Disillusionment often follows the joy of graduating with a bachelor's degree. At that point at the latest, the crucial question arises: (No) master’s degree?
There are over 70 master's courses available in Germany for the relatively exotic archeology course alone. A master's degree offers the opportunity to deepen existing knowledge, to specialize, to work practically or theoretically, or to take a completely new direction within one's own field of study. In addition, it simply serves as additional qualification. These are great prospects, but they can leave students spoiled for choice.
Step 1: Master yes, but which one?
In order to be clear about whether and which master's degree is suitable, it is worth taking advantage of the advice offered by your own university. This can often provide initial orientation points.
There are also various websites that deal with the very complex search for the right master. Basically, there are subject-specific sites such as jurawelt.com for lawyers, but general search engines such as studiengaenge.zeit.de, master-and-more.de or hochschulkompass.de also provide an insight into the wide range of master's degree programs in Germany. Websites such as masterwiki.de, where students share their experiences with searching for and applying for a master's degree, provide further inspiration.
In addition, trade fairs taking place across Germany such as “Master and More” or “studyworld 2015” (April 24th – 25th, 2015 in Berlin) make it possible to take a look at the various offers and, if you are interested, to inquire personally.
Ultimately, the decisive factor in the selection should be the program and its design, not necessarily the prestige of the university, says graduate sociologist Gero Federkeil from the Center for University Development (CHE). “The name of the university should be of secondary importance.” It is more advisable for Bachelor graduates to create a shortlist and then try to find out more about the respective Master’s program and weigh them up against each other. A ranking could help with this, he concludes.
Of course, the question should now arise as to whether the right program can be found at home or abroad. This is not only crucial for any financing, but also for the requirements that must be met. “There are fields of study and careers that are more international in nature than others,” emphasizes Federkeil. “A master’s abroad makes sense for students who have international ambitions for their future career or want to specialize in a field that is only offered abroad.”
Step 2: Do I have the necessary requirements?
Under no circumstances should access requirements or possible restrictions be ignored when conducting more in-depth research. The idea behind the Bologna reform was to harmonize and simplify the bachelor's and master's system across Europe, but the different credit points awarded or a high numerus clausus can put a damper on the master plan.
The same applies in particular to projects abroad, where additional requirements such as language certificates or letters of reference may have to be submitted. This information can also be found in the descriptions of the respective universities. For general information about the study systems in the desired countries or any visa requirements, Studium-in-china.de, in-usa-studieren.de or in-australien-studieren.de offer a good overview. At EU level, it is definitely worth clicking on ec.europa.eu/ploteus, which is powered by the European Commission.
Step 3: Who pays for the fun?
If you now know where and in which master's program you want to study, the financing still remains to be clarified. As with the bachelor's degree, funding through BAföG is conceivable. A completed bachelor's degree and starting your studies before your 35th birthday are required.
However, if the student has previously completed another degree, such as an additional bachelor's degree or a state examination, the master's degree is considered a second degree and is usually no longer supported. If you do a master's abroad, AuslandsBAföG is also an option, which is paid out for both bachelor's and master's degrees in the case of a single semester abroad. The same applies to the entire master's degree if it is to be completed in the EU or Switzerland. Domestic and foreign BAföG must be repaid proportionately. Student loans are also an option that can be considered.
Starting a master's degree also opens up the new opportunity to apply to well-known funding organizations such as the Studienstiftung, the German Business Foundation or other institutions for special master's funding programs, which are often tailored to specific courses and applicants. In any case, exploring the different offers is worthwhile.
Once these questions have been clarified, it's just a matter of meeting the application deadlines and ultimately getting the confirmation for the desired place. Then nothing can actually stand in the way of a successful master's degree.
Disillusionment often follows the joy of graduating with a bachelor's degree. At that point at the latest, the crucial question arises: (No) master’s degree?
