10 - Germany - Branches of study, specialisation

Branches of study, specialisation at universities

Universities usually offer a range of subjects including languages, the humanities and sport, law, economics and social sciences, natural sciences, medicine, agronomy, forestry and nutritional science and engineering sciences. The figures vary from institution to institution, but these subject categories offer a total of more than 6,300 different courses which lead to a first degree qualifying for an entry into a profession, which cannot all be listed here. An overview of the courses that lead to a first qualification for entry into a profession is provided in publications such as Studien- und Berufswahl(Choice of Studies and Profession, published annually by the Commission for Educational Planning and Research Promotion of the Federation and the Länder and the Federal Employment Agency). The publication is available on the Internet at www-en.studienwahl.de. An overview of the range of courses on offer provided by the German Rectors’ Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz– HRK) is available on the Internet at http://www.higher-education-compass.de.

The most common branches of study in the named subject categories are:

Languages and the humanities, sport

• Philosophy
• Theology
• Archaeology and study of antiquity
• History
• Art studies/art history
• Musicology/music history
• Theatre studies/dramatic art
• European and non-European languages and literature
• Education
• Psychology
• Library science/documentation science/media studies
• Sport

Law, economics and social sciences

• Law
• Social sciences
• Administrative sciences
• Economics
• Political science

Mathematics, natural sciences

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Computer science
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Earth science
• Pharmacy

Medicine

• Human medicine
• Dentistry
• Veterinary medicine

Agronomy, forestry, nutritional science

• Agronomy
• Forestry
• Nutritional science

Engineering sciences

• Architecture
• Civil engineering
• Geodesy
• Electrical engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Chemical engineering
• Traffic and transport studies
• Environmental technology
• Mining

International study courses, which have a special foreign focus, are also on offer within the named branches of study. The main subject focus in these courses of study lies in the area of law, economics and social sciences, followed by engineering sciences.

Standard period of study for courses leading to a first degree and consecutive courses of study

A Regelstudienzeit (standard period of study) is fixed in the Prüfungsordnungen (examination regulations) for each course of studies. The regulations state the time in which a course of studies with the intended examination can be completed. Eight to ten semesters are laid down for most courses of study leading to the Diplom, Magister or Staatsexamen, six years and three months for medicine. On an average, however, students take one or two years longer to finish, i.e. many students only attain the leaving certificate after studying for five years or more. The total standard period of study for consecutive study courses leading to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree is a maximum of five years. The standard period of study for Bachelor’s study courses can be a minimum of three to a maximum of four years, and for the Master’s study courses a minimum of one to a maximum of two years.

Special graduate study courses for the purpose of specialisation and reinforcement

In addition to the courses leading to a first degree, besides consecutive master study courses, there are other weiterführende Studiengänge (further study, supplementary and follow-up courses) that either build on the first degree, providing further vocational skills, increased specialisation and reinforcement, or are taken in parallel with a different course of studies. Unlike continuing academic education, they are usually taken immediately after or during the first degree course of studies. An overview of the range of special graduate courses on offer provided by the German Rectors’ Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz) is available on the Internet at http://www.higher-education-compass.de.

Doctorate for the purpose of qualification of up-and-coming academics

Particularly well-qualified students who have obtained a first degree may also choose to complete a doctorate. At present, there are some 100,000 doctoral students in Germany. Some 24,000 obtain their doctorate each year. In order to support the up-and-coming academics, just less than 300 Graduiertenkollegs, financed by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft– DFG), have been set up at institutions of higher education since 1990 to provide students with the opportunity to prepare their doctorate within the framework of a systematic study programme. Since 1998, there has been a larger number of other structured cooperative forms of training for doctoral students. These include 50 international doctoral programmes, 37 International Max-Planck Research Schools, ca. 30 Graduate Schools and ca. 20 graduate schools (Graduiertenschulen) promoted within the framework of the Excellence Initiative of the Federation and the Länder for the Promotion of Science and Research in German Higher Education Institutions ( Exzellenzinitiative des Bundes und der Länder zur Förderung von Wissenschaft und Forschung an deutschen Hochschulen).

The disciplines in which it is possible to obtain a doctorate at universities and equivalent institutions of higher education are also listed under http://www.higher-education-compass.de.

