Like the school clock, our clock does not tick according to the traditional annual cycle. Our so-called “academic year” looks something like this:

During the lecture period on campus, you will be taught the subject content of your degree program mainly in large lecture halls as part of lectures. There you will sit together with all the students in your subject. To help you deepen your understanding of the material presented, many courses offer exercises and tutorials in small groups. The exercises involve working on practice problems or practical applications of the lecture material, while in the tutorials, the tutor will help you to review and consolidate the lecture material and answer individual questions. Many degree programs also offer seminars and lab courses, especially in the specialization courses. The lab courses are usually completed on site at KIT. However, some degree programs also include internships lasting several weeks in industry or other fields relevant to your degree program.

The performance reviews for the courses usually take place during the lecture-free period, the "semester break". This means that learning phases lasting several weeks are definitely on the agenda.

The curriculum for your degree course (see module handbook) lists the course content in a recommended order. You have 6 semesters to complete these courses. However, this is not a fixed upper limit. You can extend your studies to up to 9 semesters if, for example, you need to do a part-time job, a voluntary internship or a semester abroad. Some degree programs offer even more time.