Course guide
Guide
- Types of LMU courses
- How to search for LMU courses
- Helpful tips
- Where is what taught?
- Level of courses appropriate for JYM students
- Recommended types of courses
- Finding courses offered in the past/future
- Important vocabulary
Types of LMU courses
When researching courses at LSF Online-Portal, we recommend that students look for Seminare (B.A.), Propädeutika, or Vorlesungen + Übung courses.
Blockveranstaltung
A unique academic experience: an intensive course that meets for extended hours over a short period of time, rather than meeting regularly over the course of the entire semester.
Recommendation: For the extremely self-motivated and independently-minded student.
Einführung survey
Translates as "introduction," however, not to be confused with survey courses in the U.S. These can be very rigorous courses.
Recommendation: May not be suitable for all JYM students.
Grundkurs
A foundational course specific to a course of study. These are not survey courses and can be very rigorous
Recommendation: May not be appropriate for all JYM students.
das Proseminar
A smaller seminar, usually with limited enrollment.
Recommendation: Appropriate for JYM students.
die Übung
Translates literally as an "exercise." These courses tend to be smaller in size and students are often given assignments. For example: In der Üœbung werden Aufgaben und Fallbeispiele zu den in der Vorlesung behandelten Themen gerechnet und diskutiert. Üœbungen may be stand-alone courses or they may be a required supplementary course that meets in conjunction with a lecture, comparable to a discussion section attached to a lecture course in the U.S.
die Vorlesung
A large lecture course, perhaps with hundreds of students. Eine Vorlesung is related to the verb vorlesen, and that may be exactly what you may find here. Lecture courses in Germany are usually reserved for senior professors who have distinguished themselves in their field. Professors may offer a lecture about their past or latest research topic and then read from a book they have published or a manuscript they're working on. In other words, don't expect a lot of discussion. This is made up for by attaching an Üœbung to the lecture, and you may often see a lecture course offered as Vorlesung + Üœbung.
Recommendation: A lecture course is the most challenging of all course types and may not be appropriate for all JYM students.
Propädeutika
Introductory courses offered as preparation for studying a particular subject.
Recommendation: Appropriate for JYM students.
Seminar (B.A.)
A smaller seminar, perhaps with 25 students, usually with limited enrollment. Students should be expected to give an oral report (mündliches Referat) and write a term paper (schriftliche Hausarbeit). Check that it's offered for B.A./Bachelor Studies (although some seminars may be open to both B.A. and M.A./Magister students).
Recommendation: Appropriate for JYM students.
Course legend
- Studiengang Tells you if the course is offered at the B.A. or M.A. level
- Inhalt: Kommentar Provides you with a course description
- Literatur Lists selected readings
- Leistungsnachweis Describes work required for a grade
See course vocabulary for words you'll encounter when searching.
How to search for LMU courses
Visit the LSF Online-Portal and select Suche nach Veranstaltung.
Search for all courses offered in a department
- Click into the "Einrichtung" box and then click the "Auswahl" button at the end of that box (view all Fakultäten).
This brings up a list of all the Fakultäten at the LMU. So look for the relevant Fakultät. As an example, you'll see there is a "Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät" with a box and plus sign next to it.
- Click on the plus sign. This divides the Fakultät into its various sections, in this case, political science, sociology, and communication studies.
- Check the box next to "Geschwister-Scholl-Institut für Politikwissenschaft."
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "Auswahl übernehmen (alle Zweige)." This brings you back to the prior screen and you'll see it has populated the Einrichtung box.
- From the top of the screen, select "50" for the "Ergebnisse anzeigen" section.
- Select the semester from the "Suchkriterien" section.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Suche starten" to search, and Voila!! You've got four pages of Political Science courses to plow through!
Search for courses using a keyword search
This is useful if you have no idea what department the courses might be in. It's kind of touch and go because the word may bring up courses in all sorts of different departments, but it comes in handy sometimes.
Let's do a search for courses that have "Umwelt" (environment) in the title. Visit the LSF Online-Portal and select Suche nach Veranstaltung (be sure to clear any prior searches in the Einrichtung box if there are any pre-filled terms).
