Higher education

The study (Latin studere, " [ for something ] strive, strive [ something ]") is the scientific learning and research at universities, ie universities and colleges, cooperative universities, art schools, technical colleges, and in academies where these universities are equal. Outside the universities, the education and training in tertiary education at vocational colleges, administrative and business schools, technical schools or academies are called study. The study requires the prior enrollment ( enrollment ), which is subject to certain conditions.

The term studies is nowadays colloquially also used for vocational education courses or classes at remote schools and other educational institutions.

Content

A program consists among other things of attending lectures, seminars, internships, tutorials, and from the self-study. The acquired knowledge is queried in either semester accompanying partial exams or final exams through exams or oral examinations. In general, a scientific thesis concludes the study.

The responsibility of universities is different from state to state. So it is in Germany at the country level, in Switzerland, the responsibility, with the exception of the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology at the cantonal level, in Austria lies all the education in the federal jurisdiction. For the study, a study fee is charged depending on the country.

Right to study

In several countries there is a constitutionally enshrined right to study. In a few states there is a right to royalty-free studies.

Germany

Admission to study

In order to study at a German university, in general, the higher education is required: to study at a university general (eg Abitur) or technical university, to study at a technical college, the college entrance. Furthermore, people can also be admitted without university entrance qualification to some courses to higher education in Germany, if they are professionally qualified and present the high school; further special tests and a sample studies are needed depending on the institution and course of study.

In some fields of study consist of entry ( see numerus clausus ). For trays that are nationwide limited admission to many colleges, justice for the university places on the Foundation for Higher Education Admission ( SFH ) will be awarded in Dortmund. The trend is then that the individual universities to select their students themselves. In addition there are also local admission restrictions for individual subjects at universities and colleges.

The approval for the study advises, among other things, the Academic Advising of their respective universities. For some time, there is a tendency that offer more and more higher education institutions in their study counseling choice tests. In addition, the filing of a scholastic aptitude test is required more frequently; the latter primarily from private universities. In Germany in the academic year 2012 a total of 493 469 people have begun to study.

Undergraduate and postgraduate studies

A distinction between undergraduate studies leading to a first university degree (Bachelor, Diplom, Magister, first state examination, licentiate, Baccalaureus ), and postgraduate studies (Master), which requires an undergraduate degree. A doctor is studying a postgraduate course. The German term postgraduate means taking place after completion of university studies.

Degree program and completion

There are a variety of different courses. The study can be focused on a particular discipline or be interdisciplinary. The flow of a program is partly regulated by subject-specific, partly also by the laws of the countries an academic training center, can sometimes be a freely chosen also by the student. Mostly several courses are offered in a subject or department that end with different degrees ( Bachelor, Diploma, Academy letter, state examination, Magister, Master, master student, MS, PhD) and thus partly also qualify for different professional paths.

Diploma

The study in the diploma course is divided mainly in two parts. The two-to four-semester foundation course is completed usually with a pre-diploma examination (see also bachelor's degree ) or similar. This is followed by the four-to six-semester study period, at the end of the right conferred by passing the diploma examination diploma is. Often finds particular the degree program takes appropriate differentiation, specialization and focus only in the main study, while the basic studies rather is used to convey basic knowledge, skills and orientation. This major study events of many students are perceived as more interesting.

At universities, the normal period of a diploma program is depending on the course of eight to ten semesters. At colleges diploma courses have a shorter normal period of usually eight semesters and another basic concept that aims to achieve more practical. This academic degree status is conferred by the words " FH" in parentheses. The regulations for this and all other exams to universities are governed by the respective study and examination regulations.

In the course of the Bologna process, the diploma program will disappear in its current form, however, remain exceptions exist. Thus, the study of Business Administration is not abolished with the conclusion of Diplom-Kaufmann in favor of a bachelor, but retained on a permanent basis as at the Ernst- Moritz- Arndt- University of Greifswald.

