student parliament. The AStA supports students with questions about semester fees and semester tickets or problems with landlords and rental contracts, issues certifications and is happy to help with general questions.
Fachschaftsrat
The Student Representative Council (SRC) represents the interests of the students of a subject. It organizes excursions, games evenings and parties or assists with problems with professors and staff. An overview of all student councils can be found on the AStA website.
Student groups and initiatives:
Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
ESN Siegen is part of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and promotes personal development and cultural exchange with international students under the motto "Students help Students". They offer numerous meetings, events and excursions. All students, whether international or local, are invited to become active and contribute their own ideas.
BIPOC Scoiety
The BIPOC Society was founded in August 2020 and is an autonomous department that campaigns for more representation and equal rights for Black and Indigenous People and People of Colour (BIPOC) at the University of Siegen. The aim is also to show solidarity with the student body through educational and cultural events.
Contacts: sabrina.anderson@student.uni-siegen.de and yvonne.opiyo@student.uni-siegen.de
uniEnsembles
The uniEnsembles (choir, orchestra, big band, JRP Ensemble) present the subject of music and the university at university events and at their own concerts, for example in collaboration with local choirs or the Philharmonie Südwestfalen. Interested participants are always welcome!
Artgërecht KunstWertSchätzen
The student initiative Artgërecht KunstWertSchätzen organizes events with programs of music, literature, dance and improvisational theater as well as creative workshops.
Kulturcafé
The Cultural Department of the University of Siegen has been spun off from the AStA - a first in Germany: Anyone can get creative and organize events in the "university living room". Concerts, cabarets, theater and readings take place in the Kulturcafé.
Campus radio Radius 92.1
Radius 92.1 is the campus radio station of the University of Siegen by students for students and produces programs about media, music, local affairs, culture, film, etc.
CampusTV
CampusTV is the student television station at the University of Siegen, which broadcasts live in various formats at regular intervals. All programs are produced at the Center for Information and Media Technology (ZIMT).
Filmwerkstatt
In the Filmwerkstatt students support each other with their own film production as well as with technical problems, aesthetic questions or production difficulties and exchange ideas about films.
Panoptikum
The Panoptikum is the student film club at the University of Siegen. Current films or independent films, classics or even short or music films are the program of this somewhat different cinema, which usually takes place in the blue lecture hall. And for a student-friendly €3.00, you can enjoy many a movie gem.
Literalists
The Literalists are students of the University of Siegen who continue the tradition of the university newspapers and publish journalistic reports, features, commentaries, interviews, reviews etc.) and literary (prose, poetry, drama) works in their online newspaper.
mediaZINE
The campus magazine mediaZINE publishes articles on various topics from the fields of people and society, culture and zeitgeist as well as media and technology in its online and print editions.
eLab
The eLab is a small electronics laboratory for students. There are two tables each with soldering, measuring and PC workstations where students can work and experiment.
Speeding Scientists
The University of Siegen's Formula Student racing team has been developing, building and maintaining its own racing cars since 2008 and has already won the Newcomer Prize at the Hockenheimring. The Speeding Scientists association is open to Students from all faculties.
Study & Consult
Study & Consult is the student consultancy of the University of Siegen. Students from various disciplines are involved in the consulting projects and develop innovative and individual business solutions.
Verband Deutscher Wirtschaftsingenieure - Hochschulgruppe Siegen
Verband Deutscher Wirtschaftsingenieure - Hochschulgruppe Siegen is an association of students in the technical and economic field that supports students in exchanging experiences, networking and preparing for their career entry.
queer@uni
queer@uni aims to represent the interests and concerns of lesbian, gay, queer, bisexual and transgender students. To this end, the department regularly organizes lectures, discussion groups, film evenings, parties and much more. Further information can be found on the queer@uni homepage.
Wo.Men - the autonomous women's department
The aim of Wo.Men is to ensure that no member of this society is judged differently on the basis of gender or sexual orientation. They want to act as a point of contact for all those who have experienced discrimination and want to speak out against it. Contact: wo.men@uni-siegen.de
