A ''Diplom'' (, from grc, δίπλωμα ''diploma'') is an
academic degree in the German-speaking countries
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, and
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
and a similarly named degree in some other European countries including
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
,
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
,
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
,
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, and
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
and only for
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
s in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
,
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
,
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
,
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
, and
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
.
History
The Diplom originates from the French Diplôme (''Diplôme de l'ordre impérial de la légion d'honneur'') describing a certificate devised during the
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire (; officially the French Empire, ), was the 18-year Empire, Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 14 January 1852 to 27 October 1870, between the French Second Republic, Second and the French Third Republic ...
to bestow honours upon outstanding citizens and soldiers of the imperial French army to promote them into the
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
since 1862. The
Magister degree was the original graduate degree at German-speaking universities. In Germany the Diplom dates back to the
pre-republican period: In October 1899 the engineering degree ''Diplom'' was announced by a ''supreme decree'' of the German emperor
Wilhelm II
Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918. Despite strengthening the German Empir ...
in his function as the King of
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
on the advent of the Centenary of the
Prussian Technical College in Berlin. The Diplom was subsequently adopted by the ''
Technische Hochschule
A ''Technische Hochschule'' (, plural: ''Technische Hochschulen'', abbreviated ''TH'') is a type of university focusing on engineering sciences in Germany. Previously, it also existed in Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands (), and Finland (, ). ...
n'' (''Institutes of Technology'') which had received university status following this Prussian decree. Later, all German universities adopted the Diplom as their degree in Science or Engineering.
In East Germany, the Diplom was the only first degree and was also granted in disciplines such as medicine or law, which at
West German
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
universities were completed with a
Staatsexamen
The ("state examination" or "exam by state"; pl.: ''Staatsexamina'') is a German government licensing examination that future physicians, dentists, teachers, pharmacists, food chemists, psychotherapists and jurists (i.e., lawyers, judges, publi ...
. Nowadays such diplomas are still granted to students of such disciplines, although most universities only grant the diplom status (for example "Diplom-Jurist" in law) on request. Some universities also grant a master's degree (e.g. "Magister iuris") to such students on request.
With the implementation of the
Bologna process, awarding new ''Diplom'' and ''Magister'' degrees has become rare, since they are replaced by bachelor's or master's degrees. Already awarded degrees remain valid.
France
'Diplôme' is the French word for degree or diploma. The French engineering diploma is called
Diplôme d'Ingénieur
The Diplôme d'Ingénieur (, often abbreviated as ''Dipl. Ing.'') is a postgraduate degree in engineering ''(see Engineer's Degrees in Europe)'' usually awarded by the Grandes Écoles in engineering. It is generally obtained after five to seven ye ...
(often abbreviated as ''Dipl. Ing.''). The French government also grants to all holders of a Diplôme d'Ingénieur the academic title of ''Ingénieur Diplômé'', which is official and legally protected in France.
Germany
Before the introduction of the bachelor's and master's degrees in Germany, the standard Science, Engineering or Business degree was the ''Diplom'' and could be, in several variations, obtained at several types of institutes of higher education.
Obtained at a university, the degree was simply called a ''Diplom'' or rarely a ''Diplom (Univ.)'' and took usually between four and six years (240–360
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a standard means for comparing academic credits, i.e., the "volume of learning based on the defined learning outcomes and their associated workload" for higher education across the E ...
credits), depending on subject and curriculum. When obtained at a so-called University of Applied Sciences (or ''
Fachhochschule
A ''Fachhochschule'' (; plural ''Fachhochschulen''), abbreviated FH, is a university of applied sciences (UAS), in other words a German tertiary education institution that provides professional education in many applied sciences and applied arts ...
''), the diploma degree is called a ''Diplom (FH)'' and took mostly four years (240 ECTS credits).
The ''Diplom'' was usually awarded in the natural sciences, business, theology and engineering, while students of humanities, arts and languages finished with a
Magister. (The degree in social sciences differed from university to university.) All kinds of ''Diplom'' degrees were usually first degrees. However, the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' was also the highest non-doctoral degree in science, business or engineering in Germany.
The duration of the ''Diplom'' degree programmes differed depending on subject and university. An official average duration (''Regelstudienzeit'') was set by law in each
German state, usually being four years for a ''Diplom (FH)'' and 4, 4.5 or 5 years for a ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)''. In exceptional cases, universities were allowed to set longer average durations for certain subjects (HGRP1995 § 26 (3), NHG2007 § 6 (3), HmbHG2001 §53 (3)). However, due to the curriculum set by most universities in Germany, the 4, 4.5 or 5 years for a ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' were often exceeded.
