Master’s Degree Programs Are Becoming Job-Friendly

After completing their bachelor’s degree, many students face the question of what comes next: continue with a master’s degree program to deepen their subject knowledge, or earn money and take the leap by entering a professional career? “Job & Master” combines both paths. Students can gain initial professional experience, earn their living, and at the same time expand their academic qualifications. The offering is thus aimed, on the one hand, at students who already want to or need to work while pursuing their master’s degree. On the other hand, it also offers a perspective to those who, after gaining initial practical experience, want to pursue further subject-specific qualifications.

The job-friendly master’s degree programs take into account the particular needs of students who work while studying. Compulsory courses, for example, are bundled on just a few days per week or offered in blocks, leaving room for their job. In some degree programs, relevant professional experience can be recognized as equivalent to the compulsory internship. In addition, it is often possible to write the master’s thesis in collaboration with a company. Individual degree programs also offer a part-time option, which extends the standard period of study and makes the time commitment easier to plan.

A win for companies as well

“The vast majority of our students rely on working alongside their studies. With the ‘Job & Master’ program, we want to make things easier for them and to improve the compatibility of job and studies. Our students benefit from this because they can expand their subject knowledge and work at the same time,” says Professor Manfred Bayer, President of TU Dortmund University. “This is also a win for companies: they can retain qualified young talent on a part-time basis while these employees acquire additional skills in their master’s studies.”

The offering currently includes master’s degree programs from the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Computer Science, Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Spatial Planning, and Cultural Studies. For general questions about choosing a degree program and about “Job & Master”, the General Student Advisory Service of TU Dortmund University offers further information and support. For subject-specific questions, the Departmental Advisory Services of the respective departments are the right points of contact.

Overview of “Job & Master”