Do you already want to try out your chosen subject at university while still at school? Our “Early study program” makes this possible! Pupils have the opportunity to get a taste of studying at Mainz University while still at school. You can attend lectures, get to know other students and find out whether the subject is right for you. And if you want, you can even earn credits that will be recognized for a later regular degree course in Rhineland-Palatinate.
The subjects of physics and meteorology are very similar at the beginning of the course, as both begin with the basics of experimental physics, theoretical physics and mathematical principles. The early study program in physics is therefore aimed equally at those interested in physics and meteorology (by the way, meteorology at Mainz university is officially called “Atmospheric Physics”).
In general, the offer is aimed at motivated high school students, but in some cases the program can also begin earlier. It does not necessarily depend on your school grades. An “early study program” in physics may be right for you if…
- you are interested in physics.
- you like math (math is the “language of physics”).
- physics lessons are not going fast enough for you.
- your physics lessons raise more questions than they answer.
- you want to find out whether studying physics is right for you.
You can decide yourself how much you would like to do in your early study program. We will be happy to advise you. Most students take one course per semester in addition to their school lessons, and it makes sense to start with experimental physics or calculus.
What does that mean? There are courses on four different topics in the physics degree program:
- Experimental physics: comparable to an advanced physics course, but of course at a higher level, faster and more interesting
- Calculus: comparable to an advanced math course, but of course at a higher level, faster and more interesting
- Theoretical physics (begins in the second semester): formal description of physics, based on a few fundamental principles; has no direct equivalent in school lessons
- Mathematics: much more formal than at school; concepts are defined and relationships between these concepts are proven
A course includes
An online option is always offered for courses in the “early study program” in physics. This means that you have a choice: If it is possible for you, you can attend the lectures, training and tutorial groups on campus and get a taste of “real” university life. However, if you live too far away or have other appointments shortly before or after a course (e.g. school lessons…), you also have the option of attending lectures remotely or watching them afterwards and taking part in online tutorial groups.
Even the online version of the early physics course at Mainz University offers much more personal contact than a purely distance-learning course. This is important to us because we are convinced that physics is most fun when you study together with others.
You feel you have come to the right place? Great! Before you start with the program we will schedule an individual interview. Don’t worry: this is an information and counseling interview and not (!) a job interview in which you have to prove yourself. During the interview, we will clarify your personal questions and talk about the formalities for the application (which is not too difficult, don’t worry). Just this much in advance: You apply between the end of January and mid-March for the summer semester or between July and mid-September for the winter semester.
Such a meeting takes about an hour. To make an appointment, simply send us an email to fruehstudium-physik@uni-mainz.de and we’ll get back to you with suggested times. Of course, we can also hold the interview together with your friends if they are also interested.
