Lehramt an Grundschulen (L1) / Teaching Qualification for Primary Education (Teaching Degree)

What skills and interests should I have?

As a future teacher, you should have an interest in working with children and young people, as well as in the subjects you have chosen to study. Openness to others, stability and self-reflection are further desirable qualities for this profession. The breadth of subjects covered in teacher training programmes requires you to be flexible and to take an interest – depending on your choice of subjects – in issues, methods and ways of thinking relating to the natural sciences, languages, the humanities, social sciences and educational sciences.

What makes the programme special?

JLU offers teacher training programmes for all types of school. Teacher training is a key focus of JLU’s range of courses and programmes.

The course corresponds to the first part of teacher training and concludes with the First State Examination. This is followed by the second phase – the teaching traineeship (Referendariat) – which concludes with the Second State Examination. Only upon completion of this course will you be eligible to teach at primary schools and able to apply for a teaching post.

During the course, students study several modules simultaneously:

Educational sciences (educational studies, political science, psychology, sociology), primary school teaching didactics, aesthetic education, three teaching subjects (German and mathematics are compulsory), with one of the three subjects as a major subject a basic teaching placement and a teaching practice semester during the course of study proof of a work placement must also be provided by the time of the first state examination at the latest.

As teachers not only impart specialist knowledge but also have an educational role, educational sciences deal with topics such as, for example, Areas of education (e.g. Family upbringing, education at school), theories of learning, the social environment of pupils, parents and teachers, the fundamentals of democracy. Topics specific to primary schools form the subject matter of primary school pedagogy. These events cover teaching topics typical of primary education which are relevant to primary schools beyond the scope of subject-specific pedagogy.

The teaching placement component of the degree programme comprises a basic teaching placement and a placement semester at schools, combined with preparatory and debriefing sessions. You must also provide evidence of having completed a work placement by the time of the First State Examination.

 

Teaching Qualification for Primary Education

On the Teaching Qualification for Primary Education, you will study three subjects. They consist of the two compulsory subjects, Deutsch / German and Mathematik / Mathematics, as well as a third subject, which you can choose from the following list of subjects. All subjects can be studied as either a major (full) or a minor (short) course, with the sole exception of French; French can only be chosen as a short course. The choice of major subject – in which the work placement semester is also completed – is made when applying for the degree programme. The major subject is studied in somewhat greater depth (50 LP) throughout the degree programme than the two minor subjects (20 LP each).

Englisch / English1 Kunst / Art2 Evangelische Religion / Protestant Religion Musik / Music2

Französisch / French1 (nur Kurzfach) Sachunterricht3 Katholische Religion / Catholic Religion Sport / Physical Education4

^{1) see language requirements
2) see aptitude test before the start of studies. For the major subject of Art and for both the major and minor subjects of Music, you must pass an aptitude test before starting your degree. 
3) What exactly is Sachunterricht? Sachunterricht is designed to help children engage with issues relating to their social, natural and technological environments. Children should learn to understand the realities of life, both on a personal and societal level, and to act competently within them. The subjects covered include, from the natural sciences, biology, chemistry and physics; and from the social sciences, politics and economics, history and geography.
4) There is no practical sports aptitude test, but you must provide evidence of your fitness to participate in sport by submitting a medical certificate when you enrol. You can find the relevant form for the certificate here.}  

 

Teaching Qualification for Primary Education with the Subject Ethics

On the Teaching Qualification for Primary Education with the Subject Ethics, German, Mathematics and Ethics are compulsory subjects.

Teaching Qualification for Primary Education with the Subject Islamic Religion/Islamic Education

The Teaching Qualification for Primary Education with the Subject Islamic Religion/Islamic Education also has a compulsory list of subjects, including German, Mathematics and Islamic Religion/Islamic Education.

The Hessian Teacher Training Act allows teachers to obtain teaching qualifications for additional subjects at primary schools following the First State Examination (extension examination).

Upon completion of the Second State Examination for primary school teaching, it is possible to obtain an additional teaching qualification for secondary schools (Haupt- and Realschulen) or for special educational needs through further study (supplementary examination).

By completing a supplementary three-semester Master’s programme in ‘Bildungswissenschaft / Educational Science’, students can obtain an academic qualification that entitles them to pursue a PhD and opens up further career opportunities.

Forecasts regarding future recruitment opportunities in the Hessian teaching profession for the various types of school can be found on the website of the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs.

JLU regularly organises information sessions for teacher training students who wish to study abroad during their degree. In addition, JLU has a wide range of partnership, cooperation and exchange agreements that offer you opportunities to study abroad. You can find further information on the International Office’s website.

The European University Alliance EUPeace offers exchange opportunities for teacher training students, e.g. a semester abroad or work placements abroad.

Information from previous information sessions for teacher training students, as well as testimonials.

IMPACCT: International Mobility with Partners Abroad for Culturally Competent Teachers

The IMPACCT project is aimed in particular at L1 students studying Islamic Religion/Islamic Education, Catholic Religion and Sachunterricht. As part of the project, students can spend a semester abroad at the following partner universities:

• Stockholm University, Sweden
• University of Innsbruck, Austria
• KPH Vienna/Lower Austria, Austria
• Pontifical University of Comillas, Madrid, Spain
• Bursa Uludağ University, Turkey
• Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
• Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey

Further information