What you can expect in our master's program

In the master's degree program in Architecture, you will deepen and expand your creative, technical and scientific skills from your bachelor's degree and develop your own professional profile in a targeted manner. The standard period of study is four semesters, during which you will earn a total of 120 ECTS credit points. These are divided between the subjects

• Designing (46 CP)
• Architectural Core Competencies (16 CP)
• Specialization (22 CP)
• Interdisciplinary Qualifications (6 CP)

and the master's thesis (30 CP) in the final semester.

The degree program is structured as a project course based around the subject of design: in each semester, you will work on a comprehensive structural or urban design project (12 CP each), supplemented by a thematically relevant design specialization (2 CP each). In the first semester, the so-called Impromptu Designs (4 CP) are added as smaller, mostly unsupervised design tasks.

In the subject Architectural Core Competencies, you take part in the compulsory modules Lecture Series (4 CP) and Building and Structure (4 CP) and also choose one module of 4 CP each from the compulsory elective blocks Designing, History, Art and Theory and Urban and Landscape Planning. This allows you to systematically develop your theoretical and technical skills and link them directly to the design projects.

Further opportunities for targeted profile development are available to you in the Specialization module. The Research Fields module (6 CP) is compulsory; in addition, you choose four modules (4 x 4 CP) from a wide range of different courses - from drafting and design workshops to construction and structural planning, architectural theory, art history or digital planning methods. You can also choose from the modules from the compulsory elective blocks of the Architectural Core Competencies subject.

In the Interdisciplinary Qualifications module, you will also build up general and professionally relevant key skills that go beyond the purely technical content. These include teamwork, communication, project organization and presentation techniques.

Overall, the project-oriented master's degree program in Architecture at KIT gives you a great deal of freedom in terms of content: you can choose your design topics and courses individually and strategically focus your studies. There are three thematic focus areas available for this, which you can have recognized with an additional certificate in your degree certificate if you select the appropriate modules:

• Urban Design
• Building Technology
• Architectural and Cultural Heritage

The academic advisor will help you to plan your course of study and sharpen your profile right up to your master's thesis.

With the Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Architecture, you will acquire a professionally qualifying degree that complies with the guidelines of the Federal Chamber of Architects and international associations such as UIA and AESOP. It prepares you for responsible activities in architecture, urban planning, research and teaching and - together with the required practical time - creates the basis for building permit authorization and membership in a chamber of architects. In addition, the degree opens up international career prospects and lays the foundation for a subsequent doctorate.

Program structure

Internship

A twelve-week office internship is required for admission to the master's degree program in Architecture. You can complete this compulsory internship during your bachelor's degree or - if your admission was subject to conditions - within the first two semesters of your master's degree. It must take place in an architectural firm or in the building construction department of an office or a large company.

Beyond this, no further compulsory internship is planned in the master's program. However, it is strongly recommended that you also complete a longer, continuous office internship of around six months in order to gain in-depth insights into the professional practice and work processes of architects. You can apply to the Students Office for a semester off (leave of absence) for a voluntary internship, provided it covers at least half of the lecture period.

Make your studies international

You have various options for integrating a stay abroad into your master's degree course. For example, you can study at a foreign university of your choice for one or two semesters via Erasmus+ or as a freemover. You can also do an internship abroad. In addition, selective mobility is possible via Eucor - The European Campus: KIT students can flexibly attend individual courses in addition to courses at KIT or study full-time for an entire semester or year at an Eucor partner university.

You can obtain information and support in planning your stay abroad from the International Coordination and the Erasmus Office of the KIT Department of Architecture and from the International Students Office (IStO) of the KIT.

Master's thesis

In the fourth semester, you will write your master's thesis worth 30 CP. The focus is on an architectural design, which you supplement with a scientific elaboration. You will use the design, technical and theoretical skills you have acquired during your studies to work independently on a complex design task.

