Coming to TUM: Chemistry

As one of Europe's leading universities, TUM combines top-class facilities and cutting edge research with unique learning opportunities for students all over the world.

However, coming to TUM starts at your home university, first: Please browse availabe information on the website of your home university, contact your "International Office" and ask for counselling in order to find out, whether your home university is an official partner of TUM or one of its Departments:

The relevant Departments at the TUM Garching Campus are:

  • Department of Chemistry (now: part of the TUM School of Natural Sciences = NAT)
  • Department of Physics (now: part of the TUM School of Natural Sciences = NAT)
  • Department of Mathematics (now: part of the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology = CIT)
  • Department of Informatics (now: part of the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology = CIT)
  • Department of Mechanical Engineering (now: part of the TUM School of Engineering and Design = ED)

Please note: Many more TUM Departments, Schools and Research Institutes are either situated at the Munich City Campus or at the TUM School of Life Sciences in Weihenstephan or on another satellite campus. In order to get a feel for the size and structure of TUM please take a look at the central TUM webpages www.tum.de or go directly to https://www.tum.de/en/about-tum/our-university/locations/ . The according maps can be found here: https://www.tum.de/en/about-tum/contact-directions/ .

At TUM a study year starts on October 1st and is divided in a winter semester and a summer semester.

Winter semester (abbreviated WS or WiSe): From October 1st to March 31st
Summer semester (abbreviated SS or SoSe): From April 1st to September 30th

The lecturing period usually starts +/- two weeks after the beginn of the semester. The recent data can be found here.

"Courses" are not necessarily equivalent with "modules", as a module can consist of more than one course. In the module description you get the full information about the contents, prerequisites, time frame, teaching language, exams, ECTS etc.

The identification of a "module" are two or three letters and a four to five digit number, e.g CH3005 Hauptgruppen Molekülchemie (Main Group Molecular Chemistry).
The module ID is used for the online exam registration!
Please include preferrably the module IDs in your Learning Agreements / Study Plans.

The identification of a „course“ is a long series of digits, e.g.
0000000613 Hauptgruppen Molekülchemie (Main Group Molecular Chemistry)
The course ID is used for the online registration for participation in the lecture!

As long as you are not yet enrolled at TUM, access to the course catalog is a bit complicated. Find here a suggestion, how to work yourselves around:

For a general, curriculum based overview, related to a defined TUM study program:

  1. Go to https://campus.tum.de/tumonline/ee/ui/ca2/app/desktop/#/login
    [Proceed only with log-in, if you are already enrolled at TUM!]
  2. Switch to “EN” (top right) for “English” if necessary
  3. Click “continue without logging in”
  4. Click “Degree programs”
  5. Click “Bachelor of Science”, if you are after Bachelor level modules or click “Master of Science”, if you are after Master level modules.
  6. Click on the little book icon behind the name of the study program of your interest.

---> Download the completed module handbook (overwhelmingly much information!)

For a completed - Chemistry related - module overview with access to module details:

  1. Go to: https://campus.tum.de/tumonline/ee/ui/ca2/app/desktop/#/login
    [Proceed only with log-in, if you are already enrolled at TUM!]
  2. Switch to “EN” (top right) for “English” if necessary.
  3. Click “continue without logging in”
  4. Click “Module catalog”
  5. Click Former TUM Department of Chemistry
    --> You get an alphabetically sorted list of all Chemistry related modules (14 pages)
  6. Filter with module ID or module title or with %keyword%
  7. For details of a module (winter/summer term lecture, Bachelor/Master level, teaching language, necessary prerequisites, contents, terms and conditions etc.) click on the module title or on the little book icon; for a printable pdf click "Export".
  8. Please use module IDs for your Learning Agreements / Study Plans, e.g. CH3333.

---> Not exactly comfortable, but provides reliable information!

For details on non-Chemistry related modules, which are part of highly interdisciplinary study programs like Biochemistry or Chemical Engineering you need to navigate again, e.g.

