Bachelor's Degree Programs with a Teacher Training Component and Master of Education programs

In Berlin, students who wish to become a teacher study a bachelor’s degree program with a training component in teaching. Completing this kind of bachelor’s degree program offers then the option to obtain a teaching credential, but it does not offer direct access to the teaching profession. To become a teacher, students who have earned a bachelor’s degree are required to complete two additional phases of further qualification: a master’s degree program (Master of Education) and a student teaching phase called "Referendariat", during which they work at schools. For both phases, a separate application and admission is required.

There are various types of schools in Berlin. For the following teaching positions, the training of teachers is based on the new law “Lehrkräftebildungsgesetz”:

elementary school teacher (Lehramt an Grundschulen)
secondary school teacher (Lehramt an Integrierten Sekundarschulen und Gymnasien)
secondary school teacher with a subject-specific vocational emphasis (Lehramt an beruflichen Schulen)

For all teaching careers, you can also choose special education (Sonderpädagogik) instead of a general school subject.

Structure of the academic program and combinations of subjects

German language skills on a high level are an essential precondition for studying a bachelor’s degree program with a teacher-training component. Further information on the subjects offered at Freie Universität are therefore only available in German.

Becoming an elementary school teacher (Lehramt an Grundschulen)

Prospective students who wish to teach in grades 1 to 6 and primarily at the elementary school level (Grundschule) in the future chose the Mono-Bachelor “Grundschulpädagogik” (Credentialed elementary school teacher) at Freie Universität. This degree is followed by a two-year Master of Education and a student teaching phase (Referendariat) which lasts one and a half years.

Becoming a teacher at integrated secondary schools (Lehramt an ISS/Integrierten Sekundarschulen)

Those who wish to teach in grades 7 to 13, primarily at integrated secondary schools levels (ISS/Integrierte Sekundarschule), take 90 credits in a core subject (Kernfach) relevant to the teaching credential and 60 credits in a secondary subject (Zweitfach), which also must be relevant to the teaching credential. Thus this type of bachelor’s degree program is formally equal to that taken by future credentialed secondary school teachers (Lehramt an Gymnasien): their training tracks do not begin to diverge until the two-year Master of Education program. It is followed by a one-and–a-half-year student teaching phase (Referendariat).

At Freie Universität Berlin, students are required to choose from among specific options for combinations (in German) of a 90-credit core subject and a 60-credit module.

Please note: In certain combinations of subjects the master’s degree program – and thus also the teaching credential track – is already specified from the beginning. For instance, the only option open to students who choose Latin or Ancient Greek is the master’s degree program for secondary school teacher (Studienrat/Studienrätin).

Becoming a secondary school teacher (Lehramt an Gymnasien)

Those who wish to pursue a career as a secondary school teacher (Studienrat or Studienrätin) are required to earn 90 credits in the core subject and 60 in the secondary subject. This type of teaching credential generally entitles to teach in grades 7 to 13 at the academic secondary school level (Gymnasium) or at integrated secondary schools (ISS/Integrierte Sekundarschulen) with an upperdivision academic track termed “Gymnasiale Oberstufe”.

This type of bachelor’s degree program is formally equivalent to that taken by future teachers at ISS (Integrierte Gesamtschulen), but in certain combinations of subjects, the master’s degree program – and thus also the teaching credential track – is already specified. For instance, the only option open to students who choose Latin or Ancient Greek is the master’s degree program for secondary school teacher (Lehramt an Gymnasien).

The subsequent Master of Education program lasts two years and is followed by the student teaching phase (Referendariat), which takes one-and-a-half years.

At Freie Universität Berlin, students are required to choose from among specific options for combinations (in German) of a 90-credit core subject and a 60-credit module.

Becoming a secondary school teacher with a subject-specific vocational emphasis (Lehramt an Berufsschulen)

The training program for the teaching credential for those who wish to teach at at Berlin’s upper-secondary centers (OSZ) requires the combination of a 90-credit core subject with a subject-specific vocational emphasis and a secondary subject/module that is relevant to the teaching credential. Core subjects that meet this requirement are offered at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlinand Technische Universität Berlin. For detailed information, please visit the websites of these two universities. In this case, a three-year bachelor’s degree program is followed by a two-year Master of Education program and a one-and-a-half-year student teaching phase (Referendariat).

Special education (Sonderpädagogik)

Within all teaching careers, you can also choose special education (Sonderpädagogik) instead of a general school subject.

This teaching credential program is intended for future teachers who will work at special schools (Schulen mit sonderpädagogischem Förderschwerpunkt) or in integrated classes (Integrations- und Inklusionsklassen) at other types of schools up until grade 10. The bachelor’s degree program in Rehabilitation Studies (Rehabilitationswissenschaften, formerly special education, or Sonderpädagogik) with the teacher training component is offered only at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

For further information, please use the link to the "Institut für Rehabilitationswissenschaften" (in German) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Subjects offered with teaching credential programs in Berlin

Biology	FU, HU
Business and Economics Education	HU
Catholic Theology	FU
Chemistry	FU, HU
Computer Science	FU, HU
Construction Engineering	TU
Electrical Engineering	TU
Elementary Education	FU, HU
English	FU, HU
Ethics	FU
Fine Arts	UdK
French	FU, HU
German	FU, HU
Geography	HU
Greek	FU, HU
History	FU, HU
Integrated Sciences	FU
Italian	FU, HU
Landscape Engineering	HU, TU
Latin	FU, HU
Mathematics	FU, HU
Mechanical Engineering	TU
Nutrition and Food Science	TU
Operating Accounting	HU
Philosophy/Ethics	HU
Physics	FU, HU
Prevocational Education	TU
Protestant Theology	HU
Rehabilitation Sciences	HU
Russian	HU
School Music	UdK
Social Studies	FU
Spanish	FU, HU
Sports	HU

FU=Freie Universität Berlin, HU=Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, TU=Technische Universität Berlin, UdK=Universität der Künste

For the study programs there are specific combination options provided. The combinations possible at Freie Universität Berlin are shown in the table of combinations.

