Degree: Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Regular program length: 4 semester (full-time program)

Credit points (ECTS): 120 credit points

Language of instruction: German or English

Limited capacity:
First semester: yes
Higher semester: yes
Application possible for:
First semester: winter and summer term
Higher semester: winter and summer term
Application deadline:
German and EU nationals
First semester: July 15 for winter term, January 15 for summer term
Higher semester: July 15 for winter term, January 15 for summer term
Non-EU nationals
First semester: July 15 for winter term, January 15 for summer term
Higher semester: July 15 for winter term, January 15 for summer term

Degree and duration

Regular program length of 2 years leading to a "Master of Science (M.Sc.)" degree; 120 credit points (corresponding to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System - ECTS) must be completed. Individual prorgram length may differ from regular program length.

Program structure

There is one major project per semester and one impromptu project in each of the first three semesters. In addition, compulsory elective and elective modules need to be selected from the curriculum offered by the four institutes of the KIT-Department. Students also must attend seminars to acquire interdisciplinary qualifications. The program concludes with the master's project and an accompanying colloquium. Overall, there is a great deal of freedom in the selection of in-depth projects in the master's program. The individual modules are defined in the curriculum, which is announced before the start of the program.

Exemplary curriculum: Architecture (M.Sc.)
1st semester 2nd semester 3rd semester 4th semester
Structural engineering design
12 CP
Urban design
12 CP
Structural engineering or urban design
12 CP
Master's thesis
30 CP
 
Design specialization
2 CP
Design specialization
2 CP
Design specialization
2 CP
Structural design and construction
4 CP
Module from the field of urban and landscape design
4 CP
Module from the subject Specialization
4 CP
Module from the field of design, history, art and theory
4 CP
Lecture series
4 CP
Interdisciplinary qualifications
4 CP
Module from the subject Specialization
4 CP
Module from the subject Specialization
4 CP
Seminar week
2 CP
Impromptu designs
4 CP
Module from the subject Specialization
4 CP
Research seminar / free study project
4 CP
    Master's thesis preparation
2 CP

Education within the Master's program of architecture is largely based on the regulations adopted by the German Federal Chamber of Architects and international associations, such as UIA and AESOP. Moreover, the Bundesstiftung Baukultur (Federal Building Culture Foundation) has clearly defined the society’s requirements to be met by architects and updated them in broad discourse.

Graduates of the Master's program of architecture have passed a high-quality education program of five years’ duration for highly responsible, complex, and innovative activities in the areas of planning and building, research, and development in architecture.

In this way, they have obtained the qualification to enter a profession. Together with a practical working phase of two or three years, the Master's degree is needed to obtain the authorization to present building documents (Bauvorlageberechtigung) and to become member of the respective Chamber of Architects. As the consecutive Master's program fully meets international standards (EU, UTA, UNESCO), unrestricted, also international, career perspectives are opened up.

Having specialized in the area of urban planning, graduates meet the specific requirements to apply for inclusion in the list of urban planners in the respective federal state.

Hence, they are prepared for practical and scientific work in the areas of architecture and urban and landscape planning.

Upon completion of the Master's program of four semesters’ duration, graduates have the specific and scientific qualification for a subsequent doctorate in the area of architecture or related programs.

Studies within the Master's program are based on the fundamentals imparted by the Bachelor's program. The Master's program extends the networked thinking conveyed by the Bachelor's program by interdisciplinary elements.

All phases of the Master's program are characterized by a high degree of scientific quality and independence in an international environment as well as by the understanding of complex, also ecological, relationships. Hence, graduates are able to assume executive positions in an architectural office and to act responsibly, sustainably, and in an integrating manner.

Graduates have in-depth knowledge of the different system and complexity levels of this profession and are able to understand the interconnections between the partial areas of architecture.

Graduates have an in-depth awareness of and high sensitivity for the sustainable use of nature and the environment and know the associated architectural challenges.

They are able to critically assess scientific and specific knowledge of how modern architecture and urban planning can be formulated and can relate this knowledge to the social context. In this respect, graduates are capable of developing an own personal attitude.

They apply central terms of the terminology in German and English and possess profound knowledge of the current problems faced by architects and the corresponding research community.

They have a wide and profound fundamental knowledge in the different areas of architecture. This includes a theoretical artistic understanding, technical construction knowledge, and sensitivity for the context as well as knowledge of building history and the history of art.

Graduates have learned to think and act independently and to develop own positions. They are familiar with the different forms of scientific work and can participate in research teams. They are capable of analyzing complex problems and critically discussing facts. On this basis, they can develop strategies for problem solution with high degrees of abstraction. They are able to understand complex spatial situations and model them clearly with different tools.

After five years of work in six Bachelor's design studios and three Master's projects, they have learned to work in teams and have gained vast experience in various interdisciplinary groups. They can coordinate and manage projects as well as assume executive tasks.

Graduates have a detailed knowledge of how to exploit sources of information and can use the findings specifically and in a structured way. They can present the work results derived to an audience and document them in an understandable way.

Excerpt from the diploma supplement of the study program

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.

  • 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
  • allotment of drawing workstations in spacious studios
  • wide range of well-equipped and supervised study workshops
  • comprehensive collection of equipment for model making available for loan
  • extensive library for architecture
  • collection of materials with a focus on sustainable building materials
  • printer room that can be used around the clock (plot pool)
  • Suedwestdeutsches Archiv für Architektur und Ingenieurbau (Southwest German Archive for Architecture and Civil Engineering; saai)
  • networking with numerous cultural institutions in the region

Admission requirements

The following is a rough summary of the requirements for admission to the master's degree program in Architecture at KIT. For detailed information, please refer to the statutes for the university's admission and selection procedure.