- Click into the "Titel der Verantstaltung" box and type in "Umwelt".
- Click "Suche starten" at the bottom to search all departments for the keyword. You'll see it brings up quite a few courses with "Umwelt" in the title.
If you are participating in the full-year program, you should search both semesters to get the full range of possible courses offered during the academic year.
Note: You won't be able to see courses for your exact semester until much later in the year, so you have to go with the prior year's courses for now. Get those tentatively approved and then formally approved when you have access to the courses for the semester that you will be there. Often, you'll have to do that regardless since you must provide syllabi and work done in the course to receive credit back at your home school.
Helpful tips
This may appear intimidating at first, but JYM students have taken university courses since 1953 and so can you!
Be realistic
Don't expect to take all your coursework at LMU. Unless you are a native speaker, that is simply unrealistic. Plan instead to take a balanced mix of LMU and JYM courses.
Be advised
If JYM staff advise you against taking a particular course because of the level of difficulty involved, trust their advice. History has shown that those who did not discover at the end of the semester (when it's too late to drop the course) that they wish they had.
Be aware of drop deadlines
LMU Munich has deadlines to withdraw from a course, just as in the U.S. If you decide the course you registered for is not the right fit, you must officially withdraw. If you don't officially drop the course, it WILL appear on your LMU Notenspiegel and there's nothing JYM can do about it.
Be aware of exam dates
This mainly applies to students taking Business (BWL) courses in the second semester. Sometimes an exam date for the course is scheduled for after the end of the semester and even after the end of the JYM program. Find out ASAP when exams are taking place. Often instructors will accommodate JYM students if they ask to take the exam early.
But if that is not possible, see Professor Söder immediately, because this has ramifications for your housing. All students need to move out of their room by the date given to JYM by the Studentenwerk. If your exam takes place after that time, we'll help you find temporary housing.
Be prepared: Your papers
Not only must you complete written work to earn a grade from having taken an LMU course, but you must also email JYM a copy of your written work. Why? Sometimes it may take weeks for a professor to get around to grading your work. It sometimes happens that a visiting professor is nowhere to be found after the semester ends. Or it may happen that the professor may say s/he never received your paper, but you claim you handed it in.
All of these situations will delay the production of your Wayne State transcript that you need in order to register when you return to the U.S., meet with financial aid and deal with a whole host of other issues. JYM can only intercede and help you if we have a copy of your written work on file.
Be prepared: Course syllabus
Email the JYM Academic Coordinators a copy of your LMU course. Why? Because it sometimes happens that a student returns to the U.S. only to discover that their advisor wants to see the syllabus of the course they took, but can no longer find it. JYM can only help you if you email us your LMU course syllabus.
Be prepared: When do I get my LMU grades?
Be advised that second-semester grades for LMU courses usually are not posted until weeks after you have returned to the U.S.
Business and natural and physical science courses
Like students in the humanities and social sciences, JYM participants studying the natural or physical sciences or business may take courses in those areas at the Ludwig Maximilian University. Based on our experience, students in these classes (including heritage speakers of German and students with C1-level German abilities) find these classes more challenging than students taking courses in other areas, even when they are taught in English. See our recommendations for students in the natural and physical sciences and business.
Where is what taught?
German universities are structured differently than in the U.S. LMU Munich is divided into 18 Schools (Fakultäten). These Fakultäten are divided into various chairs, professorships, institutes and departments, which in turn may be divided further so that there are even departments within departments.
Unlike in the U.S., where you might simply go to the philosophy department to find philosophy courses, at a German university, you may find courses scattered widely among the various divisions and sub-divisions of a Fakultät and you may have to search each unit separately in order to find the course you are looking for. This may sound complicated at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it.
Level of courses appropriate for JYM students
Courses that are designated as part of the bachelor's curriculum or at the Grundstudium level would be most appropriate for JYM students.
Studiengang
A course of study that leads toward a specific degree.
Bachelor-Studiengang
Refers to courses for students pursuing a bachelor's.
Lehrangebot Bachelor
Refers to the curriculum for students pursuing a bachelor's.
