Dual Studies – A Trendsetting Form Of Study In Germany

The dual way of studying – i.e., studying while gaining practical experience in a company – has become a trend. By now, the number of dual degree courses offered in Germany at higher-education institutions in various variants amounts to more than 1500. Each variant has its specific upsides and downsides. Thus, if you are interested in attending a dual degree course, you should initially examine which variant suits you best. To that end, the ensuing overview may be helpful.

There are four variants of the dual form of study, namely training-integrated studies, practice-integrated studies, job-integrated studies, and job-accompanying studies. A common feature of most of these variants (with the exception of training-integrated dual studies) is that theoretical education, unlike in dual vocational training, does not take place at a technical or vocational school but at a higher-education institution (e.g., university of applied sciences, college). While the two former variants are particularly recommendable to school graduates, the two latter ones are suited for people seeking continuing education. Prerequisite to take part in a dual study program, usually, is higher-education entrance qualification, although in some cases, people who have completed a vocational training course and worked in the respective vocation for three years, or else completed a continuing education course for business eocnomists, technicians or master craftsmen may be admitted as well.

Training-integrated dual studies is the right choice for any school graduate who has not yet made up their minds as to whether to opt for either attending a study program or applying for vocational training. For this variant offers both options at the same time: In parallel with their studies, students taking up training-integrated dual studies receive vocational training in a company that cooperates with the respective higher-education institution. What makes this variant so popular is the fact that upon completion of their studies, students will gain both an academic degree and vocational qualification. On the other hand, training-integrated dual study programs require a high degree of resilience, considering that participants must attend vocational school in addition to studying at university and working in the partnership company.

As in the case of job-integrated dual studies, the practical part of education within the scope of practice-integrated dual studies transpires in a company. Practice-integrated dual studies, however, are different from job-integrated dual studies in that, for one thing, the practical education is not provided through vocational training. Focus is placed on students‘ gaining practical experience as interns or employees in companies of their choosing. Depending on the type of practice-integrated dual studies, students either get to know several departments of a single company or do an internship in a different company for several months each semester. What is more, the practice-integrated variant of dual studies does not involve attending any classes at a vocational school in addition to university lectures. That being said, it is particularly suited for school graduates who place more value on leisure time and who wish to gain experiences in various areas.

Job-integrated dual studies are geared to professionals seeking continuing education in parallel with their full-time job. As the name already suggests, (continuing-education) studies are integrated into the job. To that end, working hours are minimized by arrangement with the employer. Since, on the one hand, it is possible in some cases to take up job-integrated dual studies even without higher-education entrance qualification or subject-related entrance qualification respectively, and since on the other hand, job-integrated dual studies increasingly lead to a Master‘s degree, they are recommendable to professionals with or without any academic background. The downside is that participants must accept lower salaries due to reduced working time.

Unlike job-integrated dual studies, job-accompanying dual studies do not provide for any reduction of working hours. Here, studies accompany students‘ jobs in the form of correspondence or evening courses, i.e. they are added to regular working hours. However, employers support students by authorizing them to absent themselves from work to attend examinations and during attendance periods in general. This variant’s downside clearly lies in the high workload participants are exposed to during their studies. It is therefore not suited for leisure time enthusiasts. The upside, meanwhile, is for participants to continue to receive their full salary.