What you can expect in our master's program

The Master of Education complementary subject is a third major academic subject that you can optionally study in addition to your first two major subjects. The prerequisite for enrollment is a completed bachelor's degree. It is up to you to decide when you start the extension subject - parallel to your two major subjects, at a later date or even later. The degree program is designed as a full-time program. You should therefore bear in mind that combining your studies with a third subject will require more time. Individual planning is important so that the complementary subject can be easily combined with your two major subjects or a professional activity. Your individual study plan may therefore differ from the one shown below.

In the complementary subject, you will study the complete subject knowledge of your chosen subject, i.e. all subject content that is otherwise covered in the bachelor's and master's degree programs. You do not have to complete educational science and school practice again, as these are already covered.

The study of the complementary subject, including the master's thesis, comprises 120 credit points (CP) according to ECTS. You can choose whether or not to write a master's thesis: with a master's thesis, you will graduate with a Master of Education complementary subject. Without a master's thesis, you will receive a certificate (105 CP). With this certificate, you are still entitled to teach your complementary subject at all grade levels. It is up to you to decide during your studies whether you write the master's thesis and thus obtain the master's degree or complete your studies without a master's thesis. Even if you have already received the certificate, you can still decide to write a master's thesis.

In the Master of Education Chemistry complementary subject, you will acquire a broad and in-depth understanding of the world of substances, their properties and reactions - knowledge that you can later pass on to your students. You will learn how atoms and molecules are structured, how chemical bonds work and which mechanisms drive chemical processes. Your degree program will provide you with a sound scientific education in the key disciplines of chemistry: inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry and analytics.

In addition to the scientific training, the didactics of chemistry also plays an important role: you will deal with how chemical content can be communicated clearly, how experiments can be used sensibly and how learning processes can be supported in the classroom. An essential part of your studies is working in the laboratory. This is where you put theory into practice: you will learn how to carefully plan and carry out experiments, work with analytical equipment and systematically evaluate results. This experience will not only help you with your own understanding of chemistry, but will also form the basis for how you can later design experiments in chemistry lessons safely and effectively.

Program structure

Which modules you take in the Chemistry complementary subject depends on which two subjects you studied during your bachelor’s degree.

• if Mathematics is one of your two major subjects, you will take Fundamentals of Physics (8 CP)
• if Mathematics is not one of your major subjects, you will take Mathematics (8 CP)

All other modules are the same for everyone:

Sample study plan

Make your studies international

During your teacher training studies, you can gain experience abroad and intercultural encounters and thus acquire valuable skills for your future teaching career. You can spend a semester abroad through ERASMUS or other international partnerships, do an internship at a German school abroad or work as a foreign language assistant. International networks such as EUCOR or EPICUR also offer special programs for student teachers. Especially if you are interested in a longer stay abroad, it is advisable to obtain information from the Zentrum für Lehrkräftebildung or the International Students Office at an early stage.

Master's thesis

If you would like to complete your complementary subject with a master's degree, you will write a master's thesis (15 CP) in this subject. It deals with a specific topic from your field of study and requires independent research, analysis and the preparation of a written thesis. It can be started after you have earned at least 65 CP and takes 6 months to complete.

After studying to become a secondary school teacher, there are various career options open to you. Of course, the most obvious path is to work as a teacher at a school. Once you have completed your master's degree, you can apply for an 18-month prepatory service (Referendariat). During this time, you will be employed as a trainee teacher at a school and receive a salary. You will be intensively prepared for your future work as a teacher and gain practical experience in the classroom. After successfully completing your traineeship, you will usually be taken on as a teacher. As a teacher, you can become a civil servant if you meet the necessary requirements such as age limits. You can find out more about the preparatory service on the website of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs.

There are also interesting alternatives to becoming a teacher. For example, you could choose to work in education administration, where you could work in school supervision, curriculum development or other administrative areas of the education system. Another option is to work in research and development. With your expertise, you could work at universities or research institutes to develop educational programs or shape educational policy. If you are interested in the field of educational technology, you could work in companies that develop educational software or operate digital learning platforms.

There are also opportunities outside the education sector. You could work in publishing houses, particularly in teaching materials companies or textbook publishers. You can also find employment in institutions whose field of activity is closely linked to school education, such as branches of ministries of education or foundations, associations and government institutions. The cultural sector or journalism as well as jobs in marketing and public relations also offer possible career prospects for teachers. Depending on your choice of subject, you can also work as an author for non-fiction books and for newspapers or magazines. There are also many fields of work in the health sector that are particularly exciting for sports, art and music teachers, including nutritional counseling, art and exercise therapy.

