Requirements for a Dijon degree program

The most important requirement to succeed in a degree program at the French partner university is sufficient language proficiency in French. Language proficiency can usually be demonstrated by having had at least 5 years of French in school, which was completed with a minimum grade of “sufficient,” or 5 points. Accepted alternatives are a higher education entrance qualification from a French-language school, the French baccalauréat, or the Abi-Bac (simultaneous achievement of the German Abitur (Abi) and the French baccalauréat (Bac)).

The Dijon course of studies is right for you if you are excited about the opportunity to spend half of your time studying in France and getting to know the country, people, and culture better. Additionally, if you enjoy new experiences, are enthusiastic about the French language, and have the courage to show initiative and self-organize, you have everything you need for this course of study.

Requirements for the subject of Philosophy

For this program of study, you need good English language proficiency in order to be able to read and understand specialist literature in English. However, you will not be required to provide proof of your language skills.

Knowledge of Ancient Greek or Latin could also be useful for your studies.

In order to analyze texts from bygone eras, a good grasp of the German language in both written and spoken form is as important as strong reading skills.

As a future teacher, a love of teaching, a good instinct for working with pupils, and a sense of responsibility are important requirements for handling the upcoming multifaceted pedagogical work in your professional life.

The degree program in Dijon is completed as a part of the Bachelor’s of Education (teacher education for Gymnasium) degree program. In addition to Education Studies, this degree program always covers two teaching subjects. You can choose your subjects according to your interests and professional goals. One of your subjects must be French (either as your first or second teaching subject). Please note our information on subject combinations . You will obtain your Licence in your first teaching subject. You can receive further information from the Dijon Office at JGU.

As a student in the Dijon program, you will spend half of your studies abroad. You will complete any local examinations under the same conditions as the local students. The other half of your studies will be spent at JGU.

One of the characteristics of Philosophy as part of the Dijon program is the broad coverage of the history of philosophy as well as the analysis of theories and positions. In France, you will study Histoire de la philosophie,Philosophie morale et politique, Philosophie générale, Métaphysique, History of Philosophy, and the works of specific authors. In Germany, the focus will be on the analysis of specific topics, taking various philosophers and eras into account.

Program structure

1st to 3rd semester:

• Academic fundamentals
• Historical and systematic overview of the subject

4th to 6th semester:

• Presentation of in-depth philosophical topics by focusing on specific philosophers and their writings

Teaching methodology in the 1st, 2nd, and 6th semesters:

• Philosophy of education and development
• Teaching methodology, lesson planning, and evaluation
• Teaching and learning

Specializations

The Department of Philosophy at JGU is one of the largest in Germany and teaches the subject of Philosophy in its entire historical and systematic breadth and depth.

JGU’s Department of Philosophy houses:

• The Kant Research Center
• The Schopenhauer Research Center
• The German-French Center for Blondel Research (in partnership with the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon)

Stays abroad

After you have completed the first two semesters in Mainz, you will spend the three following semesters (3rd−5th semesters) at the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon. You will immerse yourself in the language and culture of France and learn how to think in French. Thanks to a variety of funding programs such as Erasmus+ and the Franco-German University, it is possible to receive financial support during your stay abroad.

If you start your degree course in the winter semester, you must study abroad during the third, fourth, and fifth semesters. You can also start your degree program in the summer semester. Due to the structure of the French academic year, your degree will take an additional semester to complete if you start in the summer semester. Your stay abroad would then take place in the fourth, fifth and sixth semesters.

Internships

In the Bachelor of Education program, you will complete three 3-week internships and experience different types of schools firsthand.  In the German-French degree program, you will complete one of these internships in a francophone country.

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.

For more information, please visit the website for school internships provided by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

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

The Mainz-Dijon teacher education degree prepares you – and is a prerequisite – for teaching in secondary schools in both countries. To work in the teaching profession later on, you must also complete the Master of Education and/or the French master’s degree MEEF (Métiers de l’enseignement, de l’éducation et de la formation) after graduating with a bachelor’s degree. This is followed by a teacher traineeship (Referendariat). The master’s degree and teacher traineeship can be completed within the German-French program, but you may also choose to continue studying exclusively in Germany (or France).

However, you are not restricted solely to classroom teaching after completing the teacher education program. As a graduate of the teacher education degree program, you can also work in a variety of professional fields beyond school. Thanks to your international degree, you will have no problems entering the global job market. Thanks to the program’s focus on both practical and international applicability, you will acquire specific knowledge and skills that will enable you to pursue a career in both academic and non-academic professional fields.

Potential professional fields:

• Franco-German or European institutions
• Academia (e.g., at universities, universities of applied sciences, research institutes, project work)
• Social organizations (educational institutions, associations, and clubs)
• Public service and administration (e.g. as a specialist consultant, in public relations)
• Advertising, media and journalism
• Education and culture (e.g., at cultural institutions, private and public educational institutions, libraries, and archives, or in documentary work or adult education)
• Business (e.g., in business advisory services, marketing, purchasing and materials management, human resources, corporate training, media and public relations)

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.