The entrance requirements for the Master of Education in Chemistry include proof of a teaching-related bachelor’s degree with a specialization in chemistry for Gymnasium.

Should you not yet have your bachelor’s degree by the time of application, you may still apply under certain conditions.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Important information for all students who have not completed a Bachelor of Education (for teacher education for Gymnasium) in Rhineland-Palatinate.

In justified cases, other degrees may also be recognized for admission to the master’s program. Recognition may be subject to conditions relating to the specific structure of the master’s degree program. If no school internships have been completed, other documented achievements may be recognized as equivalent.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to the level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be proven by the time of enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

You can find more information in the master’s degree program’s examination regulations.

Course sequence

1st semester

• Organic Chemistry – Reaction Mechanisms
• The contents of this semester are divided into the following courses:
  • Lecture on “Reaction Mechanisms”
  • A practice class accompanying the lecture
  • Graduate seminar on “Special Chapters on Organic Chemistry”
  • Lab course in “Organic Synthesis Chemistry 2”

2nd semester

• Inorganic Chemistry – Chemistry of the main groups and subgroup elements, introduction to coordination chemistry
• The contents of this semester are divided into the following courses:
  • Lecture on “Inorganic Chemistry HG/NG”
  • A practice class accompanying a lecture
  • Lab course in “Inorganic Synthesis Chemistry”
  • An advanced seminar accompanying the internship

3rd semester

• Physical chemistry – Specialization
• This subcategory encompasses the following courses:
  • Lecture on “Physical Chemistry 2”
  • A practice class accompanying the lecture

3rd and 4th semester

• Currents topics in modern chemistry and specialized subject didactics
• The components of this subarea extend over the course of two semesters:
  • Graduate seminar on “Literature on Current Chapters in Chemistry”
  • Graduate seminar on “Subject Didactics on Special Chapters in Chemistry”
  • Lab course on “Practical Courses for Pupils on Special Chapters in Inorganic or Organic Chemistry”
  • The following may be completed as an elective: Lab course on “Group Work on Special Chapters in Inorganic or Organic Chemistry”

4th semester

• Master’s thesis (optional)
• Please note: As a part of the Master of Education, you may choose to write your master’s thesis in one of your two selected subject areas. For this reason, the master’s thesis is only a component of your studies, should you actively decide to write it for chemistry.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

Internships

As a part of your studies, you will complete a lab course in both organic and inorganic chemistry.
The school-based internship is a part of your studies. You may decide whether you would also like to complete the working group lab course.
The total amount of credit points for the three compulsory lab courses amounts to 16 credit points.

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

The primary goal of the Master of Education is to complete the necessary requirements in order to pursue your future career as a teacher in a Gymnasium.

In order to work as a teacher at a Gymnasium, you must complete a teacher traineeship (Referendariat) after earning the Master of Education degree. The first, university-based phase of your teacher education ends with the recognition of your B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees as the First State Examination. The second phase, the teacher traineeship, generally lasts 18 months in Rhineland-Palatinate and concludes with the Second State Examination.

After completing your teaching degree, you are certainly not limited to a teaching position or to subject-specific lessons. You can also work in a variety of professional fields beyond teaching in public schools.

Aside from the subject-specific skills that you will acquire in both chemistry as well as in another area of study, such as Education Studies, you will also be well-suited for further areas of work in education with your completed Master of Education. This includes, for example, adult education, work in publishing houses for subject-didactic or pedagogical literature, work at higher education institutions, especially in the area of teacher training or in the federal states’ ministries of education.

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.