My exchange here in Munich got to a rocky start when the orientation days began. Before coming here to Munich I was in the belief that I would be able to choose my studies to some extent. Unfortunately, I was informed that because of the double degree program, they have already enrolled us double degree students in fixed courses, and they cannot be changed. This was unfortunate because some of the courses were quite similar to the ones, I had already done in Tamk and some courses were not in line with my previous specialization HR and management. The positive side of this was that I was put into an existing group, so during my studies here I have more or less the same classmates in every course. This has been great since I probably would not have made as many German friends if it wasn’t for this arrangement.
Part of the double degree program here in Munich is writing my thesis. The process of this has been quite different to the one in Tamk but so far, it’s going fine. I had to pitch my research proposal to professors to get myself a supervisor and only after finding a professor was I able to start the real process. There is a strict 4-month schedule for the thesis, so it is crucial to start the process in time. Thankfully, I only have one on going course in addition to my thesis during the summer semester, which gives me plenty of time to focus on my research.
My university here in Munich has an amazing international club, that hosts weekly get-togethers, events and hiking trips. This club has been super helpful to meet German students who are hosting the events as well as new exchange students. The best part is how different the events are. Just last week we were playing volleyball at a park and this week we are going rafting on a local river.
Munich is also a great place to stay if you love travelling. It is very central and has great connections to many different cities in Germany as well as other countries. In the winter when there wasn’t much to do, I travelled to different places almost every weekend! Now that it’s getting warmer, Munich is at its best and the urge to travel somewhere else has faded a bit.
In general Munich is a lovely option for exchange studies. However, one should keep in mind that living here is very expensive and finding an apartment can be super hard. Around 30% of the exchange students get student housing that is affordable, but the rest must figure it out by themselves. Rent here is more expensive than in Finland and costs of living are almost as expensive as in Finland. Without any savings, it can be hard to enjoy everything Munich has to offer.
The studies here in Munich are quite like the ones in Tampere. In my opinion the workload seems to be very similar, and my grades stayed the same. However, it is more common here to have exams rather than presentations or written assignments. There is also no attendance requirement, which means that after the first couple of lectures, the class will be rather empty. Studying here in Munich is in general very self-reliant and there won’t be a lot of support if not asked.
Overall, studying in Munich has been unforgettable for the good and the bad. I think that the double degree is a great opportunity to stick out from other business administration students after graduation and it certainly gives you a different kind of resilience to given obstacles. If it was easy, everyone would do it 😊
-Maija
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