Accreditation

The Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel has been system-accredited since 7 March 2016. The procedure at the CAU was supervised by the evalag Evaluation Agency Baden - Württemberg.

System-accreditation (only in German available)

Internal certification (only in German available) 

Accreditation certificate

 

Admission requirements and application

General requirements

A Bachelor’s degree (BSc) with a grade “good” (German grading at least 2.5) or higher in agricultural science or equivalent academic and examination achievements in related disciplines with particular relevance to dairy science. The Bachelor’s degree will be the basis for your application to this Master’s degree program.

Language requirements

As all classes are held in English, a good level of English (written and spoken) is mandatory. Students must provide evidence of proficiency in English.

Accepted as proof for language proficiency are the following:

  • IELTS: overall score of 6.5 (with at least 6.0 in each of the four components) or
  • TOEFL® ITP (Paper-based test): overall score of 580 with a Test of Written English score of 5.5 or
  • TOEFL® iBT (Internet-based test): overall score of 90 with component scores of at least 20 pointes or
  • Cambridge certificate of Advanced English (CAE): grade A or
  • Cambridge certificate for Proficiency in English (CPE): grade B
  • Für Bewerber*innen mit deutscher Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (HZB) eine Bewertung im Prüfungsfach Englisch im Abitur von mindestens 11 Punkten oder der Note 2,0
 

Subject-specific entrance criteria

Additionally to the academic and language requirements, subject-specific entrance criteria assessed by the examination board must be met. When applying, you are required to describe and provide proof of the aspects stated below, and include information on relevant knowledge and training skills. Please ensure you respond to these aspects as completely as possible, including details of why you have applied to study this program, and details of how your experience and skills are relevant.

You need to consider the following aspects:

  • Do you have any work experience relevant to livestock science or dairy production? Please describe the employment as well as your responsibilities and indicate the respective period(s).
  • Are there any academic achievements relevant to livestock / dairy science that are not reflected in your degree certificate, for example: scholarships, awards, scientific publications or research funds which you have raised?
  • How will these academic and/or work experiences particularly qualify you for this master's program?
  • What are your professional aims after finishing the master's program and how will the master's program help you to achieve your professional aims?

In the online application process you will have a maximum of 4.000 characters including spaces to answer these aspects.

Please note that relevant work experience and/or academic achievements relevant to livestock science are mandatory if your Bachelor's degree did not cover sufficient aspects of livestock science or dairy production.

Application

The application period for the academic year 2021/22 (start of the program October 2021) starts February 1, 2021 and closes April 30, 2021 (deadline for submission of the application is April 30, 2021; 23.59 CEST)

Applications will be processed in May.

In June you will receive a notification on your application success.

Please refrain from enquiries before mid June. Due to the high number of applications, we will not be able to reply to enquiries.

Applications must be submitted through our online application portal, available here.

Please do not send any application documents by post or email as they will not be processed!

Attachments you are going to be asked for:

  • Scan of passport
  • CV (curriculum vitae) - max. 2 pages!
  • University degree certificate
  • Official transcript of records listing all classes
  • Proof of English language proficiency (i.e. language certificate)
  • Proof of special achievements mentioned in your personal declarations (i.e. work experience, academic achievements, scholarships, etc.)
  • APS Certificate: applicants for China, Vietnam, Mongolia and Taiwan

 

All provided documents must be of high-quality and in the correct order (e.g. transcript of records). All incomplete applications and unreadable copies of certificates will be rejected. Accepted applicants will later have to provide the originals for enrollment at the University of Kiel.

Important note: For documents in languages other than English or German you need to provide officially certified translations!

 

German applicants who have not yet received their final BSc certificate please visit this webpage (only available in German): http://www.studservice.uni-kiel.de/master-voraussetzungen.shtml, http://www.studium.uni-kiel.de/de/bewerbung-einschreibung/einschreibung/einschreibunterlagen

 

For further information please contact the program coordinator

 

Timetable study course Dairy Science

Please download the timetable für the complete study course Dairy Science here: Timetable winter/summer term

Timetables of all study courses of the Faculty of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences can be found here

Class rooms and start date of the courses might be subject to short-term changes. Please have a look the the notice board near the dean's office to find the latest update.

 

Program Design and Module Contents

The study program comprises 120 ECTS points, thereof eleven mandatory modules (63 ECTS), 30 ECTS to be earned by elective modules, and a Master's Thesis (27 ECTS). The standard period of study is four semesters.

