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German diploma???

G

I´m confused! I´m from germany and have finished "biology" with the german "Diplom", what means 6 years of study including 1 year of practical work and finishing with a diploma thesis. Can I start a PhD in great britain or do I have to do a masters degree first???

G

Omira, did you finish from Fachochshule or from Universitaet?

G

Come to think of it, maybe the best thing to do would be to contact the postgraduate admissions people at the departments of the universities that take your fancy. I think it would be a mistake to try to compare the German "Diplom" with say the bachelors or masters degrees here. Therefore, an idea might be to send them some details about what exams/courses you took, what other experience you have etc. etc. Maybe this way, your worth as a prospective PhD student can be assessed more according to your individual merit. This is as opposed to according to what standard the academics *think* your studies to be at. I think the German "Diplom" is a fairly recognised qualification anyway.

Having said that, my boyfriend tells me that it would be difficult to be accepted as a PhD student if you got your qualification from a FH. Maybe other German students out there could comment as to whether this would be the case or not. I don't know whether UK universities lay out specifications for foreign degrees.

So beware, I might have been writing rubbish before (sorry)! I think it wouldn't do any harm nevertheless to enquire to academics, giving as much information as you can about what you did in Germany.

G

Thank you for your prompt help! I finished at university and it was quite hard! I`ll contact the universities, that`s a good hint.

See our PhD's Explained section for links and information on equivalent qualifications.

G

I have finished with a "Diplom-Betriebswirt" from the Berufsakademie and this title was accepted as equivalent to the bachelor. They told me at University that if it would have been a Diploma from a University, I could have started at the Masters level. Hope this helps.

G

I am a Diplom Biologe. I had no probs getting my PhD at a British Uni. When I started I read that the British Council accepts Diplom as Ba (Hons). Given what we had to learn and they had to learn a joke, but there you go. Remember always, Rule Britania. etc. ;) Brits can't really compute that they might be NOT the best at something. 1966 wahey.

They told me at University that if it would have been a Diploma from a University, I could have started at the Masters level." Wished they would have told me that. But if you are accepted as Masters, don't you still have to do the whole 3 years of a PhD. Anyway there is some info at NAIRC and The British Council in Germany - it has changed since I started.

May I add after a bit of Brit bashing, that it's definitly worth studying here, just from the international recognition point of view. Their Unis are more organised, like FH's actually ;). Not like the normal Uni I went to. Chaos in motion. Good Luck anyway.

G

No, having a Diploma was no problem at all- getting funding is the reall challange if you're not british.
My Diploma was never qustioned as not being good enough. I started my PhD directly after my Diploma with no problems.

G

The rules probably vary from university to university.

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