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APO |
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Education and Examinations Regulations |
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BA |
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Bachelor's degree |
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Bafög |
Bundesausbildungs-förderungsgesetz |
Federal Training Assistance Act |
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CDU |
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Christian Democratic Union |
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CSU |
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Christian Social(ist) Union |
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DM |
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Deutschmarks |
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EU |
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European Union |
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FDP |
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Free Democratic Party |
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GDP |
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Gross domestic product |
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GDR |
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German Democratic Republic (former East Germany) |
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GNP |
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Gross national product |
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ILO |
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International Labour Organisation |
| IQB | Institut fuer Qualitaetsentwicklung im Bildungswesen | Institute for Educational Progress |
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MA |
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Master's degree |
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NCVQ |
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(formerly) the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (England) - now QCA |
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NFER |
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National Foundation for Educational Research (in England and Wales) |
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PDS |
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Party of Democratic Socialism |
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QCA |
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The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (England), formed on 1 October 1997 following the merger of SCAA and NCVQ |
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SCAA |
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Formerly the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (England) - now QCA |
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SED |
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Socialist Unity Party of Germany |
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SPD |
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Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| Abitur | Upper secondary qualification (normally obtained after around 13 years of school education). The Abitur grants holders access to higher education. |
| Allgemeine Hochschulreife | General higher education entrance qualification, which is usually obtained as a school leaving certificate at upper secondary level on completion of Year 13 of school education, age 18+, for example, the Abitur. In principle, it entitles the holder to admission to all subjects at all higher education institutions. |
| Arbeitslehre | Pre-vocational studies. This is a subject area/field of learning which covers the topics of technology, economics, home and work. It is taught - whether under this name or another - at Hauptschulen as a compulsory subject, and at other lower econdary level schools, either as a subject in its own right or as an integral part of other subjects. |
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Ausbildungsordnungen |
Training regulations. Legal ordinance governing the in-company training part of vocational training within the dual system. Training regulations also exist in other areas (e.g. for careers in the civil service). |
| berufliches Gymnasium (plural, berufliche(n) Gymnasien) |
Upper secondary level school which offers a three-year course of education for students aged 15+ to 18+. The course includes both the general education subjects taught at upper Gymnasium level (gymnasiale Oberstufe) and career-oriented subjects, and leads to the general higher education entrance qualification (allgemeine Hochschulreife). |
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Berufsakademie(n) |
Institution of tertiary education, in eight Länder, offering three-year courses of academic training at a "Studienakademie" (study institution), combined with practical professional in-company training within a dual system, i.e. in the study institution and in the workplace. |
| Berufsfachschule (plural, Berufsfachschulen) | Full-time vocational school, usually for the upper secondary, 15/16-18+ age range. Courses vary in length (minimum one year) and provide vocational and general education (via a wide range of branches) to prepare students for (specific) employment or further study. |
| Berufsgrundbildungsjahr | The basic vocational training year, which offers basic training in one of 13 vocational fields, as the first phase of vocational training within the dual system. The year may be made up of full-time lessons or may be a combination of school and in-company training. |
| Berufskolleg | Name used in Baden-Württemberg and Saxony for the Berufsfachschule. |
| Berufsschule (plural, Berufsschulen) |
Vocational school at upper secondary level, providing part-time instruction in general and vocational subjects to trainees receiving vocational training within the dual system. |
| Bundesrat | is the representative body of members of the Länder governments. It is involved in legislation and federal administration, and issues associated with the European Union, and is composed of members of government in the individual Länder, each of which has three to six votes, depending on the size of the Land population. A considerable part of all federal legislation is subject to the approval of the Bundesrat. |
| Bundestag | is the Federal German Parliament. It is the parliamentary assembly representing the people of the Federal Republic of Germany, and comprises around 670 members, elected by secret ballot, for a four-year term, at general elections. The main functions of the Bundestag are to adopt legislation, elect the Federal Chancellor and monitor and control the activities of the Federal Government. |
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Diplom |
