| Foreign Students |
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Coming from abroad, you will probably have quite a few questions. Please use the FAQ’s below for your information.
For all organisational questions like housing, assurance etc. please have a look at the homepage of the Akademisches Auslandsamt (AAA). Especially students who are not part of the ERASMUS programme should go there to find additional information on how to apply. There are different opportunities for foreign students to apply for studies at Dortmund University: • If your university takes part in the ERASMUS program, this is the easiest way to spend a semester in Dortmund. • If your university is not part of the Erasmus program or if you have already spent one semester/year as an Erasmus student, you can come to Dortmund as a FREEMOVER. You need to get in touch with the university where you want to study and initiate a contract for your exchange. If it is accepted you will have about the same rights as Erasmus students have. For more information please visit: http://eu.daad.de/eu/freemover/05303.html • Additionally, there is the possibility to study in Dortmund as a REGULAR STUDENT pursuing a degree in journalism. For further information on the application process and requirements (e.g. language skills), please visit the website of the Akademisches Auslandsamt (http://www.aaa.uni-dortmund.de/dienst/de/content/broschueren.html). Please note that you will have to complete a six week internship at an editorial office before beginning your studies. Information for ERASMUS students: 1. Is there a special programme for Erasmus students or do they take part in the regular lectures and seminars? All Erasmus students join the regular classes. They can take part in all lectures and seminars including the so-called ‘Lehrredaktionen’. ‘Lehrredaktionen’ are practical training classes simulating editorial offices of a daily newspaper, radio, TV or online magazine. 2. Am I allowed to take courses from other faculties as well? Yes, you are. However, you should take at least 50 percent of your courses at the Institute of Journalism (IfJ). 3. Where can I find the curriculum? The curriculum for the whole university can be found online at http://www.lsf.uni-dortmund.de. For lectures and seminars of the IfJ you should also look on http://www.journalistik-dortmund.de/html/lehrveranstaltungen/index.htm Unfortunately the IfJ curriculum usually is not completed until two or three months before classes start. Usually it is helpful look at former curricula, since many courses are taught on a continuous base, especially those classes in the ‘Grundstudium’. 4. Are lectures only held in German or are there also English language classes? Apart from one or two seminars, all classes at the IfJ are held in German. Of course there are other faculties offering lectures and seminars in English. Nonetheless, it is absolutely necessary to start learning German before coming to Dortmund AND to join the German Intensive Course offered by Dortmund University in order to be able to participate in the regular classes. 5. When exactly is the language class and what does it cost? The German Intensive Course is always offered one month before lectures start, i.e. either in March or in September. It takes four weeks and is free of charge for all Erasmus students. 6. What documents do I have to send in and where can I find them? Before coming over you first need to send an application to the AAA. (They will then send you a checklist with all important information on organisational stuff!). Apart from that you only need to fill in the Learning Agreement, as soon as you are able to do so. Usually you will up-date it during the first two weeks at the university. For blanks of all required forms please visit the AAA homepage. 7. Often there are no ECTS credits declared in the curriculum. How do I know how many credits I will get? Apart from language classes which are rewarded with a fixed amount of credits, it depends on the workload of the seminar. Lectures are usually honoured with 2 CPs for attendance. If you take an oral or written exam, you will get additional CPs. Also you will get 3 additional CPs in a seminar for a presentation or 5 additional CPs for writing an assignment. You will find more details about ECTS credits in the DortmundGuide which we will send to you after contacting us. 8. When can I come to study at the IfJ? 9. You can come over both in the autumn (October till March) and in the spring semester (April till September). Lectures always end in February and July. After that you have time to write your assignments. If you take part in the German Intensive Language Course you will have to arrive one month before the start of semester. 10. Are there any fees I have to pay? As an Erasmus student you will not have to pay any study fee. But you will have to pay the normal share all students have to pay in for social support and their semester ticket. With this ticket you can use all public transport (apart from the fast trains) in the Ruhrgebiet and even take another person with you on weekends and after 7 pm. Currently, the share is about 150 Euro. 11. Who can I ask if I have any further questions? If you have any questions concerning housing, language courses, assurance etc. please contact Silke Olmscheid from the AAA or one of her assistants. If you have any academic questions concerning Journalism Studies, the Learning Agreement etc. please contact the Erasmus Office of the IfJ. After having sent in your application we will also find a personal mentor for you. This will be a journalism student and he/she will help you with all administrational stuff before and during your stay at Dortmund. |