  • bachelor's degree
    a bachelor's degree (or at least an equivalent degree) in Architecture (or a degree program with essentially the same content) from a university, university of applied sciences, cooperative state university or a foreign university. The program must have been completed within a regular program length of at least three years and with a minimum number of 180 ECTS credits.
  • minimum knowledge and minimum accomplishments in the areas of
    • design, 60 credit points, including an urban planning project to the extent of at least 10 credit points
    • building technology, 30 credit points
    • theoretical and historical foundations, 20 credit points
    • design and presentation, 20 credit points
    • urban and landscape planning, 15 credit points
    Important:

    Applicants must assign the credits earned in the bachelor's degree program to the above mentioned areas on a form provided for this purpose.
    If study accomplishments amounting to a maximum of 30 credit points are missing, admission may be granted on condition that these accomplishments are completed within the first three semesters of the master's degree program.

  • Internship
    a full-time internship of 12 weeks duration in an architect's office or in a structural engineering office or firm

    If the internship hasn't been completed by the time of application, admission may be granted on the condition that it is completed by the beginning of the third semester of the master's degree program.

  • subject-specific aptitude test (project portfolio / interview)
    successful participation in a subject-specific study aptitude test consisting of a design and project portfolio with work samples and, if applicable, an interview (see § 6 of the statutes for the university's admission and selection procedure)
  • letter of motivation
    a letter of motivation of no more than 500 words providing why the master's degree program in Architecture at KIT has been selected by the applicant as their first choice

Language skills necessary for international applicants

Applicants without university entrance qualifications awarded by a German-speaking secondary school need to submit proof of the following language skill:

  • German language skills: for application, skills of at least B1-level are necessary. All certificates are accepted; a certificate of attendance of a B1-level course is sufficient. For enrollment, a DSH2 certificate or equivalent needs to be presented.
  • or English language skills of at least B2-level, e.g. proven by Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of at least 90 points in the internet-based test or equivalent. Proof of English language skills is not required for applicants who
    • have completed a degree program at a university with English as the sole language of instruction
    • have attended at least 5 years of English language classes in secondary school, can provide a higher education entrance qualification and have received minimum grades of 4 (sufficient, D) or at least 5 points in the last two school years of these English language classes.
  • Can proof of sufficient knowledge of the English or German language not be provided until the end of the application deadline, admission can be granted under the provision that one of the above-mentioned certificates of either the English or the German language will be provided during enrollment.

Contact the International Students Office for additional information.

Selection interviews will be held during the current application phase for the winter term 2024/25. Unfortunately, specific dates are not yet known.

What does this mean for applicants?

Selected applicants who have achieved 41 to 60 points in the design and project portfolio will be invited to the selection interview. For this group, participation is a necessary condition. The invitation will be sent by email to the email address provided during the application process. Registration by the specified deadline is required.

If the applicant is unable to attend the selection interview, there is no possibility of an alternative date.

Applicants from abroad have the option of attending the selection interview via internet conference.

If you have any further questions, please contact Ms. Doris Kern, KIT-Department of Architecture.

Application for the 1st semester

 
Application portal for summer term
opens December 01, 2024.

Application for a higher semester

 
Application portal for summer term
opens December 01, 2024.
Carmen Reck
Student advisor
Student advisory services (ZSB)

+49 721 608 - 44930Carmen Reck does-not-exist.kit edu

 

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Zentrale Studienberatung (ZSB)
Engelbert-Arnold-Str. 2
76131 Karlsruhe

Studierendenservice

 

+49 721 608 - 82222

 

Contacts for students

Contacts for applicants

 

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Studierendenservice
Kaiserstr. 12
76131 Karlsruhe

 

Business hours

International Students Office
First point of contact for international applicants

+49 721 608 - 44911

Contact form

 

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
International Students Office (IStO)
Adenauerring 2
76131 Karlsruhe

Previous studies and examination regulations Architecture M.Sc.
Titel Stand Download
30.03.2023, veröffentlicht 30.03.2023

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20.05.2022, veröffentlicht 20.05.2022

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28.03.2022, veröffentlicht 28.03.2022

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04.09.2020, veröffentlicht 04.09.2020

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26.02.2020, veröffentlicht 26.02.2020

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19.07.2019, veröffentlicht 19.07.2019

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27.07.2016, veröffentlicht 27.07.2016

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07.03.2016, veröffentlicht 07.03.2016

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17.12.2015, veröffentlicht 17.12.2015

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28.01.2015, veröffentlicht 28.01.2015

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28.03.2014, veröffentlicht 28.03.2014

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24.09.2012, veröffentlicht 27.09.2012

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23.07.2009

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WT 2024/25

10-21-2024 to 02-15-2025

ST 2025

04-22-2025 to 08-02-2025

WT 2025/26

10-27-2025 to 02-21-2026

ST 2026

04-20-2026 to 08-01-2026

WT 2026/27

10-26-2026 to 02-20-2027

ST 2027

04-19-2027 to 07-31-2027

WT 2027/28

10-25-2027 to 02-19-2028

ST 2028

04-18-2028 to 07-29-2028

Lectures will not take place:
  • From 12-24 to 01-06
  • the week after Pentecost
  • on all public holidays in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg