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Faculty of Arts and HumanitiesInstitute of Archaeology

A-Z for First-Year-Students

A

  • AStA 
    The AStA (Allgemeiner Student*innenausschuss – General Student Board) is the student board of the University of Cologne which is elected once a year. It is concerned with the interest of students of the university. Further information can be found on the website of the AStA.
    www.asta.uni-koeln.de

  • Aufbaumodul (Consecutive Module)
    go to "Module"

B

  • Basic Modul (Basismodul)
    go to "Module"
  • Bibliography
    Collection of several articles, monographies (books) or internet sources. Bibliographies serve f. e.  to list the literature used in a paper.

E

  • Ergänzungsmodul (Supplementary Module)
    go to "Module" 

  • Examination Regulations
    The examination regulation determines the requirements for the study program and the examinations. They can be issued by the Bureau of Examination or viewed online.

F

 

  • Fachgebiet (Focal Area)
    There are several focal areas in the study of Archaeology: Classical Archaeology, Archaeology of the Roman Provinces, Prehistoric Archaeology, Egyptology and Archaeoinformatics.

 

  • Fachschaft (Student Council)
    A student council is a student organization within the institute that is concerned with day-to-day matters of students and members of the institute. It consists of students of the institute and is a good first point of contact or if one has a problem that should not be taken directly to docents and professors.
    To Fachschaft

 

  • Faculty
    A department that is made up of related sciences. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities contains for example the Archaeological Institute or the Center for Medieval Studies. The University of Cologne has six faculties. Each faculty is responsible for the sciences in its area and issues f. e. examination regulations and module handbooks of the study programs. 

 

  • Focal Area (Fachgebiet)
    There are several focal areas in the study of Archaeology: Classical Archaeology, Archaeology of the Roman Provinces, Prehistoric Archaeology, Egyptology and Archaeoinformatics.

  • Focal Module (Schwerpunktmodul)
    Go to “Module”

H

  • Hauptseminar (Main Seminar)
    Outdated term for a seminar for advanced students (starting with the 4. Semester)

I

  • ILIAS
    Online-platform for the distribution of course materials. Students can sign up for their courses and get access to the course materials through the ILIAS platform. Literature lists, Powerpoint presentations, etc. are distributed this way. The platform can be found here:
    www.ilias.uni-koeln.de

  • Institute
    An institute is a collection of selected fields, libraries, offices, etc. of a field of study. The Archaeological Institute can be found at the Kerpener Str. 30, 50931 Cologne. Some institutes are also called seminar, f. e. the Romanic Seminar.

  • Internship
    Internships deepen knowledge and abilities by practical application. Internships can be completed in museums, bureaus of cultural management or excavation firms.

K

 

  • klipsen, einklipsen (to “klips”)
    colloquial term for the registration for courses through the webportal Klips.

 

  • Kolloquium (Colloquium)
    Form of seminar, in which recent research results are presented in the form of a presentation. These public presentation are mostly held by external researchers.

L

 

  • Lecture
    A lecture is the mediation of a specific topic by a lecturer. Topics such as “Roman Empire and Late Antiquity” or “Roman Architecture in Asia Minor” are offered.

 

  • Leistungspunkte LP (Credit Points)
    Leistungspunkte are given after successfully completing a module and are oriented towards the work load and the specific contents. They are equivalent to Credits of the Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. A LP is equal to a workload of 30h. Usually around 30 LP are accumulated per semester.

M

 

  • Main Seminar (Hauptseminar)
    Outdated term for a seminar for advanced students (starting with the 4. Semester)

  • Mensa (Cafeteria)
    First address if you are hungry! The cafeterias of the University of Cologne offer a wide culinary menu to almost every time of the day. One needs a mensa-card that can be bought and recharged at the cashiers of the cafeteria, in order to pay for it. 

  • Module
    There are four kinds of modules: basic module (BM), focal modules (SM), consecutive modules (AM), and supplementary modules (EM). Basic modules teach the basic knowledge for the studies. Focal modules aim to give the opportunity to specialization within the studies and can be elected and combined by personal interest. Consecutive modules deepen the knowledge gained in the basic modules. Supplementary modules serve to complement the studies. There are mandatory and elective modules. A module consists of various contents of study. A module can f. e. be made up of a introduction seminar, a tutorial and independent studies. At the end of each module a module examination that aims to test the content of the module has to be taken. As a student, you are responsible to out together the module. The module handbook and advising aids with this.

