Bielefeld School of Education - BiSEd

Initially, all student teachers are introduced to the educational sciences and their respective subjects in the same way. Even in the Bachelor's degree, however, individual modules have special education components. In Bielefeld, the main focus is on dealing productively with the heterogeneity of pupils. Different dimensions of inequality - such as academic achievements, social situation, gender, ethnicity, language, etc. - are taken into account. Inclusion is not only reduced to pupils with disabilities. Moreover, inclusion is seen as a shared responsibility of all, rather than an exclusive responsibility of special education. Inclusive perspectives are considered in the educational sciences, in the subject areas and in the subject didactics and are taken into account in both research and teaching.
Within the framework of the teaching profession for special needs education, two subject areas or special focuses must always be studied. In Bielefeld, the two Special education subjects "Learning" (L) and "Emotional and social development" (ESE) are offered. Problematic situations in learning and behavior are relevant for all future teachers, since they affect a high number of children and adolescents [Centre for teaching and learning]. When a special educational need is assigned, it is often closely related to social disadvantage and disadvantage processes in the school system. Both special education focuses must therefore also be viewed critically in terms of their social construction processes, which lead to the labeling of certain children and pupils and their exclusion from the general school system.

Learning Focus

The special focus on learning refers to children and adolescents who have considerable difficulties in learning at school or in essential basic experiences and prerequisites for learning, and who show patterns of thinking and learning in the development of competencies and learning strategies that can lead to irritation or disorientation when encountering and dealing with learning objects at school, so that no connection to learning on target can yet be found through support and promotion measures of the general school. Pupils with these comprehensive difficulties in learning at school need compensatory experiences in basic areas and support through an intensive, individually tailored, coordinated system in all educational opportunities, educational institutions and between the various professions.

Emotional and Social Development Focus Area

The Emotional and Social Development focus area refers to children and adolescents who have difficulty perceiving themselves and their environment appropriately. They are often overwhelmed by family or social problems. They may be so withdrawn and resistant to education that they cannot be adequately sponsored in class and their own development or that of their classmates is disturbed or endangered. The pupils need support in order to perceive their environment differently and to build up appropriate behavior and a positive self-esteem. In addition, educational institutions are required to adapt to and deal with challenging behaviors.

In Bielefeld, it is only possible to obtain a teaching degree for special needs education in combination with a teaching degree for primary schools (G/ISP) or a teaching degree for secondary and comprehensive schools (HRSGe/ISP).
After a six-semester BA program and a four-semester M.Ed. program, you will obtain a degree as a teacher for primary schools or a teaching degree for secondary and comprehensive schools (Haupt-, Real-, Sekundar- und Gesamtschulen).

Subsequently, you will study a further two to four-semester Master's program and obtain the degree of teacher for special needs education (specializations L & ESE).

Teacher Training Bachelor for Primary Schools with a Focus on Special and Inclusive Education

In the study program for primary school specializing in inclusive education you will study the major subject Educational Sciences - Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education as well as Elementary Mathematics, German Literacy and (in Bielefeld) one of the elective subjects English Studies, Protestant Theology, Art, Music, Integrated Studies for Primary Education or Sports Science. Your major subject Educational Sciences - Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education has a somewhat larger scope and is also the subject of your Bachelor's thesis.

Teacher Training Master for Primary Schools and Special and Inclusive Education

In the Master's degree in primary school specializing in inclusive education, you will continue the study of your subjects, with the addition of a module "German as a Second Language". The preparation, implementation and reflection of the pracical semester with preparatory training are at the center of this Master's program. This phase lasts two semesters. At the end of this study program, you will write your Master's thesis in one of your four subjects. Upon completion of the degree in primary school with a focus on special and inclusive education, you can (you do not have to) add a two-semester master's degree in Special Education. With the double degree, you can teach at "classic" primary schools as well as at inclusive schools and special schools with a focus on "Learning" or "Emotional and Social Development." In addition to the broader qualification, this will increase your chances on the job market and your income prospects.

