Our university offers general education examinations in maths, German and English for students who are studying computer science without a general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur). The aim is to fulfil the requirements that are necessary for general education examinations at universities. Participation in the general education examinations is compulsory. Good knowledge and skills in the subject areas of maths, German and English are very important. If you do not already have these skills from your school education (no Abitur), the general education examinations offer a good opportunity to catch up on them. The university offers appropriate courses to prepare for the general education examinations. You can find more information on this page.

Further information can be found on a special information page of the Registrar's Office: https: //www.uni-paderborn.de/zv/3-3/formalitaeten/bewerbung-ohne-allgemeine-hochschulreife/.

The exact application procedure with a Fachhochschulreife is described here.

From the 2nd study phase (5th semester) you have a lot of freedom of choice. This means that you can choose your courses from the 4 modules offered in the catalogue according to your individual interests. However, you are required to complete all 4 modules. On this page you will find a description of the 2nd study phase and an example of a study plan (shown in a table).
In addition, you must complete a proseminar (3 CP) in the Key Competencies module and regularly take part in the compulsory"Mentoring Programme" (1 CP).

Attend the information event on the 2nd study phase which is offered towards the end of the summer semester (slides of the last information events here) If you have any questions, you can contact the Computer Science Student Advisory Service at any time.

From the 2nd study phase onwards, you have a lot of freedom of choice. This means that you can choose your courses in the 4 area modules offered and the specialisation module from the catalogue courses on offer according to your individual interests. On this page you will find a description of the 2nd study phase and an example of a study plan (shown in a table).

In addition, you must complete a proseminar (4 CP) in the Key Qualifications module and regularly take part in the compulsory"Mentoring Programme" (1 CP).

Attend the information event on the 2nd study section which is offered towards the end of the summer semester (slides of the last information events here). If you have any questions, you can contact the Computer Science Student Advisory Service at any time.

To calculate the grade, multiply your own grade in the module by "Weight for grade" and then divide by the sum of the grade weights.

A weighted grade sum is calculated from all module grades, the grade of the Bachelor's thesis and the examinations of the minor subject (not the Studium Generale!). The following weightings apply to the relevant grades:

You can bring forward up to 30 credit points within one semester if you have earned at least 152 credit points in your Bachelor's degree programme and have registered your Bachelor's thesis. This is only possible for one semester. You can find more information in the current examination regulations §11 para. 2.

In principle, you can take any course at the university, with the exception of computer science courses, as a Studium Generale. Further information can be found on the special page on Studium Generale.

The number of ECTS credits depends on the chosen minor subject:

A total of 25 ECTS credits must be completed in the minor subject and Studium Generale together. The number of ECTS credits for minor subjects varies between 18 and 22 ECTS credits. The credits in the general studies programme can be divided up as required throughout the entire degree programme. It is also not absolutely necessary to take examinations in the General Studies programme - ECTS-graded credits are sufficient.

The number of ECTS credits depends on the chosen minor subject:

A total of 25 ECTS credits must be completed in the minor subject and Studium Generale together. The number of ECTS credits for minor subjects varies between 18 and 22 ECTS credits. The credits in the General Studies programme can be divided up as required throughout the entire degree programme. Examinations must also be taken in the general studies programme.

Yes, a one-time change of minor subject is possible even after a final failure of the minor subject. An informal application must be submitted to the Central Examination Office for Computer Science.

You must have passed your Bachelor's degree programme with a grade of at least 3.0 to be able to study for a Master's degree in Computer Science.

According to the Master's examination regulations, the externally acquired Bachelor's degree must be equivalent to the Paderborn Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. In the case of a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from a German university, it can generally be assumed that equivalence is given. However, in the case of minor deviations, access to the Master's degree programme may only be granted subject to conditions (catching up on Bachelor's courses or completing pre-Master's courses).

In the case of Bachelor's degrees in computer science-related subjects (such as bioinformatics, business informatics, information technology) and/or from universities of applied sciences, vocational academies or similar, equivalence cannot be assumed from the outset. In these cases, an individual review of the prior achievements must therefore be carried out. These are typically recognised as Bachelor's achievements and a classification is made in a corresponding (high) semester in the Bachelor's degree programme, so that after one or two semesters in the Bachelor's degree programme, the Paderborn Bachelor's degree in Computer Science can be obtained and then the transfer to the Master's degree programme can take place.