Master of Arts

In Germany there are ( exclusively at universities and for the humanities and social sciences ) but also the master's degree program, which is also an intermediate examination is at the end in an undergraduate course, and a main course is divided. The course consists usually of one main subject and two subsidiary subjects or of two main compartments and turns out much more freely than the graduate degree program. After acceptance of the thesis, the so-called master's thesis, as well as passing the final examination in the subjects we obtained the academic degree of Master of Arts.

Bachelor and Master

In Germany, the single-stage graduate degree program and the single-stage master's degree program within the framework of the Bologna process will be phased out, possibly also the state examination for the foreseeable future. These will be replaced by the two-cycle system with the Bachelor and Master degrees. Since 2011, these financial statements should be standard. Whether this will apply to all subjects and whether other degrees such as the state exam to be abolished or perhaps can be purchased in parallel, is under debate.

Already, numerous study courses with these customary international Anglo-American statements are offered. In Germany, however, are unlike in the other countries to comply with certain principles which are laid down in the legislation on higher education and build on decisions of the Ministers of Education (KMK ).

Bachelor's and Master's degrees receive no additional specialist qualifications such as Diploma, but are divided into a few groups of subjects. The term is of order and the addition of the subject group adds: Arts, Science, Engineering, Laws, Fine Arts, Music and Education. For the Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded in the group of subjects in the humanities, for example. In master's degree programs, are not based on a bachelor, also other names can be given, this is apart from the Master of Business Administration, however, rare.

In Germany allow some states - such as Bavaria - the colleges to impart the academic degrees instead in its Latin name, ie Bachelor or Master. However, the academic degree may be used only in accordance with the award certificate from a graduate, an optional use of degree titles Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Arts is not possible.

State examination

At the end of study in the subjects of law, medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, food chemistry and the teacher training courses are available in the Federal Republic of Germany state final examinations, namely the so-called First State Exam or more sections of medical tests. In these subjects, the universities examine their graduates no individual responsibility; the tests are carried out instead by government agencies ( audit offices in the judiciary, health, education ministries ).

Further scientific statements

At smaller - especially church - German universities, especially in the humanities, there is the conclusion of the baccalauréat and a licentiate.

Church statements

Courses, on the ministry ( pastor, pastor, priest) aim ( theology ), end in Germany usually with the First Church exam (synonym: First Theological Examination) or Church service exam, which corresponds to the degree of the diploma ( Diploma theologian, Dipl theol. ) and partly can also be taken into account. Then you can follow in the Protestant church the Vicariate ( Protestant), which ends with the Second Church exam and with the ordination leading to a career pastor. See theology, section organization and teaching institutions. In the Catholic Church from the third semester at the seminary follows the pastoral formation, in parallel, to the work as a deacon and on completion of the seminary the Vicariate ( Catholic).

Artistic statements

At art schools ( academies of art, music colleges, theater and film schools ) are academic degrees - often in the form of graduate degree - acquired and artistic university degrees. In teacher education programs the degree is the First State Exam.

Combined studies

A combined study combined a shortened training with a matching (often technically embossed ) study. The individual colleges have for the form of training komibinierten different names. At the Albstadt- Sigmaringen, this means, for example, "combined studies " - at Heilbronn University "Cooperative Study Model ".

Offered this model is now available from some universities in close cooperation with companies from the region and the participating industry and commerce.

When combined study of 2.5 years is made a ( shortened ) vocational training and also already completed time semester at the university for the first time. Subsequently, the model follows that of the BA program ( during the semester college during the semester break operation). The placement is omitted (partly ) due to the existing operating experience.

The total duration of the combined studies is 4.5 years. Will conclude with a Bachelor of Engineering or Science of the relevant subject area as well as a Chamber of Commerce certificate for the type of training. This form of training is characterized mainly by the financing by enterprises ( Azubi-Gehalt/Stipendium ) and by already existing professional experience and two degrees in a shorter time at the end of the course.

Combined Studies

As a Combined Studies university studies with tightly integrated practice blocks is referred to in business based on the dual training system. Retrieved from " classical" programs, it differs by a greater practical relevance, which varies depending on degree program and university.