Look before you fly- which type of master's course are you joining in

Various master's courses offered by the German universities- is there any real difference apart from their names. Ya, of course, it is better to be well informed before choosing a course to avoid any future inconveniences. 

  

Conventional master's

 It is structured  to provide students a detailed knowledge in the course, along with the introduction, normally it is  4 semesters long.  Students doesn't necessarily need prior knowledge in the field of education. It would be sufficient if he complete his bachelors degree in the related field.

Consecutive master's

Are often structured on a same-named bachelor's program. Many universities offer consecutive master's program to augment the knowledge acquired during the undergraduate program. Some master's programs are not structured on a specific bachelor's program. Instead, they can be pursued by students who hold various bachelor's degrees. While these programs require certain fundamental knowledge, it can be acquired through different bachelor's programs.

For example, graduates with a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering can pursue a Master's in Industrial Design, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics | Cognition | Intelligence or Industrial Engineering to name a few.

Research master's

This master program is completely different from the others. As the name signifies it concentrates mainly on research in the field of study. There would not be many lectures or class room discussions. Students are asked to choose a topics of their interest either from running projects or from any contemporary research tasks. 

Continuing education master's 

As a rule, it require that candidates have at least one year of work experience. In some cases the courses can be taken while working, which results in different class schedules. Special tuition fees may also apply.


Source: TU Munich