Educational courses after matriculation

The qualification for admission to the educational courses described in this section is either Reifeprüfung (matriculation exam), Berufsreifeprüfung (vocational matriculation examination) or an entrance examination. However, some post matriculation courses, and technical universities also have special forms or admission rules for students graduating after four-year vocational courses in their specialized subjects.

For general assistance on selecting a course of study, visit: http://key2success.schulpsychologie.at

• Kollegs (specialised post matriculation courses)
• Post-secondary colleges
• Technical university courses
• University courses

Kollegs (specialised post matriculation courses)

These are two-year full-time (or two to three-year part-time) advanced level voca-tional courses equivalent to higher-level technical and vocational colleges.

Main subject areas: construction engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, design, electronics, electrical engineering, electronic data processing and organization, computer science, information technology, interior design and wood technology, kindergarten pedagogy, communication and media design, cultural and congress management, plastics and environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, media technology and media management, fashion, optometry, social pedagogy, tourism and recreation industry, industrial engineering, information systems; post matriculation courses at commercial colleges (in many instances with core subject areas).

  

Post-secondary colleges

• Training 1: Public and private post-secondary colleges train teachers for positions at primary schools (including pre-school), general secondary schools and special schools, as well as polytechnic colleges. To be admitted, students must have passed a matriculation examination, vocational matriculation examination or entrance examination. (Students must meet special aptitude criteria to be admitted to a course of study.)
• Training 2: Some public post-secondary colleges train teachers for positions at vocational colleges, for technical/trade areas of specialization, for the specializations of design and nutrition, and to teach information and communication at BMS or BHS colleges. Admission requirements: see above. (In addition to vocational training, professional experience in the relevant area is required for students to be admitted to positions in vocational colleges and to teach theory and practice at vocational education colleges. Vocational college teachers and teachers of technical/trade subjects are only trained once they have received an appointment from the school authorities in the relevant province.)
• Training 3: The college of agricultural and environmental pedagogy offers training for positions at agricultural and forestry vocational colleges and technical colleges as well as for positions in agriculture and environmental studies at higher agricultural and forestry colleges. Entrance requirements: Graduates of higher agricultural and forestry colleges or individuals with equivalent qualifications and graduates of university courses (e.g. at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences) will be accepted.
• Training 4: Private pedagogic colleges and several private institutions train religious instruction teachers (Catholic, Evangelical, Old Catholic, Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Islamic, Jewish) at compulsory schools; see above for entrance requirements.

The courses offered for training (courses of study, leading to a Bachelor of Education, minimum duration of study three years) vary depending on the pedagogic college/institution. On successful completion of the courses, students are qualified to teach. Further education (also for teachers at AHS or BMHS) is also offered at pedagogic colleges.

Further information is also available on the Internet at: [Interner Link: www.bmukk.gv.at/schulen/bw/leb/ph.xml (broken link)]

  

Technical university courses

Scientifically grounded vocational training with a strong practical orientation (usually one semester of vocational experience).

The following types of courses are currently offered:

• Diplomstudien (diploma courses): generally last 8 semester (4 years) and conclude with the academic title of "Mag. (FH)” or “Dipl.-Ing.(FH)”. Diploma courses are gradually being replaced by Bachelor’s courses or continuation study on Master’s courses.
• Bachelorstudien (bachelor’s degrees): generally last 6 semesters (3 years) and conclude with the academic title of “Bachelor”. In some subjects, particularly in the area of social work and health services, graduating also entitles you to practise the relevant vocation (e.g. social worker, physiotherapist).
• Masterstudien (master’s degrees): are a continuation of bachelor's courses, and are designed primarily for the purpose of obtaining an additional scientific grounding; they generally last 4 semesters (2 years) and conclude with the academic title of "Master”.

Austrian technical universities currently offer training courses in the fields of design - art, technology, engineering, social sciences, economics, military/national defence, natural sciences and healthcare science. Technical university courses are also open to students with relevant vocational qualifications without matriculation (usually with an admission examination).

Further information is also available on the Internet at: www.fhr.ac.at

  

University courses

• Diplomstudien (diploma courses):
  Such courses are designed primarily to provide a well-grounded scientific or artistic vocational training, and generally last eight to eleven semesters. Graduates obtain a diploma degree (e.g., Master, Dipl.Ing.). (Exception: a degree in medicine can be concluded only with a doctorate.) A diploma course consists of two or three course sections, each of which is concluded with a diploma examination. Degree courses are available in human and cultural sciences, engineering, arts, teaching for secondary school teachers (with two subjects in each case), medicine, natural science, law, sociology and economics, and theology.
• Bachelor’s and Master’s courses:
  In line with the international harmonization of higher education systems (“Bologna Process”), instead of offering continuous diploma courses, universities are increas-ingly offering the Bachelor’s course of study of three to four years (normally three) and continuation studies to the Master’s level of one to two (normally two) years. The Bachelor’s degree itself is serves as a scientific or artistic career training and qualification in the relevant area and leads to the award of the academic title of "Bachelor".
• Doctoral courses:
  These courses follow on from diploma degrees, Master’s degrees at universities or technical universities, and serve mainly to deepen degree courses enabling graduates to carry out independent scientific work. Successful conclusion entitles the graduate to use the relevant doctoral title. These courses last two to three years.

Further information is also available on the Internet at: www.studienwahl.at

Geändert am 26.02.2009