Teacher Training Bachelor for Secondary and Comprehensive Schools with Focus on Special and Inclusive Education (HRSGe/ISP)

In the program for secondary and comprehensive schools with a focus on special and inclusive education (HRSGe/ISP) you study two subjects and Educational Sciences. At least one of the two subjects must be German Languages and Literatures or Mathematics. Other subjects to choose from are English Studies, Biology, Chemistry, Protestant Theology, German Languages and Literatures, History, Art (cannot be combined with Music or Sports Sciences), Mathematics, Music (cannot be combined with Art or Sports Sciences), Philosophy, Physics, Social Sciences , or Sport Science (cannot be combined with Music or Art).

Unlike the primary education program, the secondary and comprehensive schools Bachelor's degree does not have a separate version of degree programme variants in Educational Sciences - Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education. You apply and enroll in the study programme variants Educational Sciences, but then study a profile "Educational Sciences - Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education" within this framework. This differs from the profile Educational Sciences mainly in that you complete the module "Basic Issues in Special Education and Inclusive Pedagogy" (25-ISP1) and not the module "Difference and Heterogeneity" (25-BiWi6_a).

Teacher Training Master for Secondary and Comprehensive Schools and Special and Inclusive Education (HRSGe/ISP)

In the Master's program, you will continue to study your subjects, with the addition of "German as a Second Language" module. In contrast to the Bachelor's degree, in which special and inclusive education is "only" a profile of the educational sciences, in the Master's degree you will study a separate version of degree programme variants "Educational Sciences - Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education". This must also be taken into account, especially in the application.

The preparation, implementation and reflection of the practical semester with preparatory training are at the center of the Master's program. This phase lasts two semesters. At the end of the program, you will write your Master's thesis in one of your three Subjects.

Upon completion of the master's degree for Secondary and Comprehensive Schools and Special and Inclusive Education (HRSGe/ISP), you can (you do not have to) add a two-semester master's degree for Educational Science of Special Education Needs with Career Perspective of Teacher for Special and Inclusive Education. With the dual degree, you can teach at both secundary and comprehensive schools and special education schools with a focus on "Learning" or "Emotional and Social Development." In addition to the broader qualification, this will increase your chances on the job market and your income prospects.

For advice on the study program as a whole, please use the BiSEd advice service.

The "second" Master's degree "Educational Science Integrated Special Needs Education with the Career Perspective Teacher in Special and Inclusive Education" is offered by the Faculty of Educational Science. Further information for the degree programme "Educational Science Integrated Special Needs Education with the Career Perspective Teacher in Special and Inclusive Education" can be found on the Faculty's website.

If you have any questions regarding the application for the "second" Master, please contact Kristina Schröder.

Advice specifically on the "second" Master is offered by the BIE of the Faculty of Educational Science.

Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education from the Beginning ...

Components of integrated teacher training for special education can already be found in the Bachelor's degree. In the combination G/ISP, students choose Educational Sciences with ISP as a major subject and also three subjects / learning areas. In the case of the combination HRSGe/ISP, a special education profile is chosen as part of the study programme variants educational sciences as well as two subjects (see above). In both combinations, the enrolment for the Master's degree is for Educational Sciences / ISP and the respective subjects / subjects of study. The subsequent "second" Master's degree "Educational Science Integrated Special Needs Education with the Career Perspective Teacher in Special and Inclusive Education" usually lasts two semesters and contains exclusively modules with a focus on special and inclusive education

... or in the Later History

In addition, both students from other universities and already trained teachers with a degree for teaching at primary schools or teaching at secondary and comprehensive schools or comparable types of schools can take up the study of integrated teacher training for special education and thus acquire the teaching degree for special needs education as a further teaching degree. Certain prerequisites (e.g. a permissible combination of subjects) must be met for this. In this case, the Master's degree usually lasts four semesters.