Making the Start of Degree Courses Easier

Three projects are planned in the programme area ‘Making the Start of Degree Courses Easier’.

Fostering of Study-Relevant Key Competencies at the Start of Degrees

A so-called ‘learning shock’ often occurs at the start of a degree course. This can result in e.g. stress, social isolation and overexertion. This effect is worsened in particular by the lack of interdisciplinary key competencies. The aim of the model project Fostering of Study-Relevant Key Competencies at the Start of Degrees is to create an online tool with which pupils and students can learn and consolidate these study-relevant and interdisciplinary key competencies - such as learning motivation, test anxiety, and self-management. This should help to lighten the effects of the so-called ‘learning shock’ at the start of degree courses. Users will receive free access to the videos and accompanying texts that present the content in a simple and practice-oriented manner.

Orientation Programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

We plan to create a one-year orientation programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in order to improve the start of degree courses for students studying MINT disciplines. The goal is to reduce the number of dropouts by providing the students with a look inside various degree courses during the orientation year and thus making it possible for them to make a well-founded decision about which degree course they would like to pursue.

Learning of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin Languages

This sub-project is an interdisciplinary propaedeutics offer for students at the Faculty of Theology and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The goal is to achieve higher rates of study success and shorter study periods by developing and testing an e-learning based concept for learning the three classical languages, which supports independent language learning (own rate of learning, individual workload, constant testing of own level of knowledge). Furthermore, the teaching of the classical languages is supported by tutors that have been prepared especially for their roles as study buddies and peer teachers, providing the best-possible support for learning the classical languages.

Find additional information on this sub-project here [de].