Grundstudium (GS)
Basic or fundamental studies (vs Hauptstudium, advanced or specialized studies). Since the introduction of bachelor degrees, Grundstudium is sometimes referred to as undergraduate studies, although the term is being eliminated altogether within some disciplines. In general, courses at the Grundstudium level are appropriate for JYM students.
Recommended types of courses
We recommend that JYM students look for Proseminar, Propedeutika, or Vorlesungen courses.
- das Proseminar
- A smaller seminar, usually with limited enrollment.
- die Übung
- Translates as an "exercise." Üœbungen may be standalone courses, or they may be required supplementary courses that are held in conjunction with a lecture, e.g., In der Üœbung werden Aufgaben und Fallbeispiele zu den in der Vorlesung behandelten Themen gerechnet und diskutiert
- die Vorlesung
- A large lecture course, perhaps with hundreds of students. This type of course may be appropriate for full-year JYM students who have successfully completed university courses in the first semester, or second-semester students with advanced language proficiency
- Einführung
- Translates as "introduction," however not to be confused with survey courses in the U.S. and can be very rigorous courses
- Propädeutika
- Introductory courses as preparation for studying a particular subject
Courses not recommended for JYM students
- Blockveranstaltung
- An intensive course that meets for extended hours over a short period of time, rather than meeting regularly over the course of the entire semester. For the extremely self-motivated and independently-minded student only
- Grundkurs
- A foundational course specific to a course of study. These can be very difficult
- das Hauptseminar
- A graduate-level seminar restricted to students working toward the M.A. or Dr. Phil. degree (except on rare occasions, JYM students are not eligible)
- Pflichtveranstaltung
- A required course for students pursuing a particular degree. Degree-seeking LMU students have priority registration and JYM students may not be allowed to register for the course
Finding courses offered in the past/future
Past courses
If you're looking for information about a specific course and it is not currently being offered, you may be able to find information about it by looking at Vorlesungszerzeichnisse from prior semesters.
- Archiv Lehre
- An archived list of courses previously offered.
- Veranstaltungsarchiv
- An archived list of courses and other events previously offered
- Lehrveranstaltungen vergangenes Semester
- Courses offered last semester
Future courses
A number of Fakultäten are beginning to list courses that will be offered in the near future.
- Veranstaltungsübersicht
- An overview of upcoming courses (e.g., eine Üœbersicht über die Veranstaltungen der nächsten Semester)
- Lehrvorschau
- A preview of upcoming courses (also Lehrprogrammvorschau)
Important vocabulary
Course searches
Below are words you will encounter as you search for LMU courses.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Veranstaltungen | Translates literally as "events" but here generally refers to courses offered, guest lectures scheduled, etc. |
| Veranstaltungensverzeichnis | Directory of courses. |
| Lehrveranstaltungen | Refers more specifically to academic or instructional "events, aka courses; forms of lehrveranstaltungen include lectures, proseminars, seminars, etc. |
| Lehrveranstaltungen aktuelles Semester | Courses currently being offered this semester. |
| aktuelleLehrveranstaltungen | Courses currently being offered this semester. |
| aktuelles Lehrprogramm | Program of courses currently being offered this semester. |
| Lehre (und Studium) | Teaching (and studies); a general rubric used on websites that leads to information about courses offered, degree requirements, etc. |
| Lehrangebot | Courses (curriculum) offered by a fakultät and its institutes. |
| Vorlesungen | Lectures (also used generically for courses). |
| Vorlesungen im WiSe | Lectures offered in the wintersemester (first semester). |
| Vorlesungen im SoSe | Lectures offered in the sommersemester (second semester). |
| Vorlesungsverzeichnis | Complete directory of all courses offered (similar to a schedule of classes in the U.S.). |
| Auszug aus dem Vorlesungsverzeichnis | An excerpt from the vorlesungsverzeichnis that is relevant to a specific course of study. |
| kommentiertes Vorlesungsverzeichnis | An annotated directory of courses offered by a fakultät that includes more detail than found in the vorlesungsverzeichnis, e.g., detailed course descriptions, additional course offerings, reading lists, etc. Some fakultäten publish these for sale shortly before the beginning of the semester. Others have migrated this information onto the new LSF Online-Portal. |