Decisions are made by the Examination Board for Computer Science; if you have any questions, please contact the Computer Science Student Advisory Service.

For international applications, the equivalence of the previous degree programme with the Paderborn Bachelor's degree in Computer Science must also be checked by the Examination Board. This includes individual achievements, the overall degree programme structure and the university's classification. In these cases, it is usually not an option to catch up on achievements as part of a Bachelor's enrolment, as the Bachelor's programme is only taught in German throughout. Instead, prerequisite courses must be completed (Pre-Master). Further information can be found on the page Information for foreign students.

The examinations in the Master's degree programme in Computer Science are completed in modules. There are four areas of computer science, one of which you choose as your specialisation area. You must study 3 modules in the specialisation area and one module in each of the other three areas. A module consists of 2 courses. Depending on your interests, select your areas of specialisation with the corresponding courses. Both courses of a module are examined orally together. These do not have to have been attended within one semester. The oral examination can only be registered for after both courses have been completed.

A module in the specialisation area must include a seminar. The seminar must first be completed and graded before a final module examination can take place with the second course. A second seminar can, but does not have to be attended. There are special rules for modules III.1.1 and III.1.6.

In addition to the four areas, you must complete courses in a minor subject or alternatively in Studium Generale totalling 12 ECTS credits. You must also take part in a project group, which runs for 2 semesters. On this page you will find a description of the Master's degree programme in Computer Science, an example of a study plan (shown in a table) and a link to the latest information events on the Master's degree programme in Computer Science. If you have any questions, you can contact the Computer Science Student Advisory Service at any time.

The current module handbook will help you plan your modules on the Master's degree programme. You can find it on the Computer Science Student Advisory Service website.

The examinations in the Master's degree programme in Computer Science are completed in modules. There are 5 - soon to be 6 - focus areas in computer science, one of which you choose as your specialisation area. You must study 3 modules in the specialisation area and at least one module in a second focus area. You can choose the other 4 modules from any focus area. Each module consists of exactly one course. You therefore have a lot of freedom to choose courses according to your interests.

In addition to the computer science courses from the focus areas, you will also complete courses in a minor subject or alternatively in the Studium Generale totalling 12 ECTS credits. You must also take part in a project group, which runs for 2 semesters. On this page you will find a description of the Master's degree programme in Computer Science, an example of a study plan (shown in a table) and a link to the latest information events on the Master's degree programme in Computer Science. If you have any questions, you can contact the Computer Science Student Advisory Service at any time.

The current module handbook will help you plan your modules on the Master's degree programme. You can find it on the Computer Science Student Advisory Service website.

The new Computer Science project groups are introduced each semester in the last week of lectures of the previous semester. The contact person is Dr Matthias Fischer. You can find out about current and past project groups on the project group page. You can find out exactly how to join a project group under Dates and procedure for introducing and joining new project groups. You can only start a project group if you are officially enrolled on the Master's degree programme.

One seminar in the area of specialisation is compulsory. A second seminar is permitted; this can be completed in any area (including the area of specialisation), but may not be in the same module as the first seminar. A third seminar is not possible under any circumstances.

In the new Master's degree programme (from WS 17/18) you need two seminars, in the old Master's degree programme only one.

No, in principle all examinations in the Master's degree programme are conducted as oral module examinations over two courses. Only in cases of hardship can an individual examination be granted. For example, if it is very difficult to find a joint module examination date because one of the professors or examiners is no longer working at our university and has to travel from outside. However, there are two exceptions:

1. If you have attended a seminar, this will be taken into account in the assessment of the module examination. The result must be submitted to the examiner by the organiser as proof of performance or notification of grades before your module examination.
2. In modules III.1.1 Model-based Software Development and III.1.6 Constructive Methods of Software Engineering, you can choose to have only one course examined, but you must also submit proof of the other course (ungraded partial performance) before the examination.

You must arrange an examination date for your final module examination in writing with the lecturers of the courses to be examined. To do this, send an e-mail form to the relevant secretary's office. You can find a detailed description of how to arrange an examination date here.

In the Master's degree programme, there are no examinations in the individual courses, only final module examinations for two courses. If a module examination is not passed, it can be repeated twice. The following also applies here: A module examination that has been attempted once must either be passed or compensated for. Compensation is possible for a maximum of 2 modules, as the additional container comprises 16 ECTS credits. Compensation can be used not only to avoid a definitive failure of the degree programme but also to study "more" or to improve the grades in a module that did not go so well.

