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Philosophie/Ethik – Lehramt an Gymnasien

Erstes Staatsexamen; language: German

The Lehramt an Gymnasien (Teaching at Secondary Schools) programme prepares the students for the teaching profession at Secondary Schools from grades 5 to 13. It consists of two subjects, and additionally the ‚Bildungswissenschaften‘ (educational sciences) and the ‚MINT-orientierter interdisziplinärer Vernetzungsbereich‘ (MINT = STEM). With an in-company internship (called ‚Betriebspraktikum‘) as well as Practical Phases in school (‚Grundpraktikum‘ and ‚Praxissemester‘) the programme is quite practice-oriented.

Additionally, complementary studies for a third subject (‚Ergänzungsstudium Lehramt‘) are possible.

The courses are taught in German.

Degree Programme Teaching at Secondary Schools (Gymnasium). To enlarge / show pdf please click on the picture.

Curriculum

Subject Studies
The subject Philosophie/Ethik addresses fundamental questions of human thinking and actions on a scientific and systematic level. This particularly includes questions regarding the justification of moral norms, the foundation of moral judgement as well as the validity of social and political order. Furthermore, Philosophy examines the validity of knowledge acquisition, methods, principles, arguments and theories of any kind and any discipline.

Subject-related Didactics
To help students become good teachers is the aim of didactics. Students get to understand the larger framework of Philosophy and Ethics teaching and acquire fundamental teaching and communication skills. They apply and further train these skills during the Practical Semester that are an integral part of the programme.

To enlarge / show pdf please click on the picture.
To enlarge / show pdf please click on the picture.

Information on the study programme

Module Handbook

Study Regulations with Semester Course and Examination Schedule

Course Catalogue

Points of contact

Institute for Philosophy
Office for Student Affairs
Departmental Student Advisory Service
Departmental Students' Representative Committee History and Social Sciences
Departmental Students' Representative Committee Teaching at Secondary Schools
Centre for Teacher Education
Prüfungsstelle Darmstadt der Hessischen Lehrkräfteakademie: Responsible for the recognition and crediting of academic achievements and examination results, e.g. when changing degree programmes

The Bildungswissenschaften (educational sciences) comprise Pedagogy, Psychology, Sociology, Political Studies; including the Grundpraktikum.

Programme regulations Bildungswissenschaften

Grundwissenschaften (Fundamental Studies). To enlarge / show pdf please click on the picture.

The Vernetzungsbereich is a joint offer of the subjects and the Bildungswissenschaften (educational sciences), which is available to students depending on their subject combination.

The Vernetzungsbereich combines subjects from the natural, engineering and social sciences. The Elective and Mandatory Area of the Vernetzungsbereich vary depending on the choice of major in the degree programme (at least one STEM-major or no STEM-major).

Semester Course and Examination Schedule Vernetzungsbereich

Vernetzungsbereich. To enlarge / show pdf please click on the picture.

Practical training (praktische Ausbildung) as part of the study program consists of a basic internship (‚Grundpraktikum‘) in the first half and a practical semester (‚Praxissemester‘) in the second half of the respective study program. The focus of the basic internship/‘Grundpraktikum‘ is the reflection of one's own suitability for the profession as a teacher in the respective teaching profession. The focus of the internship semester/‘Praxissemester‘ is in particular the reflection of pedagogical action on the basis of the knowledge acquired and deepened during the course of study.

Programme regulations praktische Ausbildung

Semesters 9 semesters (for two academic subjects)
Language German
Start of studies winter semester
Internship For a successful completion of the Teaching at Secondary Schools (Gymnasium) degree programme, the students need to fulfill the following requirements:
  • an in-company internship of a minimum duration of eight weeks in a production, processing, trade, or service company. It must be proven at the latest when registering for the First State Examination. The competent institution is the Hessische Lehrkräfteakademie (state school board) in Darmstadt
  • Additional Practical Training consisting of the basic internship (‚Grundpraktikum‘) and the practical semester (‚Praxissemester‘); see above.
Entrance qualification Foreign/international certificates have to correspond to a domestic university entrance qualification. More…
Admission procedure open admission without special procedures
A separate admission process is required for the second specialisation (subject) within the teacher training programme for upper secondary schools.
Application Online Application
Formal and language requirements for applicants with international qualifications
Good to know
  • English language skills B2 level (CEF) are highly recommended, but not a condition for admission.
Pre-Courses & orientation week
Website for first-year students
Preparatory courses for international students
Studying from A to Z
Costs and budget

Is the programme right for you? Find out!

Possible from (almost) everywhere:

Online Self-Assessment for selecting a course of study
Podcast “fuTUre students”
Kann ich MINT?

Come and see, touch and feel, meet and greet:

hobit: Hochschul- und Berufsinformationstage in Darmstadt (orientation event)
University visits, labs, internships, and more

Perspectives on careers:

Career counselling for prospective teachers
Career guidings with the #studentsofTUdarmstadt
TU Darmstadt Career Service

For enrolment in the Lehramt Erweiterungsfach (complementary teacher training programme), in particular you need to already have a First State Examination or an equivalent qualification such as Master of Education or you must be currently enrolled in a teacher training course (teaching profession at secondary schools, Bachelor of Education, Master of Education).

Ethik – Lehramt an beruflichen Schulen, M.Ed.

Philosophie, J.B.A.

Teaching degree programmes

Teachers at Secondary Schools do not only teach their subjects but work within a greater pedagogical and organisational framework. They find positions not only at grammar schools (“Gymnasien”), but in different sectors of the widespread school system.

Valid statements on the future career perspectives are not easy to be made since they depend on a variety of factors, for example the range of subjects a teacher is able to teach. Other factors include the overall demographic development, political decisions and administrative regulations.

TU Darmstadt Career Service