Degrees

The traditional degrees from German universities are the “Diplom”, the “Magister Artium” and the State Exam. One normally earns these degrees after 4.5 to 5 years of study. The type of degree is often determined by the choice of subject or by the institution of higher education.

Diplom
The “Diplom” is a traditional degree in engineering and the natural sciences. The time needed to complete this degree is approximately 5 years.

State Exams
The State Exam is the degree for courses of study in which the profession is state-run in Germany. For example, law, education, medicine and food chemistry belong to these courses of study. The time needed for completion is also about 5 years.

Magister Artium
The “Magister Artium“ (MA) is the typical degree for programs in the liberal arts, humanities and social sciences. These courses of study are currently being restructured from “Magister” into Bachelor and Master courses of study. The MA is equivalent to a Masters degree. The time needed is approximately 4.5 years.

Bachelor and Master
The Bachelor and Master degrees are new. Why are they being introduced? Academic institutions in Europe are currently undergoing a restructuring process, the “Bologna Process”. By 2010, degrees will be standardized in the 40 European nations. The goal of this process is to create internationally accepted degrees. This makes it easier for students to transfer to other universities.
The institutions of higher education subdivide their academic studies into two levels with Bachelor and Master degrees. After three to four years, the first career qualifying degree, the Bachelor, is earned. After one to two further years of study, the additional qualification of a Masters degree is possible. At the universities of the TU9 Group, this transition is currently being carried out.

What will happen to the title “Diplom-Engineer”?
For over a century, the title “Diplom-Engineer” has been a trademark for the professional position of German engineers and enjoys a high reputation internationally. The TU9 academic institutions find it important to keep the title “Diplom-Engineer” as a translation of the academic degree “Master of Science”. The TU9 academic institutions will view the Masters degree as the normal degree in engineering subjects.