The ITM offers a wide range of courses within the University of Lübeck’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. On this page, we take a look at what a typical ITM academic path might look like for a Bachelor’s or Master’s student.

You will typically come into contact with the ITM during your very first semester in STEM degree programs—with the exception of the MIW program, where we don’t meet until the third semester. The ITM offers the introductory course on "Programming"—a comprehensive course worth either 8 or 10 credits, depending on the degree program. Here, you will learn the theoretical background of the craft of programming, as well as the actual practice of programming through our two language courses covering Java and C++. The 10-credit course also includes a practical project, which we have recently been conducting as a hackathon over a long weekend in January.

The third semester features the 4-credit module "Fundamentals of Multimedia Technology." This course covers the technical aspects of the entire media chain—from capture and processing to the playback of audio, images, and video in both analog and digital media systems.

For most students, the journey continues in the fourth semester with the 8-credit course on Operating Systems and Networks—the ITM’s core course. Here, you will learn how these two vital components of systems engineering function and interact. The computer networks section focuses on the Internet; by the end, you will have a precise understanding of the Internet's technical workings across all its facets.

Our offerings are rounded out by Bachelor’s seminars and projects. While these are regularly scheduled, we are also happy to implement your own proposals (especially for Bachelor’s projects). Feel free to approach our staff members!

Finally, you are of course welcome to complete your Bachelor’s thesis at the ITM. Take a look at our current opportunities or get in touch with our staff. We are also open to your own suggestions!

Our Master’s offerings focus primarily on deepening knowledge in key areas of computer networks and distributed systems. We distinguish between topics of general importance—crucial for professional practice—and more research-oriented courses designed specifically to prepare students for further academic work, such as a doctorate.

Relevant to all students—and thus a core component of several degree programs—is the 6-credit course on Distributed Systems, which we regularly offer during the winter semester as an introductory course for first-semester students. As of the 2024/25 winter semester, this course is taught in English. It covers the fundamental concepts of distributed systems, examining topics such as communication, synchronization, replication, consistency, and fault tolerance in detail. Upon completing the course, you will have acquired the essential foundation needed to pursue our specialized advanced courses.

In the “Media Transmission” (MediaTrans) module, we focus on the transmission of real-time media—such as voice, music, and video—over packet-switched networks, particularly the Internet. Course content includes compression techniques, protocols, adaptation mechanisms, and Quality of Service (QoS) architectures. In addition to theoretical fundamentals, we analyze current live and on-demand services. Associated practical exercises allow you to deepen your knowledge through hands-on application.

Our specialized courses are primarily offered as large, 12-credit modules:

• The “Current and Future Network Technologies” (AzuNet) module is our research-oriented offering. It comprises two lecture courses—“Nanonetworks” and “Advanced Internet Technologies”—and a seminar that aligns with the content of one of these lectures (offered on an alternating basis).
• The “Architectures for Distributed Communication Systems” (ArchVeK) module is our more professionally oriented offering. It comprises two courses: “Mobile Communication” and “System Architectures for Distributed Applications.” For the third sub-module, students can choose between a system development practical course—currently focusing on the Internet of Things and held during the summer semester—and the “Distributed AI” sub-module, which consists of both a lecture and a practical course.
• The “Ambient Computing” (AmbComp) module offers an interdisciplinary perspective that extends beyond the boundaries of computer science, exploring new paradigms for the design and use of computers in intelligent environments. The module consists of a lecture and a seminar in the summer semester, followed by a project in the winter semester.
• The “Case Study” module offers the opportunity to apply acquired knowledge to a practical example within a larger project, working in groups of three to five students. Projects can be carried out in collaboration with a company (usually based on a topic proposed by them) or internally at the institute as a small-scale research project. Although topic proposals typically come from the providers, we are also open to your own ideas.
   

While these major modules are relevant to the Computer Science, IT Security, and Entrepreneurship in Digital Technologies degree programs, the individual sub-modules (4 ECTS credits) can usually be taken independently without difficulty and credited toward other degree programs. Please feel free to contact us about this.
In cooperation with the Institute for Multimedia and Interactive Systems (IMIS), we offer a range of computer science courses within the “Digital Health” specialization of the Master’s program in Health and Care Sciences (GuVW). This includes the lecture "Informatics for Health and Care Sciences" (InfGV); the "Technologies in Healthcare" (TechGV) module, comprising both a lecture and a seminar; the "Human-Technology Interaction" module, consisting of the "Interaction Technologies" lecture and the "Potentials and Limitations of Digital Technologies" seminar; and the "Digital Healthcare" project, which we conduct in collaboration with the project from the "Ambient Computing" module.

Finally, you can of course complete your Master's thesis at the institute. Opportunities for this often arise from the courses you have taken with us, but you are also welcome to approach us directly. In any case, however, you should have successfully completed at least one or two Master's-level courses with us. And if you wish to carry out a project with a company on a relevant topic—that is, one related to communication, networks, operating systems, or distributed systems—we can usually make that happen as well; just get in touch with us!