The German academic calendar has a Semester Break that is eight weeks long, generally from mid-February to mid-April. No courses are taught during this period, with the exception of some labs and excursions.
Semester Break can be a disruptive time for international students who, after their first semester, are just beginning to get the hang of the German university system. After five months of Vorlesungen , Übungen and Seminare , the student is suddenly faced with two months of time in which there are no formal courses or contact hours.
It is advisable for international students to use Semester Break as a time for earning independent study credits which can be transferred back to their home institutions. Students generally develop some specific areas of interest during their first semester. Some imaginative projects can be developed which allow the student to meet course requirements in the home institution, even though there are no specific courses in Tübingen which meet the requirements.
These special projects are an excellent way to gain better insights into German life and culture, for example through studies of the German press, cinema, broadcast media, contemporary literature, economic system, etc. These independent study projects should be evaluated by the student's home department, in order to facilitate the transfer of credits.
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