Academic
degrees in
Saxony

Good things come to those who wait. Your degree could be the gateway to a successful professional career. And there are a whole host of degrees on offer in Saxony:dich:

In many cases (possible restriction: numerus clausus), your general higher education entrance qualification gives you the opportunity to study your chosen subject at a university of your choice. You will attend lectures, introductory courses, and seminars, and will do internships — and after a standard three to four-year period of study, you will receive your bachelor’s degree. This is the first academic degree.

A bachelor's degree demonstrates that you have understood the basics of academic work. You cannot study for a master’s degree without first completing a bachelor’s degree. However, this does not mean you have to continue your studies immediately after obtaining your bachelor’s degree. Many use this degree as a starting point for a career in business or as the beginning of a time out to see the world before studying for a master’s degree.

It is up to the individual universities and, in some cases, the faculties to decide whether and to what extent bachelor’s theses or bachelor’s examinations are required for a degree. You also have the choice of concentrating on one major subject in your bachelor’s degree or completing a combined bachelor’s degree in two subjects at the same time.

The bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for starting and ultimately completing a master’s degree in Germany. During your master’s degree in Saxony, you will deepen your specialist knowledge. The Master of Arts (MA) is awarded to graduates of language, sports, art, and cultural and social science degrees. The Master of Science (MSc) is awarded to natural scientists, mathematicians, and forestry, nutrition, and agricultural scientists. In many cases, those who successfully complete a degree in engineering are awarded the title Master of Engineering (MEng). If you are studying a fine arts subject, you will be awarded a Master of Fine Arts (MFA). The Master of Music (MMus) is awarded to successful music graduates.

There are as many different master’s degrees as there are ways of completing them. Some require theoretical examinations in combination with a master’s thesis, others require a work of music or a workpiece. By specializing in a Master's degree course, you can acquire specialist knowledge that can open up better career opportunities for you later on. A Master's degree will also help you to further develop your academic career.

The engineering title of 'Diplom-Ingenieurin ' or 'Diplom-Ingenieur' is a highly sought-after qualification. However, out of the technical universities, only the TU Dresden still awards it as part of single-cycle Diplom degree programmes.

Diplom degrees not only have an excellent reputation, they are of course fully recognized internationally and are equivalent to master’s degrees. Similar to bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes, ECTS points are awarded that allow for comparability. To receive your Diplom, you must first successfully complete a Diplom thesis and a Diplom examination.

Just what the doctor ordered. Have you successfully completed either your state examination, master’s degree or Diplom and want to delve even deeper into your subject area? Then why not work on a PhD thesis? In most cases, you will need to study at a university to do this. Graduates of a university of fine arts can only pursue this path if their chosen subject area has a particularly academic focus.

Is your educational path leading to a university of applied sciences in Saxony? There’s still a way for you to obtain a doctorate — the cooperative doctoral procedure. As a doctoral candidate, you will receive double supervision from a lecturer at a university and one from a university of applied sciences. Alongside your written work, you will also attend additional university courses. This process usually takes several years. But in the end, you’ll be awarded a doctorate. Universities of applied sciences are an exception to this, as double supervision is no longer required here.

The title of professor ranks above a doctoral degree. However, completing your postdoctoral qualification, known as habilitation, does not automatically make you a professor. Only by being appointed to a professorship do you actually become a professor, so there is no examination and no further courses are required for this. This is the highest level you can reach. Professors are considered distinguished experts in their field.