FAQ for ICS students

Curriculum

Is there a list of subjects that can be taken as a Technical Complementary course for the Information and Communication Systems program?

There's no specific list because you can take any Master Level Technical course offered at TUHH. This includes all courses listed in the Information and Communication Systems program; however, it also expands to other Technical Courses offered in other programs. Remember that it must be a Master Level Engineering, Computer Science, or Mathematics course.

Which Technical Complementary courses are better suited for Information and Communication Systems students? In other words, which ones align or show related interests with the program?

All Technical courses offered by any school from TUHH at the Master Level are considered Technical Complementary courses. We recommend that you consider Technical Complementary courses listed as part of the Information and Communication Systems Course Syllabus.

Can I take a bachelor course as a technical complementary course?

ICS students can only take bachelor-level courses as technical complementary courses if these are offered in a course scheme of another master degree program (Acc. to section 6 (1) FSPO-IMPICS: "One or several of these modules are to be selected from the not yet studied technical courses offered by the master's programs of the TUHH.")

Exams

How do I register for exams?

All exam registrations are done online. You can do so by clicking this link (https://tune.tuhh.de/qissos) directly. After you log in with your credentials, please click on "Administration of exams" to find options on how to register for an exam. You can also access it by logging in to tune.tuhh.de > My Studies > Examination Service.
Please note you can only register for an exam within a given period. This period is subject to change depending on the semester you're in. For more information on the period, please go to this link: https://intranet.tuhh.de/stud/pruefung/ and read all information thoroughly.

In the case I perform poorly in an exam but passed the course with a poor grade, can I retake the exam in a future semester assuming I have gotten approval to do so?

Unfortunately, no. You may only retake the exam if you have not passed the course. Keep in mind you have a limited number of tries. I would advise you to follow up with the Examination Office for more information.

What is the process and criteria to deregister from an exam?

To deregister (withdraw) from an exam, please follow this link (https://tune.tuhh.de/qissos) directly. After you log in with your credentials, please click on "Administration of exams" to find options on how to deregister (withdraw) for an exam. You can also access it by logging in to tune.tuhh.de > My Studies > Examination Service.
Please note that you must officially withdraw from an exam a certain number days prior to the date of the exam. We strongly advise that you follow up with the Examination Office regarding the actual criteria. If you plan to not take an exam in your current semester, we recommend that you deregister (withdraw) from the exam as soon as possible. If you fail to do this and do not participate, it will automatically be considered as a fail attempt.

Is there a consequence for deregistering from an exam other than extending my time in the university?

No, there is no consequence.

Master Thesis

Is there a list of industries in which Information and Communication Systems students interested in performing their Master Thesis can refer to?

Not at this moment; however, please refer to the Information and Communication Systems website for a potential update in the near future.

How do I officially register for the Master Thesis?

To officially register for your Master Thesis, you will need to obtain admission from the SOS portal and get it signed in the Examination Office before you begin your Master Thesis. Please refer with the Supervisor for more information. For any more information, please contact the Examination Office.

Research Project

What is the process to begin consideration of a Research Project?

Our strong recommendation is for you to learn about professors and fields of research that interest you during the first year of school. You should contact the professors and inquire if there are open topics of research 3 months prior to beginning your Research Project. Please note some professors post open topics in their respective institute websites.

Is there a credit limit I have to reach before starting a Research Project?

No, there is no credit limit to begin your Research Project; however, we recommend it is considered/taken after your 2nd semester. We suggest that if you are already interested in a specific research field at the start of the program, you should consider taking relevant courses in that field. This will only strengthen your knowledge about the field and better prepare you at the start of the Research Project.

What is the total credit points and duration of a Research Project?

The Research Project workload is 18 ECTS total. This should take no more than 3 months to complete. There should be a good reason why it would take longer than 3 months to complete. For example, students that take student jobs or exams during the time of completion would certainly have a good reason to extend the project completion to more than 3 months. This is something that needs to be discussed further and agreed upon with your Supervisor.

What kinds of projects are we allowed to pursue for a Research Project?

You are allowed to pursue a topic from the School of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics.

Which available sources do we have to find projects of interest?

For projects of interest, please visit the respective institute website. Some of these websites collect and post open Research Project topics.

Can I pursue a project outside of the School of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics?

You can pursue a topic from a different school than the one mentioned (e.g. Mechanical Engineering or Management). For that, you need to obtain consent from the Examination Office before doing so. You should inform the Examination Office that you would like to do a project with an Examiner from another school. The Examination Office will then follow up with the Course Coordinator to get permission.

How do I officially register for a Research Project?

To officially register for the Research Project, you will need to fill out a form via the link below and submit to the Examination Office once your project has been graded. The handling process of this form varies by institute. Please refer with the supervisor for more information.
Link to Form: Laufzettel für Studien- und Projektarbeiten

Can I pursue a project outside of the university (e.g. an industry partner)?

You can do your project with an industry partner; however, you will need a professor from the School of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics for supervision and grading. This professor will become your Examiner.
Moreover, you can do your industry-related project and have an Examiner outside of the School of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics. If you take this route, please inform the Examination Office to let them know you would like to do your project with an industry partner and Examiner from another school. The Examination Office will then follow up with the Course Coordinator to get permission.
If you are considering any of these two options, please inquire with ample time as these things take time to get a final answer.

What's the difference between a Supervisor, Examiner, Evaluator, and Course Coordinator?

A Supervisor is the person in charge of providing supervision of your Research Project and/or Master Thesis. A Supervisor can either be the professor or a PhD student that takes responsibility for supervision. This is the person you're typically in contact with throughout the duration of the Research Project and/or Master Thesis.
The Examiner and Evaluator are the same individual. This is the professor who will examine and evaluate your work and will also decide your grade.
The Course Coordinator is the person in charge of the corresponding Master's program. This is sometimes referred to as the Program Director in different course schemes.

Are projects managed by the corresponding institute, research individual, or a separate organization?

Projects are managed by the corresponding institute and completeness and clarity of topics and details can vary by institute. We recommend that you reach out to the professor(s) directly if something is not clear.

Can I start my Research Project in the Summer semester or is it only offered in the Winter semester?

Yes, you can start your Research Project in either the Winter or Summer semester.

Can I start my Research Project in between semesters like the Master Thesis?

Yes, you can start your Research Project at any time in the semester.

What can I do in the case there are not enough projects for students from a given cohort? For example, if there is one project in a department, but there are more students needing topics to complete their Research Project course.

In the case there are not enough projects to choose from, we strongly advise you to submit a complaint with the Course Coordinator. The Course Coordinator will then ask the Dean for support. We recommend that you do this with ample time as these things take time to ensure there are enough projects for all students.

Can my Research Project topic also be used as the Seminar topic?

Please check with your supervisor. In some institutes (e.g. Institute of Communication Networks), there is a Seminar topic given which is highly related to the Research Project.

What does a Seminar presentation entail?

A Seminar presentation entails participation in a certain number of other Seminar talks, a short written report on the topic, and a presentation followed by a discussion.

In the case I have completed my Research Project and have presented it to my supervisor outside of the School of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics, do I also need to present it to a professor within the School of EE, CS, and Math?

No. This is not required as you already have received the permission to do so from the Information and Communication Systems Course Coordinator.