FH Studierende arbeiten im Team an Praxisprojekt
Texts on this page have been partially machine translated from German.

FH or Uni

Ask yourself these questions and find out whether a UAS or university degree programme is more suitable for your plans.

Common prejudices, what is true (and what is not) and how you can find out what is important to you in your degree programme.

Companies prefer university degrees

What's the story?

  • Many UAS graduates have an employment contract before they have even defended their Bachelor's thesis
  • Practical semesters and bachelor theses in companies often lead to the first job
  • UAS graduates are in demand in companies because of their application-oriented way of thinking
  • But: Large management consultancies sometimes prefer university graduates
  • In top management, there are (so far) more university graduates with a doctorate than UAS graduates

Question for you:
Are you drawn to management consulting or do you know for sure that you want to get to the top, even if the path may be longer? Or do you want a secure and well-paid job quickly?

You earn more with a university degree

It depends!

  • Top management is often the end of the line without a doctorate. Accordingly, there are more university graduates in the top salary bracket
  • However, UAS graduates start with higher starting salaries because companies like to employ them hands-on right from the start

Question for you:
Would you prefer to aim high and are you prepared to write a doctoral thesis to do so? Or do you want to earn a lot of money quickly even if the salary increases are less generous at some point?

No research at all at the FH

Yes it is!

  • As we co-operate closely with companies, the impetus for new research projects comes directly from practice
  • We conduct very specific research into issues that pose problems in production, for example

Question for you
Do you believe that research should deliver concrete results in the here and now? Or would you prefer to write the great music of the future?

FH is like school

Only more exciting!

  • The timetable is more tightly organised because each lecture is supplemented by an exercise and practical training, where what has been learned is applied in small groups of a maximum of 40 people. It needs to be organised
  • There are no mass events. Similar to sixth form, some courses are all together, others are chosen in small groups
  • You will know your fellow students after a very short time

Questions for you:
Do you like the informal atmosphere in your level and wouldn't want to miss it? Or would you rather have lots of new people around you and choose the ones you want to socialise with yourself? Do you prefer to organise yourself or are you sometimes happy to have clear guidelines?
Do you prefer to learn in a group or on your own?

FH is practically orientated

Yes, and yes again!

  • Nevertheless, theory is also taught at the UAS, but always with practical application in mind

Question for you:
Did you often ask yourself what you would need it for later when you learnt new material? Or did you always enjoy thinking theoretical constructs further?

FH goes faster

Yes and no.

  • The Bachelor's/Master's degree programmes have also accelerated studies at universities
  • A bachelor's degree at a university of applied sciences is career-orientated, so that many enter the world of work after 3 years
  • After the university bachelor's degree, many continue on to a master's or doctorate and thus enter the profession with higher qualifications but later on

Question for you:
Do you want to get into a job quickly or can you imagine investing five or more years in your education?

If I want to go abroad, I have to go to university

Who said that?

  • You can currently choose between 58 partner universities abroad
  • In the 6th semester, you can choose to register for a practical semester (in Germany or abroad) or a semester abroad or write your Bachelor's thesis.

Question for you:
Does it have to be Oxford, Cambridge or Harvard? Or do you simply want to leave the option of going abroad open for as long as possible?

The decision can no longer be reversed

In the end, this applies to at least the decisions

  • Since the introduction of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes, it has become easier to switch between UAS and university
  • You may have to catch up on modules and lose some time. If you want to switch, the Academic Counselling Service will find a way for you.

Question for you:
Are you very unsure? Would a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with an orientation semester at a university of applied sciences or university be something for you?

If I go to the FH I can no longer do a doctorate

Yes, in cooperation with a university

  • For graduates intending to do a doctorate, we usually find co-operations with the RWTH or other universities, so that you can stay at the FH, but your doctorate is supervised from "outside".
  • At FH Aachen, it is also possible to do a doctorate in a structured doctoral programme via the Promotionskolleg NRW

Question for you:
Do you already know for sure that you want to do a doctorate and go into research or do you just not want to spoil the option early on?

Teaching is only possible at university

Surprise!

  • The Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering enables you to enter the teaching profession at vocational colleges
  • We cooperate with the RWTH to enable prospective teachers to take part in didactic block seminars during their Bachelor's degree programme.
  • After your Bachelor's degree, you can switch to the Master of Education programme
  • Lateral entry is now also possible for FH Master's graduates with professional experience

Question for you:
Can you imagine teaching at vocational colleges in a practical setting?

Still in doubt?

Try both


Unsure whether RWTH or FH Aachen? Having difficulty visualising what a "university of applied sciences" or "university" actually means?
The Bachelor of Electrical Engineering with orientation semester at a university of applied sciences or university gives you one semester to try out both models.

References

References (copy 1)

  • 84 per cent of DAX Executive Board members have completed a university degree, and almost half have gone on to do a doctorate. However, only 20 per cent of managers expect junior staff to have a doctorate. Just under 70 per cent consider a Master's degree to be very important. Research experience plays virtually no role in managers' personnel decisions. Source: Wirtschaftswoche 18/06/2012; https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/beruf/jobprofile-was-top-manager-vom-nachwuchs-erwarten/6765556.html

  • UAS graduates from the class of 2013 with a Bachelor's degree earn 16% more than university graduates with a Bachelor's degree. Source: University degrees after Bologna
    Careers of Bachelor's and Master's graduates
    of the 2013 examination year; www.dzhw.eu/pdf/pub_fh/fh-201601.pdf

  • 65% of UAS Bachelor's graduates are fully employed after 1 ½ years and 95% of UAS Master's graduates vs. 25% and 88% of university Bachelor's and Master's graduates respectively. Source: DZHW, University degrees after Bologna - career paths of Bachelor's and Master's graduates from the 2013 examination year; https://www.dzhw.eu/pdf/pub_fh/fh-201601.pdf

  • 33% of UAS Bachelor's graduates have completed a study-related stay abroad (vs. 35% at universities) Source: DAAD Wissenschaft weltoffen 2016; www.wissenschaftweltoffen.de/publikation/wiwe_2016_verlinkt.pdf

  • 8% of UAS Master's graduates in engineering have completed a doctorate. Source: DZHW, Hochschulabschlüsse nach Bologna
    Careers of Bachelor's and Master's graduates from the 2013 examination year; https://www.dzhw.eu/pdf/pub_fh/fh-201601.pdf