Tertiary education qualification that may be obtained either at universities and equivalent institutions of higher education (particularly in social or economic sciences and in natural and engineering sciences) or likewise at Fachhochschulen and at Berufsakademien. |
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Elternbeirat |
Parents' council at a school. |
| Erprobungsstufe | Observation period usually during the first and second years of lower secondary education (usually Years 5 and 6 of compulsory education), during which teachers ensure that students are in the appropriate lower secondary school type. |
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Erste Staatsprüfung |
First State Examination. In teacher training, this is awarded on completion of the first part of the teacher training course - in the institution of higher education. (See Staatsprüfung also.) |
| Erzieher | Youth or childcare worker who has completed a course for social work (usually three years' training at a vocational school at upper secondary level, including work experience). Qualified to work in pre-school establishments and in areas of youth services. |
| Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (Fachhochschulreife) | A qualification, usually obtained through certain courses of education at upper secondary level, which entitles the holder to study particular (usually vocational) subjects at a higher education institution. |
| Fachgymnasium (plural, Fachgymnasien) |
See berufliches Gymnasium |
| Fachhochschule (plural, Fachhochschulen) | College for higher professional training |
| Fachoberschule (plural, Fachoberschulen) | Vocational school at upper secondary level providing two-year courses in various subject areas for 15/16- to 18-year-old students. Leads to the Fachhochschulreife qualification. The first year consists of both practical training in the workplace and lessons, whilst the second year covers general and subject-specific lessons. |
| Fachschule (plural, Fachschulen) | Vocational school offering courses of between one and three years, which build on initial vocational training and subsequent employment to lead to a further vocational qualification. |
| Förderklassen | See Vorklassen. |
| Förderschule (plural, Förderschulen) |
See Sonderschule. |
| Ganztagsschule (plural, Ganztagsschulen) | All-day school. |
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Gemischte Kommission Lehrerbildung |
Teacher Education Commission (comprising education experts, including some from educational administration). |
| Gesamtschule (plural, Gesamtschulen) |
Non-selective lower secondary school for students aged 10 or 12 to 15/16 (dependent on the Land). The Gesamtschule normally brings together a number of different courses of education leading to different qualifications. It either takes the form of a cooperative Gesamtschule or an integrated Gesamtschule. In the former type, students are taught in classes grouped according to the different qualifications available, whilst in the latter type, students are set in classes grouped according to level of proficiency for a number of central subjects, but taught together as a year group for all other subjects. |
| Grundgesetz | The 'Basic Law' or Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. |
| Grundkurse | The five or more general courses studied by students on Abitur courses in the gymnasiale Oberstufe |
| Grundschule (plural Grundschulen) |
Compulsory level four- or six-year primary school (for students aged 6-10 or 6-12, (dependent on the Land). |
| gymnasiale Oberstufe | Upper secondary school which provides intensified full-time general (academic) education and prepares students aged 15/16 to 18+, who have reached the required standards, for the Abitur examination. |
| Gymnasium (plural, Gymnasien) |
Lower secondary school which provides intensified full-time general (academic) education for students aged 10 or 12 to 15/16 (dependent on the Land) who intend to continue into the gymnasiale Oberstufe. |
| Hauptschulabschluß | Hauptschule leaving certificate. |
| Hauptschule (plural, Hauptschulen) |
Lower secondary school providing basic general education for students aged 10 or 12 to 15/16 (dependent on the Land). |
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Hochschulreife |
- see Allgemeine Hochschulreife |
| integrierte Haupt- und Realschule (plural, integrierte(n) Haupt- und Realschulen) | Lower secondary level school in Hamburg, catering for students aged 10-15/16 and offering the courses of education otherwise offered by the Hauptschule or the Realschule. |
| Kindergarten (plural, Kindergärten) |
The traditional form of institutionalised pre-compulsory pre-school education for children aged between 3 and 6. Kindergärten do not belong to the school system, but fall instead under the category of child and youth welfare services and may be either publicly- or privately-maintained. Attendance is voluntary. |
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Kinderpflegerinnen |
Nursery assistants |
| Land | One of the sixteen administrative states into which Germany is divided. Each Land has its own constitution and government. |
| Länder | The sixteen administrative states into which Germany is divided. Each Land has its own constitution and government. Five of the sixteen are the Länder of the former German Democratic Republic. |
| Leistungskurse | The two advanced courses studied by pupils on Abitur courses in the gymnasiale Oberstufe |
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Magister |
Title awarded to students who pass the Magisterprüfung (final examination in the humanities, art or music at a university or equivalent higher education institution). |
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Magisterprüfung |
Higher education examination leading to the award of the Magister degree. |
| Mittelschule (plural, Mittelschulen) |
Combined Hauptschule and Realschule (in Sachsen) for students aged 10 to 15/16. |
| mittlerer Schulabschluß | Is the qualification awarded in some lower secondary school types on successful completion of Year 10 of compulsory education (end of compulsory full-time lower secondary education), which entitles the holder to proceed to full-time courses in upper secondary education. |
| Oberschulämter | Land senior education offices. |
| Orientierungsstufe | Observation period usually during the first and second years of lower secondary education (usually Years 5 and 6 of compulsory education), during which teachers ensure that students are in the appropriate lower secondary school type. |
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pädagogische Hochschulen - colleges of education |
Higher education institutions, offering courses of study for teaching careers at primary level and certain teaching careers at lower secondary level. |
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Praxissemester |
Semester of work experience undertaken as part of a course of study at Fachhochschulen. Responsibility lies with the higher education institution. |
