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This page is not maintained any longer and may contain outdated information.
The information (and more) in an updated version can be found on the StudOn-course of the Study Service Center (SSC) Physics.
We are pleased that you are interested in studying physics with us!
Which courses should I attend in the first Bachelor semester? Where do the courses take place? Do I always have to be present in courses?
Orientation can be difficult at the beginning of studies. We have therefore compiled the most important information on how to get started.
Please also note our FAQs, where we provide answers to frequently asked questions. Further information can be found under the heading "General study information" on the main page and of course on the pages of the FSI Maths/Physics.
Please also note our FAQs, where we provide answers to frequently asked questions. Further information can be found under the heading "General study information" on the main page and of course on the pages of the FSI Maths/Physics.
Please note that the undergraduate courses in Physics at FAU are taught in German (with a few exceptions).
The timetable in the first semester
Studying is very different from attending school. Although we laid down an exemplary course of study in the study plan of the examination regulations, there is no obligation to follow this course. Nevertheless, we recommend adhering to the study plan, especially in the first semesters, because the course contents build on each other and running into deadlines throughout your studies is avoided.
The documents relevant to your studies are the examination regulations and the module handbook. The examination regulations govern which modules (collection of related courses) must be passed for successful completion of the programme, how the individual grades of the module examinations affect the overall grade, what deadlines must be met in the programme, what types of examinations are available (and much more). The module handbook, which is drawn up for each semester, lists the contents of each module and defines the type of examination for the module. It can be generated directly from Univis.
It is generally a good idea to read through the examination regulations at the beginning of your studies. What at first reads like a legally involved text will hopefully become more and more transparent as your studies progress.
It is generally a good idea to read through the examination regulations at the beginning of your studies. What at first reads like a legally involved text will hopefully become more and more transparent as your studies progress.
Back to the timetable: Courses of the first semester can easily be found in the course system Univis. Please follow the following links from the main page: Course catalogue -> Faculty of Natural Sciences (Nat) -> Physics -> Bachlor Physics -> 1st semester.
Of the courses listed there, we recommend the following courses (according to the study plan):
Of the courses listed there, we recommend the following courses (according to the study plan):
Experimentalphysik 1 (EP-1): Mechanik
In the first semester of the Bachelor's programme and the teacher training programme (Gymnasium), experimental physics 1 is on the programme as a major physics course. This lecture deals with the topic of mechanics. It usually starts with quite simple things: What fields does physics divide into? What are units? What is a measurement? What is acceleration, what is a force? You might recognise a lot of things from school. But be careful: Very quickly we will move on to charging and abstracting even simple problems with a lot of higher mathematics: Suddenly there is talk of coordinate transformations, curvilinear coordinates, path and volume integrals, differential equations... basics that you absolutely need in order to be well prepared for the further course of your studies. In addition, of course, a lot of basic physics, from gravity to oscillations and waves. The second semester continues with thermodynamics and electrodynamics.
The EP-1 lecture takes 5 semester hours per week -- i.e. 5 SWS. Besides the lecture there are exercises of 2 SWS, in which problems in connection with the lecture are discussed and the acquired knowledge is deepened in exercises. There are different dates for the exercises -- choose a date that suits you.
The topics of EP-1 will be examined together with the topics of EP-2 in an exam at the end of the second semester. In a voluntary intermediate exam at the end of the winter semester you can test your knowledge and collect bonus points for the exam in the summer.
In the first semester of the Bachelor's programme and the teacher training programme (Gymnasium), experimental physics 1 is on the programme as a major physics course. This lecture deals with the topic of mechanics. It usually starts with quite simple things: What fields does physics divide into? What are units? What is a measurement? What is acceleration, what is a force? You might recognise a lot of things from school. But be careful: Very quickly we will move on to charging and abstracting even simple problems with a lot of higher mathematics: Suddenly there is talk of coordinate transformations, curvilinear coordinates, path and volume integrals, differential equations... basics that you absolutely need in order to be well prepared for the further course of your studies. In addition, of course, a lot of basic physics, from gravity to oscillations and waves. The second semester continues with thermodynamics and electrodynamics.
The EP-1 lecture takes 5 semester hours per week -- i.e. 5 SWS. Besides the lecture there are exercises of 2 SWS, in which problems in connection with the lecture are discussed and the acquired knowledge is deepened in exercises. There are different dates for the exercises -- choose a date that suits you.
The topics of EP-1 will be examined together with the topics of EP-2 in an exam at the end of the second semester. In a voluntary intermediate exam at the end of the winter semester you can test your knowledge and collect bonus points for the exam in the summer.
Calculus for physics (RMP-1):
Mathematics is the language of physics. And university mathematics is -- you will agree with us after a few weeks of study -- very different from the mathematics you know from school. Even in your first experimental physics lecture, you will need mathematical methods, some of which go far beyond your school knowledge. Over the course of two semesters, this course provides you with the most important mathematical tools you need for the first semesters of your studies. A must for the beginning of your studies!
The modules RMP-1 and RMP-2 (2nd semester) are usually tested by short tests, which are written in the course of the two semesters.
