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Natural Sciences and Mathematics
The range of mathematic and natural science programmes in Germany is broad indeed. And, there is a growing number of interdisciplinary subjects. Teamwork is an important quality for scientists. The job prospects are very good in these fields, because Germany wants to maintain its edge in attracting big companies and investment.
Courses of study
The majority of courses in natural sciences and mathematics are offered at universities. The bachelor’s degree programs in mathematics, natural sciences and computer science are mostly focused on a single subject.
Combining different programmes: Many possibilities
At some universities, however, you can also create your own programmes with several subjects. You can combine studies in natural science with studies in humanities or social sciences. If you later want to teach biology, physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science or geography at a school, you have to study at least two subjects at the same time.
The boundaries between natural sciences and engineering sciences are often fluid. Innovative areas of research from several disciplines continue to emerge, too. New courses of independent study such as biochemistry, molecular life science, bioinformatics and genome research, biomathematics, environmental chemistry, nanoscience or geo informatics are just a few examples.
Requirements
“Today, the demand is high? for scientists who are more than mere specialists”, says Kolja Briedis from the HIS Institute for University Research. “Natural scientists have to work together in interdisciplinary teams and generally think in complex structures.” You should have the following qualifications for studying natural sciences:
- analytical abilities
- logical thinking, curiosity, ambition, and the ability to handle stress
- mathematical understanding
- good foundation in mathematics
- ability to work in a team
Employment outlook and salaries
“The job market for scientists, mathematicians and computer scientists is good”, says Kolja Briedis from the HIS Institute. “There are hardly any problems finding work.” The career opportunities vary from subject to subject, but there is an increasing demand across the board in Germany. That’s because there is a foreseeable shortage of qualified specialists in many disciplines. In Germany there is an initiative to get more young people interested in studying mathematics, IT, natural sciences or technology. The term combining these subjects is called MINT.
Get to know the higher education system