Baden-Württemberg: New dual master’s degree for teaching starts in 2024!

Baden-Württemberg: New dual master’s degree for teaching starts in 2024!

In a groundbreaking step, Baden-Württemberg is introducing dual teaching-related master's programs in electrical engineering and computer science in the 2024/2025 winter semester. The model experiment, which is taking place at the University of Stuttgart, in Freiburg and Karlsruhe, is aimed at graduates of relevant bachelor's degree programs without teaching-related elements. Particularly noteworthy is the master's degree program “Vocational Teaching - Dual” at the University of Stuttgart, which appeals to engineers with degrees in electrical and information technology as well as computer science. This initiative aims to make teacher training more efficient by integrating theory and practice uni-stuttgart.de reported.

The master's degree program itself is characterized by close cooperation with the seminar for training and further education of teachers in Stuttgart. This collaboration is essential because the studies take place within the framework of a public training relationship, which includes financial remuneration from the first semester onwards. After completing the master's degree, there is a shortened preparatory service of just one year to obtain the qualifications for school service. The application deadline ends on May 31, 2025, which offers a clear perspective for those interested.

Study content and subject areas

The master's degree program has a standard period of study of four semesters and integrates both classic preparatory services and practice-oriented components. The practical training is implemented in cooperation with schools and the training authority. Students can choose between various disciplines, with the professional disciplines particularly including electrical engineering and information technology as well as mathematics, as described by Studium-in-bw.de is explained.

• Lehramt Sekundarstufe I – Dualer Master of Education
• Lehramt Gymnasium – Dualer Master of Education
• Berufliches Lehramt – Dualer Master of Education

The choice of subjects is identical: students can choose physics or computer science as their first subject, while mathematics is offered as a second subject. This underlines the objective of combining technical skills with pedagogical skills.

Criticism and challenges

Despite the positive approaches, the dual teacher training course is also viewed critically. The Standing Scientific Commission (SWK) expresses concerns that students could potentially be tempted to teach independently before acquiring the necessary skills. A report emphasizes the importance of solid technical knowledge in order to develop professional skills. Felicitas Thiel, co-chair of the SWK, warns in particular against supporting dual students in schools where only a small proportion of teachers have undergraduate training, which could jeopardize the quality of training deutsches-schulportal.de.

Some associations, including the German Association of Philologists, criticize the integration of the traineeship into the course of study and support the tried and tested two-phase nature of teacher training. There are voices that advocate a change between theory and practice from the third semester onwards. The Education and Science Union (GEW), on the other hand, supports the model tests and demands that the qualifications should be equivalent to the previously established qualifications of the second state examination.

Overall, the introduction of dual study programs in teaching shows the desire to provide innovative and practical training in response to the shortage of teachers and the requirements of the modern educational landscape. However, the question remains as to whether the implementation of such concepts will achieve the desired effects while at the same time maintaining academic standards.