Do you enjoy solving tricky problems and want to help shape the future? Do you like working both alone and in a team? Then a degree in computer science could be the right choice for you!

Our test exercises from everyday computer science studies will help you with your self-assessment.

It can be helpful to have programming skills even before you start studying. It is not necessary to have any prior knowledge, however, as you will be taught programming basics in the first semester. You also will not need to know how a computer is constructed.

A large part of your studies will involve mathematics and theory. As such, you should be able to think analytically and logically. It is not necessary to have taken an advanced course (Leistungskurs) for mathematics at school. In our experience, this only helps to a small degree, since university-level mathematics differs a great deal from what is taught in schools. You can make up for any mathematics knowledge you may lack by participating in a preparatory course in Mathematics. Much of the specialist literature is written in English. Therefore, your English skills should be good enough to read and understand these texts.

Until your fourth semester, your coursework will focus on the fundamentals of mathematics and computer science. These include:

• Mathematics
• Programming and software development
• Computer engineering
• Theoretical computer science

Starting with the fourth semester, you can take classes from a range of elective courses. These classes cover the following subjects, among others:

• Computer graphics
• Bioinformatics
• High-performance computing
• Big data
• Machine learning
• Operating systems
• IT security
• Program analysis
• Advanced algorithms
• Optimization techniques
• Trusted databases/blockchain technologies

Alongside lectures and internships, you will also take seminars where you will give presentations and prepare your own analysis based on academic research literature.

The computer science degree program also involves a practical application module to allow you to apply your new knowledge to a specific field. If you pursue the consecutive master’s degree program, you will be able to continue with the practical application modules in the fields of physics, meteorology, mathematics, biology, and economics.

In the sixth semester, you will complete a bachelor’s thesis as your own first independent research project.

Stay abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

We recommend taking your semester abroad during the fourth or fifth semester.

Internships

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

Students are welcome to complete a ten-week practical internship in the place of several required elective modules. This is best undertaken during the semester break after the fourth or fifth semester (depending on whether you begin your studies during the summer or winter semester).

Computer science is a discipline that is growing in importance in nearly all professional fields and areas of life. Notwithstanding the obvious option of working with a software or IT firm, there are also many corporations, service providers, and research institutions that require your skill set. A large number of computer scientists also opt to pursue a freelance path. For this reason, there are nearly limitless opportunities available in almost all professional fields. The following fields have a particularly high demand for graduates with a degree in Computer Science:

• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Banking and insurance
• Logistics
• Energy supply
• Chemical and pharmaceutical industries
• Public service

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.