There is a shortage of trained teachers in Saxony, particularly for maths and science. From the winter semester 2024/25, two German-language-degree courses at TU Bergakademie Freiberg will also qualify students for the so-called lateral entry into the teaching profession at secondary schools. There, prospective students in the subjects of Applied Natural Sciences and Applied Computer Science will acquire a Bachelor's degree as well as the qualification for a Master's programme with the option of lateral entry. After completing their Bachelor's degree, students can also switch to a teaching degree programme at TU Dresden, with which TU Bergakademie Freiberg cooperates for the lateral entry option. Interested students can enrol for the new degree programmes until the end of September.
"The two Bachelor's degree programmes with teacher training option are suitable for anyone who is interested in mathematics, computer science or natural sciences, but is still undecided as to whether the teaching profession or a career in business and research offers more suitable prospects for them," explains the Vice-Rector for Education at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Prof. Swanhild Bernstein.
In the two STEM Bachelor's degree programmes in Applied Natural Sciences and Applied Computer Science, students acquire all the specialist knowledge for the subjects of physics/chemistry and mathematics/computer science if they take the recommended application subject or certain compulsory and elective modules. "The course content has been optimised so that the scientific training for the teaching subjects is completed after a subsequent Master's degree at TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Applied Natural Sciences with the specialisations A "Environmental Biotechnology Analytics" or B "Solid State Physics" and Applied Computer Science)," says the Vice-Rector.
Further qualification in educational science and specialised didactics as well as school practice takes place after the Master's degree programme as part of the lateral entry into the preparatory service for the teaching profession in Saxony (colloquially also known as "Referendariat"). Alternatively, graduates of Freiberg University can switch to a teacher training programme after completing their Bachelor's degree.
The Centre for School and Vocational Education Research at TU Dresden provides scientific support for this alternative route into teaching.
Gaining teaching experience during studies
In order to gain teaching experience during their Bachelor's degree programme in Freiberg and assess whether teaching is the right career for them, students organise project days for schools or guide young people in the university's school laboratory. Later, they gain teaching experience in a paid position as a substitute teacher at partner schools in the region during their subsequent Master's degree programme.
"In addition, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg has developed pedagogically supervised case supervision as well as special training and counselling services to support the development of students' teaching skills in the degree programmes with the lateral entry option."
Interested students can enrol for the new degree programmes with the lateral entry option for the teaching profession at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg until the end of September without admission restrictions and retain the full range of future career prospects until the end of their studies.
https://tu-freiberg.de/studium/vor-dem-studium/lehramtsoptimierte-mint-studiengaenge