Studying Mathematics in Freiburg: Starting Guide

To begin with, you only need paper and pens to study mathematics pens, but no calculator or collection of formulas or anything similar. Internet access is extremely useful (theoretically you can also use PC pools at the university); later on in the course of your studies your own computer will be useful. You do not need your own books to start your studies: lecture notes of the lectures are often available as pdf files; textbooks can be borrowed from the library; you can also access them via your account at the computer center you also have access to many mathematical e-books. You will also receive the weekly exercises as pdf files (which you can also print out from the student PC pool at the Institute's student PC pool).

Preparation for University Studies:

• Kevin Houston „Wie man mathematisch denkt“, Springer Spektrum 2012. (Review on the DMV page)
• Lara Alcock „Wie man erfolgreich Mathematik studiert“, Springer Spektrum 2017. (Review in the Mathematische Semesterberichte)
• Tobias Glasauer „(Hoch)Schulmathmatik. Ein Sprungbrett vom Gymnasium an die Uni“ (pdf), Springer Spektrum 2015.

Accompanying University Studies:

• Oliver Deiser et. al. „12 x 12 Schlüsselkonzepte zur Mathematik“, Springer Spektrum 2012. (Description available at review in the Mitteilungen der GDM)
• Markus Junker „Einführung in Sprache und Grundbegriffe der Mathematik“ (PDF), Winter Semester 2010/11 (with minor revisions in 2017).

Popular Science Books on Mathematical Topics:

• Günter M. Ziegler „Darf ich Zahlen? Geschichten aus der Mathematik"; Piper Taschenbuch, 2010.
• Donal O’Shea „The Poincaré Conjecture: In Search of the Shape of the Universe“, Walker 2007. Translation by Hartmut Schickert: „Poincarés Vermutung. Die Geschichte eines mathematischen Abenteuers“, S. Fischer, 2007. Paperback edition by Fischer.
• Simon Singh „Fermat's Last Theorem“, London 1997. Translation by Klaus Fritz: „Fermats letzter Satz“, Hanser 1998. Paperback edition by dtv.

You should subscribe to courses that you want to attend, i.e. via the HISinOne campus management system to submit your participation request (instructions in the wiki ). Non-subject-specific courses (especially at the Faculty of Engineering) are sometimes only available after the start of lectures.

In the polyvalent dual major bachelor you should use the timetable - depending on your second subject. If you have any problems, please contact the academic advise office. Otherwise, you do not need to do anything else.

In the one-major bachelor you should think about the choice of subsidiary subject. Information on the subsidiary subject can be found here . If you want to study a special subsidiary subject, you should apply for this in the week before the start of lectures. If you wish to attend courses in biology prior participation in the General safety instruction is required (online module on the learning platform ILIAS at Magazine > Inter-semester content > Faculty of Biology > Information about the degree program ).

If you want to take a BOK course in the first semester at the Center for Key Qualifications (ZfS) in the first semester, you must register online September/beginning of October (more information and deadlines can be found on the website of the ZfS). Registration for vacation courses in the lecture-free period between winter and summer semester takes place later.

General

You have to compile the timetable yourself. Normally it is sufficient if you do this in the week before the start of lectures. Dates for tutorials are not even fixed until the first week of lectures.

All mathematics degree programmes build on the basic lectures in analysis and linear algebra: "Analysis I" and "Linear Algebra I" are offered every winter semester, "Analysis II" and "Linear Algebra II" are offered every summer semester. Each of these courses consists of a four-hour lecture and a two-hour tutorial.

Times and rooms

• For mathematics courses best in the Mathematics course catalogue,
• For all university courses in the Course catalogue of the university in HISinOne.
  • If you are looking for a specific course, the course search might be more helpful.

The lecture Linear Algebra I usually takes place on Mondays and Thursdays and the lecture Analysis I takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 8:15 to 10 am. There are a variety of dates for the tutorials; registration usually takes place in the first week of lectures, depending on the rest of the timetable. The tutorials are organized by the lecture assistant, who you can contact if you have any problems. (You can find out who the assistant is in the Mathematics course catalogue , the contact details in our directory of staff.)

Your studies in the Bachelor of Science degree course in Mathematics you start your mathematics studies with the two courses Analysis I and Linear Algebra I. In addition to the mathematics courses, you should also attend a course from your subsidiary subject and, in addition, possibly an elective module from another subject or a course at the Center for key qualifications (Zentrum für Schlüsselqualifikationen, ZfS) in the following lecture-free period.

For your study in the Polyvalent dual major bachelor's degree programme you can either study with both courses Linear Algebra I and Analysis I or with only one of them - depending on your courses in the second subject and whether you want to do a little more mathematics at the beginning or a little more in your other subject. (Information on the different course variants can be found here.)

