English Studies: British and American Studies Continuation Major Subject (Advanced Secondary and Comprehensive Schools ('Gymnasium' and 'Gesamtschule'))

FsB vom 15.11.2022

Overview

Master of Education

4 semesters

winter semester&summer semester

In the Master of Education “English Studies: British and American Studies – Continuation of the Major Subject (Advanced Secondary and Comprehensive Schools)”, students expand and consolidate the competences acquired in the Bachelor phase, with the aim of teaching English language, literatures and cultures in Sekundarstufe I and II (middle and senior secondary school). Students have the opportunity to choose their own areas of specialization in English studies, focussing for example on specific cultural spheres such as Great Britain or the Americas. A particular feature of English studies in Bielefeld is that it allows general English studies (linguistics, literature, culture) to be closely interlinked with English teaching studies. Students can apprehend actively and immediately how the knowledge they acquire can be transferred in future teaching contexts.

A further central component is the still more extensive and intensive training of students with regard to various areas of English teaching (language, media, literature and culture), as well as to working in heterogeneous learner-groups. Of particular importance too is the development of competences in the area of research-based learning, which enables students to explore their own teaching practices and those of others as a crucial part of their professionalization process. The practical semester at a school allows the students to put their specialized knowledge and teaching skills to the test over an extended period, and to draw on both theory and data to reflect on their experiences.

Students in the Master of Education programme are expected to have excellent English skills, so as to use English very flexibly with learners of different ages, particularly in highly heterogeneous groups. At the start of their studies, students should thus have a proficiency level in English equivalent to at least C1/C2 on the Common European Framework.

The courses

You will find the programme of lectures for this course in the eKVV.

An overview of the introductory and information events is provided by the central student counselling services.

Formalities / Important information

Course start

Studies can be commenced in both winter and summer semesters. Courses are targeted to commencing studies in winter semester. Student counselling to plan the course of studies is recommended.

Length and scope of studies

The standard period of studies is 4 semesters.

The studies Continuation Major Subject (Advanced Secondary and Comprehensive Schools ('Gymnasium' and 'Gesamtschule')) English Studies: British and American Studies comprise 20 credit points.

Access requirements

Access to the Master of Education is granted to those who can provide evidence that they have a first university degree which has a standard period of study of at least six semesters and qualifies them a for profession. Whether the first degree provides suitable access also depends on the kind of teaching qualification to be pursued.

A first degree for a subsequent Master of Education programme with the professional goal of a teaching qualification is generally given if the Bachelor degree was completed at Bielefeld University (according to the Bachelor Examination Regulations (German ‘BPO’) for the 2011 study model) with a corresponding orientation (professional goal and choice of subjects).

Other degrees may be accepted if applicants can provide evidence of academic achievements for the intended teaching qualification that are substantially equivalent to those of the above-mentioned bachelor degree. For example, these can be degrees

granting a teaching qualification for a different school type,
with a different choice of subjects,
with a subject-specific orientation (i.e. degrees that do not encompass a teaching qualification)
a degree from another university.

Access to the Master of Education may be subject to the completion of alignment studies. The fulfilment of the access requirements is checked in each case during the application procedure.

The exact regulations for the access procedure can be found in the examination and study regulations for the Master programme (see navigation).

Access to the preparatory service (German ‘Referendariat’) requires knowledge of two foreign languages. This is usually provided via the German ‘Abitur’. The Bielefeld School of Education (BiSEd) counselling service will respond to further questions.

Application, admission and enrolment ¹

The study places for this degree programme are not subject to any admission restrictions (numerus clausus). Nevertheless, you need to apply within the currently applicable application deadlines.

As soon as you receive positive responses in the application- and status portal (notices of access), you can submit your application for enrolment within the set deadline. If you are already enrolled at Bielefeld University, you need to apply for a change of degree programme.

Important notice: Please note the applicable deadlines for application, enrolment and change of degree programme. If you want to do the preparatory training within the 1^st and 2^nd semester, shortened deadlines may apply for the practical semester.

You can find more detailed information on the application process as well as information on the enrolment procedure on the pages of the Student Office.

To the application portal

Further links

Internet pages of the subject English Studies: British and American Studies

Internet pages of the responsible institution(s):

Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies with the courses offered

Legend

1: Die Angaben zu Zulassungsbeschränkungen / Numerus clausus beziehen sich auf die Bewerbung zum Wintersemester 2024/25 und Sommersemester 2025. Informationen zu NC Werten aus früheren Jahren finden Sie auf dieser Seite.