First-year students

Lectures provide a broad overview of major areas of philosophy. Exercises are held in small groups, where students acquire basic philosophical skills. Seminars offer space for critical discussion and are dedicated to specific texts or topics, which are analyzed in depth over the course of a semester.

You can find the courses for a module by clicking on one of the modules in the list above. Courses for other modules and other semesters can be found in the course catalog (HIS-LSF). If the semester you're looking for isn't listed at the top, click on it and select the semester for which you're looking for courses. Click on "Course Catalog" on the left, then select "Faculty of Arts and Humanities," then "Institute of Philosophy," and then "Modules Bachelor PO 2025." You can now view the courses for each specified module.

Many modules offer multiple seminars and tutorials, even though you only need one seminar or tutorial. In this case, you can select a course.

Yes, you must register for each course you wish to attend by checking the course catalog (HIS-LSF). You will need a university ID (Uni-Kennung) to register.

There are no attendance restrictions for lectures, but there are for some seminars and tutorials. It's worth registering for these courses as early as possible. However, please be sure to deregister if you decide you don't want to attend the course so that your spot can be made available to other students.

Unless otherwise stated in the course catalog (HIS-LSF), courses generally begin in the first week of the lecture period and end in the last week. Each course lasts 90 minutes and takes place at the same time and in the same room every week. All courses are canceled on public holidays.

Tutorials are courses led by advanced students. There are orientation tutorials where you learn everything you need to know for a successful philosophy degree. There are also subject-specific tutorials that serve to deepen a lecture and prepare for an exam. Attendance at tutorials is voluntary but recommended for all students.

Yes, if you would like to earn a Certificate of Participation (BN) in a course, you must register online in the student portal. The registration deadline is the end of the semester. Instructions can be found here.

Yes, if you want to take a final exam (AP), you must register online in the student portal. Instructions can be found here.

The modules Practical Philosophy 1, Theoretical Philosophy 1, History of Philosophy 1, and Logic conclude with an exam, which typically lasts 90 minutes. In Argumentation and Writing, you complete the AP as a term paper. Other modules, such as History of Philosophy 2, also allow for other forms of AP, such as an oral exam or term paper. The instructors will provide further details in the courses.

The first exam is usually held toward the end of the lecture period or at the beginning of the semester break. A second exam is often offered during the semester break.

No, the course offerings for the winter semester differ from those for the summer semester. The Epistemology lecture is only offered in the winter semester. The Ancient Philosophy or Medieval lecture is usually offered in the winter semester; sometimes it is also offered in the summer semester, but this is not certain. The Ethics lecture, however, is offered in both the winter and summer semesters. The selection of seminars for the modules Practical Philosophy 1, Theoretical Philosophy 1, and History of Philosophy 1 is significantly larger in the winter semester than in the summer semester. The reverse is true for Logic and Argumentation and Writing: Here, the selection is larger in the summer semester than in the winter semester.

In principle, you have the freedom to decide which modules you want to complete in which semester. However, the sample study plans recommend a specific order, as some modules build on prior knowledge from other modules. Especially for students beginning their philosophy studies in the winter semester, it is advisable to follow the recommended sequence and first take the modules scheduled for the winter semester; simply follow the module list above.

If you begin your studies in the summer semester, however, this order cannot be followed, as some modules are not offered in full in the summer semester. However, you can and should definitely take Practical Philosophy 1 in the summer semester. Students in a single-subject bachelor's program or in a core subject are recommended to also complete Logic and – if offered – History of Philosophy 1.

In general, taking the Argumentation and Writing module in the first semester is not recommended, as it requires prior knowledge from other modules. In particular, the associated Argumentation exercise requires knowledge of logic; Participation is only possible if you are taking the Logic module in the same semester or have already completed it.

You should not attend courses in a higher module until you have completed the underlying module. For example, it would not make sense to study Practical Philosophy 2 before Practical Philosophy 1. The Research Focus  and In-Depth Research Focus  are also only suitable for very advanced students.

The exams for the Practical Philosophy 1, Theoretical Philosophy 1, and History of Philosophy 1 modules will only cover the lecture material. However, since the associated seminar promotes understanding of the lecture content and supports preparation for the exam, you should definitely not postpone the seminar to a later semester. Both courses in the Logic module must be completed in the same semester, as the exam covers content from both courses. In the Argumentation and Writing module, splitting the two courses over two semesters is most feasible, but also not recommended.

If you don't receive a BN for a course, you can repeat the course as many times as you like. However, you can only repeat an AP for a specific module twice.