In the Polyvalent dual major bachelor's degree programme, there are also compulsory courses from your other major subject; if you choose the teacher training option, you may possibly also take the lecture Introduction to the educational sciences.

The degree programme Master of Education additional subject also begins with the basic lectures in analysis and linear algebra. You study it in parallel with the Polyvalent dual major bachelor's degree programme in your first two subjects as soon as you have passed the orientation exam. Usually you will only have time for one of the two lectures Linear Algebra I and Analysis I and can use the notes on the Study programme options for mathematics in the Polyvalent dual major bachelor's degree programme.

Every winter term, the Student Council organizes the welcome week for first-year students in mathematics. During this week, the new mathematics students can get to know each other, but also students in higher semesters. The lecturers of the first-semester lectures introduce themselves, and there are guided tours of the Mathematical Institute, the University and the city of Freiburg. In order to clarify open questions about the course of studies, the Student Advisory Service offers an information event during the introductory week. Participation in the introductory week is highly recommended for all first semester students. The new Master's students are also invited – there are some special programme items for them.

The introduction week takes place every winter term two weeks before the start of the lectures. This year it begins on 6 October 2025 at 9 a.m. in the Mathematical Institute, Ernst-Zermelo-Straße 1, with a common breakfast. No registration is necessry – just come!

You will find the programme at short notice here.

Special programme items for the Master's students:

• Master of Education in Mathematics: Informations about the study programme on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 2 p.m. in SR 404.
  • Master of Science in Mathematics: Informations about the study programme on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 3 p.m. in SR 404.
  • Master of Science Mathematics in Data and Technology: Welcome event on Monday, October 13, 2025, at 11 a.m. in SR 404.

Further material (in German):

• Presentation 2025 of the introduction to the Bachelor's prorgammes 2025

You can find all events in the App myUFR.

• Fresher's Day , the central welcome of the University, this year on Friday, 10 October 2025 at 2 p.m. in the football stadium of the SC Freiburg.
• Central welcome event for teacher students in the Bachelor study programme on Thursday, 9 October 2025, 4–5 p.m. in the Paulussaal.
• Central welcome event for students in the Master of Education study programme on Thursday, 9 October 2025, 10–11 a.m. in HS 1221 (KG I).

You can find the start and end of the lecture periods of each semester on this page.

The first semester lectures in mathematics - Analysis I and Linear Algebra I - start on Monday and Tuesday of the first week of lectures at 8:15 am. The lecture hall is usually the "Rundbau" (no. 28 in the site plan).

No registration is required for the lectures, but prior booking via the HISinOne campus management system. You will receive all relevant information in the first lecture. In particular, you will be told how to register for exercise tutorials. There are several alternative dates; they are distributed with or after registration.

In most cases in the following rooms:

(HS = lecture hall ("Hörsaal"), SR = seminar room)

Working together

• Student workspaces on the first floor of the Mathematical Institute (Ernst-Zermelo-Str. 1)
• Work tables in the institute corridors (Ernst-Zermelo-Str. 1)
• Work tables in the computing center corridors (Hermann-Herder-Str. 10, Division of Applied Mathematics)
• Communication room of the Department for Mathematical Didactics (1. OG, Ernst-Zermelo-Str. 1)

Working alone

• Quiet workstations in the mathematics library (Ernst-Zermelo-Str. 1)

Working with a PC

• PC pool of the Mathematical Institute (Ernst-Zermelo-Str. 1)
• PC pool rooms in the University Computer Center (Hermann-Herder-Str. 10)

UB

Diverse student work stations can also be found at the University Main Library ("UB") (Platz der Universität 2).

There is an assistant for every lecture, who takes care of all organizational issues and to whom you can turn in case of problems, especially if there are scheduling difficulties with the tutorials. The name of the assistant is in the course catalogue of the Mathematical Insitute as noted for each lecture.

The assistants also organize the distribution of the students to the exercise groups/tutoring sessions. They usually use the HISinOne campus management system, in which you can register online for a desired date within a certain period of time ("belegen"), provided there are still places available in the tutorial. The deadline usually runs until the first week of lectures. If you still need a place in a tutorial after the deadline (because the start of your studies has been delayed for any reason) or if there are scheduling difficulties after you have been allocated a place (e.g. because of a different tutorial allocation), please contact the assistant!

There is no compulsory attendance in lectures, but usually in tutorials (which often only start in the second week of lectures). However, regular participation in the lectures is strongly recommended, and without regular preparation and follow-up work lectures is hardly possible. It is therefore essential to work hard from the very beginning.

Both bachelor's degree programmes include orientation achievements which must be passed by the end of the 3rd semester:

• In the Bachelor of Science - 1 field degree programme, these are the two written exams on Analysis I and to Linear Algebra I .
• In the Polyvalent dual major bachelor's degree programme, one of the two exams must be passed by the end of the 3rd semester, for the other there is no deadline. However, there is also the orientation achievement in the second subject.

