Studying in the US? Part 5

In our last newsletters we have introduced you to the American college and university system and gave you an overview over the possibilities for foreign students. In THIS newsletter, we will tell you about:

Evaluation of degrees Due to the different structures of German and American education systems, there are no bilateral agreements about the evaluation of study achievements or academic degrees. That does not only apply to the evaluation of German study achievements for the US, but also the evaluation of American study achievements after your return to Germany.

The academic degrees of American colleges and universities are generally not protected. As a consequence, there may be problems with evaluation in Germany. In the American university system, there is a difference between a) a general license the individual states give the universities to award degrees and b) the specialist recognition by committees of academic self-government and professional organizations in the form of the so-called accreditation. Especially the accreditation by professionally competent organizations recognized by American federal authorities is important. In the US, there are six regional Associations of Colleges and Schools. These take care of the evaluation of the secondary and undergraduate sector. Beside that, there are also a number of professional associations, e.g. of doctors, lawyers, etc. that test the universities and study programs in their respective fields. The list of these professional associations with their accreditations is published every year in the American Council on Education.

Where the general assessment in concerned, there are only preliminary regulations for coordination up to now, but still no central institution. If in doubt, ask the authorities, e.g. the US embassy, the US consulates, or the conference of secretaries of education and cultural affairs. Beware of the self-established accreditation organizations of some American universities. These accreditations will not be accepted by the US federal authorities, i.e. their decisions are of absolutely no consequence.

REMARK: Members of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), which also include the members of the American Association of Universities (AAU), are in general authorized, i.e. accredited universities. Te university's accreditation is generally an important criteria for the accreditation of US study achievements and US degrees in Germany.

German study records for the US German study records are important for admission and placement when you wish to study at a US university. German examination results and the qualifications that go along with it are not automatically evaluated as equal with American examination results and qualifications. For example, according to the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst = German Academic Exchange Service), the German qualification to study for a doctorate (university degree) is not automatically equivalent with the American authorization to go for a PhD. Rather, every university has specific minimum requirements for admission into a study program. Especially graduates of technical colleges have to be prepared to have their academic achievement evaluated in a quite different way. So the German Abitur (qualification for university entrance after 13-year academic high school) may sometimes still lead to classification as a freshman, i.e. an absolute beginner, at other times you may be classified as a sophomore or junior, which would allow you to save one or two years. The universities are quite autonomous in their decision.
German degrees may be recognized or evaluated as equivalent to an American degree by the so-called Credential Evaluation Services in the US for a fee. You can find such a service on wes.org, for example.

Accreditation of American academic achievements for you German university program This especially important for German exchange students who are spending one academic year in the US, but also for German high school graduates who wish to start studying in the US and continue in Germany. Participants in an accredited DAAD study program abroad will most likely not have any problems, because there are special agreements between German and American institutions for this. However, if agreements like this do not exist, the departments of the German universities will decide on what classes will count, sometimes the examination offices (for courses that end in state examinations). That's why you should discuss your study plans for the US with a lecturer of your department / university before leaving for the US. The transfer of credits system that exists inside the US does not yet work on a transatlantic level.

The general rules are:

1. Before leaving for the US, you should discuss what courses to take with someone from your university or examination office. Best do this one semester before leaving. During this conversation you can also ask what to do to have your academic achievements from the US count for your course in Germany and what kinds of documents or certificates you need to bring.
2. Your study program in the US must be documented officially (transcript of records, student record card etc.) Only credit classes, i.e. classes you can pass and get grades for, can be counted for your course in Germany.
3. Only those classes that go with the German study plan will be counted. Student's obtaining a bachelor's degree should consider that they will have to take classes that are completely unrelated to their German course and will thus not count back in Germany.
4. Classes from the freshman or sophomore years will usually not be accepted by German universities. Higher semesters should take graduate courses.
5. Not accepted for the German system will be:
1. Audit classes
2. Correspondence courses
3. Credits gained through the College Level Examination Program
4. Classes at non-accredited universities or programs
5. Classes taken at US institutions or universities outside the US

Accreditation of American degrees and other certificates The accreditation or non-accreditation of American academic achievements or degrees is the job of the responsible German authorities. The expert authority for those who have to make the decisions, the Departments of Education and the Departments of Science of the individual states, the universities and other authorities, is the central office for foreign education systems of the permanent conference of the secretaries of education of the states and the federal government.

Decisions on accreditation are based on

a) The study program at German universities
b) The exercise of the profession in Germany
c) The use of academic degrees in Germany

In case you would like to continue your studies after graduating in the US, e.g. to obtain a doctorate, the universities or the responsible departments at the universities must decide. The decision about the accreditation of educational achievements for the purpose of continuing one's studies at a German university is always the job of the respective faculty / department. In the case of education plans for professions that have minimum qualifications regulated by law or examination regulations (e.g. teachers, doctors), the state examination offices are responsible.

In case you wish to work with your American academic degree, the appropriate federal authorities such as the department of education, the departments of health and social services of the states or other appropriate authorities such as the architectural associations, the medical associations etc will be responsible.

If you want to use an academic degree obtained in the US, the department of education of the respective state must approve this. In case the areas of responsibility are split in your state, the responsible authority will be the department of science (also for honoris causa).

Send your application to your state's (the state you are living in) department of education or science. In case you are living abroad, the responsible department will be the department of science and research of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Tip: We recommend that you already inquire about possible accreditation and necessary evaluation before departure. It is, by the way, also possible, to turn the American degree into a similar German degree, for this, also the departments of education or science are responsible. In any case you must have attended an accredited US university.