What is it all about?

How big is the influence of influencers on public opinion? Can we learn from history for the future? Will we soon lose many jobs due to AI? And is it even possible to answer these questions? The Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) degree program at KIT provides you with the skills to analyze complex topics like these in a scientifically sound way, to understand cultural and historical backgrounds, to weigh up arguments, to communicate answers competently and to contribute your knowledge to politics, society and business. If you are interested in interdisciplinary issues in science communication, in the historical analysis of contemporary topics or in transformation processes in the fields of energy, mobility and information technology, then this is the right place for you!

Program structure

During your studies, you have various subjects, which consist of one or more modules. A module deals with a specific topic and consists of one or more courses. In the module handbook for your degree program, you will find a description of the modules and their subject assignment as well as a study plan. This gives you an orientation as to which courses you should attend in which semester in order to complete your studies within the standard period of study. It takes into account a balanced distribution of courses over the individual semesters. It also ensures that you are first taught the important basics before moving on to more advanced topics. Your individual course of study may differ from this.

In the LAS degree program, you choose one of three majors: Science Communication, History of the Present or Technology Assessment and Future Design. In addition, you choose one of currently nine minors, such as literature and media cultural studies, philosophy or art history.

The three majors in the LAS

• Science Communication
  You will learn how to effectively communicate research findings to a broad audience and combine social, communication and media science methods. In this way, you will be optimally prepared for careers in which you create the link between science and the public.
• History of the Present
  Here you will acquire knowledge of political, intellectual and cultural history. You will analyze historical sources and research current topics such as democracy, technology and climate change. Practical projects in collaboration with cultural institutions complement your studies.
  
• Technology Assessment and Future Design
  You will acquire interdisciplinary knowledge to evaluate technological innovations and their social impact. The degree program combines sustainability with progress and prepares you to actively shape the future.
  

The nine minors

• Science Communication
  
• History of the Present and
  
• Technology Assessment and Future Design
  

offer a fixed selection from the study program, which can also be studied in the major.

• Media Culture: Theory and Practice introduces you to theoretical and analytical principles in the field of media culture and prepares you for practical work in the media and cultural sector.
• Literature and Knowledge teaches you literary history and theory in order to understand the connection between literature and knowledge.
• European Literature is historically oriented and offers you the opportunity to study medieval studies and modern German literary studies and history.
• Philosophy introduces you to the fundamental topics of the subject and to problem-oriented questions from either practical or theoretical philosophy.
• History of Art teaches you art historical analysis methods and knowledge of all art genres and forms of artistic creation from Christian late antiquity to contemporary art production, with a focus on painting and sculpture, architecture and new media.
  

Does that all sound interesting? The Minor

• Studium Individuale gives you another option: an interest-driven and self-determined choice from the modules of the entire LAS study program (with the exception of courses from the program of your chosen major).

In addition to the major and minor, you will complete the Media Competence, Scientific Literacy and Academic Skills modules with all LAS students in the core. There is also a choice of international seminars as part of the European University Network EPICUR.

Internship

The six-week professional internship in the bachelor's degree program in Liberal Arts and Sciences offers you the opportunity to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge in various professional fields. Depending on the internship position, you can gain valuable experience in areas such as journalism (print, radio, TV, online), PR, corporate communications, marketing or scientific and technical communication. Internships in museums, publishing houses or other cultural institutions are also possible.

An accompanying e-learning course will help you prepare for and reflect on your internship. This allows you to formulate your expectations, exchange experiences and optimally process your practical experience in relation to your studies and career.

Stays abroad

KIT offers a wide range of options for stays abroad, from individual courses to a year abroad. Especially if you are interested in a longer stay abroad, it is advisable to contact the International Students Office early on.

Bachelor's thesis

At the end of your bachelor's degree, you will complete your bachelor's thesis, an academic paper that allows you to apply and deepen the knowledge and skills you have acquired. It usually deals with a specific topic in your field of study and requires independent research, analysis and writing. The processing time is usually three months, but a maximum of six months.

After completing your bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, you have numerous options for further study, depending on your interests and goals. You can continue your studies with a master's degree to deepen your knowledge and apply it in research projects.

At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, for example, you can continue your studies with a master's in Science - Media - Communication or European Culture and History of Ideas. Other options include programs in communication, history, sustainability or science and technology studies, also abroad.

If you are aiming for a doctorate after your master's degree, the Institute for Technology Futures and the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis at KIT, for example, offer doctoral opportunities in cooperation with national and international partners.

The Liberal Arts and Sciences degree program qualifies you for a wide range of careers in science as well as in interface areas with technology, society, politics, the public and business. This includes, for example, working in media and public relations for companies and public institutions as well as in the education sector, at energy agencies, in parliamentary offices and other transfer institutions.

You also have the opportunity to enter journalism, publishing or cultural work, for example in public authorities, museums and memorials. Other professional fields include expert-based political consulting, for example in public foundations, state or federal centers for political education and in parliamentary offices. You can also shape participation processes, for example through citizens' forums, citizen science or public history.