Please note that you must take each of the two courses Analysis I and Linear Algebra I and you must pass two separate course assessments: Exercises and written exam. You must register for both in due time via the campus management systems HISinOne. See also the information on examinations in the Polyvalent dual major bachelor's degree programme , (resp B.Sc. Mathematics , in the M.Ed. additional subject (120 ECTS), or in the M.Ed. additional subject (90 ECTS).)

Further information on the individual degree programmes, useful links and study documents such as module handbooks and examination regulations can be found on the information pages of the individual degree programmes:

Degree programmes for first-year students in mathematics:

• Bachelor of Science (1 field degree programme)
• Polyvalent dual major bachelor's degree programme
• Master of Education additional subject

Advanced Studies

• Master of Education
• Master of Science
• Master of Science Mathematics in Data and Technology

If in doubt, you can always contact the General Student Advisory Service of the Mathematical Institute, which will direct you to the right department if necessary!

More useful links:

• Advice and contact points
• Welcome guide for international students: [Deutsch], [English]

The second parts Analysis II and Linear Algebra II are completed in the 2nd semester and follow on from the 1st semester. Both end with an oral examination on Analysis I and II and Linear Algebra I and II . There are two examination periods per year for these examinations: April and October (more precisely: about three weeks before the start of each lecture and the first week of lectures). You can split these two exams to different semesters, in the 3rd semester then follows Analysis III, Numerics I and Elementary Probability Theory I as compulsory lectures.

Also for the 2nd semester is the programming course Introduction to programming for students of natural sciences on Center for Key Qualifications (ZfS), which forms part of the BOK area. Please note the ZfS application deadlines, which are at the end of March/beginning of April!

From around the third semester onwards, you can supplement the compulsory modules with further elective lectures tailored to your interests; you can find an overview of the regular range of suitable lectures here. Take a look at the course catalogue before the start of the semester; ideally, check the online version as well, as interesting two-hour lectures suitable for Bachelor’s students may be added at short notice. When selecting elective courses, please also note the necessary prior knowledge, which is described in the module handbook or the annotated course catalogue.

It is best to complete the introductory student seminar in the 3rd or 4th semester. Each semester, around four introductory student seminars on different topics are offered. Registration for a introductory student seminar takes place towards the end of the previous semester; please note the modalities published in the comments on the courses.

You are welcome to discuss your study plans with the Academic advisory office or one of the lecturers. At irregular intervals there are also information events in which the various specializations focus areas are introduced and ways to complete a Bachelor's thesis are shown.

Please always remember to register for examinations in good time and registration of coursework in good time!

When planning your studies, please also note the requirements for the ECTS points for the individual areas: at least 132 ECTS points in mathematics (including Bachelor's thesis and the "internal BOK area", i.e. programming exercise, introductory student seminar and advanced student seminar); a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 16 BOK points at the ZfS (of which usually 6 of these through the programming course); completed subsidiary subject and 0 to a maximum of 20 creditable ECTS points in the elective area.

The second parts of Analysis II and/or Linear Algebra II follow on from the 1st semester. Both end with an oral examination on Analysis I and II and Linear Algebra I and II . For these examinations there are two examination periods in the year: April and October (more precisely: about three weeks before the start of lectures and the first week of lectures). You can split these two exams over different semesters, even if you have attended both basic lectures at the same time.

If you choose the teacher education track, it is advisable to complete the orientation internship between the 1st and 2nd semester the orientation internship (including preparation and follow-up work). The prerequisite is that you have already attended the course Introduction to the educational sciences.

For the rest of the programme, the courses in mathematics are are largely prescribed. You have options for the programming exercise and the introductory student seminar:

• (At least) three programming exercises are offered each year: the programming course Introduction to programming for students of natural sciences, the Practical Exercise in Numerics (annual event starting in the winter semester) and the practical exercise in Probability Theory (currently every semester). See also: Information from the student council on the elective options.
• Each semester, around four introductory student seminars are offered on different topics. Registration for an introductory student seminar takes place towards end of the previous semester; please note the information published in the comments on the courses.

After the basic lectures Analysis I and II resp. Linear Algebra I, II you can spread the remaining compulsory courses in mathematics as you wish over the remaining semesters. The programming exercise however, should not be attended before the corresponding lecture but preferably at the same time. Some of the offered seminars may require further lectures than just the basic lectures.

Please always remember to register for examinations and pass/fail assessments in good time!

You should start planning for a potential semester/year abroad during your bachelor's degree by the end of the 2nd semester/beginning of the 3rd semester at the latest. More information can be found on the website of the International representative of the Mathematical Institute and the International Office of the University of Freiburg.