Although being a first degree, because of its actual duration, the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' was and is in Germany not considered as an equivalent to a bachelor's but rather to a master's degree, as also expressed by the equivalent ECTS credits for the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)''.
A holder of a ''Diplom'' obtained at a university is, depending on subject, for example referred to as "Diplom-Ingenieur" (''Diplom-Engineer''), "Diplom-Kaufmann" (''Diplom-Merchant''), "Diplom-Biologe" (''Diplom-Biologist'') and so on. In Bavaria, sometimes the postfix "(Univ.)" is added. If the Diplom has been obtained at a University of Applied Sciences (''Fachhochschule'') the postfix "(FH)" has to be added (e.g. ''Diplom-Ingenieur (FH)''). There are a few rare exceptions where the postfix need not be added, mostly due to older laws, small differences in the laws of the
German states or transition rules. Transition rules, for example in engineering, or
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
directives like directive 2005/36/EC grant certain limited groups with other kinds of related qualifications to also use the designation ''Diplom''.
To obtain a Diplom at a university, students had to complete two separate periods of study. The first one was a two-year period of coursework in courses of mainly (but not only) introductory nature, the ''Grundstudium'' (meaning ''basic studying period''). After (and during) this period, in addition to exams for passing the modules, students attained a series of usually four intermediate exams to obtain the ''Vordiplom'' (meaning ''pre-diploma'').
The second period, the ''Hauptstudium'' (meaning ''main period of study''), consisted of two years of coursework in courses of advanced level, an additional period of several months in which a thesis had to be written and eventually a series of usually four
[ – Example: Examination regulations for the Diplom degree in Biology, University of Bonn (Germany)] final exams. It was not unusual for students to need more than two years for the coursework of the ''Hauptstudium''. An obtained ''Vordiplom'' and the completion of the coursework of the ''Hauptstudium'' were the requirements to register for working on the thesis and for the final exams. However, access to courses of the ''Hauptstudium'' was usually not restricted to students who had already obtained the ''Vordiplom''.
The extent of the final exams and the exams to obtain the ''Vordiplom'' was set by each university individually in its regulations. Normally, the content of two different modules of the preceding period of coursework was examined in each of the examinations, which could be oral or less often in writing. Most students needed approximately six months to complete the final exam period.
The thesis which followed an independent (although supervised) research project had officially to be completed in not more than 3 to 9 months (depending on subject and university).
However, the actual time students worked on these projects could again exceed the official duration by several months.
The curriculum for a ''Diplom (FH)'' degree, obtained at a University of Applied Sciences (''Fachhochschule'') used to be more application-oriented, in comparison to what was expected for a Univ. Diplom degree. The programme was slightly shorter and often one semester was spent by the students doing an
internship
An internship is a period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited period of time. Once confined to medical graduates, internship is used practice for a wide range of placements in businesses, non-profit organizations and gover ...
. Those with some previous
vocational qualification
Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade as a tradesperson or artisan. Vocational Education can also be seen as that type of education given to an ind ...
in a subject related to their studies were typically exempt from the requirement to do an internship. Typically, the studies in such a program were more organized and structured than the studies at a university, with a tighter schedule and a larger number of intermediate and final exams. Subjects were split into those regarded as basic studies and in-depth studies. Unlike the universities the period of basic studies (''Grundstudium'') wasn't completely separated from the period of in-depth studies (''Fachstudium'') by a ''pre-diploma''. Instead of a pre-diploma the passing of one or more intermediate exams in a subject qualified to move forward with that particular subject or start related in-depth subject studies. Passing one or more final exams in a subject completed a subject. Once almost all subjects were completed thesis work could start, but the missing final exams had to be passed latest with the completion of the thesis work. It was typical to perform thesis work in the industry, supervised by a professor from the university of applied science and a senior professional from the company where the work was performed. Although lab work was also permitted as thesis work. The written thesis work needed to be defended in an oral exam after which the diploma was granted.
The ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' is usually a prerequisite for preparing a doctorate (''Doktorarbeit''). However, under certain conditions, holders of a ''Diplom (FH)'' are also eligible for doctoral studies. In German-speaking countries and in countries which Germany has bilateral agreements with—regarding the recognition of academic qualifications, the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' is usually accepted as admission into doctorate programs.
