Are you starting your studies at KISD this term? Please find below detailed information and links for a successful start.
Important Dates
When does the study programme start? Are there any introductory events that I should not miss? Which dates should I keep in mind? You can find all the important dates here.
campusID, wifi and more
A user account is required enabling you to choose your courses, log in at the course-related portal of KISDspaces and use any other service offered by KISD or TH Köln during your studies. Below, you will find all you need to know about the campusID, wifi etc.
Why do I need a campusID?
During enrollment you will receive your personal university account from the TH Köln by mail. That is your campusID. It consists of a login name and a password.
At the campusID-Center you can change your password and set up forwarding of your university emails to your private email address.
The campusID will permit you to use many university services, such as
- access KISDspaces
- access course selection
- access to the Internet via the TH Köln wifi
- Internet access via APs of other German universities (eduroam)
- access to the intranet of the TH Köln
- access to the university network via VPN
- Examinations Office (PSSO)
- semester ticket NRW print service
- your email account firstname.lastname@mail.th-koeln.de
Important information
Please note that your campusID and all related services are only valid as long as you are enrolled. As soon as you are removed from the register of students, these services will be disabled with immediate effect.
You will be removed from the register of students once you have completed your studies or if you fail to re-register in time or if you do not pay your semester fees in time.
Related links
The KISDspaces is a course-related platform that will be used by you over the next years. Here you can:
- read and publish internal messages
- find out what is happening at KISD on the KISD Kalender (calendar)
- get information about your studies and the KISD services
- manage your courses
- maintain your personal study journal (KISDmember)
- browse the archive (KISDarchiv)
- access video material and tutorials (KISDmedia)
- get and give book recommendations (KISDbiblio)
- check out an overview of all courses (KISDtimeline)
- and much more
The TH Köln provides wifi coverage for the whole university campus. If you want to use it, a VPN-configuration and your campusID are required. The TH Köln offers two different services.
VPN client (virtual private network)
In order to login to the TH Köln network, you need to install compatible VPN software on your system, then connect to the appropriate wireless local area network (wifi) and verify your identity via the VPN client.
Some laptops/smartphones/tablets come with the software preinstalled. If not, it will need to be installed separately. Only a few operating systems are incompatible. The VPN system prevents simultaneous access by more than one terminal.
eduroam
eduroam stands for »Education Roaming«. It is a service that allows you to get wifi access at other universities by means of the Cologne campusID.
Eduroam is primarily meant for guests. Therefore, its access to the services of the TH Köln is limited.
Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions, please consult the Campus-IT website or contact students and tutors at the KISD computer studio (C-Lab, room 409). For questions regarding your campusID, its validity or resetting the password, please contact the faculty administrator in room 410 or write him an e-mail.
The Campus-IT of the TH Köln offers a variety of services. Please do not hesitate to make use of them:
Information on course selection
How can I register for courses at KISD? Where and when? What has to be considered? Please find below the most important information regarding course selection:
Full information on the courses offered in the next semester can be found on the KISD course calendar. Information on the structure of the semester and all important dates can be found on the semester calendar.
A glance at the course formats and the week structure will help you come to terms with the different projects, seminars and course offers. For information on individual types of courses, please visit study concept.
How can I register for the courses? What has to be taken into consideration when combining the courses? Are there any rules or tips to consider? How do I get offered a place?
Please read our information on workload, course selection, our rules regarding the allocation of courses as well as our information on how to get places on courses.
You have the freedom and choice of courses at KISD. Generally, you can choose (almost) anything that is of interest to you – there are no semester limitations, nor are there courses restricted to specific semesters. That’s great, but you probably still have a lot of questions. Here are some tips for bachelor students:
Credit points (CP) are given for attending courses. The course calendar will inform you of the number of credit points given for the individual courses. When choosing your courses, please remember that you will need to collect approx. 30 CP each semester.