Characteristic features of Liberal Arts and Sciences B.A. at KIT

• wide range of specialization options through combinations of subjects in the humanities, natural sciences and technical sciences
• practical experience through project work and a six-week compulsory internship
• personal development in a social context
• studying in small seminar groups with dedicated teaching staff
• study internationally with EPICUR and partner universities

What KIT has to offer

• central campus close to the city forest and right next to the city center
  
• orientation week before the start of lectures
  
• 24-hour library offering single and group working places
  
• wide range of inexpensive catering options (dining hall, cafeteria, Koeri and Pizzawerk)
  
• numerous interdisciplinary offers for personal and professional development, e.g. Lernlabor, Schreiblabor and Perspektivenlabor
  
• study abroad, e.g. via Erasmus
  
• excellent university sports facilities with a large selection of sports
  
• comprehensive cultural offerings with university orchestras, choirs and theater groups
  
• extensive support for career entry and self-employment
  
• Lernraum app
  
• internationally oriented degree programs and diverse exchange programs
  
• modern laboratories and practical teaching methods
  
• diverse student initiatives, clubs and opportunities to actively participate in campus life
  
• stay in touch after graduation via the alumni network

Higher education entrance qualification (HZB)

Germans and persons of equal status to Germans (i.e. EU/EEA nationals and non-EU/EEA nationals with a German higher education entrance qualification) are entitled to study at KIT if they have one of the following qualifications:

1. General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur)
2. (relevant) subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification (not Fachhochschulreife)
3. Delta examination of the University of Mannheim (for holders of a Fachhochschulreife)
4. recognized advanced vocational training (e.g. master craftsperson) or vocational training, professional experience and aptitude test for those with professional qualifications

For further options, see §58 of the "Landeshochschulgesetz" (State Higher Education Act).

Please note: German nationals with a foreign school-leaving qualification must have the relevant "Regierungspräsidium" (regional authority) certify that their qualification is equivalent to the German Abitur.

For non-EU/EEA nationals with a foreign school-leaving certificate (hereinafter also referred to simply as non-EU/EEA nationals), the school-leaving certificate from some countries is recognized as a direct university entrance qualification in Germany. In many cases, however, in addition to the school-leaving certificate, a university entrance examination and/or a successful year of study in the home country and/or the "Feststellungsprüfung" must be proven with valid documents in order to be allowed to study a bachelor's degree in Germany. You can find the country-specific regulations in the DAAD admissions database or on the Anabin website (in German only) of the "Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen" (Central Office for Foreign Education). Further information is available from the International Students Office.

Language requirements and certificates

For the bachelor's degree program in Liberal Arts and Sciences, you need sufficient knowledge of German and English. Your German language skills must be at least level C1 and your English language skills at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Proof of sufficient German language skills

Your higher education entrance qualification (HZB) is sufficient proof of your German language skills,

• if you obtained it at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad,

• if you are a graduate of a bilingual secondary school in Germany or abroad and have passed a bilingual German examination, such as the AbiBac or the Gemischtsprachiges International Baccalaureat (GIB) or

• if you graduated from a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country on the recognition of your school-leaving certificate or language certificate as proof of language proficiency for university studies in Germany.

A complete list of foreign school-leaving qualifications and language certificates that are recognized as proof of sufficient German language skills can be found on the website of the Kultusministerkonferenz (Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany).

If you did not obtain your higher education entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution, you must provide a separate language certificate - regardless of your nationality. Only the following are accepted

• the passed „Prüfungsteil Deutsch“ of the Feststellungsprüfung,
• the passed DSH with the overall result DSH-2,
• the passed TestDaF level 4 in all four parts of the exam (reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, oral expression) or
• a comparable, recognized certificate of sufficient German language skills.

To find out which other recognized certificates can be accepted as comparable by KIT, please contact

• as a German or German-equivalent applicant: Studierendenservice
• as an applicant with non-EU citizenship: International Students Office

Proof of sufficient English language skills

The following is sufficient proof of your English language skills

• your Abitur certificate, if you have taken English for at least five years up to graduation and your final or average grade of the last two years of English lessons corresponds to at least the German grade 4 (sufficient) or at least 5 points or
• a degree from a university with English as the sole language of instruction and examination, whereby English must be the only and official language of the completed degree program in the Diploma Supplement, the Transcript of Records or the degree certificate
  

Otherwise, only the internationally recognized English tests listed in the KIT admission and enrollment regulations are accepted as proof. These are

• Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) with at least 90 points in the internet-based test or
• IELTS with an overall score of at least 6.5 and no section below 5.5 or
• University of Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or
• University of Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) or
• UNIcert at least level II
  

Please note:
Language certificates are extremely important application documents that can prevent your enrollment if you do not submit them on time. Therefore, check early on in the application process whether you have the necessary language certificates for your degree program and, if necessary, plan to take one of the language tests mentioned above. The deadline by which you must submit language certificates corresponds to the enrollment deadline stated in your admission offer. In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of this deadline. The extension can be granted until the start of the lecture period at the latest.

Additional necessary requirements for enrollment

For Germans and those with German equivalent status, an additional necessary requirement for enrollment is proof of participation in a study orientation test (e.g. www.was-studiere-ich.de) or a study orientation consultation in accordance with §7 of the "Landeshochschulgesetz" (State Higher Education Act), e.g. by the Student Advisory Service (ZSB) of KIT. Non-EU/EEA nationals do not have to provide this proof.

• all year round Information events of the Student Advisory Service (ZSB) on your desired degree programs, application and admission as well as starting your studies
  
• Try out KIT - clarify your interests and support your study decision by taking advantage of the diverse summer offers or participating in taster lectures.
  
• Campus Day: experience the campus live (together with your family) in spring and make your first personal contacts with the departments and their students
  
• Studieninformationtag: visit KIT on the state-wide study information day in November and experience the lecture hall feeling for the first time
  
• topMINT: you don't know yet what you want to study and need to bridge the summer? Take advantage of our orientation semester before you start your studies.
  
• Use our central online portal studienstart.kit.edu with all the important information and services you need to prepare for your studies and your first semester at KIT. Be it preparatory courses, study-related courses or mentoring programs.
  
• Orientation phase before the start of lectures - from students for students to get to know KIT, your fellow students and your student council. You will receive specific information on this when you enrol.
  
• You will be welcomed by KIT with a colorful supporting program at the welcome event for first semester students. You will receive the invitation after your enrollment.
  

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