If a module examination is not passed, it can be repeated twice. The following also applies here: A module examination that has been attempted once must either be passed or compensated for. Compensation is possible for a maximum of 3 modules, as the additional container comprises 18 ECTS points. Compensation can be used not only to avoid a definitive failure of the degree programme, but also to study "more" or to improve the grades in a module that was not so successful.

No, other courses can also be chosen when repeating the module examination. It is also possible to compensate for an entire module, i.e. two courses (additional work, container), by choosing two other courses as examinations in the same module. Otherwise, the following applies in principle: an examination that has been passed cannot be repeated!

Think about which department you are particularly interested in and which you enjoy the most. Bachelor's and Master's theses are currently offered on the websites of the respective professors and their departments, as well as on the information boards in the usual places. Open theses can also be found on the following website: https: //cs.uni-paderborn.de/studium/studieninhalte/offene-abschlussarbeiten/. If you are interested in one of the theses on offer or in the subject area of a department in general, speak to a member of staff or go to the professor's office hours. A good tip is also to attend the advanced seminars, where other students present their final papers, which may give you an idea for your own topic. Or speak to lecturers after the lecture, ask the supervisor of your project group (Master's thesis) or go to your mentor.

Yes, you can work in a company and develop or be suggested an idea for a thesis there. However, you then have to visit a professor with the idea (and preferably also a discussion partner from the company) and convince him/her that the topic is suitable for a thesis and that he/she will supervise it. Formally, only a university lecturer can supervise the thesis, but can be supported by a company representative. However, this does not formally play a role in the procedure.

According to the examination regulations, you can register for your Bachelor's thesis if you have passed all module examinations in the first two semesters and have passed at least 79 ECTS credits from the courses in the main subject (Computer Science and Mathematics) in the first study section (1st-4th semester). If you are close to this limit, the Examination Board can lower this limit on application.

You can register for the Master's thesis if you have completed module examinations totalling 54 ECTS credits.

In both cases, you must also have agreed a work plan (target agreement) with your supervisor. This plan describes your work and is therefore a kind of specification. It contains the following points: problem description, motivation, objectives, structure of the work and time planning. Once the work plan has been finalised, apply for the work to be issued via PAUL. Please read the (Instructions for registering theses) in PAUL.

Your supervisor must sign the application and then enter the final start date in consultation with you. From then on you have 5 months until submission.

According to the examination regulations, you can register your Bachelor's thesis if you have passed all module examinations in the first study section.

You can register for the Master's thesis if you have completed module examinations totalling 48 ECTS credits and at least 18 ECT credits in the Specialisation Area. The topic of the Master's thesis must be chosen from the Specialisation Area. Any PreMaster's courses must be passed by the time you register for the Master's thesis at the latest.

In both cases, you must also have agreed a work plan (target agreement) with your supervisor. This plan describes your work and thus represents a kind of specification. It contains the following points: problem description, motivation, objectives, structure of the work and time planning. Once the work plan has been finalised, apply for the work to be issued via PAUL. Please read the (Instructions for registering theses) in PAUL.

Your supervisor must sign the application and then enter the final start date. From then on you have 5 months until submission.

You must submit an individually justified application for an extension of the processing time to the Central Examination Secretariat.

The justification should make it clear that the delay in processing is not due to personal reasons but to factual reasons for which you are not responsible. You can apply for a one-off extension of the submission deadline by two weeks for Bachelor's theses and six weeks for Master's theses. This request must be submitted at least one week before the regular deadline and countersigned by the supervisor.

Talk to the members of the specialist groups or ask the professor directly. Students who are already working as SHKs often also know where SHKs are still needed. Particularly at the beginning of the semester, you will find job advertisements on the websites of the specialist groups and on their information boards.

Jobs are also regularly advertised via the student mailing list.

There is a special jobs mailing list for the EIM faculty where you can register to receive all job offers. You can register at lists.upb.de.

The name of the job mailing list is Jobs-eim@upb.de. How to register for this mailing list and other sources of information for jobs are described on the website of the Computer Science Student Council.

Interdisciplinary job fairs are held regularly at Paderborn University. For example, the company contact fair LookIn; the Institute of Computer Science usually organises a fair for students once a year.

www.jobmessen.de

https://www.t5-karriereportal.de

Register with the employment agency early, preferably in the last semester of your degree programme.