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Interior Design as an Academic Discipline in Germany
Author(s) -
Pottgiesser Uta
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of interior design
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.229
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1939-1668
pISSN - 1071-7641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1668.2011.01062.x
Subject(s) - internship , bachelor , graduation (instrument) , curriculum , test (biology) , apprenticeship , presentation (obstetrics) , german , engineering , medical education , montenegro , entry level , mathematics education , pedagogy , psychology , sociology , medicine , political science , mechanical engineering , law , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , history , ethnology , archaeology , radiology , biology
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees—in general with a 3-year Bachelor’s and a 2-year Master’s, only some are practising a 4-year Bachelor’s with a 1-year Master’s degree. Most programs require high school graduation, in combination with an internship or practical training that has to be completed before starting to study. Often an aptitude or screening test is applied. The tests are developed and applied by the single universities themselves; often they are based on a portfolio presentation in combination with a personal interview. Since 2010 qualified professionals, who already have a degree, are allowed to access universities based on the results of a specific entry test. Traditionally many students in Germany had finished a generally 3-year apprenticeship as a carpenter; cabinetmaker, technical draftsman, or Raumaustatter. 3 But this practical preparation is declining sharply. A new development is the integration of internship semesters into the curriculum to increase the professional aspect of the course program and to allow students to gain more practical experience. According to the regulations a 4-year course of study is needed to join one of the 16 state-related professional organizations, the Chamber of Architects. Only then and after two additional years of practice the professional title ‘‘Interior Architect’’—that is protected by law—can be used. The chambers are organized in the Federal Chamber of German Architects (BAK). 4