Documentation cources of the German Association for Documentation

Abstract

Recognizing the increasing demand for information specialists in the German Federal Republic, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Dokumentation (DGD) has organized training courses ever since 1954. Varying in level, thematic field and duration, these courses have undergone different changes, and since 1967 - relying on experiences gathered until then - three main types have evolved:
a) Post-graduate documentation courses for specialists with university or college diploma. During the one year course covering 296 class hours, the participants are trained in 16 subjeets comprising all fields, theoretical and practical, of information work, including the problems of mechanization and reprography. Having passed the examinations successfully at the end of the course, the participant is granted the title "scientific documentalist".
b) Medium level documentation courses. Participants are required to have a secondary school final examination certificate (an equivalent of the G. C. E. or high school diploma) and a minimum of two year experience in an information institation, as well as a fair knowledge of English. The course lasts one year in this case, too, but the participants have to take 14 subjects in 374 class hours. At the end of the course the participants are given the title "certificated documentalist".
c) Lower level documentation courses are meant for the auxiliary personnel of information institutions. During the two-year course, the participants are given practical training in 3400 and theoretical training in 200 class hours. They also participate in a 40 hour training in reprography techniques and in a 40 hour program of visiting information institutions. Finally, the participants are given a two-week central end-course. The final examination is oral and also involves a test-paper, as well as the examination of practical expertise .