Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
1. Student Representatives
1.1 What does the student representatives stand for?
1.2 What study programs do we represent in our faculty?
1.3 How can I join you?
1.4 I have a suggestion for an event?
1.5 What is the difference between Elferrat and Student Representatives?
2. Faculty
2.1 How do I find the websites of the departments?
2.2 Physics and meteorology premises
2.3 What are the opening hours of the faculty?
2.4 Study Office
2.5 Examination board
2.6 Study Commission
3. Study
3.1 Study and examination regulations
3.2 How do leave semesters work?
3.3 Standard period of study
3.4 Module registration
3.5 Preparatory assessment for the examination
3.6 Exam registration and deregistration
3.7 Examinations and module grade
3.8 Examination results and re-examinations
3.9 Do I have a right to inspect the exam correction?
3.10 Is attendance at lectures or seminars compulsory?
3.11 Can I also take other modules from the university offer?
3.12 Re-Enrolment
3.13 Overview of deadlines
3.14 Semester fee and semester ticket
3.15 Further offers
3.16 Physics-related internships and job opportunities
What does the student representatives stand for?
The Student Representatives for Physics and Meteorology are the elected representatives of the students of our faculty. What does that mean? We are part of the committees that officially shape the studies. We organise events to bring students together. We support third party projects financially. We help with problems during your studies. And we are happy if you want to become part of this exciting work.
You can find us in room 219 at Linnéstraße 5, right next to the study office.
What study programs do we represent in our faculty?
We represent students of the German and English-language study programmes in physics (physics, IPSP, teaching physics) as well as the study programmes in meteorology.
How can I join you?
We meet once a week in our office to discuss current issues and problems and to plan events. You are welcome to drop by and join in. To contribute to a varied student life at the faculty and the university, we also organise various events for physics and meteorology students every year. If you would like to take part in one of these events, please get in touch with us. Or visit us at our weekly meeting. There are many things to organise and everyone can get involved.
I have a suggestion for an event?
If you have an idea or a wish for an event, just come to a meeting or send us an email (fsr [a] faraphy.de).
What is the difference between Elferrat and Student Representatives?
The Elferräte (e.g. Physics and Geosciences, Chemistry) are traditional carnival clubs. They organise various entertainment events to complement everyday university life.
The student representatives is a statutory institution of the faculty (more precisely: the student body of the faculty). Our work deals with students’ problems, helping to shape their studies in committees and organising study-related events, but these also include networking events such as the semester kick-off party and the Christmas party.
In particular, we coordinate the events for first-year students together. You can easily distinguish us by our orange (Elferrat) and blue (Fachschaftsrat) clothing.
How do I find the websites of the departments?
You can find an overview of all institutes and departments on the faculty website.
Physics and meteorology premises
Main building in Linnéstraße5:
-Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics
-Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics
-Seminar rooms
-Lecture rooms
-Aula
-Study Office
-Student Representatives
Brüderstraße 16:
-Institute for Theoretical Physics
Stephanstraße 3:
-Leipzig Institute for Meteorology
Prager Straße / Vor dem Hospitaltore:
-Physics Lab Cours
-Physics didactics
-Meteorology Working Group “Clouds and Global Climate”
What are the opening hours of the faculty?
Based on experience, the faculty should be open on weekdays (also during the lecture-free period) from approx. 7 am to 7 pm. However, opening hours may vary if necessary.
Study Office
The study office is the central contact for all study and examination matters of the study programmes offered by our faculty. The tasks include:
-answering questions about the study process,
-the creation of certificates, grade reports, transcripts of records,
-the coordination of module registrations and deregistrations,
-the administration of examination dates and results and the registration of project, Bachelor and Master theses and
-providing administrative support to the examination boards (including receiving applications).
Personal counselling is possible with or without registration during office hours; alternatively, the study office team can be reached by telephone or by e-mail (using the university e-mail address) (please always state your matriculation number and study programme).
Linnéstraße 5, Rooms 222/223
E-Mail: service-fpg [a] uni-leipzig.de
Office hours:
Tuesday: 9 – 12 Uhr und 13 – 15:30 Uhr
Thursday: 9 – 12 Uhr
Examination board
The Examination Board:
-responds to applications from students in compliance with the examination and study regulations,
-usually meets once a month,
-votes e.g. on second retake examinations and
-advises, among other things, on the acceptance and crediting of degrees and modules completed or other study achievements acquired at other universities and abroad.
An application to the Examination Board is to be sent informally and submitted either as an e-mail or in printed form together with all necessary documents to the Office of Student Affairs.
Two members of the examination board are nominated by the student representatives. They are also happy to help you with problems with the examination board or with writing appeals. Just send an email to pa [a] faraphy.de. All emails will be treated anonymously.
Study Commission
The Study Commission consists of three student members and three lecturers. As the only truly equal body, the Study Commission is one of the instances in which we students have the most say.
