Latin – Bachelor of Education (Secondary education)

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Studying teacher education (Latin) qualifies you with the professional skills required to teach Latin in secondary education at a German Gymnasium.

The Latin courses comprise literary, culture and language skills modules. The literary modules will teach you how to read and understand ancient texts in their historical, cultural and social contexts. You will study Latin literature from its origins to late antiquity and gain insight into the impact the Latin language and Roman culture had during the Middle Ages and modern era. You will be introduced to various methodologies from literary theory, literary history as well as cultural studies and cultural theory. In the linguistic modules you will become proficient in classical Latin and acquire knowledge of the metrics, structure and history of Latin. Courses on the culture of antiquity and its reception (e.g. epigraphy, mythology, philosophy, religion) as well as courses on teaching methodology and educational science complement your curriculum.

Overview

Degree Bachelor of Education (Secondary education)
Programme start Winter semester
Period of study 6 semesters
Application period 9.5. - 15.9.
Admission restrictions no

Why study Latin in the University of Konstanz?

In Konstanz you will study in a special, interdisciplinary environment: at home in the Department of Literature, Art and Media Studies with lively relations to modern philologies, the connection to the subjects ancient history and archaeology provides deeper insights into the cultures of antiquity. This broad range of courses gives you the opportunity to individually shape your studies. Teaching is based on current basic research in literature and cultural sciences, covering a wide spectrum from Greek and Roman literature through to late antiquity, including the history of its reception. We offer several-day excursions into the Roman cultural area on a regular basis. The diversity of course formats, (lectures, tutorials, seminars, colloquia) in which you will become acquainted with philologically analysing and scientifically dealing with ancient texts, as well as the excellent staff-student ratio enable you to intensively study Latin literature and Roman culture. At the beginning of your studies, tutorials complement the courses, with more advanced students helping you in implementing the subject-related content. Seminars on teaching methodology also prepare you to practically apply your knowledge. At the University of Konstanz, you have access to a broad range of additional support services, for example: academic writing, planning a study abroad stay, learning additional foreign languages.

Content

Prospects and opportunities

Career prospects

Studying teacher education at the University of Konstanz will qualify you first and foremost for a teaching post in the state of Baden-Württemberg. When choosing the subjects you wish to study, you should note that your employment chances will partly depend on your combination of subjects. Normally, you will complete your bachelor’s degree after 6 semesters and continue with your master's programme (4 semesters). You will then complete 18 months as a trainee teacher (Referendariat) at a school in Baden-Württemberg. After successfully completing your 'Referendariat', you will be fully qualified to teach at a German Gymnasium (secondary school). Your professional post will preferably be at a school in the state of Baden-Württemberg. In principle, there is also the possibility of applying for a position in other federal states (among other things, this depends on the subject combination required by each specific state).

You can find out more about career entry in the interview series #dreamjob - Starting a career. Alumni of the University of Konstanz report on their very personal career entry.

Graduate studies

After graduation you can continue with our Master of Education programme.

Programme structure

Programme start

Winter semester

Academic structure

You will study two major subjects. You may freely combine your choice of subjects from those offered at the University of Konstanz. But you should note that some subject combinations demand a higher level of organisation and work. This is why we recommend you to seek more information and personal advice before entering your application. The bachelor's programme generally lasts for 6 semesters and is concluded with a bachelor thesis. To continue with the master's programme, you will need to make a new application. The master's programme generally lasts for 4 semesters. A combination of three subjects is not available in the bachelor's programme. It might, however, be possible to study a third subject for future teaching purposes during the master’s programme.

The study programme for future teachers consists of the following elements:

  • Academic studies: Studies in both of the future teaching subjects
  • Teaching methodology: Acquisition of subject-specific theories and methods for teaching the subject matter
  • Educational science: Acquisition of educational and other qualifications relevant to a teaching position
  • Practical experience: During your bachelor's programme you will complete a 3-week orientation internship and during your master's programme a 12-week practical teaching semester.

