The Liberal Arts & Science degree program at KIT is a practice-oriented and interdisciplinary Bachelor's program and follows the idea of a humanistic educational ideal without any actual separation of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and technical sciences. It deals with topics of social transformation from a socio-political perspective across disciplinary boundaries. Interest and inclination-oriented focuses are combined with problem-oriented, integrated and transdisciplinary scientific work. The curriculum sensitizes students to different sciences and knowledge cultures right from the start of their studies, while at the same time demanding subject-specific competence(s) and the ability to acquire the methods of individual disciplines. The degree program thus enables a research-oriented and practice-based education with additional interdisciplinary skills acquisition. It follows the principles of the KIT mission statement of study and teaching.

Personal development and practical experience are central components of the curriculum. In the LAS study program, students acquire basic skills for scientific work in the 21st century: in theoretical access to and practical handling of media and specialist journalism, in critical thinking, in dealing with figures and data, in methods of transdisciplinary work and other key qualifications. In addition, they acquire knowledge of the disciplines represented on the course, perspectives on the relationship between science and society and the fundamentals of the history and theory of science. On completion of the course, students will be able to explore social problems scientifically and contextualize them historically and in contemporary media-based communication systems. They will have developed an understanding of the disciplinary characteristics of their chosen major, will be able to explore issues in an interdisciplinary manner and will be able to identify, assess and methodically shape relationships between science and society.

Liberal Arts & Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at KIT sees itself as an umbrella programme that offers the opportunity to deal with and deepen central and socio-political topics such as energy, mobility, sustainability, digitization and AI at a technically oriented university such as KIT in the broad cross-sectional area of "Science and Society" in an interdisciplinary manner. The developed study program comes from the broad range of subjects offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences with opportunities to specialize in natural and technical sciences. Students choose a major subject: Science Communication, History of the Present or Technology Assessment and Future Design. In addition to the major, which qualifies students to focus on a specific subject, students can choose between various minors (compulsory electives) or Studium Individuale (self-determined thematic focus). A common core area consisting of Scientific Literacy and Academic Skills is compulsory for all students. In Core and Studium Individuale, key qualifications can be acquired in the compulsory elective area and courses from the joint course catalog of the European University Alliance EPICUR can be taken.

The formal requirements for admission to the LAS degree program can be found in the admission and enrollment regulations of the KIT. All deadlines and information on the required German and English language skills (§ 5 para. 4) are also provided here: The majority of courses are held in German, courses in English supplement the offer. Knowledge of German and English is therefore required.

All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency at level B2 or higher. For applicants holding the German Abitur, this is done automatically with the submission of the Abitur certificate. Applicants without a German Abitur must enclose a corresponding certificate or proof of at least six years of English lessons with their application.

You live abroad and would like to study at KIT? Then please contact the KIT International Students Office.

The degree program is not restricted. You can only start your studies in the 1st semester in winter term. Further information and the application portal can be found on the application and admission pages.

Do you have specific questions about application and admission? The Central Student Advisory Service (ZSB)will be happy to help you.

The LAS degree course is a full-time degree course lasting three years or six semesters. You earn a total of 180 credit points (CP) and successfully complete the degree with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) .

As an LAS student, you choose one of three core subjects, your major (84 CP): Science Communication, History of the Present or Technology Assessment and Future Design. In addition to your core subject, you choose one of currently nine minor subjects (46 CP) from the range of major subjects, literature and media culture studies, philosophy or art history.

In addition to the major and minor, you will study the modules Media Competence, Scientific Literacy and Academic Skills together with all other LAS students in the core area (30 CP). You can also take international seminars from the European university network EPICUR .

The curriculum is divided into three phases. In the first phase, you complete basic modules from the core, major and minor areas, in the second, the advanced phase, you take advanced modules in the core, major and minor areas. In the third year, there are further advanced modules in addition to the Bachelor's thesis module (12 CP). During the second or third year of study, you should also complete the professional internship (8 CP).

The Liberal Arts and Sciences degree program teaches you fundamental skills for innovative scientific work: The theory and practical handling of media, checking facts and recognizing fake news, critical thinking, dealing with numbers and data, methods of cooperation between science and society and evaluating the possible social consequences of innovations. As an LAS graduate, you will be able to weigh up arguments on social challenges, tap into expert cultures, analyze and comment on debates. You have an overview of the channels through which communication takes place. You can deal with social change in an informed way and help shape it - for example by being informed about the history of innovations, by organizing communication processes and initiating participation processes. In short, you will be able to deal competently with cross-cutting issues of social change and thus help shape the future.

The LAS Bachelor's degree enables you to pursue a career at a university or research institution: At KIT, for example, you have the opportunity to complete a Master's degree in Science-Media-Communication or in European Culture and History of Ideas. Or you can take up a Master's program focussing on communication, history or sustainability studies or science technology studies at other universities in Germany and abroad. The Institute of Technology Futures (ITZ) and the Institute of Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) at KIT offer doctoral positions after the Master's degree in cooperation with national and international partners.

You can also opt for a career at the interface of science, technology, society, politics, the public and business: In public institutions, think tanks, agencies and institutions, you can play a formative role, organize communication processes and initiate participation processes. Political consulting, media and public relations, journalism and culture are possible professional fields.