For a good start of studies, the orientation phase with the mentoring program takes place annually for the new freshmen in the week before the start of lectures of the winter semester. Information of the department, the KIT and the student representatives as well as a first semester handbook complete the offer.

The orientation phase for the winter semester 2021/22 will take place in the week from 11 to 15 October 2021.

TheO-Phase is an important introduction to the studies: It is organized by the Student Council of Architecture and Art History in cooperation with the Dean's Office and lecturers of both study programmes and serves to inform about the upcoming semester, the university and the studies. The new students are introduced to the studios, the subject areas and the most important procedures and places at the department. In addition, the choice of studios in the Architecture programme and the allocation of seminar places in the History of Art programme will take place. During the O-Phase, the first projects for an exhibition at the department are already being worked on. And with all this, fun is not to be neglected! The leisure and evening programme of the student council makes it easy to make contact with other first-year students and students from higher semesters.

Start and schedule of O-Phase 2021:

Due to the current Corona situation, we have only been able to finalise the planning of O-Phase this year on short notice. Some of the offerings will be online, others will be face-to-face. Please arrange to have flexible internet access to video conferences as well as the possibility to come to Karlsruhe during this week.

We will begin on Monday, 11.10.2021 from 10:00 to 10:30, with a video welcome via zoom.
The link for this is: https://kit-lecture.zoom.us/j/68395594356?pwd=V3NtUS9DRzVDaThEYUhKVHV6OU14Zz09

Meeting ID: 683 9559 4356, ID Code: 531787

For more information, visit the Architecture Student Council website, the Art History program's O-Phase website, social media, and here on the official department website.

Ilias registration

On the KIT learning platform Ilias all presentations/materials of the O-Phase will be available.
How Ilias works will be explained in the introductory session. Important: Registration for the O-Phase course is only possible from Monday, 11.10.21.

The mentoring program of the KIT Department of Architecture is integrated into the O-Phase with the aim of giving all first-year students a good start into their studies. Students of the 3rd and 5th semester, who have been prepared for this task with a training, accompany the new students during the O-phase and are also available afterwards as contact persons for all possible questions concerning the studies. This provides easy and direct access to information and assistance at the beginning of the studies and promotes the networking of the students of the department across semesters and courses.

If you are interested in participating in the program as a mentor in the 3rd or 5th semester, please note the annual announcement of the program in the middle/end of July. To apply, submit a brief motivational text to the departmental student bodies(fachschaft∂arch kit edu / fachschaft-kunstgeschichte∂web de). All art history students and applicants from the 2nd and 4th semester of architecture are eligible to apply.

Corona

Information about the measures taken by KIT and the KIT Department of Architecture for Corona precautions and the associated restrictions and changes in study operations can be found on this website: https://www.kit.edu/kit/25911.php.

Technical Information of the SCC

The Steinbuch Centre for Computing (SCC) is responsible for the information technology of KIT. In order to make your start technically successful, the SCC has compiled some relevant information, e.g. on how to activate the KIT user account, how to set up the e-mail box, how to prepare the KIT card, and much more.
http://www.scc.kit.edu/dienste/erstsemester.php

Information about buying a laptop

Due to the current situation, part of the teaching, such as some lectures, will already take place online in the first semester. Therefore, in terms of your technical equipment, you should already be able to participate in video conferences and upload and download corresponding data volumes at the beginning of your studies. Irrespective of this, it is recommended that you purchase a laptop in the course of the first year of study to support flexible learning and working.

The software used in architectural studies ranges from drawing programs (e.g. Vectorworks, Archicad, Autocad, Revit, Allplan), to 3D programs (e.g. Rhino, Sketchup, 3ds Max or Cinema 4D), to graphics, image processing and layout programs (mainly from Adobe or Serif) and thus places very different demands on the hardware of your computer.

Of course, the choice of the device is your decision alone, but we would like to show you on the basis of the most important components, what should be paid attention to when buying a laptop. An initial guide is provided by the system requirements, which the software manufacturers usually state on their website. We therefore recommend the following minimum equipment:

Processor: 64-bit Intel i5, min. 2 GHz or comparable AMD Ryzen Mobile processors.
RAM: min. 8 GB RAM, preferably 16 GB RAM
Hard disk: min. 512 GB SSD
Graphics card: dedicated graphics card with min. 2 GB VRAM, better 4 GB
Screen: min. FullHD, i.e. 1920x1080 pixels, ideally an IPS or VA panel.

Besides the pure hardware requirements, the longevity of your device is important - you are studying with a standard period of study of 6 semesters Bachelor and 4 semesters in Master, so see your laptop as an investment that should accompany you for several years.

Software

Software packages are often available to students at a discount. Here it is advisable to wait for the start of your studies and to wait for the suggestions and tips of the lecturers and students from higher semesters.
For the 3D software Rhinoceros (McNeal), which you will use in the first semester, licenses have already been reserved at reduced rates. To make use of this offer, please register in KIT ILIAS in the period 11.10.2021 - 22.10.2021 under the following course:

1720801 - Architectural Geometry | Rhino Licenses | Registration Rhino Licenses.

You will receive more information about the procedure and the associated costs at the beginning of the lecture Architectural Geometry.

Semester Program German | English

General advisory services of the Department of Architecture
Information for prospective students of Art History

Information about the start of studies of the department of architecture
Website of the History of Art Student Council

Start of studies page of the KIT