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Erststudium

English translation: first degree/undergraduate studies

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Erststudium
English translation:first degree/undergraduate studies
Entered by: Jonathan MacKerron

09:19 Feb 19, 2009
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Education / Pedagogy
German term or phrase: Erststudium
Context here is introduction of the BA/MA system to German universities. The text often refers to the Erststudium, implying BA studies. It is also being compared and contrasted to the "Grundstudium" of the old system.
Would it be appropriate for me to call this "undergraduate studies"?
Thanks in advance,
J.
Jonathan MacKerron
first degree
Explanation:
If I have understood this correctly, I think it would be called this, at least in the UK.

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Note added at 15 mins (2009-02-19 09:35:27 GMT)
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I think the difference might be that previously a first degree in the German system would have included the Masters component, but now they are offering the two degrees separately.

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Note added at 6 days (2009-02-26 09:11:11 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks for the points, Jonathan.
Selected response from:

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:11
Grading comment
Thanks to all contributors!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2undergraduate studies
Vittorio Ferretti
3 +3first degree
Helen Shiner
Summary of reference entries provided
Erststudium
Erik Freitag

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
undergraduate studies


Explanation:
siehe Wikipedia-Link


    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor%27s_degree
Vittorio Ferretti
Local time: 21:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: useful link, by the way I still use your Wörterbuch der Elektronik and many thanks for your efforts on that front!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lirka: definitely for BA! For MA, however, it is not suitable as this is already graduate level in the USA. However, the other option, "first degree", has teh same flaw :)
3 hrs
agree  D-E Translator
1 day 12 hrs
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
first degree


Explanation:
If I have understood this correctly, I think it would be called this, at least in the UK.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2009-02-19 09:35:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think the difference might be that previously a first degree in the German system would have included the Masters component, but now they are offering the two degrees separately.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2009-02-26 09:11:11 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the points, Jonathan.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 129
Grading comment
Thanks to all contributors!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  hazmatgerman (X): Yep. Grundstudium is not apt as it is not a self-contained body but integral part of the first degree. The German Humanities' "M.A." was always the first degree.
41 mins
  -> Thanks, hazmatgerman
agree  Ventnai
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Ian
agree  Jacqueline Comte: I agree. Look up "first degree" "second degree" in Yahoo!Canada - over 1 million hits from many universities. Seems to fit your context.
1 day 3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Jacqueline
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Reference comments


5 mins peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Erststudium

Reference information:
Ein Erststudium ist genau das: das erste Studium. Angenommen, ich mache zunächst einen Abschluss als Zahnarzt. Nach dem Abschluss beginne ich ein neues Studium, z. B. Fortswirtschaft ;-) Das Zahnmedizinstudium ist dann mein Erststudium, und zwar m.E. einschließlich des Masters, Forstwirtschaft mein Zweitstudium.

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Note added at 14 Min. (2009-02-19 09:34:12 GMT)
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I think so, yes. Look at the definition of "Zweitstudium" in the same source:

"Das Zweitstudium ist ein Studium, das einem erfolgreich abgeschlossenen Studium folgt, jedoch kein Aufbaustudium ist."

Also, "Aufbaustudium" is defined as follows:
"Ein Aufbau- oder Ergänzungsstudium setzt ein abgeschlossenes Studium voraus."

Under these definitions, an MA is an "Aufbaustudium", not a "Zweitstudium".

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Note added at 44 Min. (2009-02-19 10:04:31 GMT)
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The question whether an MA is part of the "Erststudium" seems indeed to be discussed controversely.

"Der Landesjugendring Thüringen e. V. versteht unter einem Erststudium eine Hochschulausbildung, welche das BA - und das MA - Studium umfasst."

"Was ist ein Erststudium? Ein Erststudium ist das, was zu finanzieren der Staat für geboten hält. Bislang war der Begriff für die meisten Studenten bedeutungsgleich mit „Studium“. Für die Hälfte der Studenten aber wird demnächst ein Erststudium zugleich ein Kurzstudium und ein Letztstudium sein. Denn Ministerin Kraft fühlt sich durch das Grundgesetz und das Bundesverfassungsgericht in diesem Sinne nur dazu verpflichtet, „ausreichend Ressourcen für die Erstausbildung - also zunehmend in Bachelorstudiengängen - zu reservieren“.
http://www.faz.net/s/Rub117C535CDF414415BB243B181B8B60AE/Doc...

It might be a good idea to choose a general term here and not get drawn into discussion.
http://www.landesjugendring-thueringen.de/wDeutsch/download/...



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Note added at 44 Min. (2009-02-19 10:04:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To sum it all up: I don't know an answer ;-)

Example sentence(s):
  • Für das Erststudium bewirbt sich jeder, der noch nicht studiert hat bzw. noch kein Studium abgeschlossen hat.

    Reference: http://www.uni-giessen.de/cms/studium/bewerbung/formen-des-s...
Erik Freitag
Germany
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 47
Note to reference poster
Asker: Does your definition pertain to the new BA/MA system as well?


Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
neutral  hazmatgerman (X): Erststudium = first degree, usually a bachelor.
50 mins
agree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator): Absolutely correct and legally relevant!!! "Erststudium" does not at all refer to the type of degree you are aiming for, but indicates that you haven't made a degree before!!
1 hr
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