3. September 2012
Two Semesters at TUM - Four Periods at KTH
Technische Universität München divides the academic year into a summer semester and a winter semester. However, it is four periods instead of two semesters at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Here is a glance at some of the implications that I can see.
As far as I am concerned, a big advantage of a semester system like the one at TUM is the big gap between the exams which allow me to freely invest my time into my studies during the semesters. The semester system also forces me to plan and choose courses only twice a year, an often tedious decision process.
A particular bonus of a quarter system like the one at KTH is the reduced number of courses per period. Some courses only span over one period and so I am able to work on fewer courses in parallel, which I see as very helpful in a world that becomes more complex and complex.
Which system suits me more? Time will tell.