Is "Bachelor + Master" better than traditional Diploma in academic education systems in university? What in your opinion are the benefits, drawbacks, obstacles?
Reiner,
I don't know about "better" but I will give you my thoughts on this matter - at least from a US perspective, with the caveat that this is for an ideal student and degrees.
One advantage that the US system sees is the capacity to acquire a diverse amount of information. In most programs there is a general studies component for the first year or two. This allows students to gain exposure to a wide variety of disciplines. Many students do not have a clear idea of what they want to study and this exposure helps them to focus and, if they feel they are on the wrong track, switch from one field of study to another without much penalty in terms of time and money. I personally, when I talk to secondary students, suggest they talk a general studies or liberal arts program for their Bachelors degree and then specialize in their graduate programs.
One reason for this wide exposure is that in the US a person will, according to surveys, change their career at least 5 times during their life. Having a well rounded foundation initially will benefit them by being able to transfer their learning to a new career.
Hope this helps some.
John
Diploma is more of SKILL ORIENTATION, however today pseudo named along with Graduations.... enclosed a curriculum development effort for the agricultural executive diploma programme...
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262311438_Organizational_Capabilities_for_Agricultural_Higher_Learning?ev=prf_pub
Data Organizational Capabilities for Agricultural Higher Learning
Krishnan, we are talking about the German diploma degree, which is in no way comparable wo what you are referring to. Having got one in physics and teaching now in the BA/MA system here in Thailand I can state that the Diplom needs (or needed) far more efforts and skills than the Master. I see it between master and PhD, actually.
As Matthias, for me the main benefit of introducing BA/MA is the compatability on an international level.
Michael, I agree with your comments - the same change has happened, or is happening, to the French system of Grandes Ecoles and Diplome d'Ingénieur. The system was far more demanding that a Master's (leading to a situation where University degrees even Ph.D.s are still derided in France in comparison with Grande Ecole degrees.)
I also agree with John Baun - it's all down to the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day - to meet the stiff requirements of a 'Diplom' curriculum there is simply no time to study anything on the side. So a choice has to be made between a broader and unavoidably more shallow curriculum, or a demanding in-depth curriculum that has no time left over to provide a culture of/in other disciplines.
In both Germany and France, the choice seems to be jelling for a US style education system, in large part I believe for the sake of common standards and compatibility across the world. I for one rue the passing of the Diplom system, which was a unique way to really learn something in-depth, and to truly learn about uncompromising excellence.
I think it is part of consolidating the different words. for example the word "Diploma" in some countries refer to 2 year college program. Hence, a diploma holder will be misjudged for a 2 year college program while s/he is holding a Bachelor + Master .
I agree with Orkid. In my physics diploma studies I had enough time to delve into particle physics and general relativity to produce a corresponding multi-subfield thesis. Demanding and satisfying at the same time.
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