  • For modules in Life Sciences: TUM School of Life Sciences; module IDs start with “WZ” (old) or “LS” (new) – Attention: based on our TUM Campus Weihenstephan (Freising)!
  • For modules in Medicine (conditions/limitation apply): TUM Department of Medicine; module IDs start with “ME” – Attention: based on our central TUM Campus in Munich!
  • For modules in (Chemical) Engineering: Former TUM School of Mechanical Engineering; module IDs start with “MW” (old) or “ED” (new)
  • For modules in Physics: Former TUM Department of Physics; module IDs start with “PH
  • For all other interests, click on the according School or Department and browse.

For a TUM-wide overview on all current modules, please use this link.

We highly advise you to stick to the course program based on the Garching Campus, as commuting between Munich, Weihenstephan and Garching (and other TUM Research Institutes) is quite time-consuming.

Once you are enrolled as an exchange student, you can find manuals and tutorials for TUMonline, available both in German and in English, on the starting page of TUMonline, hidden in the tiny bottom line.

Direct link to manuals / tutorials: https://www.it.tum.de/tumonline/--> click "en" top right for English, if necessary.

In case of questions please contact the School Office, International Affairs / Chemistry.

            Find an overview concerning modules in all our Bachelor programs on our School-website – suitable only for those with „robust“ German skills!

            Go to https://academics.nat.tum.de/bachelor
            ---> Click on the relevant study program, the time tables are linked in between the text blocks
            Biochemie = Biochemistry https://academics.nat.tum.de/bachelor/bioch/curriculum
            Chemie = Chemistry https://academics.nat.tum.de/bachelor/ch/curriculum
            Chemieingenieurwesen = Chemical Engineering https://academics.nat.tum.de/bachelor/ciw/curriculum
            Lebensmittelchemie = Food Chemistry https://academics.nat.tum.de/bachelor/lc/curriculum

            The best overview concerning modules for the Master program Chemistry, sorted by subject related majors (Inorganic / Organic / Physical / Technical Chemistry and other), can be found here.
            The best overview concerning modules for the Master program Chemical Engineering, sorted by focus areas etc., can be found here.

            In order to fulfill the conditions for your financial grants, we recommend a Learning Agreement / Study Plan with

            • a minimum of 15-20 ECTS per semester (average TUM module: 5 ECTS)
            • a maximum of 30-35 ECTS  per semester for the ambitious.

            Generally speaking, you may attend courses from all TUM Departments, but 50-60% of your study plan contents should be within the range of our Chemistry-related courses, or - in accordance with your full time degree study programs at home - related to other natural sciences or engineering.

            For example, those studying Chemical Engineering may pick courses from our neighboring Department of Mechanical Engineering, as their modules are an integrative part of the curriculum/ syllabus of the TUM study program Chemical Engineering.

            Exceptions from the rule are negotiable, if you can give convincing reasons.

            Please note: Advanced Bachelor students (undergraduates) may sign up for Master modules, provided that they fulfill the prerequisites as defined in the individual TUM module description. If in doubt, only the relevant module coordinator may either grant - or deny your participation. Limitations to a defined target group may apply, too. If resources are limited, TUM degree students have priority.

            In case of questions please contact the School Office, International Affairs (Chemistry).

             

            Phone +49 89 289 13003
            Room No: CH 26502 (ground level, near foyer)
            E-Mail: global.ch@nat.tum.de

            General information, that applies to most or all exchange students, can be found on the website of the TUM Global & Alumni Office.

            Orientation: https://www.international.tum.de/en/global/exchangestudents/

            Erasmus+ / Swiss European Mobility Programme SEMP: https://www.international.tum.de/en/global/exchangestudents/study-at-tum-with-erasmus-or-semp/

            TUMexchange: https://www.international.tum.de/en/global/comingtotum/tumexchange/

            International Campus Life: https://www.international.tum.de/en/global/campuslife/