A broad range of study programmes are offered at TU Graz, but for me, an international student, Computer Science is the one that puts all my hard work, passion, and dedication to the test at all times.
The perfect formula for success does not exist, and every person has their foibles, but there are a couple of things you have to keep in mind when studying in a field like computer science. In the last two decades, we have seen a significant rise in computer science's popularity because of the higher demand for work power in the field. Along with the growth this industry had, the interest has peaked for many, and the competition has increased proportionally. That is why I would like to talk about my experience with the Bachelor's Programme in Computer Science and what I did to complete it.
Organize your schedule
First and foremost is that constant work is more than expected of you, meaning that near to perfect organization of your schedule is mandatory if you want to succeed. For example, since there are many courses you will be taking during your studies, many of which are the 'exercise' type, you will have to keep track of your assignments' deadlines and make sure that you hand them in on time! Keeping track of deadlines is crucial, and that is why I have a notepad, either digital or on paper, with all my tasks and their respective deadlines, which gives me an overview with easy access.
Support networks or a study team
The most frightening time of studies, I would say, is at the beginning, but there are many ways you can cross that bridge with ease. Once you visit the welcome days at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) you will be greeted by study groups after getting a lot of useful information about how the University operates. They will explain and lay out things for you in depth and in a more informal way because they are composed of older students with many friendly faces. Besides getting the information you might need for your studies, you will make friends, which is another vital thing in the process.
You (or your friends) are not always going to be able to solve specific tasks, and in that case, it will require teamwork. Before the pandemic, we had a great atmosphere at all campus buildings, where you could study freely, and almost every time, you could find someone who has already gone through it and can explain to you how something works!
The International Welcome Days provide international students of all levels (Bachelor, Master, PhD) with an introduction in English into everyday life as a TU Graz student. Welcome Days for all first-year students (in German) take place at the beginning of each winter semester.
Computer science at TU Graz
After getting a feel for the studies in the first year, there will be many opportunities for work and research. From tutorships to big research projects at different institutes that can help jump start your career by getting that experience first hand during education.
The computer science institutes at TU Graz are going to offer diverse opportunities in this industry's numerous subfields, and you will be able to choose whatever suits you best.
TU Graz graduate Maria Eichlseder specialized in message encryption and is now an assistant professor at the Institute of Applied Information Processing and Communications.
The Bachelor’s Programme in Computer Science itself is so diverse that you will pick up a lot from the many different areas of computer science and come to know every aspect of it before making a decision about what you would like to specialize in.
Bachelor's studies are not where it ends. There are numerous focus areas to choose from in the master's and doctoral programmes which allow you to extend your knowledge in specific topics.
After completing the bachelor's degree programme, you can for instance enroll in the following master’s degree programmes at TU Graz:
- Information and Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Space Sciences and Earth from Space
- Computational Social Systems (starting new in winter turn 2021/22)
As digitalisation increases, more and more data about our society and our behaviour are being generated and stored. From winter semester 2021/22 the new English-language Master's Degree Programme in Computational Social Systems will train experts who can extract valuable information from these datasets by using IT methods and specialised skills, as well as guarantee the responsible use of these data.
Infrastructure and why TU Graz is special
Friendly students are a staple when it comes to this University. Still, besides them, kudos also goes to the professors, who carry this institution on their shoulders and have such a substantial amount of patience and attentiveness to help students on their path to success.
The most remarkable thing is that everything can be sorted out and that if you work toward your goal, everybody will support you!
If you are interested in computer science, you will not regret doing your studies here at TU Graz. Studying computer science at TU Graz will reward you with a thorough knowledge and comprehensive perspective, sought-after qualities for any professional activities.
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Why choose TU Graz? TU Graz "International Student Ambassadors" Hannah and Endrit talk about why they chose TU Graz for their bachelor studies.