Bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, state examination, or Diplom?
JGU offers its subjects in a variety of degree programs. Each program ends with a specific degree and differs in duration, structure, sequence, and admission requirements. Each program’s degree description contains information on these aspects. You can find further information on our webpages on starting your studies.
In general:
Bachelor’s and master’s degree programs are the most common degree programs in Germany. A bachelor’s degree program concludes in a primary degree qualifying you for entry into a profession. It provides basic knowledge of the subject in question and often allows you to set a first thematic focus toward the end of the degree. Transitioning to a profession with a bachelor’s degree is possible in principle but the level of difficulty may vary depending on the field.
A consecutive master’s degree program represents further specialization of the previous bachelor’s degree program and generally consists of a single subject of study. In a master’s degree program, you also often concentrate on a single subject area or a few sub-areas of the respective subject.
In most cases, master’s degree programs require a bachelor’s degree in the same or a related subject. Often, a certain extent of topic-specific knowledge is required (in the form of credits).
In Rhineland-Palatinate, teacher education consists of a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) followed by the Master of Education (M.Ed.). The master’s degree is recognized as the first state examination and is the prerequisite for the 18-month teacher traineeship in Rhineland-Palatinate (Referendariat) that follows the studies. The Referendariat concludes with the examinations for the second state examination and earning the qualification to teach.
The Bachelor of Education in Rhineland-Palatinate is “polyvalent”, i.e., the first four semesters are not focused on a specific type of school. It is not until the fifth semester that your studies will focus on a particular type of school. At JGU, from this point on, you can only study to teach at a Gymnasium. The master’s degree program is also only offered for teacher education for Gymnasium.
The general information on bachelor’s/master’s degree programs also applies to teacher education.
Further information:
Certain academic professions require uniform quality standards in education throughout Germany (e.g., in the medical or legal fields). The relevant courses of study are therefore regulated by the state and conclude with a state examination. Typically, the initial examination sections are followed by longer practical phases, which in turn conclude with further state examinations. After this, you are licensed by the state to practice your profession.
State examination programs consist of a single field of study and convey in-depth knowledge in different areas. Over the course of your studies, you can also choose to focus on different sub-areas of the subject.
The degree programs are usually between eight and twelve semesters long, depending on the subject.
All undergraduate degrees at JGU concluding with a state examination:
In some German federal states, teaching degree programs also conclude with a state examination. In Rhineland-Palatinate, however, prospective teachers complete a bachelor’s/master’s degree program. In this case, the Master of Education is recognized as equivalent to the first state examination.
