Degrees

Der Bologna-Prozess im Jahr 1999 legte den Grundstein zur Reform des europäischen Hochschulsystems. Ziel ist die Steigerung der internationalen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit sowie der Standortunabhängigkeit der Studierenden durch eine europäische Vergleichbarkeit der Abschlüsse. Dafür wurde ein zweistufiges Studiensystem eingeführt, die damit zu absolvierenden Abschlüsse sind Bachelor und Master.

Bachelor

A Bachelor’s degree enables students either to enter the job market immediately or to go on studying a postgraduate degree. The student ideally finishes the Bachelor degree after three or four years. The amount of work involved comes to 40 working hours per week, and 45 working weeks per year. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) indicates the amount of work involved and how much each unit counts for the final mark. The exact academic title of a Bachelor depends on the field of study:

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.):

Title for subjects and subject fields of philology, cultural studies, sports and sport science, social science, theory of art and studies of (applied) art. Depending on the focus of the studies, B.A. also indicates the title for economics.

Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.):

Title for subjects in the field of engineering. Depending on the focus of the studies the title can also be Bachelor of Science.

Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.):

Title for law except those courses that are regulated by the government. 

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.):

Title for subjects and subject fields of maths and natural sciences. Furthermore it is the title for studies of agronomy, forestry, nutritional science and medicine. This does not apply to those fields of medicine and nutritional sciences, which are regulated by the government. Depending on the focus of the studies it is also the title for economics and engineering.

Master

The Master’s degree is a postgraduate degree. The student refines the knowledge gained during a Bachelor’s degree and specialises in a certain subject matter. According to the ECTS model, the student is expected to complete the course within 1 to 2 years. The Master’s degree is equivalent to the traditional degrees Diploma, Magister and Staatsexamen. The academic titles for a Master degree are the same as for the Bachelor: Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.Sc.), etc.

You will find further information on studying in Germany on www.studienwahl.de. and www.bachelor-studium.net.

In Germany there are three traditional university degrees Diploma, Magister and Staatsexamen (a degree approved by the government).

These degrees are divided into two units: basic studies and main studies. During the basic studies, students gain a basic knowledge of the subject, which they refine in their main studies. In both units, basic and main studies, students have to take optional and compulsory courses.  Finishing the degree requires a complex examination which is divided into a written and an oral examination. The content and number of exams may vary according to the university’s examination regulations. Usually the student is expected to take the final examinations after the duration of 9 semesters; however, they might also take place during the course of studies.

Diploma (Dipl.):

The degree of Diploma covers the subjects of science and economics as well as education, engineering and sports.

Magister Artium (M.A.):

The Magister Artium (M.A.) is the degree for subjects of humanities, cultural studies and social science, offering a wide range of possible combinations.

Staatsexamen:

The Staatsexamen is the degree for the subjects law, medicine and pharmacy. It is also the required type of degree for which to qualify as a teacher. The student has to pass a state examination, divided into two levels: the first state examination tests the theoretical knowledge gained at university whereas the second state examination is taken after a certain time of practical experience.