Björn Vrooman Nov 18, 2019:

PS Another university using years as reference points: https://catalog.njit.edu/undergraduate/architecture-design/a...

I've also seen Kernstudium refer to part(!) of the Grundlagenstudium: https://www.studieren-im-netz.org/hochschulabschluesse/bache...

This seems to be a real mess =(

Best

Björn Vrooman Nov 18, 2019:

... Or use names for each year, as they did here: https://math.louisiana.edu/academic-programs/undergraduate/4...

As you can see there and based on the quote you gave us ("Das Kernstudium vermittelt mit verpflichtenden und frei wahlbaren Modulen..."), it can't be the difference between compulsory courses and electives. Also, since there is no Vertiefungsstudium apparently, specialization may still work.

I've probably found the university you're translating for. If true, Grundlagenstudium is the first four(!) semesters this time, which means Kernstudium isn't for the basics.

In short, don't be discouraged if you don't find a US equivalent. I'm not even sure that Germans know when to use which word.

Best wishes

Björn Vrooman Nov 18, 2019:

continued... Where it gets really bad is Kernstudium. Some consider the Kernstudium to be the first two semesters of your studies: https://www.wi.hs-mittweida.de/studium/studienangebote/wirts...
https://www.uni-due.de/studienangebote/betriebswirtschaftsle...

Other universities say that the Grundlagenstudium is the first two semesters and the Kernstudium is the last two:
https://pbsa.hs-duesseldorf.de/studium/studiengaenge/ba_aia/...

Here's one that combines Kernstudium and Vertiefungsstudium (similar to that slash I mentioned): https://www.fachwirt-blog.de/bachelor-digitale-medien/

And here's one that has 2 semesters of Grundlagenstudium, 4 of Kernstudium and 2 of Vertiefung: https://idw-online.de/de/attachmentdata17752.pdf

At first, I thought this could help: https://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/your_degree/degrees/bachelor_...

However, I'm no longer that sure. Still, when you look at the above link and compare it with the following, I'm wondering whether 1st/2nd/3rd-year courses wouldn't be a good choice: https://architecture.tulane.edu/programs/degrees/barch-under...

[...]

Björn Vrooman Nov 18, 2019:

Hi Robert I still owe you an explanation and I'll do that now after the weekend. I apologize for the delay.

Bear with me, please, because this may get complicated. Universities don't seem to agree on a definition of both terms. I'll show you what I mean. As for specialization, this is the first tidbit I have: "Dieser ingenieurwissenschaftliche Fernstudiengang bietet im Grundlagenstudium Mathematik, Physik, Informatik, Elektrotechnik sowie Managementthemen. Im Kernstudium werden die elektronische Schaltungstechnik sowie weitere elektrotechnische Hardwarekenntnisse praxisnah behandelt. Im weiteren Studienverlauf gibt es vier Vertiefungsrichtungen: Leit- und Sicherungstechnik, Energieinformationsnetze, Automatisierungstechnik sowie Telekommunikation."
https://www.wb-fernstudium.de/ueber-uns/hochschule/news-pres...

Looks to me as if area of specialization = Vertiefungsrichtung in this case. However, I've also seen Vertiefungsstudium being separated from Kernstudium by only a slash (which means they're pretty much describing the same thing).

[...]

Björn Vrooman Nov 14, 2019:

Hello Robert I'm not quite sure what you mean by a bit too general. The definition below was from Kentucky State University.

University of Colorado Boulder:
https://www.colorado.edu/sociology/students/areas-specializa...

University of Illinois:
https://urban.illinois.edu/prospective-students/academic-pro...

San José State University (CA):
http://www.sjsu.edu/kinesiology/programs/undergradutes/areas...

University of California:
"By the beginning of his or her second year in the program, each graduate student must declare a minor field and an area of specialization. The minor field is intended to broaden skills beyond the geo-temporal boundaries of the major field; the area of specialization is intended to deepen the student's scholarly training in the chosen area of the dissertation."
https://catalogue.usc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=6&poid=...

Georgetown Law (Washington D.C.):
https://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/graduate-programs/d...

But true, this could also be Vertiefungsstudium. Additionally, I thought Grundlagen... was foundation courses or so. I'll take another look at it later.

Best

Robert Dunn (asker) Nov 14, 2019:

Hi Björn,

Thank you for your comment. My comment about general education was not related to Germany, but rather an explanation of what the terms in U.S. English generally mean. The link you posted is very helpful and sheds more light into the nuances of the terms with respect to German university education.

"Core classes" would be great for "Grundlagenstudium", but "areas of specialization" to me sounds a bit too general..like a minor that goes along with a major...perhaps "specialization courses"?

Björn Vrooman Nov 14, 2019:

As an aside... ...maybe people should have taken a look in the d-box before posting answers because all of them seem to describe the opposite of what is meant :D

Björn Vrooman Nov 14, 2019:

I believe... ...this is similar:
"Some major programs consist of a core program of study within the academic unit as well as required additional study in one or more areas of specialization selected from options within or related to the discipline."
https://kysu.edu/administration-governance/academic-affairs/...

I would not use curriculum.

Best wishes

Björn Vrooman Nov 14, 2019:

Hello Robert US-DE household here. That's why I can tell you right now that this tidbit of your Q is completely wrong: "...is the general education (math, science, English) you take before taking the courses specific to the major..."

You don't do that in Germany. Someone once said we're raising a bunch of nerds that don't know much outside their fields of expertise =)

Nowadays, you do have some, shall I say, external courses to broaden your horizons, but they have nothing to do with Grundlagenstudium. That's the basics for a specific field, e.g., finance. Here's an example of a Grundlagenstudium (first four semesters):
https://www.ash-berlin.eu/fileadmin/Daten/Bachelor-Studienga...

Here's an explanation:
"Ein Bachelor-Studiengang teilt sich in zwei Bereiche: Das Grundlagenstudium und das Kernstudium. Während des Grundlagenstudiums unterscheiden sich die verschiedenen Informatik-Studiengänge noch wenig. Vermittelt werden für Informatiker relevante Kenntnisse aus der Mathematik...Im Kernstudium wird genauer auf die Spezialisierung eingegangen."
https://www.allthingsdigital.de/it-studium-voraussetzungen-i...

Robert Dunn (asker) Nov 14, 2019:

It uses both terms and yes, the meanings are different, hence the need to differentiate it from general core curriculum.

Robert Dunn (asker) Nov 14, 2019:

Hi Phil Sure thing:

***Die Studienzeit gliedert sich in ein Grundlagen- und ein Kernstudium.

Das Kernstudium vermittelt mit verpflichtenden und frei wahlbaren Modulen Experten- Know-how aus derzeit gefragten Aufgabenfeldern der Wirtschaftsinformatik.***

philgoddard Nov 14, 2019:

Could we have the German context, please. And does it use both terms with obviously different meanings?