Further kinds of diploma (Germany)
While the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' and the ''Diplom (FH)'' were the most common Diplom degrees in Germany, further Diploma did and do exist. Those are:
* ''Diplom (BA)'' – The ''Diplom (BA)'' was not an academic degree, but instead a qualification designation which students received after completing a three-year programme at a so-called University of
Cooperative Education
Cooperative education (or co-operative education) is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op", provides academic credit for struct ...
(''Berufsakademie''). These colleges combined coursework with apprenticeships.
* ''Diplom (DH)'' – In the German state of
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
, the Universities of Cooperative Education were transferred into the
Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University
The Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (German: ''Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg'', DHBW) is an institution of higher education with several campuses throughout the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It offers dual-educat ...
(''Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg'') in 2009. Former students of a University of Cooperative Education can transfer their qualification designation ''Diplom (BA)'' into the academic degree ''Diplom (DH)''
* ''Diplom I'' and ''Diplom II'' – Some German universities (for example the
University of Kassel
The University of Kassel (german: link=no, Universität Kassel) is a university founded in 1971 located in Kassel, Hessen, in central Germany. As of February 2022 it had about 25,000 students and about 3300 staff, including more than 300 profe ...
) used to offer these academic degrees, where the ''Diplom I'' was basically a minor ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' obtained after a shortened program of study, while the ''Diplom II'' was the equivalent to the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)''.
Other uses of the word
In the German language the word ''Diplom'' can also be used for certificates of any kind of achievement. It is usually apparent from the context if an academic degree is meant or not, especially when the word is combined with the academic profession.
International comparison (Germany)
Acceptance of the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' and the ''Diplom (FH)'' varies from country to country and from university to university. Usually holders of any of the degrees are considered for admission to postgraduate (not necessarily doctoral) studies. The acceptance or rejection of the diploma not only varies because of different academic standards, but also because of political, regulatory and administrative reasons.
* A bilateral agreement between Germany and France sets the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' as equivalent to the French
Maîtrise.
* In the Netherlands the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' is usually accepted as equivalent to the Dutch
doctorandus or the Dutch master's degree.
* In the United States, evaluations by U.S. universities vary. For example, for admission to graduate studies, the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
T ...
, the
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University ...
and the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
require (at least) the ''Vordiplom'' plus an additional year of study. The
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering co ...
and the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...
consider holders of a ''Diplom'' (not differing between ''(FH)'' and ''(Univ.)'') for admission to graduate studies. According to
World Education Services
World Education Services (WES) is a nonprofit organization that provides credential evaluations for international students and immigrants planning to study or work in the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 1974, it is based in New York, U.S. It also has ...
, a German ''Diplom'' is equivalent to having earned both U.S. bachelor's and master's degrees.
* In Canada, the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' is at most universities the prerequisite to enter a Canadian Master's program, and corresponds generally to a Canadian 4-year Bachelor's/Bachelier degree and an honours bachelor's degree; in all cases to a university ''Bachelor with Honours'' degree.
* In Denmark the ''Diplom (FH)'' awarded after four years of tuition is considered as being equivalent to a Danish bachelor's degree, whereas the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' awarded after at least 4 ½ years of tuition merits a
Kandidatuddannelse. The German Diplom must not be confused with a Danish
Diplomuddannelse which is equivalent to a bachelor's degree.
* In the United Kingdom the
University of Aberystwyth
, mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all
, established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'')
, former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth
, type = Public
, endowment = ...
, the
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
and the
University of Sheffield
, mottoeng = To discover the causes of things
, established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions:
– Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield
, type = Pu ...
consider both ''Diplom'' or a bachelor's degree as sufficient to enter a postgraduate programme. Also the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
states that it considers both degrees as sufficient to enter postgraduate programmes.
* In the Republic of Ireland, the ''Diplom (FH)'' is recognized as being equivalent to a bachelor's honours degree, while a ''Diplom'' is considered equivalent to the Irish master's degree if its standard duration was at least 4.5 years.
* In Norway, the authority in charge for the recognition of foreign qualifications Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, called the Diplom degree system as being both "complex" and "confusing". The Norwegian Statistical Office compares the ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' with the Norwegian master's degree.
* In Sweden, the
Swedish National Agency for Higher Education considers a German ''Diplom'' as sufficient for the admission to a Swedish
Master's
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. program. On the
Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate Conference in 2005 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Malmqvist ''et al.'' stated that, the Swedish
Civilingenjör engineering degree programs "are 4½ year integrated engineering programs roughly equivalent to Master of Science or ''Diplom-Ingenieur'' degrees".