The master's thesis takes six months to complete and concludes with a public presentation of your work. A prerequisite for registration is proof of at least 90 CP. The first supervisor may only be a person who is head of a design department at the KIT Department of Architecture.

Graduates of the master's degree program in Architecture primarily work as managers in the planning, design and layout of buildings and building concepts in architect's offices and engineering firms or as freelance architects. Membership of the "Architektenkammer" (Chamber of Architects) is required for freelance work, which is only possible with a master's degree. In addition, architects also can find work in construction planning, historic preservation, urban planning and development, landscape planning and design, traffic planning, spatial planning in public building construction and for planning authorities and private institutions. Other potential employers include design offices and other design service providers, real estate management companies and professional and higher education institutions (in the field of research and teaching). Architects are also consulted for planning, design and technical advice on various types of construction projects. A master's degree also offers the possibility of an academic career in science and research and also lays the foundations for a subsequent doctorate.

Characteristic features of the Architecture M.Sc. at KIT

• intensive personal supervision by teaching staff with national and international reputations
  
• involvement of students in research projects in all disciplines
  
• certification of special areas of study
  
• contingent of drawing workstations in spacious studios
  
• wide range of well-equipped and supervised study workshops
  
• comprehensive loan of equipment for model making
  
• extensive specialist library for architecture
  
• materials library with a focus on sustainable building materials
  
• printer room that can be used around the clock (plot pool)
  
• Southwest German Archive for Architecture and Civil Engineering (saai)
  
• networking with numerous cultural institutions in the region
  

What KIT has to offer

• central campus close to the city forest and right next to the city center
  
• 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
  
• internationally oriented degree programs and diverse exchange programs
  
• modern laboratories and practical teaching methods
  
• Lernraum app
  
• diverse student initiatives, clubs and opportunities to actively participate in campus life
  
• stay in touch after graduation via the alumni network
  

Admission requirements

The requirements for admission to the master's degree program in Architecture are based on the current admission regulations:

• bachelor's degree
  a Bachelor's degree (or at least an equivalent degree) in Architecture (or a program with essentially the same content) from a university, university of applied sciences, university of cooperative education or a foreign university. The program must have been completed within a standard period of study of at least three years and with a minimum number of 180 ECTS credits.
• minimum knowledge and minimum achievements in the following areas
  • Design (60 CP), including an urban planning project to the extent of at least 10 CP
  • Building Technology (30 CP)
  • Theoretical and Historical Foundations (20 CP)
  • Design and Presentation (20 CP)
  • Urban and Landscape Planning (15 CP)
  Important: applicants must assign the credits earned in the bachelor's degree program to the areas on a form provided for this purpose.
  If minimum achievements amounting to a maximum of 30 CP are missing, admission may be granted on condition that these achievements are completed within the first three semesters of the master's degree program.
• Internship
  A twelve-week full-time internship in an architectural office or in a building construction department of an office or a large company
  If the internship is missing, admission may be granted on condition that it is completed by the start of the third semester of the master's degree program.
• Subject-specific study aptitude test (design and project portfolio / interview)
  Successful participation in a subject-specific aptitude test in accordance with § 6 of the statutes for the university's own admission and selection procedure for the master's degree program in Architecture, consisting of a design and project portfolio with work samples and an additional obligatory interview, if 41 to 60 points were achieved in the portfolio
• Letter of motivation
  a letter of motivation of no more than 500 words for the master's degree program in Architecture at KIT

Language requirements and certificates

For the master's degree program in Architecture, you need sufficient knowledge of German or English. It is sufficient to demonstrate proficiency in one of the two languages at the required level. Your knowledge of German must be at least level C1 and your knowledge of English at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Important: you must provide proof of the required language skills regardless of your citizenship and by the end of the enrollment period at the latest, but preferably at the time of application.

In what form do I have to provide the language certificates? Please read the following chapters on this website carefully. If you have any further questions, please contact

• Students Office if you are applying as a German, German national or a person with German equivalent status
• the International Students Office if you are a non-EU national

Proof of sufficient German language skills

As proof of your German language skills, your higher education or master's entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, university degree or a professional qualification that entitles you to study) is sufficient if you have acquired it at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction.

