Students work in a concentrated manner in a seminar room

Teacher training degree programme

We are delighted that you are interested in studying to become a teacher. Imparting knowledge and accompanying young people in a crucial phase of their lives is great fun and very fulfilling  – provided you gain the right tools along the way.

At the University of Bayreuth you can study to become a teacher at secondary schools, grammar schools, and vocational schools in Bavaria. The degree programmes for the different school types differ, for example, in terms of the duration of study and the structure of study.

The University of Bayreuth sees teacher training as a central social task. We are facing up to the educational challenges and our resulting responsibility. Our goal is to provide you with an optimal education and training, which is closely coordinated between subject-specific science, subject-specific didactics, educational science, and practical school studies. We provide our students with a high level of professional competence and enable them to judge and act in a self-determined and responsible manner.

The range of subjects

Teacher training degree programmes for grammar & secondary schools

The University of Bayreuth offers the subjects Biology, Chemistry, German, English*, Geography, History, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Physical Education*, and Economics for the teaching profession at grammar and secondary schools.

When enrolling, you decide on a specific combination of two subjects. You can find out which combinations are possible in Bayreuth on the overview pages of the individual types of teaching profession.

*with aptitude test

Teacher training degree programmes for vocational schools

In addition to the vocational specialisation, you must also choose a teaching subject. Here we offer the following subjects to choose from: Chemistry, German, English*, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Physical Education*. Additional subjects offered include "Didactics of German as a Second Language" and "Performing Arts".

* with aptitude test

Teaching! But where?

Practica in the teacher training degree programme

There are various internships in the teacher training programme. You can complete the so-called orientation internship after the Abitur examinations, but it is not a prerequisite for enrolment in the degree programme. You can also complete a work placement before you start your studies. There are special considerations to be taken into account here if you decide to study economics or if you wish to study to become a teacher at vocational schools.

The following internships are planned for the teacher training programme:

  • an orientation internship
  • a work placement in a company (is replaced by the commercial work placement if the subject of economics is chosen and by the specialized work placement if the subject of teaching for vocational schools is chosen)
  • a pedagogical-didactic internship
  • an internship in didactics accompanying the course of study

Personal and intensive support

A total of around 1100 student teachers are currently enrolled at the University of Bayreuth. Due to this manageable number of students, the University of Bayreuth offers you superb individual support. Seminars and tutorials in particular are characterised by an intensive working atmosphere. Students are personally supervised by lecturers in comparatively small study groups. In addition, there is a so-called programme coordinator in each subject for student teachers. These are lecturers who are specifically responsible for the coordination of the study programmes and provide advice on organisational questions regarding the teacher training programme. In addition, students have the opportunity to contact the Ressort Lehramt (Department of Student Teaching) if they have any questions. It represents the student teachers at the University of Bayreuth and is part of the student parliament (StuPa).

You want more?

The University of Bayreuth offers student teachers a variety of opportunities to acquire competencies and qualifications that go beyond the requirements of the First State Examination. On the website of the Centre for Teacher Education you can find out more about the enrichment offerings of the Quality Offensive Teacher Education. The Competence Centre for Digital Teaching and Learning (DigiLLab) at the University of Bayreuth equips you for digital teaching and imparts media-related competencies for digital teaching and learning in all subjects of teacher education.

The extension subjects offered for the teacher training programme include "Didactics of German as a Second Language" and "Performing Arts". However, you can also add any other subject from our range of subjects for the teaching profession. At the University of Bayreuth, all students also have the option of taking supplementary courses of study in addition to their main studies. There is also the option of module studies. In module studies, individual modules from bachelor's and master's degree programmes can be studied and completed with an examination. In addition, the University of Bayreuth cooperates with the Virtual University of Bavaria, where students from Bayreuth can take courses.