Topics such as the general structure and sequence of the study programme as well as module contents etc. are covered.
Study and examination regulations
The legal basis of your studies and therefore worth reading are the respective study regulations (SO) and examination regulations (PO). You can find these documents on the university website and also on the website of the faculty.
While the examination regulations determine what you have to achieve (in the form of examinations), the study regulations regulate the content and structure of the study programme.
These regulations are binding for both sides. This means that as a student you are obliged to study according to the SO/PO if you want to graduate. However, this also means that no additional examinations or achievements not listed in the regulations may be required of you. In particular, there is no compulsory attendance at the University of Leipzig, only in very special cases such as laboratory practicals. However, if a professor or teacher deviates from the SO/PO to your disadvantage, talk to him/her, talk to the study office and/or contact us.
How do leave semesters work?
Everyone is entitled to two semesters of leave. During the duration of the semester of leave, the number of semesters is frozen, which can be decisive for BAföG, for example. You cannot register for exams during the leave of absence. Repeat examinations can still be taken, however. You can find more information on the university website.
Standard period of study
The standard period of study is the time you need for your studies if you study according to the recommended study plan. This means that you complete modules with a total of 30 credit points (LP, also: credit points or ECTS points) per semester.
Long-term tuition fees are charged for all students who exceed their standard period of study in the current study programme by at least four semesters. A separate standard period of study applies for a subsequent Master’s degree programme.
Furthermore, a Bachelor’s thesis that has not been taken within four semesters after completion of the standard period of study is deemed to have been failed once. A failed Bachelor thesis can be repeated once within one year.
Module registration
IPSP (Honours), the teacher study program, as well as key qualifications use TOOL for module enrolments. Other study programs at our faculty generally use Almaweb. Even before the official registration deadline, you can find information about the modules offered in the course catalogue on Almaweb.
You can find information on module enrolment on the faculty website at the beginning of each semester.
Module registration is also registration for the corresponding examination.
Preparatory assessment for the examination
In some modules there are preparatory assessments that you must pass in order to be admitted to the examination. The most common prerequisite is the achievement of 50% of the weekly exercises.
The examination regulations state whether modules have preparatory assessments for the examination (and which ones). You will also find out at the first meeting of the module.
Completed examinations remain valid and can NOT be taken again.
If you do not achieve the required number of points, you will automatically be deregistered from the module as if you had never taken it. After that, it is only possible to repeat the module after one year. If you have only just missed the number of points in the weekly exercises, you have the right to complete another series of exercises in order to collect additional points.
Exam registration and deregistration
Examination registration takes place automatically with the module registration in the Almaweb. A deregistration can be made in the Almaweb up to a certain deadline (published by the Office of Student Affairs). If you withdraw from the module by the deadline, all examinations already taken in the module are deemed not to have been taken. In such a case, please inform the study office beforehand.
Examination dates are usually communicated via the Almaweb and by the module supervisor in the course. Oral examination dates are arranged by agreement, usually in an examination period determined by the module supervisor.
As soon as you are registered for the examination, you must also appear there. Failure to appear will result in a grade of 5.0 (failed). In case of illness, a medical certificate must be submitted to the study office on the 3rd working day at the latest. You can also use the corresponding letterbox for this purpose.
Please note that in principle you have the option of withdrawing from an examination or re-examination in advance at the study office and taking the examination at a later date. However, it is advisable to take exams at the scheduled time. If you postpone exams, you will have a heavier study load in the next semester.
If you fail the first exam, you will automatically be registered for the retake exam in the same semester. You can deregister from this exam up to 2 weeks beforehand at the study office. Please note, however, that a failed module examination must be retaken within one year of the completion of the first examination attempt.
A second retake of the examination can only be carried out on application to the respective examination board for the next possible examination date. You can find the application on the faculty’s website. Please note, that a failed module examination must be repeated within one year after completion of the second examination attempt.
If you have to take a second retake exam but are prevented from doing so due to illness, a official medical certificate (amtsärztlich) must be submitted to the study office. A normal certificate is not sufficient.
Examinations and module grade
Most modules are completed with a grade, a few only require a pass. Examinations are often written, sometimes also oral, in the case of seminars usually in the form of a presentation and a paper.
Examination results and re-examinations
The exam results are usually published on the Almaweb. If you fail an exam, you are automatically registered for the next re-examination date. If you also fail the re-examination, things get uncomfortable – then you should apply for a second re-examination at the study office. If you also fail the second re-examination, the module is considered to have been definitively failed. If it is an elective module, you can take another module instead and compensate for the failure. However, if it is a compulsory module, you will be exmatriculated from the degree programme.
Do I have a right to inspect the exam correction?
Of course. Within one year after the end of the examination procedure, you can inspect your written examination, the grading or the examination protocols (oral examination). This right is regulated in the examination regulations. In some cases, the lecturers offer an appointment for this purpose. However, you can also write to the lecturer by e-mail at any time.