Comparison between Diplom and Bologna Degrees in Germany
The variations in the acceptance of degrees was one reason the EU initiated and executed the
Bologna Process. Part of the Bologna Process shall ensure comparability between higher-education qualifications in the EU. As part of this process Germany has introduced Masters and bachelor's degrees and has largely phased out the awarding of new diploma degrees. A process not universally welcomed by the German academic and engineering communities.
The already awarded ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' and the ''Diplom (FH)'' degrees remain valid indefinitely and are not exchanged for master's or bachelor's degrees. Current German binding recommendations state that the newly German master's and bachelor's degrees come with the same eligibilities as the old degrees ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' and ''Diplom (FH)'', respectively. This is, for example, important for joining certain career paths in government administration, military, or regulated professions, where some kind of diploma was required. It also implies that ''Diplom (FH)'' holders can join a master's degree program. It does not imply the degrees are the same, a fact stretched multiple times in the cited reference.
An actual comparison, in case it is needed, is done via ECTS points which are retroactively calculated/assigned to old ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' and ''Diplom (FH)'' degrees, when needed. This calculation is e.g. done when a holder of a ''Diploma (FH)'' wants to join a Masters program and needs to know the number of additional ECTS point to study for to obtain a Masters.
Since the old diploma study programs were all a bit different there is not a single ECTS value or comparison chart for all kinds of diplomas. Almost universally, however, when retroactively calculating ECTS points for ''Diplom / Diplom (Univ.)'' degrees they end up well into the ECTS point range for a master's degree. The situation is different for ''Diplom (FH)'' degrees. Those tend to end up at least at the Bachelor's ECTS point level or above, and below the ECTS point level for a master's degree. The ranking is roughly shown in the following table, from lowest to highest rank. Typical ECTS points are provided for a very rough comparison, individual points vary.
The following chart illustrates the durations required to obtain the old degrees (''Diplom, Diplom (FH)'') and the new European degrees (bachelor's and master's), using nominal example durations.
At the time of the Bologna process, schools in most
German states started changing from 13 school years to 12 years. (An exception are the states of
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
and
Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and larg ...
, where
Gymnasium has always lasted only 12 years ever since the
German Reunification
German reunification (german: link=no, Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) was the process of re-establishing Germany as a united and fully sovereign state, which took place between 2 May 1989 and 15 March 1991. The day of 3 October 1990 when the Ge ...
.) Most of the students going for a ''Diplom'' therefore spent 13 years in school before starting their university studies, while the younger Bachelor students nowadays may start one year earlier. (However, in some states, such as
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...
or
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sch ...
, the first class which completes school after 12 years will graduate as late as 2016.) Regarding international comparison, one may argue that British, Irish and French high school students have school also in the afternoons which could compensate with the (former) additional year of school attendance in Germany.
Note: For the Diplom (FH) a student has to spend one to two obligatory semesters during his studies in a company. These semesters are included in the table. The study time is therefore one to two semesters shorter. Bachelor studies have them included in the table too. For the Diplom (Universität) those semesters are sometimes not included in the table.
Also note: In Germany, a Diplom (Universität) student can enter a doctoral program directly (if the student meets the admission requirements). A Diplom (FH) student has to have excellent grades to directly enter a doctorate program. With the Higher Education Act of the Land
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...
as of August 2010, outstanding Bachelor graduates can commence their doctorate at the universities of this German state. In addition, a few German graduate schools, such as the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science or the
Berlin Mathematical School also admit students with a bachelor's degree and excellent grades to their doctorate programmes.
Austria
The Austrian diploma curriculum is a first degree usually structured into 2–3 phases comprising a total of 240–360 ECTS credits (nominally 4–6 years). It typically ends with a final examination after submitting a "Diplomarbeit" (diploma thesis).
[Austrian Ministry of Science and Research, 2011]
The system of Austrian higher education
Depending on the subject, the degrees granted are either Magister/Magistra with a specific suffix (such as Magister philosophiae for philosophy), or Diplom-Ingenieur (in engineering). Notable exceptions are the diploma studies of dentistry and medicine, which result in the degree Doctor medicinae universae (Dr. med. univ.) or Doctor medicinae dentalis (Dr. med. dent.)