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Prüfungsordnungen |
Examination regulations. Legal regulations of different types (in school and higher education) governing examination prerequisites, content and procedures. Depending on the type of examination, the regulations are issued by the Ministries responsible (for State Examinations) or, in the case of higher education examinations (i.e. academic degrees), they are issued by the higher education institutions and, as a rule, approved by the Ministry of Education/Science of the Land concerned. |
| Realschulabschluß | Qualification awarded on successful completion of the Realschule which entitles the holder to proceed to full-time courses in upper secondary education. |
| Realschule (plural, Realschulen) |
Lower secondary school which provides a general education for students aged 10 or 12 to 15/16 (dependent on the Land). Originally conceived as a 'practical' alternative to the more academic Gymnasium, the Realschule is popular because its curriculum stresses maths, science and modern languages and because it offers numerous vocational courses. The extensive general education offered by the Realschule offers students the opportunity to go on to courses of education at upper secondary level that lead to vocational or higher education entrance qualifications. |
| Regelschule (plural, Regelschulen) |
in the Land of Thüringen, combined Hauptschule and Realschule for students aged 10 to 15/16, which provides the courses of education otherwise offered in these two schools. |
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Regelstudienzeit(en) |
Standard period of study. The length of time, at a higher education institution, in which it is possible to obtain a first qualification for entry into a profession. Regelstudienzeiten are defined in examination regulations and, at institutions of higher education, should not normally exceed eight - ten semesters (four-five years). On average, however, students take one or two years longer than the standard period of study to attain the leaving certificate. The Regelstudienzeit for Bachelor's courses of study is three-four years; for Master's courses it is one-two years. |
| Regierungspräsident | Local commissioner of the Land government. |
| regionale Schule | Lower secondary school in the Land of Rheinland-Pfalz (for students aged 10-15/16) which provides the courses of education otherwise offered by the Hauptschule and the Realschule. |
| Sachunterricht | A specific interdisciplinary subject taught at primary level, which provides an introduction to social studies, history, geography, economics, biology, physics and chemistry (or scientific and technical phenomena in general). Students study these as separate subjects later in their school life. |
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Schulamtsdirektor |
Head of a local or intermediate level school supervisory authority. |
| Schulämter | Land education offices. |
| Schulaufsichtsbehörden | Land authorities responsible for school inspection. |
| Schulkindergärten | See Vorklassen. |
| Schulleiter | Headteacher. |
| Schulrat | Land school inspector. |
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Seiteneinsteiger |
Higher education graduate with a Diplom or a Magister degree, but without formal teacher training. |
| Sekundarschule (plural, Sekundarschulen) | In Saarland and Sachsen-Anhalt, the combined Hauptschule and Realschule for students aged 10 to 15/16, which provides the courses of education otherwise offered by these two schools. |
| Sonderschule (plural, Sonderschulen) |
Special school - a school establishment (at all levels) for students whose development cannot be adequately assisted at general/mainstream schools. Also known as Förderschule. |
| Sozialkunde | Civics education |
| Sozialpädagoge (plural, Sozialpädagogen) | Graduate who has completed a course of study in social work at a university or vocational higher education institute and who is qualified to work in such areas as Kindergärten, youth welfare services, social work or health assistance. |
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Staatsprüfung, Staatsprüfungen |
State examination concluding a course of study in certain subjects (e.g. medical subjects, teaching, law). Also refers to the examination taken by law students and teaching students at the end of their preparatory service (known as the Second State Examination). The examinations are administered by examination committees staffed not only by professors from the institutions of higher education but also by representatives of the state examination offices (or boards) of the Länder. |
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Studienordnungen |
Study regulations - regulations on the content and structure of a course of study, based on the examination regulations. |
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Studienseminare |
Teacher training institutes where studies in educational theory and subject-related didactics/pedagogy take place to reappraise and consolidate experience gained through practical training at training schools during the preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst). |
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technische Hochschulen/technische Universitäten |
Type of higher education institution equivalent in status to a university. The focus traditionally lies in natural science and engineering. |
| verbundene Haupt- und Realschule | Lower secondary level school in the Land of Hessen, which caters for students aged 10-15/16 and provides the courses of education otherwise offered by the Hauptschule and Realschule. |
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Vorbereitungsdienst |
Preparatory service/final "on-the-job" qualifying phase - the practical training phase completed after the First State Examination and concluded by the Second State Examination. Particularly for teaching careers but also for other civil service careers. |
| Vorbereitungsklassen | See Vorklassen. |
| Vorklassen | Preparatory classes for children aged 5, whose parents wish to provide them with special assistance and preparation for primary school. Attendance is usually voluntary. However, in some Länder, children who have reached the age of 6, but are not yet judged ready to attend Grundschule must attend such preparatory classes (also called Schulkindergärten, Vorschulklassen, Vorbereitungsklassen and Förderklassen depending on the Land). |
| Vorschulklassen | See Vorklassen. |
| Wahlpflicht | Obligation, in compulsory full-time lower secondary education, to select certain optional subjects from those specified. |
| Wahlpflichtfächer | In lower secondary education, compulsory subjects of the student's choice. |
| Wahlpflichtunterricht | The teaching of compulsory subjects of the student's choice in lower secondary eduation . |
| Zeugnis |
School report |