Die mündlich Prüfung (the oral exam)

My host, Herr Professor Doctor Methner, teaches a broad range of brewing science and technology courses to Diplom-Ingenieur and Diplom-Braumeister students. The former are those students on a 5 year degree plan (somewhat similar to our Master's degree students) and the later are on a 3 year degree plan. All students, however, have had industrial experience - in fact the Diplom-Braumeister students may have had up to 3 years of apprenticeship...a big difference from the US system of higher education. The examination format that Professor Methner uses is exclusively an oral format, but it is one that is both intriguing as it is admirable. The students show up promptly at their assigned time and come well dressed, almost like an interview. The sit across a small table from Prof. Methner - a table that has a pad of paper and water for the student as well as coffee, tea and fruit for the examiners. For a half an hour, Professor Methner grills them on various topics - depending on which semester they are in, they will be asked different questions. Meanwhile, a teaching assistant faithfully and quitely takes notes on the questions being asked and the answers being given. The foreign students are asked to take the exam in English, the German students can opt for either English of German, but they choose German. And why not? Who wants to take an oral exam in something other than one's mother tongue? When the exam is completed, the students head to the secretary's office (outside or Prof. Methner's) where they are treated to a shot of schnapps by Frau Ludewig. Today the choice was between Kirschwasser, vodka, or classic German schnapps. During this period, Prof. Methner, the teaching assistant, and I, confer and decide what grade to assign (from 1 [highest] to 5 [lowest]). The students I observed did very well...better than the average student I typically see in my classes at OSU. Within 5 minutes, the student receives his/her score and we are on to the next exam. It is an interesting and somewhat refreshing process. And, I suppose the total time it takes for examine all of the students is no more than the time to write, copy, hold, and grade a written exam. The process certainly has me thinking about what I will do when I return to OSU.