In my understanding, the question cannot be answered because it is ill-posed: There is no equivalent to the English term “diploma” in German. Importantly, the German “Diplom” – abbreviated to “Dipl.” – is a well-defined and universally accepted degree, usually from a German university, roughly equivalent to the formerly only Anglo-Saxon but now also European, Master’s degree. A “diploma”, on the other hand, can be a degree from a wide variety of schools, and its value and acceptance depends on the school from which it was issued. To avoid that confusion, the German Vordiplom/Diplom track has now mostly been replaced by the Bachelor/Master system. I learned the difference the hard way when, after I had finished my Diplom many years ago, was turned down by a prestigious American institute when I asked about my chances there, holding a “diploma in mathematics”.
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