Bachelor's Degree Programme in Lower Secondary Teaching Profession, Specialising in European Teaching Profession

Education must be approached from a diverse perspective in order to meet the multifaceted challenges of today’s educational landscape. For this reason, an increasing number of educational institutions are turning to specially trained teachers who can deliver subject-specific lessons in foreign languages and implement intercultural approaches.

You will study the ‘Teaching in Europe’ specialisation (EULA for short) as part of the Bachelor’s degree programme, comprising two modules totalling 10 CP within the ‘Bilingual Teaching and Learning/CLIL’ department. The specific modules and the compulsory semester abroad will equip you to teach a subject in English and to work in contexts that require sensitivity to language and culture.

With the Bachelor’s degree in Teaching in Europe (B.A.), you will obtain your first professionally qualifying qualification. However, to teach at a state school, you will need a ‘Master of Education’ degree. Find out more on our ‘Teacher Training and Subjects’ page. The specialised qualification held by graduates of the European Teacher Training programme also opens up opportunities in fields where linguistic and cultural diversity are key considerations.

• Progression to the Master’s programme in Teaching for Lower Secondary Level, specialising in the European Teacher Training Programme (Master of Education).
• Entry into Master’s programmes not related to teacher training.
• Entry into educational professions.
• Positions in cultural institutions and organisations with an international profile.

• General university entrance qualification or equivalent qualification.
• Proof of participation in the online teacher orientation test for prospective students.
• An entrance examination is required for the subjects of Art and Sport.
• For the subject of Music, we run the ‘AufTakt’ programme, which has won a teaching award. This is our implementation of the pilot scheme at the universities of education in Baden-Württemberg for ‘Music Teacher Training without an Aptitude Test’.
• For theology subjects, membership of the relevant denomination is a prerequisite.
• Proof of foreign language proficiency for the European Teaching Qualification specialisation: In the target language English, at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and in a further foreign language at level B2 (CEFR).

In addition to specific modules on bilingual teaching and learning (BLL) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), as well as educational sciences, you will study a subject (a bilingual subject) and English as a foreign language. You can choose from a wide range of combinations of the target language (English) and a bilingual subject (Subject 2).

Possible bilingual subject areas include Biology, Chemistry, Geography, History, Art, Mathematics, Music, Political Science, Protestant Theology and Catholic Theology.

The compulsory period abroad is a key component of the European Teacher Training programme. It helps to broaden and consolidate language skills, provides opportunities for cultural learning and enhances subject-specific language proficiency in the foreign language. There are three ways to undertake the period abroad:

1. as a university course
2. as a teaching placement
3. within an institution related to the subject area

Duration and scope of the term abroad:

• For placements and employment abroad: 20 weeks on a full-time basis in accordance with local practice.
• For study at a higher education institution abroad: 20 CP.

EULA stays abroad must take place in a country where English, the target language being studied, is both the official national language and the working language. For stays where English is the working language but not the official national language, a distinction must be made between two scenarios:

Case 1: Stays (study/work placement) at institutions with which our university has an established partnership:

Due to the existing partnership and the allocation procedure for these places, it is ensured that the content-related competence objectives of the EULA semester abroad are also achieved during stays at partner institutions where the target language is the working language but not the national language. Such stays are therefore recognised as EULA study abroad placements.

Case 2: Stays (study/work placement) not taking place at a partner institution:

Placements or study periods outside the existing partnerships of the Karlsruhe University of Education in countries where the target language being studied is not the national language can only be recognised as an EULA semester abroad in exceptional cases, subject to prior approval by the EULA programme management. Decisions on exceptions are based on the following four criteria:

1. The working language of the study programme or work placement is the target language being studied.
2. The student already possesses very good language skills in the target language, such that, despite the lack of full language immersion, the competence objectives of the EULA semester abroad can be achieved.
3. Due to previous substantial experience abroad in a target language country, the student already possesses extensive cultural experience within the cultural sphere of the target language.
4. The student meets the above conditions and can convincingly demonstrate the added value of the planned stay in a non-target-language country.

Participation in online courses in Karlsruhe during the EULA study abroad period

During the study abroad semester, participation in online courses in Karlsruhe is possible provided that a leave of absence has not been applied for. Prior approval must be obtained from the relevant lecturer, and it must be explicitly clarified whether and how the examination requirements or assessment criteria for the course can be met whilst abroad.