Institutions:

Bund-Länder-Kommission für Bildungsplanung und Forschungsförderung (BLK)
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 38 53113 Bonn
Tel.:0228/5402-0
Fax:0228/5402-150
Website: http://www.blk-bonn.de

Bundesagentur für Arbeit
Regensburger Str. 104 90478 Nürnberg
Tel.:0911/179-0
Fax:0911/179-2123
Website: http://www.arbeitsagentur.de

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Kennedyallee 40 53175 Bonn
Tel.:0228/885-1
Fax:0228/885-2777
Website: http://www.dfg.de

Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK)
Ahrstr. 39 53175 Bonn
Tel.:0228/887-0
Fax:0228/887-110
Website: http://www.hrk.de

Branches of study, specialisation at colleges of art and music

The courses of studies vary widely from college to college. In general, they may be divided up along the following lines:

• music with such studies as training for solo or orchestra musicians in various instruments, training in singing, conducting, composition or church music, music teaching at general education schools and technical musical professions (e.g. sound engineering);
• visual arts with such studies as art, design, photography;
• performing arts with such studies as drama, opera, musicals, dancing, directing and film-making;
• applied art with courses of studies in architecture, design or the media;
• art education and art therapy as well as courses in art teaching for school teachers;
• the media with such courses as film, television, media studies, media art, animation and media management.

Branches of study, specialisation at Fachhochschulen

Above all, study courses in the following areas of study are taught in the Fachhochschulen:

• Engineering sciences
• Economics/economic law
• Social work
• Public administration, administration of justice
• Information technology, computer science
• Design
• Mathematics
• Information and communication studies
• Nursing and management in the public health system

There are also international study courses within the named areas of study. Most of these courses of study are based in the area of economics and social work/services, followed by engineering sciences.

Many Fachhochschulenalso offer so-called dual courses of study (duale Studiengänge).

Standard period of study for courses leading to a first degree and consecutive courses of study

A Regelstudienzeit (standard period of study) is fixed in the Prüfungsordnung (examination regulations) for each course of studies. The regulations state the time within which a course of studies with the intended examination can be completed. Eight semesters, including one or two Praxissemester (semesters of work experience), are laid down for Diplom courses of studies at Fachhochschulen. On average, however, students take one or two semesters longer to finish.

Special graduate study courses for the purpose of specialisation and reinforcement

In addition to the courses leading to a first degree, besides consecutive master study courses, there are other weiterführende Studiengänge(further study, supplementary and follow-up courses) that either build on the first degree, providing further vocational skills, increased specialisation and reinforcement, or are taken in parallel with a different course of studies. Unlike continuing academic education, these formal special graduate courses are usually taken immediately after or during the first degree course of studies. An overview of the range of special graduate and continuing education courses on offer is available on the Internet at http://www.higher-education-compass.de.

Branches of study, specialisation at establishments outside the higher education system – Berufsakademien, Fachschulen

Courses offered at the Berufsakademien include, in particular, business, technology and social work. The length of study at the Berufsakademien is generally stipulated by the respective Land law as three years. As far as state-run Berufsakademienare concerned, it is the relevant Land ministry that determines the number of hours of attendance during the semester, adopting study and examination regulations for each course. According to a resolution of the Standing Conference of October 2004, in future, courses at Berufsakademienleading to the Bachelor’s degree are to be accredited. The length of study is a minimum of three years.

Fachschulen offering two-year courses are available in about 160 different specialisations in the fields of agricultural economy, design, technology, business and social work and lead up to a state-administered examination. The most strongly represented subjects include electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, construction engineering, chemical engineering and business management. There are also other two-year Fachschulenfor domestic science, Fachschulenfor care, assistance and education for the handicapped ( Heilerziehungspflege), as well as one-year Fachschulen(e.g. state-certified managers for the subject area agriculture). State-certified youth and child care workers, Erzieher, are trained over a two to three-year period at Fachschulenfor youth and community work to enter the socio-educational field, i.e. Kindergarten, Horte and youth welfare organisations.

Institutions:

Ständige Konferenz der Kultusminister der Länder in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (KMK)
Lennéstraße 6 53113 Bonn Berliner Büro: Markgrafenstr. 37 10117 Berlin
Tel.:0228/501-0
Fax:0228/501-777
Website: http://www.kmk.org

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