Mathematics is the language of physics. And university mathematics is -- you will agree with us after a few weeks of study -- very different from the mathematics you know from school. Even in your first experimental physics lecture, you will need mathematical methods, some of which go far beyond your school knowledge. Over the course of two semesters, this course provides you with the most important mathematical tools you need for the first semesters of your studies. A must for the beginning of your studies!
The modules RMP-1 and RMP-2 (2nd semester) are usually tested by short tests, which are written in the course of the two semesters.
For those of you who are studying to become teachers of physics (Gymnasium), these are already all the courses planned for the subject of physics in semester 1.
Mathematics for physics students A (MP-A):
For all Bachelor students, this course lays the solid foundation in mathematics that you will need for your further studies. Mathematics education continues in the second and third semester (modules MP-B and MP-C). The lecture is accompanied by exercises.
In order to complete MP-A, you must pass an exam at the end of the semester and provide proof of exercise performance.
For all Bachelor students, this course lays the solid foundation in mathematics that you will need for your further studies. Mathematics education continues in the second and third semester (modules MP-B and MP-C). The lecture is accompanied by exercises.
In order to complete MP-A, you must pass an exam at the end of the semester and provide proof of exercise performance.
If you are particularly interested in mathematics, you may also attend the lectures Linear Algebra I and Analysis I of the Bachelor of Mathematics programme. Compared to MP-A, this provides you with a much more fundamental education in mathematics. The price, however, is a significant additional expenditure of time and content due to the much larger scope of the subject matter, which should not be underestimated.
Data processing in physics (DV):
In this lecture (with accompanying programming lab course) you will get an introduction to the programming language Python and a first impression of how the computer can be used to analyse data, to display results graphically or to solve mathematical problems numerically.
This course is an online course on Studon for self-study. In addition, there is the programming lab course, which normally takes place in the CIP pool of the department. To complete the course, programming tasks have to be implemented.
In this lecture (with accompanying programming lab course) you will get an introduction to the programming language Python and a first impression of how the computer can be used to analyse data, to display results graphically or to solve mathematical problems numerically.
This course is an online course on Studon for self-study. In addition, there is the programming lab course, which normally takes place in the CIP pool of the department. To complete the course, programming tasks have to be implemented.
Non-physics elective:
In the Bachlor Physics programme an additional non-physics elective must be chosen. You can choose between astronomy, chemistry, computer science, physical chemistry and materials science. Information on the courses that must be taken for the elective subject can be found on the page of the Non-physics electives.
In the Bachlor Physics programme an additional non-physics elective must be chosen. You can choose between astronomy, chemistry, computer science, physical chemistry and materials science. Information on the courses that must be taken for the elective subject can be found on the page of the Non-physics electives.
You do not have to attend lectures and exercises. Nevertheless, we strongly advise you to do so!
Attendance is compulsory for internships (and later in physics seminars). In the first semester, this applies to the DV programming lab course, and in the second semester to the physics lab course of the module EP-12 (and, if applicable, elective lab courses).
Attendance is compulsory for internships (and later in physics seminars). In the first semester, this applies to the DV programming lab course, and in the second semester to the physics lab course of the module EP-12 (and, if applicable, elective lab courses).
Examinations and GOP
You should register for module exams on the meinCampus system. For the winter semester 2020/2021, registration is open from 30 November 2020 (0.01 hrs) to 13 December 2020 (23.59 hrs). Please use the examination registration to make it easier for your lecturers to organise your examinations.
You may withdraw from individual examinations until the start of the examination (either by withdrawing from meinCampus or by not attending). Withdrawal after the start of the examination is not possible.
Attention: For courses offered from departments other than the Department of Physics it may be necessary to register for the examination and the withdrawal may be regulated differently!
The first deadline in the programme is dictated by the Grundlagen- und Orientierungsprüfung (GOP): It states that by the end of the 2nd semester of
- the Bachelor's programme, at least 30 ECTS from the modules of the 1st and 2nd semester (EP-12, RMP, MP-A, MP-B, DV, TP-1, NW-1)
- the study programme for Lehramt Gymnasium, at least 20 ECTS from the courses offered by the Department of Physics
Lecture halls and seminar rooms
The names and locations of the rooms in which the courses take place can be found in the course catalogue:
- The physics lecture halls (HD, HE, HF, HG, HH) are located in the lecture hall building at Staudtstr. 5.
- Smaller seminar rooms for exercises are located in the Physikum (Staudtstr. 7) and in adjacent buildings.
- Also located at Staudtstr. 7 are the Departmental Library of Physics, the CIP-Pool and the administrative office.
- The mathematics lecture halls and seminar rooms are located at Cauerstr. 11.
This winter semester, lectures and exercises will mainly take place in presence; there are a few courses that take place either as live streaming (i.e. at a fixed time) or will be recorded (typically permanently available on the FAU video portal). Corresponding information can be found in the course information in Univis and in the studon pages linked there.
Instructions for using Zoom can be found on the pages of the computer centre.
Instructions for using Zoom can be found on the pages of the computer centre.