You can find an exemplary structure of the study programme in this table.


Please check the Exam regulations (partly in German) for more information about the programme structure.

Mandatory main subject

You can choose your mandatory second main subject from the following list:

Internship and study abroad

Internships

During your bachelor's programme you will complete a 3-week orientation internship and during your master's programme a 12-week practical teaching semester.

Study abroad

We highly recommend a study abroad stay. The university promotes study abroad via the ERASMUS programme and numerous other exchange programmes.

Impressions from students and lecturers

Hear from students and lecturers
In our interview series, students talk about their subject, teachers explain the department's research and tell you what topics they cover in seminars and lectures.

Get an impression
Discover online lectures and websites with more information about your prospective subject.

Requirements

What interests and skills should I have?

You enjoy reading literary and academic texts and are prepared to deal with sometimes difficult academic texts. You are deeply interested in the Latin language. You are willing to scientifically and methodically deal with language and literature and are keenly interested in history and culture.

As a teacher you need a variety of skills and competences. You should of course be fascinated by the contents of your subject, and at the same time enjoy sharing your knowledge with your young students. You will need to be able to develop teaching concepts, sometimes with your teacher colleagues, and you will need to demonstrate a high level of educational skills in your daily work with children and adolescents. In addition to this, you will need a variety of social competencies. These include communication skills, conflict ability, resilience and the ability to inspire and motivate. These skills will also help you when interacting with parents. You are basically responsible for creating a positive learning environment which enables your school students to develop and become well-equipped for the challenges of the future.

Language skills

Foreign language skills
Knowledge of Latin (Latinum) and ancient Greek (Graecum). You can document this either through your higher education entrance qualification certificate or other certificates. Should you not have the required language skills at the beginning of your studies, you can attend preparatory courses at our Department of Literature.

German language skills
International applicants need documentation of their German language skills, level DSH-2 or TestDaF 4, or a language test recognised as equivalent. The University of Konstanz does not offer preparatory German language courses or approved German language exams. For this reason, you must submit accredited proof of your German language skills along with your application.

Language(s) of instruction

The language of instruction and examinations is German. Some courses may also be held in English.

Admission requirements

General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) or recognised equivalent.

Mandatory online test
Before applying for our Bachelor of Education programme you need to take an online self-test. This test will help you to decide whether teaching and working daily with children and adolescents is suitable for you. Please send in your test certificate together with your application papers.

Fees

Semester fee

All students enrolled at the University of Konstanz are charged a semester fee each semester, similar to all other German universities. Here you can find the current semester fee and its individual components.

Tuition fees for first degree studies for certain international students
Since winter semester 2017/18, the state of Baden-Württemberg has required some international students to pay tuition fees for their first degree studies. The following students are not required to pay tuition fees: citizens of a country within the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), doctoral students and certain “Bildungsinländer” (e.g. non-EU citizens with a German “Abitur”). More detailed information can be found here.

Each year, the University of Konstanz grants exemptions to a limited number of particularly gifted international degree-seeking students in accordance with the university’s “Begabtenbefreiungssatzung” (statutes governing the exemption of gifted students). More detailed information can be found here.

Tuition fees for second degree studies for all students
All students are required to pay tuition fees for their second degree studies. More detailed information can be found here.

Application and application documents

This study programme has no admission restrictions.

An application is possible during the following period: 9.5. - 15.9. (winter semester). There may be other deadlines if you are applying for admission to a higher semester (for instance, if you are changing subjects or universities). For more information please consult the university website.

Application documents

During the online application process, you will need to enter various kinds of information (school grades, attendance periods etc.) and upload various PDF documents. Please make sure that you have the relevant documentation ready. This may include:

  • your Abitur certificate (German general higher education entrance qualification)
  • documentation of any volunteering you may have done (FSJ, FÖJ etc.)
  • any documentation about vocational training you may have completed
  • any other required documents (medical certificate etc.)

An electronic assistant will guide you through the application process. Required fields are marked by an asterisk (*).

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