• An interest in both the natural and social sciences is essential.
• Active and passive English proficiency is required in order to read texts and attend courses in English.
• Applicants may be required to cover their own travel expenses, usually through a student fee, for mandatory field events.

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 (in German).

In the first academic year of the master’s program, you will review and refine the subject-specific knowledge and findings you acquired during your bachelor’s program through two lectures and a seminar on map and landscape interpreting. You will also delve into methods of geographical research and conduct your own tests in the form of a methods workshop.

Your subject-specific teaching skills will expand as you invest time considering the special topics and issues that encompass geography-specific didactics.

In the second academic year of your master’s program, you will apply your geographical skills by conducting a regional study either within or outside of Europe and also by taking part in several field days. You will also explore concepts of globalization geography and conduct your own small empirical research project.

At the end of your studies, you will complete a master’s thesis on a scientific question of your choice. For this, you can choose to specialize in physical geography, human geography, or didactics. It is also possible to combine these approaches.

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

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 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.

With this master’s degree program, you will be optimally prepared for your future work as a geography teacher at 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.

The knowledge and skills you gain will qualify you both to teach in a school as well as to work in other professions in the field of education, such as adult education and textbook publishing.

Further professional fields for graduates of the master’s degree program include:

• Environmental protection and conservation, sustainable development strategies
• Climate protection and climate adaptation, weather service, disaster management
• Regenerative energy sector and engineering firms
• Urban and regional planning, land use planning
• Urban and regional marketing/development
• Administration (district administrations, regional authorities, ministries, federal authorities)
• Tourism and public relations
• International organizations
• Management and political consulting
• Migration and integration at city, state and federal level
• Research (university, non-university research and development institutions)
• Market research
• Business development and consultancy
• Media industry and film production
• International development cooperation

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.