In most subjects, diplom programmes have already been phased out in favour of separate,
Bologna-style Bachelor and Master programmes. However, the degree Diplom-Ingenieur is still used for Master's graduates in engineering.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, the Diplom (German) or Diplôme (French) was the typical first degree at the two
federal institutes of technology and at the Swiss universities of applied sciences. Since 2004, these Swiss degrees are no longer offered since they are replaced by Bologna style bachelor's and master's degrees.
Finland
In Finland, the old
diplomi-insinööri
Diplomi-insinööri (DI) ( sv, diplomingenjör) is a Finnish Master's level academic degree with a nominal length of 300 ECTS credits. The official English translation of the degree is Master of Science (Technology). The Finnish name derives from ...
("diploma engineer") title was completely replaced by Master of Science (Technology) in the Bologna process. All Finnish academic degrees are awarded both in Finnish and English and therefore the title is still awarded as ''diplomi-insinööri'' with ''Master of Science (Technology)'' as the official translation. Conversion was straightforward and academic credits were transformed linearly.
Greece
In Greece, a ''higher education diploma'' (δίπλωμα/πτυχίο ανώτατης εκπαίδευσης) is a 4 to 5-year (8-10 semester) (240 ISCED 6 - 300 ECTS ISCED 7) degree, 5-year Diplomas formatted similarly to the German Diplom(Uni), awarded to students of the Greek Engineering Schools and Departments (called Polytechnic in Greece – not to be confused though with the polytechnics of the UK).
While every institution has its own individual approaches, the curriculum usually consists of general knowledge and essential background subjects in the first five semesters. After the end of the fifth semester, students select their academic area of interest and pursue a set of specialised courses for the next four semesters. The last semester is devoted to the preparation of a thesis on the student's chosen area of interest, which is presented before a three-member panel.
5 - year Diplomas are considered equivalent to integrated master's degrees. The holder of a diploma in engineering is permitted to sit in the
Technical Chamber of Greece The Technical Chamber of Greece ( el, Τεχνικό Επιμελητήριο Ελλάδας) (TEE-TCG) is the Greek professional organization that serves as the official technical advisor of the Greek state and is responsible for awarding professio ...
exams without any prerequisite. It also allows the engineer to be considered for doctorate studies without taking any additional classes.
Since adoption of the 2001 Higher Education Reform Act (Ν. 2916/2001, Ν. 3549/2007, N. 4009/2011) the
Technological Educational Institutes (Τεχνολογικά Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα – TEI) constitute a parallel part of public higher education in Greece. They confer ''higher education diploma'' (δίπλωμα/πτυχίο ανώτατης εκπαίδευσης), a 4-year (8 semester)
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
formatted similarly to the German Diplom (FH) (240 ECTS – ISCED 6).
Grades range between 0 and 10, 5 being the passing mark. However, since grading practice differs amongst awarding institutions, a descriptive mark is used, which is more or less universal throughout Greece. For example, in the National Technical University of Athens, a grade in the diploma between 5 and 6.99 is "good" (καλώς), a grade between 7.00 and 8.99 is "very good" (λίαν καλώς) and a grade of 9.00 or more is "excellent" (άριστα). In the University of Patras
the ranges are from 5 to 6.49 (good), from 6.5 to 8.49 (very good) and from 8.5 to 10 (excellent).
See also
*
Diploma
*
DEA (former French degree)
A Master of Advanced Studies or Master of Advanced Study (MAS, M.A.S., or MASt) is a postgraduate degree awarded in various countries. Master of Advanced Studies programs may be non-consecutive programs tailored for "specific groups of working pro ...
*
Specialist, an analogous degree in Russia and
CIS
Cis or cis- may refer to:
Places
* Cis, Trentino, in Italy
* In Poland:
** Cis, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, south-central
** Cis, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, north
Math, science and biology
* cis (mathematics) (cis(''θ'')), a trigonome ...
(
former USSR
The post-Soviet states, also known as the former Soviet Union (FSU), the former Soviet Republics and in Russia as the near abroad (russian: links=no, ближнее зарубежье, blizhneye zarubezhye), are the 15 sovereign states that wer ...
)
*
German Academic Exchange Service
The German Academic Exchange Service, or DAAD (german: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst), was founded in 1925 and is the largest German support organisation in the field of international academic co-operation.
Organisation
''DAAD'' is a ...
References
External links
{{Academic degrees
Academic degrees
Higher education in Germany
Education in Austria
Education in Switzerland
Education in Greece
de:Diplom