General abbreviations
German abbr. | Full word | Meaning | English abbr. |
---|---|---|---|
Abk. | Abkürzung | abbreviation | abbr. |
bzw. | beziehungsweise | respectively, | |
ca. | circa, zirka | approximately | approx. |
d.h. | das heißt | that means | i.e. |
ggf. | gegebenenfalls | if applicable | |
MfG | Mit freundlichen Grüßen | Yours sincerely, best regards | rgds. |
s. | siehe | see | |
S. | Seite | page | p. |
u.a. | und andere, unter anderem | among others | et al. |
u.ä. | und ähnlich | and similar | |
usw. | und so weiter | and so on, et cetera | etc. |
u.v.a.(m.) | und viele andere (mehr) | and many others | |
z.B. | zum Beispiel | for example | e.g. |
zz., zzt. | zurzeit | currently |
Usual terms
in higher education and at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences in particular
Ablehnungsbescheid - the opposite of a Zulassungsbescheid, i.e. rejection notice communicating that you have not been admitted to the degree programme that you applied for.
Abschluss - degree
Absolvent, Absolventin - graduate (person)
Alumni - former students, usually organised in a network or association
Anerkennung - acknowledgement, recognition
Anmeldung - registration, also signing-up for activities or exams
Antrag - application (form)
Anwesenheitspflicht - compulsory attendance
Aula - auditorium, amphitheater
Auswahlsatzung - selection statutes
Beglaubigung - official verification of copies, translations and similar; e.g.: beglaubigte Kopie = certified copy
Bescheinigung - certification, certificate
Bewerbung - application
Blockveranstaltung - block course, at university one-week courses consisting of 25 teaching hours in total
CIT - Computing services at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences
Dekan, Dekanin - dean, head of department
Dozent, Dozentin - lecturer
Durchschnittsnote – GPA, grade point average
Einschreibung - matriculation, enrollment, registration; interchangeable with Immatrikulation
Exmatrikulation - literally disenrolment; procedure to be officially removed from the university’s list of students
Fachschaft - students' association within a department
Fakultät – department or faculty
Frist(ende) - deadline
Gebühren - fees
Härtefallantrag - Sometimes students lose their examination right due to difficult circumstances; they can hand in a Härtefallantrag explaining their situation and so apply for a further opportunity.
Hiwi - student assistant
Hörsaal - lecture room, lecture hall
HS-Card - students' smartcard at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences
Immatrikulation - matriculation, enrollment and registration, interchangeable with Einschreibung
Lehrbeauftragte(r) - contract teacher
Mensa - canteen
moodle - open-source learn platform (used at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences)
Nachrückverfahren - clearing process (vacancies created by previously selected applicants who choose not to enrol are offered to those on a ranked waiting list)
Nachweis - proof, evidence
Notenspiegel - provisional academic report with marks, interchangeable with Statusbericht
Pflichtfach - compulsory course
Pflichtpraktikum - compulsory internship, work placement
Praktikum - internship (compulsory or not), work placement
Praxissemester - scheduled internship semester
Professor, Professorin - professor
Promotion - doctorate, PhD, doctoral programme
Prorektor, Prorektorin - vice rector, vice president
Prüfungsamt - Examination Office
Prüfungsausschuss - examination board
Quereinstieg - fast-track entry (into a higher semester)
Rechenzentrum - computer center (CIT at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences)
Rektor, Rektorin - rector, president
Rückmeldung - literally re-registration, e.g. enrolling for the next semester
Statusbericht - provisional academic report
Stipendium - scholarship
Studien- und Prüfungsordnung - Study and Examination Regulations
Studierendenwerk - student services organisation
Stundenplan - timetable, class schedule
Stundenraster - time pattern
Vorlesung - lecture, university course
Vorlesungsfreie Zeit - semester break, recess, lecture-free period between two semesters
Vorpraktikum - internship completed prior to studying (compulsory for some programmes)
Wahlfach - elective course
Zeugnis - official certificate (e.g. Hochschulabschlusszeugnis = degree, diploma)
Zulassungsbescheid - letter of acceptance, admission letter (usually created by machine without signature or stamp)
Zulassungsamt - Admissions Office
Zulassungs und Immatrikulationsordung - Admission and Enrolment Regulations
English vs. German
As you have probably already noticed, many English terms have found their way into the German language – not only in technological areas but also in everyday life, even if not always exactly with the same meaning as in English. For instance, homepage is currently used to refer to a whole website.
You will find service everywhere, and wellness offers are also very popular. You will meet German people who do mailen, googeln, joggen and jobben.
If your fellow students tell you about trampen (they mean hitchhike) or suggest to attend an Open Air or Public Viewing, just ask them what that is like!
People might be surprised that you do not understand some very common English words such as Handy (mobile, cell phone), Beamer (projector), Box (loudspeaker) or Smoking (tuxedo). You can add them to your German vocabulary and mark them as false friends.
Important: never sign a flatrate contract (or any other) before reading the small print very carefully. The benefits can differ considerably from your expectations!
Our departments
At Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, the different departments are commonly referred to by using one single letter (mostly the first letter of their names, but not always!):
B | Biotechnologie | Biotechnology |
D | Gestaltung | Design |
E | Elektrotechnik | Electrical Engineering |
I | Informatik | Computer Science |
M | Maschinenbau | Mechanical Engineering |
N | Informationstechnik | Information Technology |
S | Sozialwesen | Social Work |
V | Verfahrens- und Chemietechnik | Chemical Process Engineering |
W | Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen | Engineering & Management |
Usual short forms in higher education
Abi - short for Abitur, the General Certificate of Secondary Education in Germany
AG - Arbeitsgruppe, working group
APS - short for the certificate from the Akademische Prüfstelle in China, Mongolia and Vietnam
AStA - Allgemeine Studierendenausschuss, comparable to a Students' Union
BA - Bachelorarbeit - Final thesis for bachelor's degrees
BAföG - short for the student loans regulated by the Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (Federal Training Assistance Act) in Germany
CC - Career Center
CIT - Campus IT & Services
DaF - Deutsch als Fremdsprache - German as a Foreign Language
DSH - German proficiency certificate to access higher education
ECTS - European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, frequently used as a short form for the credits earned within that framework
HS - Hochschule (not as a generic term for higher education but referring to Universities of Applied Sciences)
HZB - Hochschulzugangsberechtigung - higher education entrance qualification
IO - International Office
MA - Masterarbeit - final thesis for master's degrees
POS - Prüfungsorganisationssystem - Online platform with access to application, exams, grades...
PS - Praxissemester - compulsory internship semester
StuPO - Studien- und Prüfungsordnung - Study and Examination Regulations
SS - Sommersemester - summer semester (March to August)
SZ - Sprachenzentrum - Language Center
UB - Universitätsbibliothek - University Library
Uni - short for university
WG - Wohngemeinschaft - shared flat or shared home
WS - Wintersemester - winter semester (September to February)