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Types of Institutions of Higher Education

The need for manpower with academic backgrounds has increased tremendously in the last decades. In addition, a whole range of new job descriptions have emerged. Accordingly, the institutions of higher education offer a variety of different academic education options and qualifications.

All in all, Baden-Württemberg has an interesting and extensive offer of institutions of higher education with 9 universities, 6 teacher training colleges, 23 universities of applied sciences, 8 colleges of art and music, 1 cooperative state university with 8 academies of study, the Pop Academy, the Film Academy, the Academy for the Performing Arts and 26 private institutions of higher education with state accreditation (5 private university-level institutions of higher education, 18 private universities of applied sciences, 3 colleges for church music).

University

Tasks:

  • Methodically and theoretically based education
  • Widest range of subjects
  • Educating future scientists for institutions of higher education and for all other research institutions
  • Research
  • Preparing the students for a professional occupation

Characteristics:

  • The course of study is generally more oriented to teaching theory.
  • The focus is on acquiring basic knowledge and methods in a specific subject.
  • The student requires a great deal of independence when planning and executing the numerous fields of study.
  • The normal period of study is six to eight semesters for a Bachelor’s Degree and two to four semesters for a Master’s Degree.

Qualification:

  • Bachelor (Qualification equivalent to the international Bachelor's Degree)
  • Diplom (Degree from a university or other institution of higher education)
  • Magister (Master of Arts)
  • Staatsexamen (State examination concluding a course of study in certain subjects, e.g. medical subjects, teaching, law)
  • Ecclesiastical Examination
  • Report/Certificate
  • Master (Qualification equivalent to the international Master's Degree)

Teacher Training College

Tasks:

  • Training teachers for Primary Schools, Hauptschulen (Secondary Modern Schools - usually Grades 5-9), Realschulen (Secondary Modern School - usually Grades 5 - 10) or Sonderschulen (schools for special educational need)
  • Training teachers for vocational schools also in cooperation with the universities of applied sciences (not at all the teacher training colleges)
  • Offer of scientific studies in educational areas

Characteristics:

  • Up to the first state examination (Staatsprüfung), the course focuses on practical experience.
  • A one and a half year teaching practice after successfully passing the final examination of the first phase of training prepares ongoing teachers for the subsequent practice.
  • The teaching practice generally ends when the student has passed the second Staatsprüfung.
  • The normal period of study is
    • six semesters to teach at primary schools and Hauptschulen,
    • seven semesters to teach at Realschulen and
    • eight semesters to teach at Sonderschulen,
    • to teach at vocational schools - six to eight semesters for the Bachelor’s Degree and also two to four semesters for the Master’s Degree.

Qualification:

  • Bachelor (Qualification equivalent to the international Bachelor's Degree)
  • Diplom (Degree from a university or other institution of higher education)
  • Magister (Master of Arts)
  • Master (Qualification equivalent to the international Master's Degree)
  • Staatsprüfung (Lehramt) (State examination concluding a course of study for the teaching profession)

Academies of Art and Music

In Baden-Württemberg there are

  • two State Academies of Fine Arts (in Karlsruhe and Stuttgart),
  • the State College of Design (in Karlsruhe),
  • three State Colleges of Music (in Freiburg, Karlsruhe and Trossingen),
  • two state Colleges of Music and the Performing Arts (in Mannheim and Stuttgart),
  • three Church Colleges of Church Music (in Heidelberg, Rottenburg and Tübingen),
  • the Film Academy (in Ludwigsburg) and
  • the Pop Academy (in Mannheim).

Characteristics:

  • The focus of this course of study is both theoretical and practical
  • The normal period of study is between six and twelve semesters depending on the qualification.

Qualification:

  • Bachelor (Qualification equivalent to the international Bachelor's Degree)
  • Diplom (Degree from a university or other institution of higher education)
  • Concert Soloist
  • Künstlerische Abschlussprüfung (Final examination at a College of Art or College of Music )
  • Magister (Master of Arts)
  • Master (Qualification equivalent to the international Master's Degree)
  • Staatsprüfung (Lehramt) (State examination concluding a course of study for the teaching profession)
  • Report/Certificate

University of Applied Sciences

Tasks:

  • Teaching theoretical knowledge and practical skills
  • Preparing the student for a professional occupation

Characteristics:

  • The course of study teaches applied science and is very practice-oriented
  • The course of study is well structured.
  • Industrial placements are integrated into the course of study.
  • The period of study is restricted; the normal period of study is six to eight semesters.

Qualification:

  • Bachelor (Qualification equivalent to the international Bachelor's Degree)
  • Master (Qualification equivalent to the international Master's Degree)

Cooperative State University Baden-Württemberg

The Cooperative State University Baden-Württemberg offers professional training with integrated practical experience at the training centres combined with a course of study at an academy of study which is based on scientific findings.

Characteristics:

  • The course of study offers a constant transition between theory and practice.
  • The curriculum is quickly adapted to developments in the economy.
  • A training contract with a company ensures that the trainee is paid during the course of study. Semester breaks are replaced by the specified annual vacation.
  • There is compulsory attendance during the practical and theoretical phases.
  • Integration into company processes takes place from an early stage.
  • The normal period of study including the vocational training at the training centre: 3 years

Qualification:

  • Bachelor
  • Master

Release note

The German original version of this text was drafted in close cooperation with the relevant departments. The Wissenschaftsministerium released it on 21.03.2020. Only the German text is legally binding. The Federal State does not assume any liability for the translated texts.

In cases of doubt or if you have any questions or problems, please contact the relevant authorities directly.