Preparatory Course Mathematics for meteorologists, physicists and chemists

Preparatory Course Mathematics (A) for first-year students as preparation for the lecture Experimentalphysik 1 (Experimental Physics 1)

This preparatory course (course A) is mainly designed for first-year students of Physics and Chemistry (including Bachelor of Education), attending the lecture Experimentalphysik 1 (Experimental Physics 1) during their first semester. First-year students of Biosciences and Geosciences can attend their own preparatory course (course B), can also however attend course A if they are particularly interested in mathematics.

The Preparatory Course Mathematics for meteorologists, physicists and chemists (formerly known as: Vorkurs Mathematik (Preliminary Course in Mathematics)) is a three-week course which starts three weeks prior to the beginning of the lecture period. The preparatory course starts in the morning with a lecture and ends in the afternoon with joint practice classes, intended to consolidate newly acquired knowledge.

The Preparatory Course Mathematics is not mandatory, but is however a very important course for first-year students at the Physics Institutes in Mainz. We highly recommend that all first-year students attend the preparatory course. Thanks to our years of experience, we know that first-year students – having attended different schools – have different levels of mathematical ability. Students with higher education entrance qualifications are often not mathematically capable of passing the first Physics lectures. For this reason, the University of Mainz and many other universities provide preliminary or preparatory courses in mathematics before the semester begins. These courses aim to even out students’ varying levels of mathematical ability and make up for any knowledge deficits. The lecturer starts the day by explaining certain mathematical methods. In the afternoon, small groups of students apply these methods to specific examples in practice classes in order to consolidate their newly acquired knowledge.

Experience has shown that this preparatory course is not only beneficial but simply crucial to almost every first-year student. In the preparatory course, students not only have the chance to polish up their mathematical knowledge and learn new skills relevant to lectures, they also have the opportunity to establish important social contacts (to fellow students, tutors, lecturers,...), receive information on their degree program in accompanying courses, and familiarize themselves with life on campus. When first-year students attend their first lectures, their physics lecturers will assume that all students have reached a certain mathematical standard as a result of having attended the preparatory course.

 

Dates during the winter semester 2016/2017

Tuesday, October 04 to Friday, October 21 2016

  • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Lecture hall N2, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 23
  • Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Tobias Hurth

 

Registration

Registration for the preparatory course is not required. Latecomers can join at any given time.