Master's Programme Secondary School Teacher Training (General Education)

Subject: Biology and Environmental Protection

Curriculum (2018W)

lb-west

KPH - Edith Stein . Universität Mozarteum . PH Tirol . PH Vorarlberg . LFU Innsbruck

Master of Education (MEd)

Duration/ECTS-Credits
4 semesters/120 ECTS-Credits
(combination of two subjects or one subject and one specialisation)

Mode of Study
Full-Time

Language of Instruction
German

Admission Requirements
Relevant bachelor's degree (at least 240 ECTS-Credits) or equivalent and Language Certificates

Programme Coordination
LFU Innsbruck
Faculty of Biology
Faculty of Teacher Education

Qualification Level
Master (Second Cycle)
ISCED-11: Level 7, EQF/NQF: Level 7

ISCED-F
0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation

Study Code
UC 199 554 xxx | UC 199 xxx 554

ApplicationApply ONLINE

Information on the Curriculum (2018W)

The complete version of the curriculum reflects the currently valid version of the curriculum. It is for informational purposes only and is not legally binding. The legally binding version of the curriculum, including any amendments, may be found in the University of Innsbruck Bulletins.

In order to determine which version of the curriculum is applicable in your case, see the Catalogue of Studies,
available at: https://lfuonline.uibk.ac.at/public/lfuonline_meinestudien.studienblatt
Section: Current Curriculum version.

Requirements

Relevant bachelor's degrees at the University of Innsbruck:

Proof of general university entrance qualification:

The general university entrance qualification for admission to a master's programme must be proven by the completion of a subject-related bachelor's programme, another subject-related programme of at least the same higher education level at a recognised domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institution, or a program defined in the curriculum of the master's programme. To compensate for significant differences in subject matter, supplementary examinations (maximum 30 ECTS credits) may be prescribed, which must be taken by the end of the master's programme. The rectorate may determine which of these supplementary examinations are prerequisites for taking examinations provided for in the curriculum of the master's programme.

In the course of the proof of the general university entrance qualification, the completion of the following core areas within the framework of the completed bachelor's degree programme shall be examined in any case:

  • At least 95 ECTS-Credits in subject-didactics and subject-didactics for Biology and Environmental Protection
  • At least 40 ECTS-Credits in Educational Studies

Recommended Course Sequence

The exemplary course sequence given below is recommended for full-time students beginning their study programme in the winter semester. The table shows one possible course sequence for the bachelor's programme and is not compulsory. Delays resulting from repeated examinations are not taken into account.

The standard duration of the study programme is 4 semesters or 120 ECTS-Credits, whereby according to the Universities Act of 2002, a workload of 1,500 (real) hours per academic year must be fulfilled, corresponding to 60 ECTS-Credits (one ECTS-Credit is equivalent to a workload of 25 hours).

15 - 20 ECTS-Credits: Modules out of BA Biology / MA biological disciplines (with the exception from the curricula of the 
                                          Teacher Training Programme)

 5 - 10 ECTS-Credits: Out of the Modules: 
Skills-Based Teaching
Practical Aspects of Skills-Based Teaching
                                          Paradigms and Methods in Subject-Specific Education

Education Studies

2.5 ECTS-Credits, 2 h: One advanced course corresponding to 2.5 ECTS-Credits is to be freely chosen from the following topical
                                           areas: Gender Sensitivity in the School and Education Sytem II, Inclusion and Heterogeneity in the School
                                           and Education System II, Everyday-Life-Related Multilingualism and Interculturality in the School and
                                           Education System II, Plurality of Worldviews II

2.0 ECTS-Credits, 2 h: VO School Development and Professional Community
3.0 ECTS-Credits, 2 h: VU A course must be selected from the following subject areas: Learning Research, Teacher Education &
                                           Professionalisation, School Research, Leadership and School Development Research

7.5 ECTS-Credits, 3 h: PR Research in the Field of Formal Education and Teaching Practice IV

3.0 ECTS-Credits, 2 h: SE Education Laboratory – Reflection and Development in a Pedagogical Context
2.0 ECTS-Credits, 2 h: Courses for advanced study issues, problems and topical areas in education science from the
                                           correspondingly marked course programme.