Please find below an example of how the individual types of courses in the first semester could be divided:
- 12 CP from projects (e.g. two medium-term projects, or two short-term projects plus one medium-term project)
- 4 CP from a scientific seminar
- 2 CP from a working group (AG)
- 4 CP from courses and workshop introductions
- 2 CP from our workshop introductions, the »KISDessentials« (you do not have to choose this course, you will be entered automatically)
- 1 CP from the introductory project »Cologne Resources« (this project is obligatory so there’s no need to select it)
- 1 CP from the language course »Rhetoric for Designers« (this course is obligatory so there’s no need to select it)
- 4 CP from the Reflection Module (this module, including Mentoring, KISDlectures, KISDtalks, Friday Presentations and Study Journal, is obligatory so there’s no need to select it)
Tip: You should definitely take technical courses in your first semester. Some of our courses are marked »Especially suitable for younger semesters« (»Easy Pieces«). Here you are in very good hands in the first two semesters.
Your first Master year will be a mix of different types of courses. A glance at the course formats and the week structure will help you understand the different projects, seminars and course offerings. In general, we distinguish between:
- Short-term projects (KP: two weeks)
- Mid-term projects (MP, half term)
- Long-term projects (LP, the whole term)
- Scientific Seminars (WS, the whole term)
- Courses (half term or the whole term)
- Working groups (AG, the whole term).
Almost all projects and seminars are allocated to one or two of the four Thematic Clusters. Full information on the courses offered in the next semester and which project belongs to which cluster, can be found in the KISD course catalogue.
Your first year at KISD (winter and summer semester)
Your first Master year will be a mix of different types of courses. A glance at the course formats and the week structure will help you understand the different projects, seminars and course offerings. In general, we distinguish between:
- Short-term projects (KP: two weeks)
- Mid-term projects (MP, half term)
- Long-term projects (LP, the whole term)
- Scientific Seminars (WS, the whole term)
- Courses (half term or the whole term)
- Working groups (AG, the whole term).
Almost all projects and seminars are allocated to one or two of the four Thematic Clusters. In the first two semesters you will take projects worth a total of 27 CP and two scientific seminars worth 4 CP each. When making your selection, you must pay attention to which of our Thematic Clusters the projects and seminars are allocated to. In the first year you will have to take
- one long-term project, one medium-term project and one scientific seminar within your chosen Thematic Cluster, and
- another medium-term project, a short-term project and another scientific seminar both within and outside your Thematic Cluster.
- In addition, you will choose courses and/or working groups worth 6 CP.
Furthermore, you will participate in the following courses:
- Design Exploration: This course is like an introduction to KISD and will take place in the first two weeks of the semester. You will be introduced to the Head of Study program, the Thematic Clusters as well as all the Workshops, Labs and other things to discover and know here at KISD (you will receive a detailed plan of the Design Approaches via Email before the start of your studies).
- Methods Lab: This course consists of 3-4 block seminars distributed over the course of the whole semester (you will receive a detailed schedule for the MethodLab via Email before the start of your studies).
- Mentoring: Each semester will be accompanied by a mentoring program which refers to the study input and study process accordingly. In the first semester, the mentoring will offer students the opportunity of additional feedback and orientation in the MA program. Students will start to create their Study Journal in the KISDspaces, reflecting, articulating and sharing their study experiences here at KISD.
The first semester (winter semester)
Your first semester includes both elective and non-elective courses. You do not have to choose the following courses, but are automatically assigned a place:
- Design Exploration (1 CP)
- Methods Lab I (6 CP)
- Mentoring (1 CP) and Study Journal (1 CP).
- KISDtalks / KISDlecture (1 CP)
For your projects and seminars, you have a choice. For example, your choice could be as follows:
- 12 CP from a long-term project within your Thematic Cluster.
- 3 CP from a short-term project within or outside your Thematic Cluster
- 4 CP from a scientific seminar within or outside your Thematic Cluster
Alternatively, you can compose your projects and seminars as follows:
- 6 CP from a mid-term project within your Thematic Cluster.
- 6 CP from a mid-term project within or outside your Thematic Cluster
- 4 CP from a scientific seminar inside or outside your Thematic Cluster
- 2 CP from courses
- 2 CP from working groups
Full information on the courses offered in the next semester and which project belongs to which cluster, can be found in the KISD course catalogue.
International Degree-Seeking Students
The International Affairs Office of TH Köln maintains a website for International Degree-Seeking Students with information on visas, accomodation, insurance, … Please have a look!