To be successful in the history program, certain requirements and skills are of great importance:

You should be passionate not only about history, but also about language and texts. This program of study requires you to be able to carefully read, analyze, and interpret complex historical texts and academic literature. An ability to compose linguistically precise texts is necessary, as are analytical thinking skills.

For your future career as a history teacher, certain character traits are also important in addition to these subject-related skills. Indispensable requirements for your future pedagogical work are that you enjoy teaching and have a good sense for how to interact with pupils, as well as a sense of responsibility. You should be able to present historical topics not only accurately, but also in an appealing and comprehensible way that gets pupils excited about history.

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.

The qualifying examination in Latin (Latinum) is a requirement for the History (M.Ed.) program. Alternatively, you can provide proof of having passed the state supplementary Latin exam. You can find more details in the entrance requirements.

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).

• Advanced Module on ancient, medieval, or modern history: consolidation of knowledge of content and methods related to each period; independent academic work based on individual research
• History Didactics: recognizing causal factors for the creation of history and didactic categories; consolidating the criteria needed to analyze lessons, learning methods and different techniques for how to prepare and carry out lessons
• Longitudinal Perspective of International History: historical content from an area that deliberately transcends the usual epochal boundaries or historical watershed moments and/or extends beyond national or European history
• Research: discussion of current topics in historical science at an advanced level, reflection of trends and issues in historical research
• Master’s thesis, if the bachelor’s thesis was not written in the subject of History; allotted time: 4 months

In the master’s degree program History (M.Ed.), you will delve deeper into all eras of history and on history didactics than you did in the bachelor’s degree program. You can choose different courses and topics within the modular framework (ancient, medieval, or modern history, Eastern European history, Byzantine studies, regional history). This allows you to choose your own thematic focus in the program of study.

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 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.

When it comes to internships, the earlier you start planning, the better. The reason for this is the amount of time required to set up an internship and the increasing number of examinations toward the end of the degree course.

This master’s degree program gives you the best possible basis for your future profession as a history teacher. You will learn the following:

• to independently and efficiently familiarize yourself with complex subject matters,
• to question and review acquired knowledge,
• to prepare this information for different target groups, especially for age-appropriate lessons,
• to plan, organize, and implement projects
• cultural competence and the ability to act effectively, and
• presentation techniques.

However, an M.Ed. in History doesn’t mean you have to become a history teacher!

As a graduate of the degree program, you can also work in many other areas:

• Archival work
• Museum work
• Research
• Media (e.g., publishing)
• Journalism
• Foundation work
• Politics (as an elected legislator, consultant, office director, mayor,…)
• Administration (as a ministerial official, diplomat,…)
• Business (HR, PR work, marketing, corporate consulting, sales,…)

Please note: Entry into these professional fields is usually achieved through practical experience, which you can gain through non-school internships, for example.

As a graduate of the program, you are trained to read texts analytically and to scrutinize their content and contexts.Your degree in history will thus provide you with the ideal tools for future career opportunities in our information society.

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.