GWP

The so-called Humanities Propaedeutic Course (GWP for short) was established as part of the University of Stuttgart's teaching programme at Faculty 09, the Faculty of History and Philosophy, with the aim of supporting students of the humanities, particularly in the introductory phase of their studies.

Faculty 09 - The Humanities Propaedeutic Course (GWP)

It has been shown that the introductory phase of a degree programme is the key and particularly critical phase for its success or discontinuation. Studies on the entry phase of a degree programme show which aspects are beneficial or even indispensable for the teaching-learning situation: A strong connection to the subject is necessary for academic success. It not only promotes academic performance, but has also been shown to encourage independent study and motivation to study, as well as a desire for contact and exchange with lecturers and other students - the latter an aspect which in turn has a strong influence on motivation.[1]

Our programme takes these results into account: students in the first semesters are introduced to their degree programme more quickly through our support and are familiarised with the cultures of their subjects at an early stage. University socialisation is the most important component of our pre-course for students. (You can find the current programme here.) We support students in higher semesters with extracurricular supplementary offers in which they can work on the specifics and methods of their own subjects through more intensive discussion (e.g. interdisciplinary).

The GWP is a collaborative project involving four subjects (Art History, History, English Studies, Philosophy) and consists of a team of four. We offer both joint courses (a preliminary course for first-year students annually in October, an interdisciplinary course in the summer semester) and courses that are tailored to specific subjects but are always open to all students as well.

In our work, we follow the so-called "Stuttgart Way", whose guiding principle of networked disciplines shapes the special profile of the University of Stuttgart and has become one of its trademarks. In this sense, we seek interdisciplinary networking: a big plus for your future in your degree programme, in academia and later in your professional life!

Footnotes

  1. Ulrich Heublein et al., Zwischen Studienerwartungen und  Studienwirklichkeit, 2017, o.S. (Einleitung; unter Kap. IX)
  2. ...

Previous study programmes offered by the GWP included, for example:

  • An annual preliminary course for first-year students, which takes place in the first two weeks of October and includes interdisciplinary modules as well as subject-specific introductions.
  • Open counselling services
  • "Start-up!" offers, i.e. subject-specific introductory modules for first-year students, which follow-up on the preliminary course in the first winter semester.
  • "Humanities. Crash courses" that teach individual aspects of academic work in a compact form, such as reading (philosophy), describing pictures (art history), orthography (in cooperation with linguistics).
  • Subject-specific orientation courses: so-called Plus courses - learning at individual speed (English Studies), Epic courses (English Studies). (English Studies), epoch courses (History)
  • Interdisciplinary courses in the summer semester, which are made up of content from two subjects, both students and lecturers
  • You can find the respective GWP programme here.

For art history students

In order to better understand the needs of art history students at the University of Stuttgart and to be able to implement innovative teaching concepts in programmes of the GWP as a assigned lecturer, I additionally test various formats in curricular events of the subject art history, with a focus on the introductory phase of the degree programme (propaedeutics, exercises, proseminars, etc.).

 

This image shows Samantha Schramm

Samantha Schramm

Dr.

Research fellow (GWP)

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