Is attendance at lectures or seminars compulsory?
No, attendance is not compulsory. Laboratory practicals, for example, are exceptions. Absence from seminars or lectures must not affect your grade. If you should ever be disadvantaged due to absence, please let us know immediately!
Can I also take other modules from the university offer?
Theoretically, you can attend every lecture of a module. Whether you can officially register must be clarified in case of doubt by the relevant study office. By default, only the modules that belong to your degree programme are available on Almaweb.
Whether you are studying for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, you can take 10 credits across all subjects in the elective area of physics. These can be, for example, key qualifications (SQ) or any other module grade that you have achieved outside the faculty or in a previous degree programme.
Modules that are intended for the Master’s programme can also be taken during the Bachelor’s programme. To take such a module, please contact the study office. As a prerequisite, in addition to the module-specific participation requirement, at least 90 credit points must have been earned in the Bachelor’s degree programme.
Re-Enrolment
One important thing you always have to do at the end of a semester is re-enrol. This only means that you have to transfer the current semester fee (including the semester ticket) for the new semester in order to remain enrolled. You can either transfer the money as usual or give the university a one-time direct debit order to have the amount debited from your account (or your parents’ account, for example). This works via AlmaWeb. You can find the current re-enrolment deadlines on the university website.
Overview of deadlines
Application for a study programme
You can find current information on application deadlines on the website of the university and faculty. In general, an online application must be submitted by 15 September (winter semester) or 15 March (summer semester). Subsequently, the signed application documents and required certificates must be submitted to the Student Secretariat by 30 September or 30 March.
Irrespective of this, the following documents must be submitted in writing or by e-mail (dekan [a] physik.uni-leipzig.de) to the Dean of the Faculty by 01.09. or 01.02. in order to be considered for admission to the Master’s degree programme “Physics”:
-Application for the verification of the admission
-Transcript of records / certificate of a first professional qualification
short CV
-Proof of knowledge of the English language at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (or equivalent).
Re-Enrolment
-Re-enrolment deadline for the winter semester: 01.06. – 15.08.
-Re-enrolment deadline for the sommer semester: 01.12. – 15.02.
Module registration
-You can find the current range of modules and courses in the course catalogue on Almaweb.
-Module registration usually takes place about 2 weeks before the start of the courses. Please check the faculty website in advance to find out about possible changes.
Module deregistration
-Deregistration from a module and the associated deregistration from the module examination can be made at the latest four weeks before the end of the lecture period via Almaweb or, if applicable, via the study office.
Semester fee and semester ticket
The semester fee is made up of four parts: Studentenwerk, student council, mobility fund and the MDV full ticket.
The amount of the contribution can vary. It can therefore also be assumed that the contribution will increase annually.
With the MDV semester ticket, students can use the services (S-Bahn, bus, regional and tram) of all transport companies in the area of the MDV full ticket (except MDV North). The valid student ID with the MDV imprint in conjunction with an official photo ID is also a ticket for the entire MDV area. Here, all means of local transport, including the LVB lines in Leipzig and the suburban trains, can be used around the clock and throughout the entire semester.
Freshers can already use public transport one month before the start of the semester. The valid student ID card with the MDV imprint in combination with an official identity document with photo is valid as a ticket.
Students with a valid student ID (and the imprint “MDV”) can take their bicycle free of charge on the city buses and trams of the Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe every day (including weekends and public holidays) from 7pm to 5am, space permitting. During the day between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m., an extra ticket is required to take a bicycle with you.
With the MDV semester ticket, you can take your bike on local trains (Deutsche Bahn) free of charge at any time of day in the entire MDV area.
If your destination is outside the MDV area, the connecting ticket must already have been purchased and validated before you start your journey. To do this, you must buy a ticket starting at the last station in the network area that is also served by the respective train.
If the imprint on the student ID card is not legible when the ticket is checked and the ticket inspector therefore rejects it as invalid, the increased transport fee is due according to the general transport conditions of the MDV. Students then have the option of presenting a legible student ID as a valid ticket at the service point of the respective transport company within one week, in which case they will not be charged the full increased transport fee of 60 euros, but still the reduced increased transport fee of 7 euros.
With “Leipzig mobil”, students with a valid MDV semester ticket can also use the car and bike sharing services of the Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe. Special conditions apply: no basic fee, 10 hours of bikesharing per month included.
Quelle: Studentenwerk Leipzig
Further offers
–Career Service: Workshops and personal counselling for career entry
–Free bicycle self-help shops
–Academic Lab: Workshops on methods and academic writing
–IT training courses of the University Computer Centre (URZ)
Physics-related internships and job opportunities
Regional companies and institutes that offer job opportunities for future physicists:
–University of Leipzig (SHK/WHK)
–WAVELABS Solar Metrology Systems
–intelligent fluids
–Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
–Max-Planck-Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences
–Leibniz Institute of Surface Engineering (IOM)
–Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research
–Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS)