Studying to become a secondary school teacher

Your way into the classroom - teacher training in the Bachelor's/Master's system

Structure of teacher training: After completing your studies at the University of Erfurt (Bachelor's degree and Master of Education degree) and the subsequent preparatory service, you can become an english teacher, german teacher, history teacher, religion teacher, art teacher, music teacher, ethics teacher, social studies teacher, economics and technology teacher, maths teacher, french and russian teacher or physical education teacher at secondary schools and community schools (secondary level I). Teaching profession without NC - you can enrol directly for the teaching profession at secondary schools. Most subjects are free of admission (note the aptitude tests).

Teaching profession at secondary schools: What subjects does the teaching profession prepare students for?

* Für Lehramt Regelschule muss mindestens eines dieser Studienfächer ("starke Fächer") gewählt werden.
Subject	Teaching Subject
English and American Studies*	English
Protestant Religion	Protestant Religion Education
German Studies*	German
History	History
Catholic Religion	Catholic Religion Education
Arts*	Arts
Mathematics*	Mathematics
Music*	Music
Philosophy	Ethics
Religious Studies	Ethics
Romance Studies*	French
Slavic Studies*	Russian
Physical Education*	Sport
Economics, Law and Social Sciences	Social Studies
Technology*	Handicrafts/Technology etc.

Table "Studying for a teaching profession: School types and subjects" for download (pdf)

The University of Erfurt is planning to introduce the dual study programme for Secondary School teaching in the coming winter semester 24/25. This innovative initiative enables students to combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience and at the same time prepare intensively for their future work as teachers.

Phases of teacher training

Requirements for secondary school teaching degree

What requirements do you need to fulfil to study to become a regular school teacher? A valid university entrance qualification, usually the general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur), is required for the undergraduate Bachelor's degree programme. Proof of a passed aptitude test is required for the subjects Arts, Music and Sport.

Admission requirements for teacher training programmes

Studentin Mathematik Studium Uni Erfurt — Teaching profession Mathematics

Student mit der Gitarre an der Uni Erfurt — Teaching profession Music

Studentin vor Tafel Uni Erfurt — Teaching profession History

Bachelor's programme

In the Bachelor's degree programme, you combine a major subject relevant to teaching with a minor subject relevant to teaching. With the subjects of study, you choose your teaching subjects. You prepare for two teaching subjects during your studies.

Major subject in the Bachelor's programme

Choice for the 1st subject

The main subject includes the subject science including 3 credit points in speech education. You can choose from the following subjects (teaching subjects):

English and American Studies (English)

German Studies (German)

History (History)

Arts (Arts, note the aptitude test)

Catholic Religion (Catholic Religion Education)

Music (Music, note aptitude test)

Philosophy (Ethics)

Religious Studies (Ethics)

Economics, Law and Social Sciences (Social Studies)

Technology (for Secondary Schools)

Minor subject in the Bachelor's programme

Choice for the 2nd subject

You can choose from the following subjects (teaching subjects):

English and American Studies (English)

Protestant Religion (Protestant Religion Education)

German Studies (German)

History (History)

Arts (Arts, note aptitude test)

Catholic Religion (Catholic Religion Education)

Mathematics (Maths)

Music (Music, note aptitude test)

Philosophy (Ethics)

Religious Studies (Ethics)

Romance Studies (French)

Slavic Studies (Russian)

Sport and Movement Education (Sport, with NC, note aptitude test)

Economics, Law and Social Sciences (Social Studies)

Technology (for Secondary Schools)

Combination rules

Subject combinations for teaching profession secondary schools

Studimat - Online-Tool der Uni Erfurt — Studimat

For a teacher training programme, one of the following subjects ("strong subjects") must be studied either as a major or minor subject:

English and American Studies for the subject English
German Studies for the subject German
Arts for the subject Art Education
Mathematics for the subject Mathematics
Music for the subject Music
Romance Studies for the subject French
Slavic Studies for the subject Russian
Sport and Physical Education for the subject Sport
Technology for the subject Business Studies/Technology

Combine now!

You can apply for open-admission degree programmes from 1 May to 15 September. Please note the special admission requirements (e.g. aptitude test) for the degree programmes Arts, Music and Sport and Physical Education. The application deadline for degree programmes with restricted admission (e.g. Sport and Physical Education) is from 1 May to 15 July!

Application deadlines for degree programmes

Sportstudierende an der Universität Erfurt — Teaching profession sport

Studentin Lehramt Lernwerkstatt Englisch — Teaching profession English

Studierende des Technik-Studiengangs — Teaching profession Technology

Master's programme: specialisation & school practice

The Bachelor's degree is followed by the Master of Education Secondary Schools.

Master of Education Secondary Schools

On the basis of a corresponding Bachelor's degree, the Master's programme prepares you for the teaching qualification for two teaching subjects. On the one hand, you will gain knowledge about the social framework of school and teaching and, on the other hand, you will develop competences that will enable you to plan, implement and reflect on subject- and school-type-related processes of teaching and learning in a theory-based manner.

Master's programme teaching profession Secondary Schools

Internships in the teacher training programme

In the Master's programme, school practice is reinforced. Apply what you have learned in the various internships.

Subject didactic internships
(two internships in each chosen subject)
Educational science internships
(in the 1st semester: diagnosis, assessment and counselling, in the 2nd semester: education, classroom management, conflict resolution)
Complex school internship in Thuringia or abroad
(in the 3rd or 4th semester: 15-week internship at the learning location school)

more information on school practice

Stays abroad in the teacher training programme (optional)

The various internships during the Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes offer you the opportunity to look beyond your own nose, get to know schools in other countries and create unique experiences abroad as part of your teaching degree.

School internship abroad

Evaluations teaching training for Secondary Schools

Bewertung Lehramtsstudium Regelschule Uni Erfurt Studycheck

Our (former) students

Studentin Antonia Lehramt Regelschule — student Antonia

Antonia combined German Studies with Economics, Law and Social Sciences in her Bachelor's degree and is now studying for a Master of Education Secondary Schools. She is currently completing her internship at a secondary school in Mihla.

Learn more about Antonia

Alumnus Friedrich Lehramt Regelschule — Graduate Friedrich

Friedrich combined Music with Mathematics and completed a Master of Education in secondary schools. Today he works as a teacher at a secondary schools in Thuringia.

Learn more about Friedrich

Alumnus Jan Lehramt Regelschule — Graduate Jan

Jan combined English and American Studies with Romance Studies and completed a Master of Education in secondary schools. He deliberately chose the teaching profession of secondary schools.

Learn more about Jan

Thuringian secondary schools as an attractive place to work

School portrait: secondary school in Floh-Seligenthal

Preview secondary schools Floh-Seligenthal

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School portrait: secondary school "Nessetalschule" in Warza

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School portrait: secondary schools "Gotthold-Ephraim-Lessing" in Nordhausen

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School portrait: "Sibylle-Abel-Gemeinschaftsschule" in Sonneberg

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School portrait: secondary school "Gebrüder-Reichenbach-Schule" in Altenburg

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School portrait: secondary school "Pestalozzi" in Apolda

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School portrait: secondary school "Werratal" in Bad Salzungen

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How do I become a secondary school teacher?

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Information material

Flyer "Studying at the University of Erfurt" (pdf)

Flyer "How can I become a regular school teacher?" (pdf)

Flyer "Master of Education - Secondary schools" (pdf)

Order your teacher training package by post now!

Certificate distance learning programme in Mathematics: The extra-occupational certificate distance learning programme in Mathematics enables students to acquire the professional prerequisites for applying for a teaching qualification for the subject "Mathematics" at a secondary school.