 

  • Module Handbook
    In the module handbook all information and descriptions of the study programs can be found, such as requirements, Leistungspunkte (Credit points), etc. It is also explained which modules are allowed and can be combined with each other.

  • Monographies
    A nice word for a paper on a single topic within a piece of work, therefore a book.

N

  • Non-lecture period (Vorlesungsfreie Zeit))
    In the non-lecture period no courses are offered. It is not to be confused with vacation though because seminar papers, etc. have to be drawn up. The specific dates vary each semester, but it generally takes place from the middle of July to the middle of October and from the middle of February to the middle of April. Specific dates can be found here:
    http://strategy.uni-koeln.de/gremien_amp_sonstige_akademische_angelegenheiten/e282/index_ger.html

P

  • Practices
    In practices practical tasks are conducted and discussed. Usually, at first it is explained how something is to be done and then the concept is done by the students themselves.

  • Proseminar
    Outdated term for a seminar for beginners (1.-4. Semester)

S

  • Schwerpunktmodul (Focal Module)
    Go to “Module" 

  • Semesterwochenstunde SWS (Weekly Hours in the Semester)
    A unit to determine the study load. Lectures or seminars are usually offered with 2 SWS. A seminar with 2 SWS takes place twice a week with a duration of 45 minutes each week. Generally, the seminar takes place only once a week with a duration of 1,5h.

  • Seminar
    Seminars are divided into seminars for beginners (Proseminar, introduction seminar) and seminars for advanced students (4. Semester onwards). In seminars, specific topics are taught by intensive discussion within the course. 

  • SHK (Student Assisant)
    Studentische Hilfskräfte. Several important tasks within the institute are performed by student assistants. They are responsible for the organization of the library.

  • SoSe (Summer semester)
    Abbreviation for the summer semester. The summer semester start on April 1st and ends on September 30th. 

  • Student Council (Fachschaft)
    A student council is a student organization within the institute that is concerned with day-to-day matters of students and members of the institute. It consists of students of the institute and is a good first point of contact or if one has a problem that should not be taken directly to docents and professors.
    To Fachschaft 

  • Studienleistungen (Study perfomances)
    Study performances are performances that are fulfilled in seminars by the student. They can consist of homework, presentation or exams. The study performances are not part of the end grade.

  • Study perfomances (Studienleistungen)
    Study performances are performances that are fulfilled in seminars by the student. They can consist of homework, presentation or exams. The study performances are not part of the end grade.

  • Supplementary Module (Ergänzungsmodul)
    Go to „Module“ 

U

  • UzK
    Universität zu Köln = University of Cologne. This is where you study!
    www.uni-koeln.de

V

  • Vorlesungsfreie Zeit (Non-lecture period)
    In the non-lecture period no courses are offered. It is not to be confused with vacation though because seminar papers, etc. have to be drawn up. The specific dates vary each semester, but it generally takes place from the middle of July to the middle of October and from the middle of February to the middle of April. Specific dates can be found here:
    http://strategy.uni-koeln.de/gremien_amp_sonstige_akademische_angelegenheiten/e282/index_ger.html

W

  •  Weekly Hours in the Semester (Semesterwochenstunde SWS)
    A unit to determine the study load. Lectures or seminars are usually offered with 2 SWS. A seminar with 2 SWS takes place twice a week with a duration of 45 minutes each week. Generally, the seminar takes place only once a week with a duration of 1,5h.

  • Werkstattgespräche (Workshop presentations)
    The workshop presentations are structured like colloquia: Presentations on specific topic are held and are protocolled. The workshop presentations are usually held by internal researchers (students, PhD students), while regular colloquia are filled with external researchers.

  • WHK (Research Assistant)
    Wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte. Usually, this is what the professors’ assistants are referred to.

  • WiMi (Scientific employee)
    Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter. This usually refers to the assistants of professors and projects employees.

  • WiSe (Winter semester)
    Wintersemester. The winter semester start on October 1st and ends on March 31st.

  • Workshop presentations (Werkstattgespräche)
    The workshop presentations are structured like colloquia: Presentations on specific topic are held and are recorded. The workshop presentations are usually held by internal researchers (students, PhD students), while regular colloquia are filled with external researchers.

Z

  • Zitat
    Ein Zitat bezeichnet im Unialltag den Verweis zu einer bestimmten Textstelle. Schreibt man also an einer Hausarbeit und verwendet die Aussage eines anderen Autors aus einem bestimmten Buch, muss diese Aussage zitiert werden. Wie man korrekt zitiert lernt man während des Studiums.