Characteristic features of Secondary School Teaching at KIT

• Zentrum für Lehrkräftebildung (ZLB) as a central point of contact for student teachers for interdisciplinary topics, school internships and teacher training as well as an interface to institutions involved in teacher training
• diverse subject combinations
• additional practical relevance through student and teaching-learning labs
• research-oriented teaching
• contacts with EUCOR universities enable stays abroad, e.g. in Basel or Strasbourg

What KIT has to offer

• central campus close to the city forest and right next to the city center
  
• 24-hour library offering single and group working places
  
• wide range of inexpensive catering options (dining hall, cafeteria, Koeri and Pizzawerk)
  
• numerous interdisciplinary offers for personal and professional development, e.g. Lernlabor, Schreiblabor and Perspektivenlabor
  
• study abroad, e.g. via Erasmus
  
• excellent university sports facilities with a large selection of sports
  
• comprehensive cultural offerings with university orchestras, choirs and theater groups
  
• extensive support for career entry and self-employment
  
• internationally oriented degree programs and diverse exchange programs
  
• modern laboratories and practical teaching methods
  
• Lernraum app
  
• diverse student initiatives, clubs and opportunities to actively participate in campus life
  
• stay in touch after graduation via the alumni network
  

Admission requirements

The requirements for admission to the master's degree program Secondary School Teaching Degree - Complementary Subject are based on the current admission regulations:

• bachelor's degree
  a successfully completed bachelor's degree (or at least an equivalent degree) in the bachelor's degree program Secondary School Teaching Degree (or a degree program with essentially the same content). The course of study in the teaching-related bachelor's degree program must include study components of two major subjects, subject-specifc didactics, educational sciences and practical school studies. The program must have been completed within a standard period of study of at least three years and with a minimum number of 180 ECTS credits.
• orientation internship
  an orientation internship of at least three weeks at a secondary school, vocational school, Gemeinschaftsschule, Hauptschule, Realschule or Werkrealschule.

Language requirements and certificates

You need sufficient knowledge of German for the master's degree program Secondary School Teaching - Complementary Subject. Your German language skills must correspond to at least level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Important: you must provide proof of the required language skills regardless of your citizenship and by the end of the enrollment period at the latest, but preferably at the time of application.

In what form do I have to provide the language certificates? Please read the following chapters on this website carefully. If you have any further questions, please contact

• Students Office if you are applying as a German, German national or a person with German equivalent status
• the International Students Office if you are a non-EU national

Proof of sufficient German language skills

As proof of your German language skills, your higher education or master's entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, university degree or a professional qualification that entitles you to study) is sufficient if you have acquired it at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction.

In concrete terms, this means that you do not have to submit additional proof of German if you

• have obtained your Abitur at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad,
• are a graduate of a bilingual secondary school in Germany or abroad and have passed a bilingual German examination, such as the AbiBac or the Gemischtsprachiges International Baccalaureat (GIB) or
• you graduated from a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country regarding the recognition of your school-leaving certificate or language certificate as proof of language proficiency for university studies in Germany.

A complete list of foreign school-leaving qualifications and language certificates that are recognized as proof of sufficient German language skills can be found on the website of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Laender (KMK) in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you have already completed a German-language degree at a German university, this can also count as proof of German language proficiency - but only if the diploma supplement, transcript of records or degree certificate clearly states that German was the sole language of instruction and examination.

If, on the other hand, you did not obtain your higher education or master's entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction, you must provide proof of German language proficiency at least at DSH-2 level. This corresponds to CEFR level C1.

Only the following certificates are accepted in accordance with the KIT admission and enrollment regulations:

• passed German section of the Feststellungspruefung (assessment test)
• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with overall result DSH-2
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 4 in all four parts of the exam
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - second level (DSD II)
• Goethe certificate C1 or higher
• passed telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule exam
• Austrian Language Diploma C1 or higher

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable C1 proof of German at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the C1 certificates listed above demonstrating your German language skills by the application deadline, you may still be admitted if you can provisionally demonstrate at least B1 language proficiency. Proof of B1 level is provided by a recognized language certificate or other certification from a language or other educational institution that clearly shows that B1 level has been achieved.

But please don't forget: you still have to submit the C1 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take a recognized language test.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extensvion can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Student Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

Weitere Ansprechpersonen:

• KIT-Fakultät für Chemie und Biowissenschaften
• Zentrum für Lehrkräftebildung
• Fachstudienberatung
• Vorsitzender des Prüfungsausschusses Lehramt - Fachvertreter der Chemie
• Informationen zum Auslandsstudium
• Fachschaft ChemBio

Teaching calendar

Course catalog

• Course catalog current term
• Course catalog current term PDF (English)
• Archive of previous catalogs