27.5 ECTS-Credits: Master's Thesis
2.5 ECTS-Credits: Master's Thesis Defence

During the Master’s Programme courses amounting to 20 ECTS-Credits must be passed in elective subjects.

Course Sequence (incl. Education Studies)

Qualification Profile and Skills

The Secondary School Teacher Training Programme (General Education) qualifies its graduates as teachers in the selected subjects of general education / specialisations for all secondary schools (Neue Mittelschule, Polytechnische Schule, Academic Secondary Schools,  Intermediate and Higher Technical and Vocational Schools). This study programme also meets the requirements for teaching in intermediate and higher schools in the South Tyrol *. In the Master’s programme the knowledge and skills acquired in the Bachelor’s programme is broadened and deepened. Graduates are able to solve problems of teaching in secondary schools in an innovative and creative way. They are able to independently deal with scientific or artistic topics resp. with regards to contents and by using appropriate methods. They are able to participate in expert discourse and to independently acquire more specialist, subject-didactical and pedagogical knowledge and to implement it in their teaching.

In the Master’s Programme in the subject of Biology and Environmental Protection the competences in the areas of biology and biology didactics are advanced, just like the handling of research methods used in biology and didactics. This is done by dealing with selected topics and issues in individual subdisciplines of biology, in subject-didactic research areas, in elective subjects and by taking into account gender aspects based on gender theory.

* South Tyrolean teacher education students have to fulfil specific prerequisites, if they want to teach in South Tyrol. For information contact the  Office for South Tyrolean Affairs.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Graduates have the professional competence to introduce their pupils to biological and environmental contexts and to promote their interest in natural sciences. The have the subject-didactic competence to adjust their teaching to the individual needs of the learners and to evaluate their lessons’ efficiency with regards to the learning outcomes of the pupils.

Future Prospects: Occupational Profiles and Career Opportunities

The Master’s Programme Secondary School Teacher Training (General Education) qualifies for teaching at secondary schools. Based on the Bachelor’s Programme, the graduates acquire the competences needed for teaching in a way to meet the educational requirements of a developing school and society. 

Extension Programme

Within the scope of the Study Programme, a Extension Programme corresponding to 60 ECTS-Credits may be passed. Admission to the Extension Programme requires the admission to or the having passed of one of the selected Study Programmes. Detailed information: https://www.uibk.ac.at/studium/angebot/es-informatik/

Information about examination regulations, assessment and grading

Examination regulations

The examination regulation is an integral part of the curriculum, detailed information can be found under the paragraph examination regulations.

The grade distribution table is a statistical representation of the distribution of all successfully completed examinations in a given programme of study or subject (based on all registered students for the programme or subject). The grade distribution table is updated in regular intervals.

ABCDE
Austrian grading scheme Definition %-age
1EXCELLENT: Outstanding performance 46.2= 100%
2 GOOD: Generally good, but with some errors 31
3SATISFACTORY: Generally sound work with a number of substantial errors 16.3
4SUFFICIENT: Performance meets the minimum cirteria 6.5
5INSUFFICIENT: Substantial improvement necessary; requirement of further work
December 2021


Overall classification of the qualification

Not applicable
Explanation: An overall classification (mit Auszeichnung bestanden/pass with distinction, bestanden/pass, nicht bestanden/fail) – is awarded only for examinations that conclude a programme of study and consist of more than one subject (an examination of this type is not specified in the curriculum of this programme of study).

Contact and Information

Examination Office
Location Innrain 52d

Authorised repesentative for subject training and didactics
assoz. Prof. Mag. Dr. Florian Michael Steiner

Dean of Studies (from 01.03.2024)
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Markus Ammann

Information portal for Biology Students of the University of Innsbruck   
biopage.info

Informations for students from South Tyrol* 
Office for South Tyrolean Affairs
*For students from South Tyrol, there are special requirements if they want to teach in South Tyrol. 

Informations for students with disabilities
Disability Office

Information about the Programme

Nach oben scrollen