In concrete terms, this means that you do not have to submit additional proof of German if you

• have obtained your Abitur at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad,
• 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
• you graduated from a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country regarding 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 Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Laender (KMK) in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you have already completed a German-language degree at a German university, this can also count as proof of German language proficiency - but only if the diploma supplement, transcript of records or degree certificate clearly states that German was the sole language of instruction and examination.

If, on the other hand, you did not obtain your higher education or master's entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction, you must provide proof of German language proficiency at least at DSH-2 level. This corresponds to CEFR level C1.

Only the following certificates are accepted in accordance with the KIT admission and enrollment regulations:

• passed German section of the Feststellungspruefung (assessment test)
• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with overall result DSH-2
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 4 in all four parts of the exam
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - second level (DSD II)
• Goethe certificate C1 or higher
• passed telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule exam
• Austrian Language Diploma C1 or higher

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable C1 proof of German at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the C1 certificates listed above demonstrating your German language skills by the application deadline, you may still be admitted if you can provisionally demonstrate at least B1 language proficiency. Proof of B1 level is provided by a recognized language certificate or other certification from a language or other educational institution that clearly shows that B1 level has been achieved.

But please don't forget: you still have to submit the C1 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take a recognized language test.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extensvion can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Student Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

Proof of sufficient knowledge of English

The following is sufficient proof of your English language skills

• your university entrance qualification, if
  • it certifies English language proficiency at CEFR level B2 or higher or
  • it shows that you have studied English for at least five years up to graduation and your final grade or average grade of the last two years of English lessons corresponds to at least the German grade 4 (sufficient) or at least 5 grade points or
• a university degree with English as the sole language of instruction and examination in the completed degree program - this must be clearly stated in the Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records or in the degree certificate.

Otherwise, only the following English tests listed in the KIT admission and enrollment regulations are accepted as proof of English proficiency:

• TOEFL iBT (internet-based) with at least 90 points
• IELTS with an overall score of at least 6.5, no section below 5.5
• TOEIC with at least 400 points in Listening, 385 in Reading, 160 in Speaking, 150 in Writing
• Cambridge Certificate C1 Advanced (CAE)
• Cambridge Certificate C2 Proficiency (CPE)
• Cambridge Certificate B2 First (FCE)
• UNIcert, at least level II
• Pearson PTE Academic with at least 58.5 points overall and at least 56.8 in Listening, 60.6 in Reading, 53.5 in Speaking, 74.1 in Writing

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable B2 proof of English at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the B2 certificates listed above demonstrating your English language skills by the application deadline, you may still be admitted if you can provisionally demonstrate that you have already acquired English language skills.

But please don't forget: you will still have to submit the actual B2 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take one of the recognized language tests.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extension can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Students Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

There are 94 places available each year. These are allocated on the basis of a ranking list of applicants who meet the admission requirements. The ranking list is based on a maximum of 100 achievable points.

You can achieve in detail

• max. 15 points for the overall grade of the final academic examination
• max. 5 points for your letter of motivation
• max. 80 points for the subject-specific study aptitude test (design and project portfolio / interview)

If you score 61 points or more, the study aptitude test is considered passed. If you score 40 points or less, you will fail and receive a rejection. If your result is between 41 and 60 points, you will be invited to an obligatory interview in accordance with § 6 of the statutes for the university's admission and selection procedure for the master's degree program in Architecture.

Detailed information on the time, registration and other modalities of the interview can be found on the department's website for the master's degree program in Architecture. If you have any further questions, please contact the department's academic advisor directly.

Additional contacts:

• KIT-Department of Architecture
• Academic advisor
• Examination board
• Information about exchange programs and studying abroad

Teaching calendar

Course catalog

• Course catalog current term
• Course catalog current term PDF (English)
• Archive of previous catalogs