In order to teach a foreign language and work with French literature, it is a prerequisite that you have proper language proficiency and the drive to refine your language skills.
As an aspiring teacher, a love of teaching, the ability to work well with pupils, and a sense of responsibility are all important requirements for handling the variety of pedagogical work in your future career. In addition, you should also be interested in the culture and history of French-speaking world and enjoy working with French literature as well as other categories of media.

In order to fulfill the entrance requirements for the master’s degree program in teacher education for Gymnasium, you must have completed a teaching-related bachelor’s degree with a specialization in teacher education for Gymnasium in the same subjects at a university in Rhineland-Palatinate or an equivalent degree.

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

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.

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 examination regulations.

Language practice: Advanced module (grammar, text editing, language practice and teaching)

Literature: Advanced seminars and lectures on authors from the Middle Ages to the modern era

Linguistics Advanced seminars and lectures on various aspects of the structure and usage of the French language.

Cultural studies: Advanced seminars and lectures on issues in cultural studies

Didactics Preparation of a subject-didactics project study; aspects of intercultural communication.

Building on the Bachelor of Education (French), you will focus further on the knowledge and skills acquired in the bachelor’s program:

• Oral and written communication (in French)
• Linguistics, literature, subject didactics
• A deeper knowledge of linguistics and literary studies: selected topics
• Cultural studies and didactics of regional studies (of the French-speaking world)

You will have the opportunity to set your own focus areas in thematic courses, elective modules, and your final thesis. In addition, you may attend courses beyond your subject-specific curriculum, including those from other disciplines or interdisciplinary courses.

Stay abroad

Would you like to live abroad for half a year or a whole year? Do you want to get to know another language and culture? Would you like to get a different perspective on your particular degree program? 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 partnerships with foreign universities.

For information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. An overview of cooperating universities that would suit your degree program can be found on our Student Exchange Platform.

Internships

In the master of education program, you will complete a 15-day internship at a Gymnasium during the lecture-free period (March – April or August – October). The focus here is on teaching in the upper-level secondary school (Gymnasium). This practical experience will complement your theoretical training, help you practice your pedagogical skills in the classroom, and give you direction for your future career.

Further information on this can be found on the website of the Teacher Education Center and on the pages of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate on school internships.

Students interested in completing additional voluntary internships – including those in other professional fields – can find more information on the Career Service website.

In your fourth semester, you will complete an in-depth didactical internship.

The teacher education degree program prepares you – and is a prerequisite – for a teaching career at a Gymnasium throughout Germany. Not only will you gain comprehensive knowledge of the school subject, but you will also learn how to communicate this knowledge to your future pupils in a fun and creative way and get them excited about the subject.

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.

This includes, for example, foreign language teaching in an adult education center, other alternative education institutions, or in continuing education programs. Other professional fields include:

• Research and academia (e.g., at universities, research institutions, and in research projects)
• Education and culture (in association with museums, theater, adult education, libraries, archives, and foundations of various types)
• International organizations, NGOs, economic organizations
• Information and communications management
• Media and journalism, editorial work, publishing, copy editing, marketing
• Politics, administration, economics (marketing, public relations)
• Leisure, tourism, and event management

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.