Abbreviations
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) | A standard of credit points awarded academic work in higher education that has been developed and agreed to by 46 European countries, making it possible to compare work required and student performance leading to the fulfillment of degree requirements within Europe; not the same as the credit system used in U.S. higher education. JYM does not use the ECTS. |
| GS (grundstudium) | Basic or fundamental studies; undergraduate studies. |
| LP (leistungspunkte) | The German equivalent of ECTS Credit Points (Kreditpunkte); not the same as the credit system used in U.S. higher education. |
| PO (prüfungsordnungen) | Regulations governing the examinations given to fulfill degree requirements and provide the basis for regulating university studies in general. JYM students do not need to be concerned with this, since they are not degree-seeking students at LMU. |
| SWS (semesterwochenstunden) | Refers to the number of hours per week that a course meets. |
Course information/syllabus
The amount of information about any given course will vary from instructor to instructor. The kind of detailed syllabi common at U.S. colleges and universities is not very common at German universities, although that is changing.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Voraussetzung first | Pre-requisite, e.g., some proseminare may require that students attend a required lecture course. |
| Teilnehmerbegrenzung | The number of participants (i.e. enrollment) is limited. |
| der Lehrplan | The syllabus. |
| Sprechstunden | Office hours. |
| die Gliederung | An outline, e.g., of material to be covered in a course. |
| Notizen | Notes, e.g., lecture notes. |
| das Handout | A handout, but created according to a specific form. |
| Studienmaterialien read | Course material, e.g., eine literaturliste of books you should. |
| das Literaturverzeichnis | Bibliography. |
| Textgrundlage | Main text(s) upon which the course is based. |
| Zum Einlesen | Readings that introduce you to the course topic. |
| Empfohlene Lektüren | Recommended reading. |
| Zur Orientierung | Suggested readings for a general orientation to the course. |
| Literatur zur Vorbereitung | Literature that prepares you for the course. |
| Eine Lektüreliste folgt nach Anmeldung | A reading list will be available after you register. |
| Für einen ersten Einstieg ins Thema wird empfohlen | The following are recommended as an introduction to the course topic. |
| Unterlagen (Lehrunterlagen) zur Veranstaltung | Course materials, e.g., to be downloaded. |
| Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten | Required standards expected for academic work. |
| Formvorschriften guidelines | Required formal standards for writing scholarly work, e.g., about organization, documenting sources, citations, bibliography, etc.; similar to, but also quite different from those used in the U.S.; style guidelines may differ from discipline to discipline (e.g., just as the MLA style manual is different from the style manual for political science, the asa style guide, or Chicago manual of style). |
| die Klausur | A written examination. |
| das Referat report in | An oral presentation, accompanied by the submission of the written form according to specific formatting standards. |
| Abgabetermin | Deadline for something to be submitted. |
| eine mündliche Prüfung | An oral examination. |
| eine schriftliche Prüfung | A written examination. |
Announcements
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abgabetermin | Deadline for something to be submitted. |
| Bemerkung | Notice. |
| Wichtige Ankündigung | Important announcement. |
| Achtung! Die Vorlesung entfällt! | Attention the lecture has been canceled. |
| Die Veranstaltung ist belegt! | The course is full. |
| Zeit und Raum haben sich geändert! | Time and room have changed. |
| Der Raum hat sich geändert! | Room has changed. |
| das Schwarze Brett | Bulletin board, e.g. wegen eventueller anderungen bitte bei semesterbeginn das schwarze brett in der (street address of the department) konsultieren.. |
Basic verbs
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sich anmelden | To register (for a course); takes accusative (e.g. haben sie sich schon angemeldet? ja, ich habe mich schon angemeldet.). |
| herunterladen | To download. |
| teilnehmen + an einer | To take a course; literally "to participate" in a course (e.g. an Veranstaltung teilnehmen; am proseminar teilnehmen); takes. |
| eine Vorlesung besuchen | To take a course, specifically a lecture course; literally "to visit" a lecture. |