All Dairy Science mandatory and elective module descriptions can be found here

Curriculum (Mandatory modules: AEF-ds001 to AEF-ds011)

Semester 1-2

10 mandatory modules – 60 credit points

Term

Module code

Module name

Exam

CP

WS

dsAEF001-01a

Dairy Economics: Production and Processing

M

6

WS

AEF-ds002

Eco-Efficiency of Dairy Systems

M

6

WS

AEF-ds003

Health Management in Dairy Herds

M

6

WS

AEF-ds004

Dairy Processing and Quality

K

6

WS

AEF-ds005

Dairy Cattle Breeding

M50+R50

6

SS

AEF-ds006

Forage Quality and Conservation

M75+Sb25

6

SS

AEF-ds007

Machine Milking

M

6

SS

AEF-ds008

Animal Behaviour and Welfare

M

6

SS

dsAEF009-01a

Ruminant Nutrition

M

6

SS

AEF-ds010

Biometrical Planning and Inference

M

6

Semester 3

Elective modules (catalogue 1) – 18 credit points

Elective modules – 12 credit points

Term Module code Module name Exam CP

WS   or SS

Catalogue 1

Modules to the extent of 18 CP

X

18

WS   or SS

Free choice

Modules to the extent of 12 CP

X

12

Semester 4

1 Mandatory module – 3 credit points

1 Master thesis – 27 credit points

Term

Module code

Module name

Exam

CP

WS    or SS

AEF-ds011

Scientific Methods and Standards*Oral Defence of Master's Thesis

R

3

SS

Master's Thesis

X

27

Abbreviations:

M: Oral examination

K: Written examination

R: Presentation

Sb: Seminar contribution (presentation and handout)

CP: Credt points

WS: Winter semester

SS: Summer semester

 

 

 

Examination regulations

The following links will give you more information about rules and regulations (study and examination regulations) of the Faculty of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences of the Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel.

Examination rules Dairy Science:

German version 2017 

Examination Procedure Regulations English version 2017

English version 2017

Central information pages of the Examination Offices for Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes

Examination committee

Please note that examination regulations are subjected to change: Updates of regulations will be uploaded soon.

   

 

 

 

Duration

The Master's Degree Program Dairy Science will require four semesters of courses including a Master's Thesis.

Succesful students will receive a full time post-graduate master's degree (Master of Science, MSc).

Using the Europeam Credt Transfer System (ECTS), students' achievements will be conferrable to other universities. Students who complete the program will obtain 120 credit points.

Tuition

This master study course is free of tuition.

An enrolment fee ("Einschreibgebühr") currently amounting to 55 EUR is charged for the first enrolment at Kiel University.

A semester contribution ("Semesterbeitrag") currently amount to 259 EUR must be paid each semester. This covers free public transport ("Semesterticket Schleswig-Holstein"), reduced lunch prices, and other benefits for students ("Semesterticket CAU").

No other fees are charged.

Accomodation

When your application has been accepted, you may apply for accomodation at the Studentenwerk.

Visa Information

To get a visa can be a long and tedious process. German authorities want to be sure that you are able to manage yourself financially during your studies, and that you are willing to return home after your studies are completed. In case you continue your education in order to do a PhD or a Post-Doc project, an extension of your visa should not be a problem.

In any case, be sure to start the visa application process with sufficient time in advance. Three months for obtaining a visa are not unusual, especially for applicants from Africa, India and Pakistan. Therefore, start the process as early as possible, and take care of the validity of your documents.

Modalities of visa application and protocols are subject to changes, and guidelines are frequently modified. Please contact the German Embassy nearest to your residence. A list of addresses and internet sites is available via the "Auswärtiges Amt" (German Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Further Information

The Dairy Science Study Coordinator

The e-learning platform OLAT

University of Kiel

For more Information, please visit the Homepage of the Christian-Albrechts-University.
Further information for foreign students can be obtained here: International Center, University of Kiel

 

The city of Kiel

Visit the city portrait of Kiel online. The offer of information is available in different languages.

 

The state of Schleswig-Holstein

Visit the portal of Schleswig-Holstein. The government provides also a lot of information about the land, the history and the people.

Student's life

Information for students

Helpful links

Funding opportunities, Fellowships, Erasmus+

Mitteilungen

Forschung & Projekte