Education
Education (M.A.)
Learn to reflect on and organize educational and development processes. Our broad-based general educational approach offers you a wide variety of career options in education, industry, politics and culture. Choose from the specializations Aesthetic and Cultural Education, International Education, Media Education or Organizational Education and expand your knowledge in these areas. Develop skills in designing educational processes as well as skills in academic research into educational issues.
- Degree
- Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Duration of studies in semester
- 4
- Start of degree program
- Winter semester
- Study location
- Erlangen
- Number of students
- 50-150
- Subject group
- Language and Cultural Studies
- Special ways to study
- Part-time degree program
- Teaching language
- completely in German
- Admission Requirements
- Qualification assessment
What is the degree program about?
Students acquire knowledge and skills to develop and analyze education, teaching and qualification processes. The degree program therefore offers the foundation for supporting individual and collective learning and development processes, oriented towards lifelong learning. The degree program is also concerned with the systematic professional development of teaching and learning institutions in society, education, business, politics, culture, science, religion, family and day-to-day life.
Graduates can work in many different areas. This vast number of options is reflected in the degree program at FAU in three ways:
- Broad general educational perspective
- Choice of specialization (Aesthetic and Cultural Education, International Education, Media Education or Organizational Education)
- Research orientation
- Students acquire organizational skills, analytical skills and knowledge of methods to conduct research in the various fields of education.
Students specialize in one particular area (Aesthetic and Cultural Education, International Education, Media Education or Organizational Education) and obtain comprehensive knowledge in fundamental research, practical fields, methods and contexts of their chosen specialization. Students use this knowledge to analyze, reflect on and evaluate specific contexts, problems and structural requirements of professional fields in education.
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The degree program consists of 10 modules, with three modules each in general education science and the selected compulsory electives (specialization). In addition, students take one module in field research and one in empirical research practice.
The fourth semester focuses solely on the Master’s module (written Master’s thesis and oral Master’s examination).
1st semester
- Module I: General educatiton I – Historical and systematic aspects
- Module II: Specialization: Theoretical foundations
- Module III: Free electives
2nd semester
- Module IV: General education II – Research methods
- Module V: Specialization: Methods and fields of action
- Module VI: Field research (depending on specialization)
3rd semester
- Module VII: General education III – Theory Workshop
- Module VIII: Specialization: Contexts of research and practice
- Module IX: Field research (depending on specialization)
4th semester
- Module X: Master’s module (Master thesis, Master’s examination, Master’s seminar)
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The key feature of the Master’s degree program in Education is the combination of in-depth study of general education science combined with the study of a particular specialization. The intention of the degree program is to combine fundamental academic reflection with a research-based approach aimed at exploring relevant fields of action at a complex theoretical and empirical level. Students are taught the skills to reconstruct, understand and evaluate learning, teaching and educational processes from several perspectives and they can develop the structure, methods and contents of these processes consistently. The degree program’s focus on encouraging independent research-based learning and students’ projects give students the skills to participate in subject discourse, practice self-reflection, conduct observations and analyze problems in a structured way.
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Depending on their chosen specialization, students are qualified for careers in the following areas, among others:
- Aesthetic and Cultural Education: Positions in cultural and aesthetic education, in cultural institutions as well as in public cultural and education administration.
- International Education: Positions in international education both in and outside of school, international development work in the education sector, in international educational organizations and in the education departments of non-educational organizations.
- Media Education: Positions in fields of media education and media teaching as well as in areas concerning digital transformation in educational organizations and in HR or education departments in non-educational organizations.
- Organizational Education: Positions in organizational education such as organizational and HR development, planning, designing, supporting and evaluating learning in and by companies, social services organizations, educational institutions, authorities and other organizations.
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The degree program is theory and research oriented. it does not focus on practical teaching methods.
At the beginning of their studies, students must decide on one of the specializations (Aesthetic and Cultural Education, International Education, Media Education or Organizational Education). They have to complete two compulsory placements (minimum duration: four weeks) in the practical areas of their specialization. Students may combine the two placements and are encouraged to spend more than the minimum four weeks on their placements. The students are responsible for finding their own placements. -
- Admission requirements (first semester)
- Qualification assessment
- Application deadline winter semester
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15.07.
- Content-related admission requirements
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In order to be admitted to the Master’s degree program in Education, students must have completed a subject-specific or subject-related undergraduate degree (such as a Bachelor’s degree).
- A subject-specific degree is a one-subject or two-subject Bachelor’s degree in education or a three-subject Bachelor’s degree with Education as the main subject.
- Degrees in other subjects are accepted as subject-related degrees if they covered a significant amount of educational content (at least 60 ECTS credits).
Students are admitted directly to the Master’s degree program with an overall grade of up to 2.50. Applicants with a grade of between 2.51 and 3.00 are only admitted after a successful selection interview.
Language skills
- German language skills for international applicants
- DSH 2 or equivalent
Do you need help or more information?
Our Student Advice and Career Service (IBZ) is the central point of contact for all questions about studying and starting a degree programme. Our Student Service Centres and subject advisors support you in planning your studies.