Rostock University starts innovative practical day for special education!

Rostock University starts innovative practical day for special education!

A groundbreaking model project to strengthen the practical relevance of teaching special education will start at the University of Rostock in the winter semester of 2025/26. The university is now introducing a weekly practical day for students in the combination of special education/primary education. This practical day begins in the third semester and extends until the end of the eighth semester at a partner school. This creates an incentive to intensively link the theoretical course content with the reality of school.

The innovative concept stipulates that internships are bundled in a continuous practical phase that extends over all semesters. This approach is intended not only to enable systematic acquisition of skills, but also to sustainably improve the quality of support provided by schools and universities. The project management reports great interest from both students and schools, which indicates a positive response.

Practical day and its meaning

Through long-term collaboration with schools, educational institutions can benefit while students gain real-world experience. Interestingly, special education teaching is the only course at the University of Rostock that has a firmly anchored weekly practical day. The introduction of this practical day is carried out in cooperation with the Rostock State Education Authority, with the school supervisory authority viewing the measure as central to attracting and retaining teachers.

After a three-year testing phase, the successful concept will be transferred to subsequent cohorts, aiming for more sustainable collaboration between the university and schools. These efforts reflect the high demand for qualified special education teachers, as shown by current statistics documenting the increasing need for specialists in this area.

Study overview and career opportunities

The study program for teaching special education at the University of Rostock is modular and covers a study period of nine semesters. Upon successful completion, students receive the first state examination, which qualifies them for preparatory service, also known as traineeship. The students acquire a total of 270 ECTS points and go through various core areas, such as educational sciences and practical study components.

The specialist focus lies in the area of ​​special educational support, where students can choose between different support areas, including intellectual development, learning and emotional and social development. After entering the profession, aspiring special education teachers have attractive prospects: a starting salary of between 3,200 and 3,600 euros gross per month is realistic, especially in special needs schools or as an inclusion teacher at mainstream schools.

After five years of professional experience, the salary can increase to 4,056 euros gross per month. For managers in special education facilities, up to 6,500 euros gross per month is possible. The tuition fees are 46 euros per month and 282 euros per semester, and the living costs are between 1,101 and 1,323 euros per month.

This means that students not only receive a sound academic education, but also have excellent opportunities to find their way into a growing job market. The high employment rate and the need for skilled workers underline the relevance of the study program.

A crucial part of this profession is close cooperation with parents and other teachers, as well as the constant striving for professionalization, especially through targeted training offers. Studies have shown that special areas of responsibility for special education teachers such as counseling and diagnostics are of the utmost importance.

The University of Rostock's model project represents a significant step towards increasing the quality of training for future special education teachers and meeting the needs of a changing education system.