Graduate Offerings Germany

[sarahmac]

The following are 'free' master's degrees, online, in English. Cost is usually 62-351.66 € semester fees (which pays for the student union etc.). There are other online Master's, but these either carry tuition charges (normally 1500 to 2000 a semester), or are in German.

--

World Heritage Studies (MA)

No numerus clausus (admissions restriction), everyone who meets the admittance criteria will be accepted. Admittance Criteria: BA degree or equivalent in Cultural Sciences or other study areas relevant to the World Heritage Studies curriculum (Humanities, Social Sciences, Architecture, Archaeology, Art History, Conservation, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Cultural Management or Tourism). 

Sustainable Transition (MSc)

No numerus clausus (admissions restriction), everyone who meets the admittance criteria will be accepted. Admittance Criteria: Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree with at least 180 ECTS-points and the grade good or very good (Minimum Grade of 2.6 German grading system,, similar to US 3.0 to 2.7) in one of the following scientific fields: Agriculture, Nutrition, Natural or environmental sciences, Economics, Political science. Proof of sufficient knowledge in economics, and/or the social sciences, i.e. at least 60 ECTS points in at least one of these subjects.

Communications and Signal Processing (MSc)

No numerus clausus (admissions restriction), everyone who meets the admittance criteria will be accepted. Admittance Criteria: Bachelor's degree in a similar field (aimed at engineering students).

Media and Communication Science (MA)

No numerus clausus (admissions restriction), everyone who meets the admittance criteria will be accepted. Admittance Criteria: Bachelor's degree in a similar field (e.g. anyone who did the journalism-oriented UMPI English degree should qualify, for example).

Cognitive Science (MSc)

Numerus clausus (admissions is restricted). Admittance Criteria: applicants must have a Bachelor degree in Cognitive Science (or a comparable degree) in order to study Cognitive Science in the Master Program at the University of Osnabrueck. Applicants with a Bachelor degree (or comparable degree) in Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Computer Science, (Computational) Linguistics, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Philosophy or Psychology are eligible for admission to the Master Program. Note: Students are required to attend once a year (2 weeks), but are free to extend their stay or visit every semester. If you cannot attend due to exceptional cases, please contact us.

Global Public Health (MA)

Admittance Criteria: Completion of an undergraduate study programme at a university in Germany or abroad which encompasses at least 180 ECTS credits in the fields of health, medicine, medical computer science or any other degree related to health. Minimum 2 years work experience, part time work can be credited. Completion of assessment test offered on three dates per academic year. Note: students are required to attend a short summer and winter school in person.

--

The admittance criteria: regionally accredited bachelor's with a GPA. Check Anabin. Anything with a + sign is fine, including UMPI, COSC and Excelsior. TESU is +/- and is on shaky grounds because they offer PLA. This means individual assessment of transcripts takes place to ensure you actually have 120 credits and not 90 credits and 30 credits of PLA. WGU is a non-starter, I don't think it even makes it in Anabin.

Note that no numerus clausus means everyone who qualifies can "have a go". It does not guarantee you will do well and graduate. The German system lets everyone who is qualified try, and then students naturally attrition if they find the content is too demanding. It is not uncommon for cohorts to shrink to 1/3 of the original size by the end of the first year.

--

Why post these master's other than the fact they are free? If you have a 1.5-2 year master's degree (45-60 US credits) you can do a PhD for free at most German universities via distance learning. So-called independent doctoral studies. Or, you can move to Germany and get paid. The term for someone completing a PhD in Germany is "doctoral researcher", and you are not a student - research is a job. Of course, most people on this board are probably just here for the free distance-path

[rachel83az]

The Global Public Health degree is in Deggendorf, which appears to be a small-ish Bavarian town partway between Munich and Prague. Near-ish Regensburg and almost at the Czech border, if that means anything to non-Germans. Prague is a great place to visit, highly recommended if you attend this university. Austria's pretty close, too. It doesn't seem to be a very well-connected town (unless Google Maps is bugging out, which it does sometimes), so you'd probably need to rent a car in order to have any sort of mobility.

On the other hand, the Cognitive Science degree is in Northern Germany, in Osnabrück, near the border with the Netherlands. It appears to be relatively easy to get to Düsseldorf or Cologne via public transport, though car rental would be even easier, if you want to do some sightseeing there.

[sarahmac]

The Global Public Health degree is in Deggendorf, which appears to be a small-ish Bavarian town partway between Munich and Prague. Near-ish Regensburg and almost at the Czech border, if that means anything to non-Germans. Prague is a great place to visit, highly recommended if you attend this university. Austria's pretty close, too. It doesn't seem to be a very well-connected town (unless Google Maps is bugging out, which it does sometimes), so you'd probably need to rent a car in order to have any sort of mobility.

On the other hand, the Cognitive Science degree is in Northern Germany, in Osnabrück, near the border with the Netherlands. It appears to be relatively easy to get to Düsseldorf or Cologne via public transport, though car rental would be even easier, if you want to do some sightseeing there.

Most people in Germany travel by train, not car, and Deggendorf has a train station. You can travel there easily by train from Munich which has an international airport. There is only one change from the RE faster trains to the local light rail. I take a similar journey to work each day ^^'

[rachel83az]

Most people in Germany travel by train, not car, and Deggendorf has a train station. You can travel there easily by train from Munich which has an international airport. There is only one change from the RE faster trains to the local light rail. I take a similar journey to work each day ^^'

I know a lot of Germans go by train, but Google Maps is insisting that it's almost impossible to get to Deggendorf entirely by train from Munich (or vice versa). It's usually pretty good about public transport options, and sometimes even shows local delays that the German transportation apps aren't showing. Depending on how Google is feeling, it insists that the closest train station is in Plattling! It definitely insists that Deggendorf has no local buses, which seems highly unlikely for Germany. All of this makes it quite difficult for a non-German-speaking student to visit without renting a car.

[sarahmac]

Most people in Germany travel by train, not car, and Deggendorf has a train station. You can travel there easily by train from Munich which has an international airport. There is only one change from the RE faster trains to the local light rail. I take a similar journey to work each day ^^'

I know a lot of Germans go by train, but Google Maps is insisting that it's almost impossible to get to Deggendorf entirely by train from Munich (or vice versa). It's usually pretty good about public transport options, and sometimes even shows local delays that the German transportation apps aren't showing. Depending on how Google is feeling, it insists that the closest train station is in Plattling! It definitely insists that Deggendorf has no local buses, which seems highly unlikely for Germany. All of this makes it quite difficult for a non-German-speaking student to visit without renting a car.

Oh that is funny! No in Plattling is just where you would change from the faster regional train to RB lightrail. It is only 8 minutes on the light rail between Plattling and Deggendorf. If anyone was going to visit Germany to be honest, I always suggest they download DB Navigator. Makes life much easier since it is in English and gives really explicit instructions.

[lumina]

Please note that the travel from Deggendorf to Munich or vice versa takes about 2 hours each way.

[rachel83az]

Please note that the travel from Deggendorf to Munich or vice versa takes about 2 hours each way.

Indeed. By most American standards, that's quite close. Close enough for a weekend trip, at least. And I've known Americans who had similar commutes to get to work every day.

[bjcheung77]

Hmm, if I have vacation time, some of these look interesting, it'll be like a short vacation each year just to "complete" what is required for the short residencies...