In Berlin there is currently no program offered in Jewish religious studies (Jüdische Religionslehre). Islamic religious instruction at Berlin´s elementary schools is under the responsibility of the Islamische Föderation (Islamic Federation) in Berlin (in German); there is no specialized university course offered in this field in the state of Berlin.

Under the link Undergraduate Programs, there is a detailed description of the academic subjects compatible with the teaching credential, as well as all other undergraduate programs offered at Freie Universität Berlin.

Teacher-training component only with teaching-related professional skills (LBW) courses

The field of teaching-related professional skills (Lehramtsbezogene Berufswissenschaft, LBW) courses encompasses 30 credits. It is required for all bachelor’s degree students who wish to have the option of earning a teaching credential (i.e., the option of applying later for a Master of Education). This option only exists when a student chooses LBW courses and a suitable combination of subjects.

LBW courses introduce students to the fundamental issues of education, teaching, and schooling. Students enrolled in these courses should explore the school setting as a future career field and learn to reflect on their practical experiences under the guidance of theory. Students also learn the basics of how to teach and learn the specific content of the subject-specific academic modules.

Students who choose subjects that can only be combined in a teaching credential track (at Freie Universität currently Biology, Chemistry, Ethics, Elementary Education, Integrated Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Social Studies) can only take LBW courses to meet their professional skills studies requirements. All other bachelor’s degree students can also choose general professional skills (Allgemeine Berufsvorbereitung, ABV) courses instead of LBW. Suitable subjects that do not necessarily have to involve a teaching credential (such as History or Spanish Language and Literature with Latin American Studies) are only eligible for the teacher-training component if combined with LBW instead of ABV courses.

It is possible to switch from LBW to ABV courses by arrangement with the student record and registrations office, since LBW modules are eligible for ABV credit in individual cases. In contrary, it is not possible to switch from ABV to LBW, since the professional skills profile of the teaching credential-related modules has no equivalent among the ABV courses.

For more information, please see the website of the Dahlem School of Education (DSE, in German).

Master of Education in Berlin

Graduates of bachelor’s degree programs with suitable degrees can apply for a consecutive program leading to the degree of Master of Education. Students are required to continue the same combination of subjects in which they have earned their previous bachelor’s degree. The core subject of the bachelor’s degree program is studied as the first subject and the separate module (Modulangebot) studied in the bachelor’s degree program is studied as the second subject. There are other admission requirements, including the completion of subject-specific education courses and/or teaching-related professional skills (Lehramtsbezogene Berufswissenschaft, LBW) courses during the bachelor’s degree program. For further information on the master’s degree programs offered at Freie Universität Berlin, please see the detailed subject descriptions.

The degree of a Master of Education can also be earned in other states in Germany and should be mutually recognized. Graduates of programs with a teacher training component who wish to teach at a school in a state other than the state where they have completed their teaching credential program should promptly consult the local school or education authorities to see what additional requirements may apply. You may find further Information on the website of the German Education Server (Deutscher Bildungsserver).

For more information, please see the website of the Dahlem School of Education (ZfL, in German).

Concurrent-enrollment programs with a teacher training component at two universities in Berlin

If possible, students are required to study the core subject and module at the same university. Exceptions are permitted only in the case of study programs with a teacher-training component if certain combinations of subjects can only be taken at two different universities.

If students wish to combine two study subjects offered at different universities in Berlin, they are always required to apply for the complete combination at the university that offers the core subject.

For example, if a student wishes to combine the core subject of Political Science offered only at Freie Universität, with a secondary subject that is only available at HU (see table of combinations), the student has to submit the application for both admissions (FU and HU) to Freie Universität Berlin.

If a core subject is offered only at Humboldt-Universität (such as Protestant Theology, Russian, or Sports), the secondary subject Political Science or Catholic Theology can be chosen only at Freie Universität. In this case, prospective students apply to Humboldt-Universität for the complete combination.

There are no combinations permitted involving subjects at Universität Potsdam.

Where do I apply for which subjects?

In the state of Berlin, four universities offer subjects relevant for teaching credentials. The application depends on where the prospective student wishes to study the core subject. To this institution the student applies also for the secondary subject. According to that, a student whose secondary subject is not offered at the same university as the core subject, but available at another university, enrolls concurrently at different universities in Berlin. The universities have entered into agreements on blocks of study placements for their core subject students.

If the core subject and the secondary subject are both offered at the same university, the student is required to take both at that university. If multiple universities offer the same combination of subjects, students are permitted to apply to both or all of them at the same time.

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